Dolphins GM asked Dez Bryant unbelievable question at combine

93Devil · Apr 28, 2010

I like how we are talking HR ethics in a workplace where you have a cattle call in Indy, a draft in NYC and the workers can be traded, bought and sold at any time.

Plus, the workplace can designate one worker who is basically untouchable by other firms.

WaylonJennings · Apr 28, 2010

qtlaw said:

WaylonJennings said:

qtlaw said:

This question is abhorrent and there is no conceivable "context" that would salvage the question.

The question was inexcusable. I don't care if Ireland had "good intentions." He's lucky, no one was ever going to ask him if his mother was a "prostitute" because there probably was not a sniff of a trouble upbringing in his life. Yet he's probably thinking "I would not take offense its an interview." Well you don't know what it feels like until its put to you.

I understand you want to be careful with your investment, but the point is the player, not his mother. Questions about what influence if any his mother has on him is fair game.

I wish Mr. Bryant would sue him for vindication of his rights just to bring that point home.

Someone today opined that this was an "interview." Um, no it was a one way street, Mr. Bryant has/had no choice in who drafted him.
Click to expand...

Absolutes are dangerous. There are conceivable contexts in which such a question was perfectly reasonable, particularly if it became less of an interview and more of just two men talking about life, as these things so often do. Now, if that were the case, Bryant certainly wouldn't be upset, and the GM wouldn't be apologizing. But to say there is "no conceivable context" to salvage the question is simply not accurate.
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This was a one-way interview where supposedly a representative of a team considering drafting a man into a likely $20-30M guarantee.

This is not two friends sharing a brewski. In that context, this is supposedly business and an interview. I will deal with that absolute. No way.
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Can you at least concede that there are some contexts that would make the question more or less objectionable than other contexts?

Simon_Cowbell · Apr 28, 2010

If Bryant had knocked his teeth out, he would be in jail and the truth never would have come out.

Exceptionally dangerous and stupid utterance, and Ireland should be fired by the owner, and if Tuna quits, as well, great.

Fuck him, too.

93Devil · Apr 28, 2010

Stupid to ask the question, but should the Dolphins do the digging to find the answer?

WaylonJennings · Apr 28, 2010

93Devil said:

Stupid to ask the question, but should the Dolphins do the digging to find the answer?
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No. It is completely irrelevant. Hell, if you applied to any elite graduate school in America with a sob story about your mother being a prostitute, you'd get an unparalleled admissions boost.

qtlaw · Apr 28, 2010

WaylonJennings said:

qtlaw said:

WaylonJennings said:

qtlaw said:

This question is abhorrent and there is no conceivable "context" that would salvage the question.

The question was inexcusable. I don't care if Ireland had "good intentions." He's lucky, no one was ever going to ask him if his mother was a "prostitute" because there probably was not a sniff of a trouble upbringing in his life. Yet he's probably thinking "I would not take offense its an interview." Well you don't know what it feels like until its put to you.

I understand you want to be careful with your investment, but the point is the player, not his mother. Questions about what influence if any his mother has on him is fair game.

I wish Mr. Bryant would sue him for vindication of his rights just to bring that point home.

Someone today opined that this was an "interview." Um, no it was a one way street, Mr. Bryant has/had no choice in who drafted him.
Click to expand...

Absolutes are dangerous. There are conceivable contexts in which such a question was perfectly reasonable, particularly if it became less of an interview and more of just two men talking about life, as these things so often do. Now, if that were the case, Bryant certainly wouldn't be upset, and the GM wouldn't be apologizing. But to say there is "no conceivable context" to salvage the question is simply not accurate.
Click to expand...

This was a one-way interview where supposedly a representative of a team considering drafting a man into a likely $20-30M guarantee.

This is not two friends sharing a brewski. In that context, this is supposedly business and an interview. I will deal with that absolute. No way.
Click to expand...

Can you at least concede that there are some contexts that would make the question more or less objectionable than other contexts?
Click to expand...

I cannot fathom how in any business interview setting such a question was even relevant. (I counsel my clients on employment matters.) Perhaps, if there was the hypersensitive need to protect against potential exposure to STDs and the interviewee had such a past history. But then you would have to first establish that the guy had STDs and had gotten it from his mother somehow and you were now trying to identify the source. Okay, then maybe.

zagoshe · Apr 28, 2010

qtlaw said:

WaylonJennings said:

qtlaw said:

WaylonJennings said:

qtlaw said:

This question is abhorrent and there is no conceivable "context" that would salvage the question.

