If the Jeff Ireland/Dez Bryant dust is going to show us anything, it is how hungry media tends to be with anything involving the NFL. It also shows that even in the off season, the NFL will continue to dominate the sports landscape while other sports are fighting for money now in the midst of playoff scenarios. What is the news? Jeff Ireland, Miami Dolphins GM, asked former Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant if his mother was a prostitute in a pre-draft interview. Bryant might have mentioned this to a columnist, who wrote ”a piece of opinionated outrage”. The internet loved talking about the issue. Ironically enough, the media response is more of the story than the actual question asked by Jeff Ireland.
The Jeff Ireland/Dez Bryant mother of a story
The fact that is the Jeff Ireland/Dez Bryant story comes from a rich and powerful sports league obsessed with image problems that are affecting the chance for instant cash. The NFL has 32 teams and 1,696 active players — not a large sample, but yearly a few dirt bags set themselves apart and also the media pounces on them with unrestrained delight. Talent is vigorously screened by NFL teams for “character issues.”
Dez Bryant suspended
The Dez Bryant suspension with the NCAA saddled him with “character issues” when he entered the draft. This suspension happened after Bryant visited Deion Sander, former eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback and friend to Bryant, at his home in Texas. When the NCAA questioned Bryant about the visit, he “failed to openly disclose to the NCAA the full details of his interaction…” according to a statement released by Oklahoma State. Even so, most GMs, coaches, and scouts thought he was a very talented receiver. The Dallas Cowboys seemed to be really excited to select Bryant as their number one pick in the first round.
Jeff Ireland and the Miami Dolphins Inquisitor
Jeff Ireland, Miami Dolphins inquisitor, no doubt also knew, as Michael Silver reported on Yahoo! Sports, that Dez Bryant’s mother, Angela, had Dez when she was only 15, had two more kids as a teenager, sold drugs and served a prison term. Dez Bryant had to live with relatives and family friends, but even so, he has a very strong relationship with his mom to this day. Maybe Ireland wanted to see if he could provoke Bryant to anger by asking him if his mother was a whore. During the interview, Bryant remained calm.
Jeff Ireland Miami Dolphins apologist
Tuesday, Jeff Ireland apologized to Dez Bryant for asking about his mother being a prostitute after his interview became very public. He might have been taking out a short term loan on a personality as he released a statement published in the Miami Herald :
“My job is to find out as much info as possible about a player that I’m considering drafting. Sometimes that leads to asking in-depth questions. “Having said that, I talked to Dez Bryant and told him I used poor judgment in one of the questions I asked him. I certainly meant no disrespect and apologized to him. “I appreciate his acceptance of that apology, and I told him I wished him well as he embarks on his NFL career.”
Jeff Ireland/Dez Bryant won’t leave
The Jeff Ireland and Dez Bryant story should end there, but do not count on it. The final preseason game of 2010, the Cowboys will play Miami at Dallas. Both teams’ starters will stay on the sidelines. The story of the game, as covered by the media, probably won’t be on the field.
Article Sources
”a piece of opinionated outrage” (via Yahoo! Sports)
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=An2SVLsiaNOzI7amLRxRxxZDubYF?slug=ms-trippintuesday042710
The Dallas Cowboys
http://www.dallascowboys.com/
Miami Herald
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2010/04/jeff-ireland-apologizes-to-dez-bryant.html
