Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is probably assuming that hes been loyal to Dez Bryant despite the All-Pro wide receivers past domestic violence issues.
In light of this recent 2011 videotape that supposedly shows Bryant dragging a woman from one vehicle to another (if he is actually the guy on the video), its safe to say his mother issues have lead to an overall aggression towards women.
However, no one has actually seen this video tape and according to ESPNs Ian Rapoport, the Cowboys had been aware of the 2011 incident at Wal-Mart. He has also reported that the Cowboys have not signed Bryant to a long-term contract extension in part because of fears about his behavior off the field.
Bryant was arrested in July 2012 after allegedly striking his biological mother, Angela Bryant. No charges were filed.
Hes become one of the NFLs premiere receivers over the past two Pro Bowl seasons. In 2014, Bryant got his Michael Irvin on and led the NFL with a career-high 16 touchdown catches. He recorded his third consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season with 1,320 on 88 receptions this past season, which saw Dallas high hopes once again crumble in a heap of controversy.
Despite the obvious differences, Bryant and Jerry Jones are a lot alike. In their worlds, money equals respect. Bryant has played his heart out for the Cowboys and now that his rookie contract is up, he has the capitalistic right to reap the benefits of his labor on the field free from grief, criticism and hater-ass tactics used by corporate machines to knock his hustle.
Something is very fishy about the timing of this report. Bryant definitely thinks so.
TMZ every news outlet and gossip trolls greatest whore reported that Bryant lashed out on his Twitter feed that he was betrayed. Id tend to agree with him, because this so-called tape still hasnt surfaced. Its just more negative press. If true, it shows a pattern of aggressive behavior towards women and domestic violence is the cats meow of NFL social issues right now. Damning footage or even the potential of it existing, could possibly damage Bryants leverage in future contract negotiations. With no tape having surfaced its unusual for TMZ to put the cart before the horse, but maybe they are working as part of a larger conspiracy spear-headed by Jones and the Cowboys who for some reason dont want to pay Bryant what hes worth.
Now, as we approach the March 10 free-agency kickoff, it appears that Dallas accepting that Bryant is steadfast in his position that he should be paid like the Top 3 elite receiver his numbers say he is is embarking on a smear campaign.
“I need to get me a real raw uncut TV show or something … I can’t continue to get betrayed like this, Bryant complained on his Twitter account.
It’s the second time Bryant has addressed the rumors.
Last week, he posted another cryptic statement that reads … “Just quit with the b.s. Its clear as day what’s going on I might need to do a exclusive interview about my life these past 5 years since the world is destined to know.”
“I used to let people take advantage of my life now that Im no longer allowing that to happen it seems to be a problem Im not ashamed of none of my past incidents because thats what made me who I am today.”
Feels like a full court submission press to me. The Cowboys have handled some of Bryants past issues and emotional outbursts with delicacy and maybe Jones thought Dez would give him a bargain for his fatherly support. However, Bryant doesnt think he owes the Cowboys anything and if the two sides cant come to an agreement as to Bryants worth, there are a plethora of other teams that can.
The Cowboys know that Dez has them in a tough spot; because eventually he can just bounce and go get paid. Dallas still has one more wild card to play. If they cant reach an agreement Bryant will likely become the Cowboys franchise tag player for 2015 and make about $12 million on a one-year deal. He would almost certainly leave in 2016 under those circumstances.
Other than the fact that they drafted him, Bryant obviously has no special allegiance to the Cowboys and if he did, he shouldnt. This is an obvious, low class and dirty PR play, using the press and any two-bit tabloid to smear Bryants name, lower his market value and scare off suitors.
That way, hell either go back to Dallas with his tail between his legs or eventually sign elsewhere for less money than he expected. One is a financial victory for King Jones and the other is a mental victory for Geriatric Jerry.
I was reluctantly watching the BET series Book of Negroes recently and this situation strikes me as similar to when a slave got their freedom and the master still didnt want to follow through with his end of the bargain. He would often concoct a story about the slave being a runaway to get them back into the fold under their original masters organization of suppression.
Bryant is displaying the type of business sense that would make Jones proud if he was his son. But Jones probably sees Bryant as an ungrateful low life. Once again we have a clash of old school Donald Sterling philosophies clashing with new school Neo-Negro mathematics.
Tony Romo gets all the money that he wants regardless of his playoff failures. Bryant, who probably wont command half of what Romo gets but is just as effective pound-for-pound and has more TD grabs (56) than any other NFL player over the last five years, gets a slander job and excuses about his character and his inconsistency with dropped passes.
If the Cowboys are playing PR games, then shame on them. If Dez just keeps cool, hell get his money whether a tape surfaces or not. Always trying to paint somebody as the crazy black man, doesnt always work.
