If the Jeff Ireland/Dez Bryant dust blows anything up, it is how hungry media tends to be with the NFL news. It also shows that the NFL dominates the sports landscape — even in its off-season — while other sports fight for money now in the midst of playoff scenarios. The news? I guess 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 mentioned this to a columnist, who wrote ”a piece of opinionated outrage”. The internet gobbled up the issue very quickly. Ironically enough, the media reaction is more of the story than the actual question asked by Jeff Ireland.

The Jeff Ireland/Dez Bryant mother of a story

The Jeff Ireland/Dez Bryant story comes from a powerful sports league that is obsessed with image problems affecting any chance for instant cash. The NFL has 32 teams and 1,696 active players — not a large sample, but every year a few dirt bags set themselves apart and the media pounces on them with unrestrained delight. The NFL screens prospective players for “character issues.”

Dez Bryant suspension

Dez Bryant was suspended by the NCAA and destroyed his junior season at Oklahoma State, and the suspension saddled him with “character issues” when he entered into the draft. This suspension happened after Dez Bryant visited his mentor and friend, Deion Sanders, former eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback, at his house in Texas. When the NCAA asked 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 were ecstatic to pick Bryant as their number one pick in the first round.

Jeff Ireland, 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 at age 15, had two more kids as a teenager, sold drugs and served a prison term. Dez Bryant has a close relationship with his mother even though he had to live with relatives and family friends while growing up. Maybe Ireland wanted to see if he could provoke Bryant to anger by asking him if his mother was a whore. Bryant continued to be calm during the interview.

Jeff Ireland Miami Dolphins apologist

After his interview became very publicized, Jeff Ireland called Dez Bryant on Tuesday and apologized for his questioning about his mother being a prostitute. Maybe taking out a short term loan on a personality, he then released a statement published in the Miami Herald :

“My job is to find out as much information 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 go away

Although the Jeff Ireland/Dez Bryant story should be over with, it won’t. The Cowboys play Miami at Dallas for the final preseason game of the 2010 season. The starters for both teams will probably be watching from the sidelines. The story of the game won’t be on the field as it is covered by the media.

Article Resources

”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

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