WR Dez Bryant Watches Draft at Home
Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports wrote an article yesterday where he recounts speaking to former Oklahoma State WR Dez Bryant (drafted 24th overall by the Dallas Cowboys) prior to the draft. During that conversation, Bryant told Silver that during one of his pre-draft visits, a high-level executive of one NFL franchise had asked Bryant if his mother was a prostitute.
Silver goes on to reveal that the high-level executive was Miami Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland. Ireland has since issued an apology to Dez Bryant, but is that actually enough? The NFL Players Association certainly does not think so, and they are clearly not happy with Jeff Ireland.
Today, NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith issued the following statement to The Palm Beach Post
During interviews, our players and prospective players should never be subjected to discrimination or degradation stemming from the biases or misconceptions held by team personnel. NFL teams cannot have the free reign to ask questions during the interview process which can be categorized as stereotyping or which may bring a personal insult to any player as a man.
And that is exactly what this question was. No matter what Ireland says, he was stereotyping Bryant as a poor, undisciplined, rule-breaking African American football player from the “hood”. Why? Because he met with Deion Sanders and lied about it? Because he was late to practice a few times his freshman year? That is the worst anyone can say about Dez Bryant.
Has he been caught with guns? Beat up on a teammate? Raped a girl? Committed a crime of any kind? No. Yet this self-righteous, high-level executive thought it was OK to ask this question of a potential player. What if the answer to the question had been yes? What possibly could the Dolphins have gained from learning that information? Certainly Bryant did not have anything to do with the lifestyle choices his mother engaged in, and either way, those choices would not affect what Bryant does or does not do on a football field. Did you have any say in how your mother lived her life when you were a child, Mr. Ireland?
Some, like Colin Cowherd of ESPN, are saying that this question is valid because a team needs to see how a player will react in certain situations and when placed under pressure – but they are just making excuses. What’s laughable about Cowherd’s statements, is that he actually believes that since a team is getting ready to pay a player millions of dollars, they are entitled to ask such questions.
During his morning show today, Cowherd said,
I’m going to pay you $40 million. I’ve got some freedoms. Deal with it!
Somebody should show Colin Cowherd the NFLPA’s statement regarding this issue. Cowherd goes on to compare a pre-draft interview like being in front of the parole board at a prison, saying,
You have virtually no rights.
Then how come thirty-one other teams were able to ascertain whether Bryant was mentally tough without asking this reprehensible question? I can think of several other ways to create an uncomfortable situation with a question that would not be anywhere near as inappropriate as this dribble Jeff Ireland managed to come up with. Not to mention that this question is offensive to women and disrespectful of Dez Bryant.
The NFL did not return comment on whether or not Commissioner Roger Goodell would be looking into the Dolphins practices involving player interviews.
However, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross issued a statement saying,
I will be looking into this matter personally and will take appropriate actions if necessary. I have always strived to comply with the highest standards in all aspects of my businesses including recruiting. In interviewing employees we always look to obtain relevant and appropriate information in adherence with the best industry practices.
RB Toby Gerhart
The National Football League is a business, and just like other businesses in America, they should be held accountable to the same set of Labor Laws. The NFL should not be given the flexibility to allow their teams to operate outside of the law and treat potential employees with such disrespect.
Bryant is not the only player to deal with such discriminating questions during this year’s pre-draft interviews. Stanford RB Toby Gerhart (drafted in the 2nd round by Minnesota) said he fielded questions regarding being a white running back.
Gerhart told Yahoo! Sports,
One team I interviewed with asked me about being a white running back. They asked if it made me feel entitled, or like I felt I was a poster child for white running backs.
Can anyone tell me what running a football in the NFL has to do with feeling like a poster child for “white” running backs?
It’s regrettable that these young men are being asked such asinine questions by NFL executives. What’s even more unfortunate is that until the NFL finds it fit to police these pre-draft interviews, young men seeking a job in the NFL will have to sit there and answer them.
To me, Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland had no business asking that question to Dez Bryant. To say that just because I might pay you x amount of money, I can ask you any question even if it doesn’t have anything to do with the reason I’m interviewing you. It sounds like: ” hey I’m giving you this money so your mine and I can do anything I want with you”. People who buys prostitute think like that, threating people like objets. I’m not saying that’s what he does but thet was classless.
