Memo to Dez Bryant: Rookies Need to Respect Tradition

Filed under: Cowboys, NFC EastYou don't have to be super-religious to wonder if a higher power is at work in San Antonio this summer.

Let me explain. Dez Bryant, the latest cocky receiver to join Jerry Jones' outfit (see Irvin, Michael; Johnson, Keyshawn and Owens, Terrell), belied his "it's all about me" reputation when he signed before any of his fellow first-round picks in April's draft. And Bryant looked good early in Dallas' camp, prompting the thought that it was more a matter of when not whether he would supplant the underwhelming Roy Williams as a starter.

But then Bryant reverted to character, refusing Williams' request to carry his pads off the field after practice. Williams handled the public dissing with class, saying it was no big deal and adding that he would make the rookie spend larger at mealtime. However, this was no mere Cowboys ritual that Bryant violated. It was an ancient football tradition, dating back to the days of George Halas and Curley Lambeau. Sam Huff, Bart Starr and Mean Joe Greene carried their elders' pads, but not some hotshot rookie from Oklahoma State? I haven't forgotten first-round millionaire Brian Orakpo toting teammates' pads every day last summer at Redskins camp en route to a Pro Bowl season in which he set the franchise record for sacks by a rookie. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Commentsprinted circuit boards scottrade center workout program