ESPND: Dez Bryant proves core value

[WoodysGirl]

WR's sacrifice, dependability show he's capable of being franchise cornerstone

By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com

ARLINGTON, Texas -- If any doubt lingered, it's long gone now. Dez Bryant has earned the right to be considered a crucial part of the Dallas Cowboys' core.

This isn't about numbers, although Bryant has produced like an All-Pro recently, catching 34 passes for 584 yards and eight touchdowns while the Cowboys have won five of the past six games to emerge as legitimate playoff contenders.

Every single player and coach on the Cowboys' sideline knew that Bryant needed surgery to fix his fractured left index finger. They were all well aware that he delayed the operation because the Cowboys were fighting for a playoff berth and he felt he needed to be a part of it. And they were all inspired.

"There was no way he was going to be stopped from playing in this ballgame and helping our football team," coach Jason Garrett said. "When you're a coach and you're a player and a guy has that determination and shows that mental and physical toughness for playing, it's contagious. Beyond that, he makes a ton of plays."

Quarterback Tony Romo paid Bryant what he considers the highest form of praise: "He's a football player, isn't he?"

"He's in that fraternity of tough guys," tight end Jason Witten said. "That's not easy to do what he did."

Read more: http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/...se-cornerstone

[FLcowboy]

Originally Posted by WoodysGirl

WR's sacrifice, dependability show he's capable of being franchise cornerstone

By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com

ARLINGTON, Texas -- If any doubt lingered, it's long gone now. Dez Bryant has earned the right to be considered a crucial part of the Dallas Cowboys' core.

This isn't about numbers, although Bryant has produced like an All-Pro recently, catching 34 passes for 584 yards and eight touchdowns while the Cowboys have won five of the past six games to emerge as legitimate playoff contenders.

[View Full Quote]Every single player and coach on the Cowboys' sideline knew that Bryant needed surgery to fix his fractured left index finger. They were all well aware that he delayed the operation because the Cowboys were fighting for a playoff berth and he felt he needed to be a part of it. And they were all inspired.

"There was no way he was going to be stopped from playing in this ballgame and helping our football team," coach Jason Garrett said. "When you're a coach and you're a player and a guy has that determination and shows that mental and physical toughness for playing, it's contagious. Beyond that, he makes a ton of plays."

Quarterback Tony Romo paid Bryant what he considers the highest form of praise: "He's a football player, isn't he?"

"He's in that fraternity of tough guys," tight end Jason Witten said. "That's not easy to do what he did."

Read more: http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/...se-cornerstone

Of course, Romo and Witten have been in the club for a long time!

[plymkr]

After the bears game I bashed Bryant pretty hard. I am here to publicly announce that I was wrong. I apologize to Dez and any backers of Dez and he has officially won me over. I know he doesn't care about me but I publicly dissed him and now I am being a man and publicly admitting I was stupid and wrong. The man is a player and I'm proud he wears the star.

To Dez if you possibly read this, please keep the storm coming baby. Take us to the playoffs.

[GusTheo]

My favorite part of the article is where he calls Romo and Wittin his role models. That just speaks volumes of the leadership of this team, something that a lot of people (who obviously didn't know what they were talking about) said the Cowboys lacked.

[CowboysYanksLakers]

You can see that Bryant is willing to be a student of the game now... Very important!

[TheCount]

What I especially liked is that I never saw Dez look at the finger once. I think the natural instinct is to baby the finger or look at it when you miss a catch. Even to flex your hand or adjust the brace on the finger.

I didn't see Dez do any if that even once. It hurt, but he wasn't using it as an excuse.

[superpunk]

"There was no way he was going to be stopped from playing in this ballgame and helping our football team," coach Jason Garrett said. "When you're a coach and you're a player and a guy has that determination and shows that mental and physical toughness for playing, it's contagious. Beyond that, he makes a ton of plays."

Quarterback Tony Romo paid Bryant what he considers the highest form of praise: "He's a football player, isn't he?"

Bryant didn't just play with that fractured finger protected by a splint, pretending that the pain didn't exist. He made a major contribution to the Cowboys' third consecutive win, catching four passes for 59 yards and a touchdown to extend his scoring streak to six consecutive games, not to mention drawing defensive attention that opened up opportunities for teammates.

[View Full Quote]"He's in that fraternity of tough guys," tight end Jason Witten said. "That's not easy to do what he did."

Consider the source of that ultimate compliment.

Witten, a 10-year veteran, has missed a grand total of one game in his career. He has played with a broken jaw and broken ribs, among other ailments. He searched far and wide for a doctor who would tell him his lacerated spleen had recovered so he could play in this season's opener.

Oh, and Romo is the quarterback who fought through the pain of a punctured lung and fractured rib to lead a Cowboys comeback last season, then played several weeks with the rib still healing.

[Fletch]

Originally Posted by plymkr

After the bears game I bashed Bryant pretty hard. I am here to publicly announce that I was wrong. I apologize to Dez and any backers of Dez and he has officially won me over. I know he doesn't care about me but I publicly dissed him and now I am being a man and publicly admitting I was stupid and wrong. The man is a player and I'm proud he wears the star.

To Dez if you possibly read this, please keep the storm coming baby. Take us to the playoffs.

Awesome post! One that I will definitely bump!

[ethiostar]

Dez talking about Romo and Witten.

"I can't thank them enough," Bryant said. "I know my situation and everything that I try to get through. They [have] seen the good in me and they helped me show it. They never turned their back on me. I can't thank them enough."

Love this!!

[TheCount]

Originally Posted by superpunk

Finger is a bit different from a knee. Griffin is a baller.

[followthestar]

Dez seemed so happy when we drafted him, I thought he would do everything he could to prove the naysayers wrong, and reward Jerry for calling his name. It seemed his loyalty to the team and his devotion to playing as a pro went without question. But he didn't burst upon the scene like we expected, and the personalilty questions many had seemed justified. I'd be lying to say I never doubted him, either.

Its a warm, fuzzy feeling to think that Dez will ( and possibly already has) become The Man. The guy who deserves to wear #88. The guy who could be one of the best, if he put his mind to it. The guy Tony can trust to be where he wants him to be, and come down with the ball, and pick up every extra yard he can fight for.

Truth be told, I personally think when he missed out on that TD against the Giants for his finger being past the endzone, that put a fire in his belly. He feels a little like he/we shouldve won that game, and that's focused him even more. He's on a mission, sort of... and we get to watch!