Mike
P.S. sorry for the english, french is my 1st language
It’s amazing what some teams are capable of doing to get a jump on the other team, next thing you know before every pre-draft interview the players are going to be read there miranda rights and are going to need a lawyer present.
There surely has to be a less crude method of ascertaining how a player will deal with difficult questions from the media than blurting out “Is your mom a whore?!”.
This is a pretty clear example of some fat-cat executive feeling they have the right to say what they like and the attitude of dinosaurs like Cowherd only encourages it.
My understanding from what I heard this morning is that his mom will be living with him and they want to get an idea of what kind of people would be around because of this and her past problems. That being said, there was certainly a better way to ask this question! If a player brings this kind of bad press on a team/the NFL then the player gets a fine and possibly suspended, I think front office people should be held to a higher standard, this is not good press for the NFL, and if the Miami Dophins don’t do anything, I think Roger Goodell should.
After hearing what Ireland asked, my only thought was why Bryant did not walk out of the interview at that moment. Mikell is right that people who feel entitled to ask questions like that are people who generally devalue people in their everyday lives. What an ass. It is too bad that this was a job interview where he was already being watched so closely by other organizations. Then he could have given Ireland what he really deserved — a broken jaw. I do not condone violence, but if ever there was a place for it, it would be here.
I was not in the room and STRONGLY prefer to give people the benefit of doubt in all matters, but there is no polite, discrete, or appropriate time to suggest that someone’s mom is a hooker. If she was, BTW I think she could probably retire if someone were to hire her son!!!
Harassment is harassment. The NFL is a business. I think too many men here have been given the impression to be able to view their respective teams as their own personal recreational ant farms. This is not a hobby sir, you need to exercise a tad bit more professionalism that some drunk frat boy.
Furthermore, they should view their prospective draft picks the same as prospective clients. Let’s reverse roles for a minute. Maybe a player should evaluate a team by what sense of decency their organization promotes. I think it would be great to have some kind of organized twitter service that only allows the prospective draft picks to voice their opinions about the draft. Hell, start an iPhone App. I would think both sides would win, where you can really hear what a player’s personality is like.
As for the effects of knowing the answer about someone’s mother… How about the effects that management can have on a fresh player not having a clue about what to expect at the next level gets an introduction to a disheartening comment like that. Is it fair for anybody else to be put down in such a demeaning manner on their first day on the job. I certainly wouldn’t give 110% of myself to that organization. Little things can kill. Leave the put downs to the D-Coordinator where it actually does some good!
This guy is not too smart he even scouted the wrong player when they took Utah’s Koa Misi saying how great he did with a few sacks in Utah’s Sugar Bowl win over Alabama. Problem was that Misi had no sacks but he mistaken Misi for Stevenson Sylvester who was drafted by the Steelers. Here is the link and then the quote
http://www.mwcconnection.com/2010/4/27/1448275/did-miami-dolphin-scout-draft-the
“One of the writers from the Sun-Sentinel relays a comment made by Jeff ‘go back to’ Ireland regarding the ‘Fins selection of Koa Misi from Utah. When ‘talking up the selection’ of Misi, Ireland mentions getting a look at Misi vs Alabama and in justifying Misi he raves about his performance that game and credited him with multiple sacks versus Alabama. Problem is, Misi had no sacks versus Alabama. The player he was referring to was Stevenson Sylvester (taken by Pittsburgh) who had multiple sacks. Two other Samoan-Islander defensive players got sacks. Even current Dolphin Sean Smith a db had a sack. But not Misi.”
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolphins_in_depth/2010/04/rob-konrad-defends-jeff-ireland.html
I agree this wasn’t the right question to ask, or the right way to ask if it was a concern/issue that the team needed to know about… but thought the email from a player who knows the situation (people and organisation) provides an interesting view/ counterpoint .. especially that this isn’t restricted to the Dolphins, just that they are the ones who have been exposed (first)…
I anticipate a fine and some re-training for Jeff Ireland at the very least
Whatever happened, it is extraordinarily insensitive to ask a young man whether his mom was a hooker. Its not fair on Dez Bryant that he’s had a difficult or unusual childhood and that that’s been brought into the public eye, I hail from a family of mostly poor Irish ancestors and I’d be ashamed if some of the things they did were to come into the public domain. Its poor form from this guy, and he’ll be embarassed about this and rightly so. Also I think race could become an issue here, would he have asked the same questions to players of different ethnicity??? I don’t feel comfortable saying that, but its a point that I think should be considered.
it’s all about context
Dez bryant has gone through much this year and has dealt with all the crap that the media has given him.
