Dez responds to Ray Lewis with a Tweet

[Reality]

It is not like Bryant has not done that. We have all seen it.

No, not every outburst on the sidelines is that, but he has had them.

I am all for players being "passionate". But honestly, in the case of WRs in particular, their special brand of it is not exactly helpful if it is not focused appropriately.

Then you have your classic diva WR.

Exactly right .. years ago, he had them. Years ago, we and the media talked about them .. a lot. The media is just bringing them up now to dilute the attention away from their pre-ordained GOAT HoF prized receiver in OBJ.

 

[Alexander]

Exactly right .. years ago, he had them. Years ago, we and the media talked about them .. a lot. The media is just bringing them up now to dilute the attention away from their pre-ordained GOAT HoF prized receiver in OBJ.

Or, they are just looking for the closest equivalent in Bryant. And frankly, he probably is the only rival to Beckham in terms of diva-ness.

Beckham did the splash things before he ever developed a personality. Way more than Bryant has in his career. It is a natural comparison.

Not excusing the coverage. To me, diva WRs are best ignored, not encouraged.

 

[Reality]

Or, they are just looking for the closest equivalent in Bryant. And frankly, he probably is the only rival to Beckham in terms of diva-ness.

Beckham did the splash things before he ever developed a personality. Way more than Bryant has in his career. It is a natural comparison.

Not excusing the coverage. To me, diva WRs are best ignored, not encouraged.

I agree with you there, but still they are not really making that distinction.

I also agree that it would be better to ignore all diva players, but the media tends to shove them in our face at every turn. It's one of the reasons I rarely watch or even listen to ESPN any more.

 

[Alexander]

I agree with you there, but still they are not really making that distinction.

I also agree that it would be better to ignore all diva players, but the media tends to shove them in our face at every turn. It's one of the reasons I rarely watch or even listen to ESPN any more.

To be honest, unless someone posted this about ESPN, I would never have noticed.

And been the better for it. I don't watch it at all, unless there is a game on. Literally.

As much as people gripe about it, they seem to continue to watch it like a train wreck. Or a Kardashian.

 

[Sydla]

What I find funny is that Dez is not causing any problems, yet because OBJ is, the sports media is bringing up Dez non-stop in an attempt to shift focus away from OBJ's antics or to downplay or dilute the stupidity and immaturity that OBJ has been showing lately.

The sports media just doesn't get it .. Non-Giants NFL fans know it's OBJ freaking out and not living up to the pre-ordained HoF GOAT receiver they've been hyping him to be the last two years.

The persecuted angle some of you play with media is too much. ODB is getting killed in the press too for his antics.

As it pertains to Dez, he deserves the criticism. I love him as a player and want him as a part of this team but fact is if you can't muster yourself to show up on time for all your meetings and workouts and doctors' appointments, then that's an issue that needs addressing.

Lewis is a clown but in this one particular case, he's dead on.

 

[Sydla]

He went MIA because he feared his season was over after the same thing happening last year. Anyone who has ever played sports and suffered a serious leg injury only to hurt it again in the future has gone through that.

He didn't go MIA because he wasn't getting the ball thrown to him or because the NFL was not throwing flags on defenders against him or because he went partying or he took a trip somewhere. He went MIA on the players' day off by the way.

Stop acting like he did some horrible thing. He simply was afraid of bad news especially so close to hearing that same type of news last season.

Except it wasn't one missed team meeting and one missed doctor's appointment.

He apparently is a habitual offender when it comes to making meetings on time, etc.

I find it a bit odd that while Bryant has claimed he hasn't missed that many meetings, the Cowboys have remained silent. They were quick to jump to Hardy's defense last year when it was reported back at the beginning of the season that he had missed a couple of meetings and the Cowboys covered for him.

If Bryant has been a good soldier, I'd expect someone, likely Jones, to deny the report to help their star WR out.

 

[Reality]

Except it wasn't one missed team meeting and one missed doctor's appointment.

He apparently is a habitual offender when it comes to making meetings on time, etc.

I was specifically talking about him going MIA after the Bears' game. My comments have nothing to do with meetings missed in the past that are old news now.

 

[Trouty]

The persecuted angle some of you play with media is too much. ODB is getting killed in the press too for his antics.

As it pertains to Dez, he deserves the criticism. I love him as a player and want him as a part of this team but fact is if you can't muster yourself to show up on time for all your meetings and workouts and doctors' appointments, then that's an issue that needs addressing.

Lewis is a clown but in this one particular case, he's dead on.

Yeah Syd, exactly. Lewis' point was that if Dez is to elevate his game to greatness (more or less his tweet to him -- he said something to the effect that "that's why I want to be like you, I grew up watching you"/paraphrase) he needs to eliminate the outside noise and concentrate 100% on his game. Whether or not you support Dez, we can all agree that he has too much noise surrounding him.

Even Lewis faced public scrutiny, but you NEVER saw it interfere with him on Sunday's or his meetings and clubhouse functions.

As unfairly as I, personally, feel Dez has been targetted, he does himself no favors with public spotlight (his tweet to Ray his latest example, as that could have been a text to him behind closed doors, as opposed to a tweet for all the masses to see).

I absolutely love Dez, but he should take heed in Lewis' advice. He needs to be 100% football, 0% everything else, to be a true great. Which was Lewis' point. I tend to agree.

 

[boysfanindc]

I agree with you there, but still they are not really making that distinction.

