Unless you’ve been ignoring sports news over the past several days, you’re probably already aware that amongst the questions Oklahoma State WR Dez Bryant (above) fielded from Miami GM Jeff Ireland during a pre-draft interview, “was your mother a prostitute?” was one of the most memorable. While I enjoyed Sports Pickle’ imagined chat with Ireland (“how much did your mother charge for anal?”), not every blog had such a sophisticated take on the subject. Phinsider’s Matty I, while quick to admit Ireland’s question was “highly inappropriate”, wonders “why the hell is this even a story at all?”
Let’s get to the point. Was Jeff Ireland wrong here? Of course. He should have never asked that question, even if he wasn’t the only one pondering this same thing privately. But should this story be worthy of the kind of attention it’s getting? Is it worthy of Yahoo! Sports making it the lead story on their NFL page? Is it something that should change people’s feelings of the Miami Dolphins organization?
Of course it isn’t.
I don’t see Michael Silver writing front-page articles when the Dolphins run their many charitable events. Where was Silver when the Dolphins were hosting a Haiti relief effort at their stadium? Or when many Dolphin players hold their own fund-raising events to benefit local charities?
If you’re going to slam the entire front office, at least be fair.
That’s why I find it ironic that the caption under Ireland’s photo on the front page reads, “GM Jeff Ireland and the rest of the Dolphins front office can use a lesson on class and civility.”
Because the same can be said for Michael Silver.