NO REST FOR THE WEARY?
So, from reported speech of one question in a conversation, the blogosphere (even Jeff, who I understand is a professional counsellor) apparently feels able to judge a man’s character, morals and in some cases conclude that he is probably a racist? Wow, I wish I was that good a judge of character – the hiring interviews I have been doing recently would have been a lot shorter! It’s easy to construct heinous ways the question could have been asked, but there are degrees. What if it happened like this:
JI: I understand your Mom had a heap of problems when you were growing up? That must have been tough for you, having all that to deal with at home?
DB: Well, she wasn’t home much, she was out on the streets most nights doing all that bad stuff. [Meaning her drug problems]
JI: [Mis-understanding the statement] Your Mom was a prostitute?
DB: No, no, I meant the drugs.
JI: Oh, sorry, man.
I’m not for one moment suggesting that IS what happened, and it’s still a stupid question to ask, but my point is (as usual) we REALLY don’t know. However it happened, it was wrong, it needs to be (and I’m sure will be) investigated, the full context and intent established and then dealt with appropriately. Bryant’s civil and moral rights should be absolutely upheld. But so should Ireland’s.
There has been quiet a few comments already on Jeff Ireland’s approach to young Dez Bryant so I won’t go into that as most bases appear to ave been covered.
What I will say is whenever the Cowboys play the Dolphins Bryant will no doubt playing his heart out to “stick it” to Ireland.
Talk about a motivational tool
Eagle: Didn’t realize I had the superpowers to deduce racism. Would be cool. Must really dislike me to get this from my post. I inferred nothing of the sort. Don’t be a hater. Stick to what was said in the post, please. I simply stated that questions about someone’s mom being a slut was grounds for getting your ass kicked. Pretty simple. Not judging anything else. Ireland acknowledged that he was out of line, so I don’t think I was out of line to point out what he acknowledges.
I am a very good judge of character, but am always open to being wrong. Go back and read the things he has done in the past and you will find evidence supporting my conclusion that he was out of line. Not saying he is always a scum bag, but he was here.
Okay, pal, listen up. Dez is a person just like you and me. His ma might have a shaky past, but c’mon, she’s his mother. She loves him and he loves her, and Mr. Ireland had NO BUSINESS, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, to ask him that question.
Jeff, of course I’ll stick to what was said. Please give me the same courtesy. I never called you a racist and I’m not a hater.
I expressed surprise that people felt able to judge the man’s character and form judgements from the little we actually KNOW of what happened.
What you said was “What an ass”. Sounds like a character judgement to me :-)
If he’d have punched JI in the mouth then following the uproar the guy wouldn’t have got drafted. His career would be finished before it started. He did the smart thing – credit to him doing that, if it bothered him that much at the time (context is everything here).
However, the fact that he had no “real” opportunity to defend himself is why the whole thing is wrong on so many levels. His hands were tied, he was an easy target, and defenceless (if he wants a career anyway).
But it happens. All the time and he should have been advised and schooled on it. Ideally, he should have shown some maturity, walked, told the media what happened and that he wasn’t prepared to work for an organisation that employed those methods. Easy to say, but hard to do.
He really just needs all these stories to go away, and play some ball.
The Dolphins released some info saying the question was asked during the flow of the interview after Dez said his father was a pimp and his mother worked for his father, the question was then “is your mother a prostitute?”
Now Dez came out and said he never said his father was a pimp so I don’t know who is lying and who is being honest, I tend to believe they are both standing in a shade of gray.
There are idiots in all professions and business areas.
Football being a “manly man’s job” seems to give, regardless of the law, imagined freedom to ask young guys anything at their job interviews. Sad.