Daily Ticket: The Blog

Just CHILL: Jeff Ireland rebuked by the NFLPA and will be investigated by Dolphins owner Steve Ross for his inappopriate question to Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant

 

Clarence Hill

 

The NFL Players Association rebuked Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland for asking Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant if his mother was a prostitute in a pre-draft interview and Dolphins owner Steve Ross  has vowed to investigate the matter, hinting at possible discipline.   

 

"Jeff Ireland has already apologized for questions asked of former Oklahoma State receiver Dez Bryant," Ross said in a statement. "I will be looking into this matter personally and will take appropriate actions if necessary."

 

 NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith criticized Ireland in a statement and called for teams to handle interviews with players and rookie prospects in a more professional manner.

 

 “We need to make sure the men of this league are treated as businessmen," Smith said. "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.”

 

Ross said said: "In interviewing employees, we always look to obtain relevant and appropriate information in adherence with the best industry practices.”

 

 NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has yet to formally weigh in on the subject. Goodell has been clear about holding players and league personnel to a higher standard when it comes to personal conduct  and the league's image

 

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello released an official statement from the league, stating that they will support Ross and his handling of the matter while denouncing Ireland's insensitive and inappropriate question.

   “Steve Ross’s statement makes clear that the Miami Dolphins intend to address this matter promptly in an effective and thoughtful way," read the statement from Aiello. "To his credit, Jeff Ireland recognizes that he exercised poor judgment in asking an insensitive and inappropriate question of Dez Bryant.  He took the proper step of calling Dez Bryant to apologize and then making that apology public.” 

 

Bryant was drafted 24th overall by the Cowboys in 2010 NFL Draft last Thursday. He was a top 10 talent who dropped in the draft because of supposed character concerns.  Bryant has not had any criminal problems or a history with substance abuse.

 

His biggest so called crime is lying the NCAA about having dinner with Deion Sanders. The dinner was legal but Bryant was ruled ineligible for his final season at Oklahoma State for lying to the NCAA.

 

Wednesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. The NFL has released its 2010 schedule, and the Dallas Cowboys have a tough row to hoe to reach the Super Bowl. Officially, it's the third-toughest row to hoe. The highlights: three Sunday night games, one Monday night game and games on Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

2. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones talked about the NFL Draft on Tuesday. Like most NFL executives as the draft approaches, he didn't say much.

3. San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich carries a genius label around the NBA, but Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle is 8-2 against Popovich teams, including 5-1 in the playoffs. The Mavs and Spurs meet in Game 2 tonight in Dallas (8:30 p.m., TNT and KTXA/Channel 21).

4. Mavericks notes: Jason Kidd expects to see more of Tony Parker in tonight's game, perhaps even as a starter.

5. Boston Red Sox 7, Texas Rangers 6: The Rangers' losing streak reached five games because they couldn't keep a 6-2 lead in the sixth inning. Notable: The Rangers set a team record with nine stolen bases. The Rangers and Red Sox play again tonight (6:10 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

6. Gil LeBreton: The NFL has moved its draft into prime time because it recognizes the obvious: We can't get enough of our draft.

-- David Thomas

Tuesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Denny Hamlin avoided the big wreck with 17 laps to go and won the Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

2. Ray Buck: This was Jeff Gordon's day and race to win until he got caught up in a late, nine-car wreck.

3. In the day's second race, Kyle Busch won the O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 -- his fifth consecutive Nationwide victory at TMS.

4. The Dallas Mavericks' Erick Dampier and Brendan Haywood played tough defense against Tim Duncan and combined for 15 points and 18 rebounds in Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs.

5. Jennifer Floyd Engel: The NFL Draft begins Thursday, and the Dallas Cowboys can't afford a repeat of the 2009 Draft.

6. Ian Kinsler is expected to test his injured ankle today, then hopefully be set to begin a minor-league rehab assignment. The Rangers visit the Boston Red Sox today (6:10 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

-- David Thomas

Just CHILL: Sensabaugh back in the fold, back at the Ranch

 
Clarence Hill 

 

Safety Gerald Sensabaugh is back at the team's Valley Ranch headquarters participating in the off season conditioning program with his teammates.

 

 Sensabaugh, a restricted free agent, missed the first thee weeks of the off season program, choosing to work out on his own and he continued to seek a long-term deal from Cowboys.

He was given a one-year restricted free agent tender of $1.8 million.

 

He and agent Kevin Conner have now decided that the best way to secure a contract extension is to come back into the fold and work out in Dallas with the rest of the team.

 

"Gerald worked out with the team today," Conner said in an email Monday. "He's very excited to be back with the team preparing for the upcoming season. He has not sign his tender. We are very optimistic as we will continue to focus on our goal to make Gerald a long-term Cowboy."

 

Sensabaugh's return is a good news for the Cowboys who have been going through voluntary workouts without their two starting safeties from a year ago. Remember Ken Hamlin was cut last month.

Monday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Dallas Mavericks 100, San Antonio Spurs 94: Dirk Nowitzki scored 36 points on 12-of-14 shooting, Caron scored 22 points, and Jason Kidd has 13 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. Game 2 is Wednesday night in Dallas.