The question was inexcusable. I don't care if Ireland had "good intentions." He's lucky, no one was ever going to ask him if his mother was a "prostitute" because there probably was not a sniff of a trouble upbringing in his life. Yet he's probably thinking "I would not take offense its an interview." Well you don't know what it feels like until its put to you.

I understand you want to be careful with your investment, but the point is the player, not his mother. Questions about what influence if any his mother has on him is fair game.

I wish Mr. Bryant would sue him for vindication of his rights just to bring that point home.

Someone today opined that this was an "interview." Um, no it was a one way street, Mr. Bryant has/had no choice in who drafted him.
Click to expand...

Absolutes are dangerous. There are conceivable contexts in which such a question was perfectly reasonable, particularly if it became less of an interview and more of just two men talking about life, as these things so often do. Now, if that were the case, Bryant certainly wouldn't be upset, and the GM wouldn't be apologizing. But to say there is "no conceivable context" to salvage the question is simply not accurate.
Click to expand...

This was a one-way interview where supposedly a representative of a team considering drafting a man into a likely $20-30M guarantee.

This is not two friends sharing a brewski. In that context, this is supposedly business and an interview. I will deal with that absolute. No way.
Click to expand...

Can you at least concede that there are some contexts that would make the question more or less objectionable than other contexts?
Click to expand...

I cannot fathom how in any business interview setting such a question was even relevant. (I counsel my clients on employment matters.) Perhaps, if there was the hypersensitive need to protect against potential exposure to STDs and the interviewee had such a past history. But then you would have to first establish that the guy had STDs and had gotten it from his mother somehow and you were now trying to identify the source. Okay, then maybe.
Click to expand...

If they are trying to get a background check on a guy they want to know about his background. And that includes his family history.

dixiehack · Apr 28, 2010

OK, I just thought of a possible justification. If he were applying for a security clearance, it might be relevant. The NFL, not so much.

Care Bear · Apr 28, 2010

I don't understand why he was directly asked. The Dolphins could uncover that information easily, if that was really a valid question. It was a shitty move. No child should ever have to answer a question like that about his/her mother. Whatever she did has no bearing on him. None. People have risen above worse.

outofplace · Apr 28, 2010

Simon_Cowbell said:

If Bryant had knocked his teeth out, he would be in jail and the truth never would have come out.

Exceptionally dangerous and stupid utterance, and Ireland should be fired by the owner, and if Tuna quits, as well, great.

Fuck him, too.
Click to expand...

Hey, Simon's back and as charming as ever! (Actually, I agree with you on this one.)

What happened? Were you in hiding until your man Coghlan started showing signs of life?

Simon_Cowbell · Apr 29, 2010

outofplace said:

Simon_Cowbell said:

If Bryant had knocked his teeth out, he would be in jail and the truth never would have come out.

Exceptionally dangerous and stupid utterance, and Ireland should be fired by the owner, and if Tuna quits, as well, great.

Fuck him, too.
Click to expand...

Hey, Simon's back and as charming as ever! (Actually, I agree with you on this one.)

What happened? Were you in hiding until your man Coghlan started showing signs of life?
Click to expand...

They gotta bring Stanton up and start platooning Coghlan with Maybin and Ross.

Last year was last year.

Starman · Apr 29, 2010

Bob Cook said:

I'm not an HR professional, but I'm in a position to hire, so an HR professional will tell me what to do in a job interview.

Not only is, say, asking if someone's mother is a prostitute not cool, but it's also more than likely against the law. I can't ask if someone is married. I can't ask if they have kids. I can't ask if they want kids. I can't ask if they slept with someone of the same sex in college because it seemed like a cool thing to do at the time. I can't ask what it's like to be black. My questions have to stick to the duties of the job, and about the potential employee's professional and educational past.

Pro leagues seem blithely to violate these laws 10 ways to Sunday (so to speak), but no one has sued them on it.
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It's because pro sports teams are owned by billlllllionaires, and in our society, billionaires get to do whatever the fuck they want (even, as in this case, at the expense of millionaires).

Just wait until the next round of labor negotiations/strikes/lockouts in the NFL, NBA and MLB. The players unions will be busted to teeny weeny pieces and teams/leagues will have almost unlimited authority to do whatever the hell they want on the grounds of "character" / "personal conduct."

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Dolphins GM asked Dez Bryant unbelievable question at combine

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Dolphins GM asked Dez Bryant unbelievable question at combine

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