Tag: Dez Bryant (Page 5 of 8)

      Dez Bryant says he was unaware of shoulder pads tradition

      July 27, 2010 /
      ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 9: Roy E. Williams #11 of the Dallas Cowboys is tackled by Sheldon Brown #24 of the Philadelphia Eagles after gaining 17-yards on a second quarter catch during the 2010 NFC wild-card playoff game at Cowboys Stadium on January 9, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

      After being scrutinized for refusing to carry teammate Roy Williams’ shoulder pads following a recent training camp practice, Cowboys’ rookie Dez Bryant says he didn’t know that the gesture was a tradition in the NFL.

      “I didn’t know nothing about no tradition,” Bryant said. “The only thing about me … when I try to do something right, ya’ll try and turn it negative and I don’t feel like that’s right. I’m trying my best to do the right thing but it seems like I can’t do the right thing because every little thing that I do ya’ll watching it and try to make a big deal out of it.”

      Some are trying to make a bigger deal out of this situation than it really is, but Bryant says that everything between him and Williams is fine now, so the issue should be dead. Bryant wasn’t aware of the tradition and now he is. Griping.

      Like I wrote yesterday, I think Williams should carry his own pads seeing as how he’s stealing from the Cowboys with that ridiculous salary of his. In fact, I think both Williams should have to carry Drew Pearson’s shoulder pads.

      External Sports, NFL

      So much for Dez Bryant’s attitude being a concern

      July 26, 2010 /
      December 30, 2008 San Diego, CA..wide receiver Dez Bryant #1 of Oklahoma State catches a pass and runs in for a touchdown in the first quarter in action during the Holiday Bowl College football game against Oregon at Qualcomm Stadium on December 30, 2008 in San Diego, California..Louis Lopez/CSM Photo via Newscom

      Heading into April’s NFL draft, the scouting report on Dez Bryant read something like this: Great talent, but has immaturity issues that could lead to problems at the next level.

      But thus far, the reports out of Dallas on Bryant have been outstanding – so much so that one would think the Cowboys just drafted the second coming of Michael Irvin.

      Late last week, Bryant signed a five-year, $11.8 million contract, which included $8.3 million guaranteed. He was the first player selected in the first round to agree to a deal with his team, which is ironic considering some in the media thought he might wind up being the next Michael Crabtree in terms of rookie wide receiver that held out.

      To his credit, Bryant hasn’t been a distraction, a diva or anything outside of impressive so far in Dallas. Granted, he only has a couple of OTA sessions and one training camp weekend under his belt, but it’s hard not to fall in love with his potential. In fact, his practice performances over the weekend were reportedly “electrifying” according to the Dallas Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The paper says he was making one-handed catches along the sidelines and was praised by his coaching staff and teammates.

      Of course, Bryant still has a long ways to go in order to prove himself both on and off the field. The concerns about him coming out of Oklahoma State didn’t emerge out of thin air and he could still wind up being a headache for the Cowboys over the long-term. But considering the biggest complaint about him so far has been over his refusal to carry Roy Williams shoulder pads after practice, his NFL career is off to a great start. (Besides, Williams is stealing money from the Cowboys anyway so he should have to carry his own damn pads.)

      External Sports, NFL

      Roy Williams ready to fight to retain his job

      May 13, 2010 /

      Cowboys’ receiver Roy Williams is well aware that rookie Dez Bryant wants to get on the field this year. And in order to do so, he’ll have to unseat Williams, who is the incumbent starter at the position opposite Miles Austin in the offense.

      “This ain’t my first rodeo,” Williams said. “I got recruited [to Texas] with B.J. [Johnson] and Sloan Thomas, so those are two top-notch guys. I came in and did my thing. I was the third one on the totem pole in that deal, and I came out No. 1. I don’t really see it as a competition thing. I see it as us getting better.

      “But I know in the back of my mind and the back of his mind, he wants to play, the only way he’s going to play is to get No. 11 off the field, and that’s going to be tough to do. But it’s going to make us better as a football team.”

      In preparation, Williams has been catching 200 balls a week off the JUGS machine according to the Dallas Star-Telegram. He’s also catching 40 or 50 balls from Tony Romo during the week while trying to ensure that he won’t drop as many passes as he did last season.

      “It won’t even be half,” said Williams, who had the 12th-most drops in the league last year, according to STATS Inc. “Do you want to take that bet? I won’t even come close. Promise you.”

      Williams has the right attitude, but he’ll have his work cut out for him competing against Bryant. While it’s always best to keep expectations somewhat tempered when it comes to rookies, Bryant is just flat out better than Williams. He’s faster, has softer hands and projects to be more of a playmaker. There’s a reason why the Cowboys drafted him and it wasn’t so he could watch Williams (whose contract may have saved him from being released by now) play.

      That said, Williams is right in that Bryant makes the Cowboys a better football team. Competition breads success and the addition of Bryant should make Williams more focused and determined to produce.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Dez Bryant already impressing in Dallas

      May 3, 2010 /

      Count Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips as someone who is already impressed with first round pick Dez Bryant.

      From the Dallas Star-Telegram:

      “Dez Bryant is an absolute talent, you don’t see that many come in and look that good that early,” Phillips said.

      “In 33 years (of coaching) there’s not very many that I can say look that talented at their position for a three-day period.”

      It’s high time Bryant received some positive press. He was made out to be a huge character risk before the draft, even though he hadn’t done anything wrong outside of showing some maturity issues. But as Phillips points out, he has a ton of talent – too much talent for him to have slipped into the bottom of the first round.

      He has a long way to go to prove that he can play and stay focused, but Bryant is off to a nice start. Along with Miles Austin and Jason Witten, Bryant gives Tony Romo a plethora of weapons to throw to in the passing game. And after finishing second in the league in total offense, the Cowboys should once again be explosive again this season.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL

      Dolphins’ GM apologizes to Bryant for asking whether or not mother was a prostitute

      April 28, 2010 /

      Dolphins’ GM Jeff Ireland recently apologized for asking then-NFL prospect Dez Bryant in a pre-draft interview about whether or not his mother was ever a prostitute.

      From Yahoo! Sports.com:

      “My job is to find out as much information as possible about a player that I’m consider 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.”

      Some blogs are questioning why this is even a story, but it is a story and it’s a situation that is problematic. It appears as though some NFL front office types (that includes coaches) feel as though they’re entitled to ask whatever they want when it comes to interviewing prospects. They feel as though since players are paid millions of dollars that nothing is out of bounds or off limits, which is an issue. (Especially when it comes to asking a prospect whether or not his mother had ever slept around for money.)

      Ireland’s question was degrading, insulting and completely unnecessary. What was he hoping to accomplish? What if Bryant said yes? Then what? The Dolphins take him off their big board? What does Bryant’s mother have to do with whether or not he can catch passes?

      I realize that teams have to do their due diligence when it comes to finding out what kind of character these young men have. And the only way for them to do that is for them to question them about their past.

      But at some point, there has to be a line drawn in the sand and I think Ireland crossed it with Bryant.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft

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