I also agree that it would be better to ignore all diva players, but the media tends to shove them in our face at every turn. It's one of the reasons I rarely watch or even listen to ESPN any more.

Why would they need to make that distinction, both Diva WR's have brought negative attention to them selves and their teams over the last 2 weeks.

It is not like they are making this stuff up, if they don't want the attention then stop the antics and do what you are suppose to do. They act like they have No control over the situation.

 

[jobberone]

Why would they need to make that distinction, both Diva WR's have brought negative attention to them selves and their teams over the last 2 weeks.

It is not like they are making this stuff up, if they don't want the attention then stop the antics and do what you are suppose to do. They act like they have No control over the situation.

You and @Reality are both right. Dez can't escape the past completely as it is going to show up in the present until he stops feeding the beast. OTOH, 'journalism' today is not what it once was. Now they 'must' fill the 24 hour cycle up so hence we get the stuff we used to never see or read about.

 

[Trouty]

You and @Reality are both right. Dez can't escape the past completely as it is going to show up in the present until he stops feeding the beast. OTOH, 'journalism' today is not what it once was. Now they 'must' fill the 24 hour cycle up so hence we get the stuff we used to never see or read about.

Exactly, Doc. Dez has to go under the radar. He simply must. He needs to realize his brand is his game, and that the more concentrated and devoted to his craft he is, his brand will naturally escalate.

I think he gets too caught up in the spotlight because he lives for the popularity, and thinks his brand will thus grow, whether it's positive or negative be damned. But as he gets older, and loses that God-given edge he has over the competition, he must do as Ray said, and stay 100% committed to his craft. He's physical, as opposed to quick and speedy, so his dropoff should be less as he ages than that of a player like DeSean Jackson or OBJ who's game is almost completely predicated on speed.

He needs to become a master of the game. That's what Ray was eluding to.

 

[Reality]

Why would they need to make that distinction, both Diva WR's have brought negative attention to them selves and their teams over the last 2 weeks.

It is not like they are making this stuff up, if they don't want the attention then stop the antics and do what you are suppose to do. They act like they have No control over the situation.

So skipping a private medical appointment because he feared he was going to get the same exact season-over, months of rehab await, news that he received last year is the same as throwing multiple tantrums, getting an unsportsmanlike taunting penalty, etc. on national TV .. got it .. Yeah, Dez being afraid totally deserves to be compared to OBJ's violent outbursts and antics. All I can say is I hope Dez doesn't get a ticket while driving .. his career might be over.

 

[boysfanindc]

You and @Reality are both right. Dez can't escape the past completely as it is going to show up in the present until he stops feeding the beast. OTOH, 'journalism' today is not what it once was. Now they 'must' fill the 24 hour cycle up so hence we get the stuff we used to never see or read about.

If both of those guys stop feeding the beast in negative ways then the beast will look elsewhere.

Then you will start seeing the segments on how both of the guys have grown up and taken leadership roles.

The beast will eat up the good stories as much as the bad stories.

Ok, I am all beasted out.

 

[Reality]

Exactly, Doc. Dez has to go under the radar.

He was under the radar. He wasn't doing this in public, on national TV, tweeting about it online, etc. The private information leaked out and even the Cowboys front office and coaches were ticked off about it .. the information being leaked, not Dez .. just to be clear.

 

[Trouty]

He was under the radar. He wasn't doing this in public, on national TV, tweeting about it online, etc. The private information leaked out and even the Cowboys front office and coaches were ticked off about it .. the information being leaked, not Dez .. just to be clear.

Reality, I meant his tweet to Ray during national TV, specifically.

But I'm right there with you. Dez is unfairly scrutinized and it's absolutely confounding.

 

[boysfanindc]

So skipping a private medical appointment because he feared he was going to get the same exact season-over, months of rehab await, news that he received last year is the same as throwing multiple tantrums, getting an unsportsmanlike taunting penalty, etc. on national TV .. got it .. Yeah, Dez being afraid totally deserves to be compared to OBJ's violent outbursts and antics. All I can say is I hope Dez doesn't get a ticket while driving .. his career might be over.

Whether you like it or not Dez has a earned/ self inflicted history, scrutiny comes to those with histories much quicker then those who don't. Because without a history you get the benefit of the doubt.

Dez has not earned the benefit of the doubt.

Romo has every reason to be as frustrated by his recent injury history as Dez, but I don't see him drawing more negative attention to himself or the team.

Dez gets the wrap he gets because of Dez, if he does not like it then change it.

He changes it, it will go away.

 

[boysfanindc]

Reality, I meant his tweet to Ray during national TV, specifically.

But I'm right there with you. Dez is unfairly scrutinized and it's absolutely confounding.

IMO Dez has earned the scrutiny he gets, is some of it overblown possibly, but Dez is not a innocent victim here. He is largely sleeping in the bed he made.

 

[boysfanindc]

I guess this thread suddenly became a rant.

 

[Trouty]

IMO Dez has earned the scrutiny he gets, is some of it overblown possibly, but Dez is not a innocent victim here. He is largely sleeping in the bed he made.

I know how you feel about Dez, DC You've made well, thought out posts about it, but we just see it differently here.

Tho, there is a certain truth within the nuance of your argument, imo. It's still way overblown.

 

[Trouty]

I guess this thread suddenly became a rant.

Yeah, unfortunately a bunch of people bombarded it and turned it into a Ray Lewis thing.

Thanks to all those guys...