By Rick Van Arnam
Bagram, Afghanistan
The views and opinions are mine and mine alone and should not be interpreted as shared by others with whom I serve or the United States Army.
Roger Staubach was my first sports hero. He was the last service academy player to win the Heisman Trophy doing so in 1963 when Navy finished second in the country with a 9 – 1 record. I doubt that a service academy will ever again finish ranked so high or that a Heisman Trophy will ever again be awarded to a Cadet or Midshipman. Most all know that Staubach is a Hall of Famer and spent the 1970’s playing quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. You may have guessed this introduction is really not about him, but rather an issue generated by current Cowboys who, in my opinion, are fostering a very un-Super Bowl like chemistry and reputation. I admit to being old school, but not to being old. So I won’t apologize for saying that the only thing large about Dez Bryant’s $54,000 dinner bill is the gap between the obvious athletic skill of the players involved and lack of collective wisdom in the recent decisions that could be characterized as hazing and described as gluttonous.
This whole fiasco started when rookie Dez Bryant refused to carry the veteran Roy Williams’ shoulder pads. That is one of the rights of passage by which a rookie apparently becomes a full-fledged member of the team. It is also called hazing even if, I admit, there is likely no physical or emotional harm for not doing it – only financial so it appears. The punishment for a rookie not carrying a veteran's shoulder pads was dinner and Bryant recently treated Williams and several teammates making up for his rookie oversight - the bill came to more than $54,000. Public reaction ensued, not surprisingly. Bryant termed the public disapproval over the $54,000 dinner as ‘funny’ further separating his understanding from reality.
Roy Williams, talking after the $54,000 dinner, hinted that he sort of gets it when he observed, “But he's still out there as a punt returner, catching balls and doing things he needs to do, and I'm doing things I need to do to make this team better.” I always thought that was the best way to become part of the team.
Soldiers are not in the entertainment business so I can’t admit to fully understanding the perspective of the two athletes seated at the center of a $54,000 dinner table. And neither have those athletes served overseas so it may be easy for them to dismiss my perspective, but here are three things to consider.
1. Privates and Lieutenants are not expected to carry body armor for First Sergeants and Lieutenant Colonels. If you visit any unit, you will find veteran soldiers not only carrying their own equipment, but taking full responsibility for cleaning personal weapons and maintaining their gear. It just works better that way.
2. $54,000 is about what an E5 (Sergeant) earns including base salary, housing allowances and other benefits. That is an annual amount. And the job can be dangerous. Very dangerous.
3. The best way to become part of a team is to work hard, do more than what is expected of you and always work to improve your skills. You could be really good at hazing others, or really good at being a hazed victim, and still be a non-factor on game day. Hazing does not improve anyone’s performance.
To be fair, I hope that something positive will emerge from all of this – for the players and fans. It is unlikely to occur until the players involved accept a timeless truth about a gap that exists between athletic skills and a fully mature character. The talent that enables a player to become a professional draft pick is likely more mature than the character necessary to handle the responsibility that comes with being a high performing and highly visible athlete. Closing that gap is where time, money and energy should be spent.
Update
In the days that have passed since I wrote my first draft, the Cowboys lost to the Tennessee Titans 34 – 27 dropping their record to 1 – 3.
Acknowledgements
Roy Williams pays back Dez Bryant
By Calvin Watkins
ESPNDallas.com
September 29, 2010
Dez Bryant: Dinner bill 'funny'
By Tim MacMahon
ESPNDallas.com
8 October 2010
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