Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant’s tense relationship with the media just took a dramatic turn, as he reportedly blew up at gathered media at Thursday’s practice. Robert Klemko of Sports Illustrated was there:
Dez Bryant just blew up on reporter, went on 10-min rant. "Until they stop disrespecting this team I don't give a f—. Mother——- sick!"
— robertklemko (@RobertKlemko) November 12, 2015
Ten minutes is a long time for a rant. But according to Bryant, something particularly egregious set him off — a racial slur.
This why I got mad pic.twitter.com/uSlbUKH3VA
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) November 12, 2015
The sentence structure makes it a tad tricky to say who’s being accused of not giving a f*ck about whom, but the n-word is plain as day. It’s completely unacceptable, and he would have every right to be upset. But Klemko is strongly contradicting Dez’s version of events.
He's referring to another reporter, and it was uncorroborated by any other teammates or media present. https://t.co/jiXfgqbNyB
— robertklemko (@RobertKlemko) November 12, 2015
@DCSuperBowlRing because that's not why he originally flipped.
— robertklemko (@RobertKlemko) November 12, 2015
No video has surfaced of the exchange, and until it does, we have no way of judging for ourselves why Dez got mad and if it was justified. If Klemko offered a different reason for Bryant’s tirade, we’d be more inclined to believe the reporter than the player, but it’s just a mess until then.
Bryant’s relationship with the media is in bad shape right now, with this on the heels of Bryant’s anger at being portrayed as taunting an unconscious Ricardo Lockette. Dez is an emotional guy, and when your actions and words are big, they’re only going to be magnified by the increased attention they draw. Unless he chills out, the media will still be his enemy.
