Dez Bryant, Cowboys Critics And 'The George Clooney Rule'
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FRISCO (105.3 The Fan) - Dez Bryant and I have on multiple occasions discussed what we've decided to call "The George Clooney Rule, and it's worth a mention here after a Sunday in Cleveland in which he caught just one pass while the Cowboys won, 35-10.
"I feel like I've been misunderstood for so long, but people can think whatever they want to think," Bryant said Thursday. "I know who I am. … A lot of people try to say I'm a 'me, me, me' guy. I've never been. That's not how I was taught."
And yet … national TV sports networks repeatedly made Dez, his stats and his attitude time-filling fodder.
Why?
"The George Clooney Rule.'
The Clooney rule, as we've kicked it around, is simply this: He's a movie star who doesn't always like the paparazzi taking photos of his face, ripping his acting or questioning his persona.
But, as much as they are unfair leeches, Clooney's face, acting and persona are why he makes $20 million a movie. If he loves to perform but truly hates the weirdo attention that comes with his job, he quit Hollywood and go do dinner theater in Boise.
So it is for being LeBron James, or Tim Tebow, or a high-profile member of the Dallas Cowboys. As I've said to Dez, if you don't like all the B.S. burdens that come with your $70 million contract, quit, give the money back, and go find a flag-football league in Frisco.
His understanding and acceptance of "The George Clooney Rule,'' however, doesn't preclude him from occasionally asking for fairness from the vultures who surf on his coattails for their own ratings-driven income.
"Who I am,'' Bryant said, "I feel like I'm a great person. I do. I care about people. I genuinely care about people. I like to see people do good. I've been around a lot of hate in my life. That's something I try my best to eliminate every day."
People who know him, including his teammates, rave about Bryant as a worker, a leader, a talent, a friend, a brother. Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan made it a point on Thursday to note that his All-Pro receiver "doesn't care if he catches one pass or eight, as long as we're winning.''
Now, make no mistake: Dez makes it clear in our conversations that he much prefers the "eight.'' But when he doesn't get the numbers — because he's doubled or because rookie QB Dak Prescott doesn't see him open or because, oh, Browns DBs are committing pass interference as the ball is arriving — it's acceptable. … under one condition.
"It's OK, we're winning,'' Dez said. "I know my time is going to come. When it comes, it's going to be big."
And when it comes, or if it doesn't, one factor remains in place, as sad as it is true: "The George Clooney Rule.''
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