Cbz40
The Grand Poobah
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I hope Kevin Burnett gets back quickly
1:12 PM Thu, Aug 14, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Jean-Jacques Taylor
As a reporter, you enter most relationships with the attitude that players, coaches and front office types are assets - people that can help you do your job.
You don't get emotionally attached to your assets because you understand that one story they don't like - sometimes it's just a paragraph - can ruin the relationship.
Sometimes, though, you hit it off with player, coach or front office type and the relationship becomes more involved. You're not friends, but you're more than business associates.
Now, you would think that means you're easy on those people. Actually, it doesn't. If you have a good realtionship with someone, you can ask them anything - the harder, the better - and they will give you the truth because they trust you and they know you'll be fair with them whether they like the story or not.
That's a long way of saying, I'm closer to Kevin Burnett than most players.
I've always liked Burnett - even as a rookie - because he's an independent thinker with a high opinion of himself.
I like those kind of guys because they're never afraid to tell you what they think - publicly or privately. Some guys never reveal anything because they're always afraid the coach is going to cut them or put them in the doghouse.
What they fail to realize is that as long as they perform on the field, the coach will love them even if he hates them.
Burnett and I did a show together last year, so our families got to know each other.
My wife, Lorraine, spent time with his wife, Maia, during training camp, while we were each at practice. And I tease his sons - 3-year-old Kamurhan and 2-year-old Kevin III when I see them.
And he gives my son, A.J., a helicopter ride every time he sees him.
Burnett will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, so he prepared for this season even more diligently than last. We spent a lot of time talking about whether the Cowboys would re-sign him and if they didn't what kind of teams would covet him. We talked about what kind of money he might command.
That's why I hope he has a speedy recovery. This is a huge year for him and I'd hate to see it ruined because of injury, something that has plagued him virtually his entire career in Dallas.
1:12 PM Thu, Aug 14, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Jean-Jacques Taylor
As a reporter, you enter most relationships with the attitude that players, coaches and front office types are assets - people that can help you do your job.
You don't get emotionally attached to your assets because you understand that one story they don't like - sometimes it's just a paragraph - can ruin the relationship.
Sometimes, though, you hit it off with player, coach or front office type and the relationship becomes more involved. You're not friends, but you're more than business associates.
Now, you would think that means you're easy on those people. Actually, it doesn't. If you have a good realtionship with someone, you can ask them anything - the harder, the better - and they will give you the truth because they trust you and they know you'll be fair with them whether they like the story or not.
That's a long way of saying, I'm closer to Kevin Burnett than most players.
I've always liked Burnett - even as a rookie - because he's an independent thinker with a high opinion of himself.
I like those kind of guys because they're never afraid to tell you what they think - publicly or privately. Some guys never reveal anything because they're always afraid the coach is going to cut them or put them in the doghouse.
What they fail to realize is that as long as they perform on the field, the coach will love them even if he hates them.
Burnett and I did a show together last year, so our families got to know each other.
My wife, Lorraine, spent time with his wife, Maia, during training camp, while we were each at practice. And I tease his sons - 3-year-old Kamurhan and 2-year-old Kevin III when I see them.
And he gives my son, A.J., a helicopter ride every time he sees him.
Burnett will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, so he prepared for this season even more diligently than last. We spent a lot of time talking about whether the Cowboys would re-sign him and if they didn't what kind of teams would covet him. We talked about what kind of money he might command.
That's why I hope he has a speedy recovery. This is a huge year for him and I'd hate to see it ruined because of injury, something that has plagued him virtually his entire career in Dallas.