2. Gil LeBreton: The Spurs chose to cover Nowitzki one-on-one, and he made them pay dearly.

3. Jan Hubbard: Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said some of his players played "like dogs."

4. Rain washed away NASCAR's plans to run two races at Texas Motor Speedway. The Samsung Mobile 500 is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. today (KDFW/Channel 4), with the O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 at 4 p.m. (ESPN2).

5. Ray Buck: NASCAR is no match for Mother Nature.

6. New York Yankees 5, Texas Rangers 2: Rich Harden again had control problems as the Rangers got swept out of New York. The Rangers are off today, then visit Boston for three games.

-- David Thomas

Friday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Cleveland Indians 3, Texas Rangers 2: Two errors followed by a Shin-Soo Choo home run in the bottom of the eighth erased the Rangers' 2-0 lead and prevented them from sweeping the Indians. The Rangers visit the New York Yankees tonight  (6:05 p.m., KTXA/Channel 21).

2. Jerry Jones said the secret recording of him talking about Bill Parcells and Tim Tebow took his words out of context.

3. Gil LeBreton: We went through an entire regular season just so the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks could play each other in the playoffs?

4. Jan Hubbard: Analyzing how the Western Conference's first round will shake out.

5. TCU notes: The Horned Frogs have wrapped up spring football practices, and coach Gary Patterson feels good about his team.

6. Front Row Motorsports is doing well despite a much more limited budget compared to other NASCAR Sprint Cup teams.

-- David Thomas

Thursday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Dallas Mavericks 96, San Antonio Spurs 89: The Spurs sat out Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, and Mavs players viewed that as a sign that the Spurs wanted to play Dallas in the first round. If so, the Spurs got their wish.

2. Jennifer Floyd Engel: Mark Cuban is right in criticizing how the media has handled the Jerry Jones story. (And, oh yeah, bring on the Spurs.)

3. Randy Galloway: There was little newsworthy in what Jones said on the secretly recorded bar conversation.

4. Texas Rangers 6, Cleveland Indians 2: Nelson Cruz hit his sixth home run, and Julio Borbon came through with a big two-run single in the eighth inning. The Rangers go for a three-game sweep in Cleveland this morning (11:05 a.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

5. Rangers notes: Food poisoning forced C.J. Wilson out of Wednesday's start. He is expected to make his next start Friday or Saturday in New York.

6. Joe Montana and Jackie Sherrill headlined a group of six inducted into the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame.

-- David Thomas

Wednesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. The Dallas Stars will not re-sign goalie Marty Turco, the franchise leader in wins, games and shutouts.

2. Free-swinging Vladimir Guerrero is off to another hot start. This season, though, he's putting up big numbers for the Texas Rangers instead of against them. The Rangers resume their three-game series in Cleveland today, with C.J. Wilson getting the start (6:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

3. The Dallas Mavericks have won four consecutive games heading into tonight's season finale against the San Antonio Spurs. They want to keep that momentum heading into the playoffs (7 p.m., KTXA/Channel 21).

4. Gil LeBreton: Milton Bradley and Ben Roethlisberger just can't seem to stay out of trouble.

5. Sunday's Samsung Mobile 500 will provide the first high-speed test for NASCAR's return to rear spoilers.

6. Former TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes has been working on conditioning, diet and a possible move to linebacker as the NFL Draft approaches.

-- David Thomas

Tuesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Texas Rangers 4, Cleveland Indians 2 (10): Nelson Cruz homered in the top of the 10th and Neftali Feliz overpowered the Indians in his first appearance as temporary closer. The Rangers are off today before resuming their three-game series in Cleveland.

2. Rangers notes: Joaquin Arias is hitting .476 filling in for Ian Kinsler, but when Kinsler returns, defense will determine whether Arias keeps a roster spot -- or even a place in the Rangers' franchise.

3. Dallas Mavericks 117, Los Angeles Clippers 94: The Mavs jumped out to a 14-4 lead and had an easy time in Los Angeles. The Mavs are guaranteed at least a third seed in the playoffs.

4. Mike Modano and former Dallas Stars president Jim Lites are part of a local group hoping to purchase the team.

5. Jennifer Floyd Engel: Phil Mickelson's Masters victory serves as a reminder of the importance of early detection in the battle against breast cancer.

6. Nice guy Marcos Ambros is hoping for a nice finish to Sunday's Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

-- David Thomas

Monday's Pick 6

Six links to click before you head to the water cooler:

1. Phil Mickelson won his third Masters with a three-shot victory over Lee Westwood. Tiger Woods finished tied for fourth.

2. Texas Rangers 9, Seattle Mariners 2: Scott Feldman allowed one earned run over seven innings and the offense pounded out 16 hits as the Rangers finished their first homestand with a 3-3 record.

3. Gil LeBreton: Demoted temporarily in favor of Neftali Feliz, Frank Francisco still is confident he can be the Rangers' closer.

4. More than 20,000 people turned out to watch the implosion of Texas Stadium.

5. Dallas Mavericks notes: DeShawn Stevenson has shown plenty of "D" while filling in for Shawn Marion. The Mavs play their next-to-last game of the regular season tonight in Los Angeles against the Clippers (9:30 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

6. Dallas Stars general manager Joe Nieuwendyk calls missing the playoffs for a second consecutive season "unacceptable."

-- David Thomas