Ireland mentioned in USA Today story on alleged NFL illegal interview practices | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Ireland mentioned in USA Today story on alleged NFL illegal interview practices

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http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ientation-nick-kasa-scouting-combine/1951857/

FYI: Jeff Ireland was mentioned today in a story by Christine Brennan in USA Today discussing alleged illegal interview practices by NFL teams. The quote follows:

"This isn't the first time an NFL team has done something ridiculous at the combine. In 2010, Miami Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland asked Oklahoma State's Dez Bryant if his mother was a prostitute. When that got out, it didn't go over very well either. (Bryant was selected 24th overall by the Dallas Cowboys.)"
 
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IMO, these questions aren't real questions. I don't think anyone really cares if someone's mother is a prostitute, or if someone's into the same sex. I think it's more to see how the player reacts to these questions, and how they would react when taunted on the field
 
I honestly think the Dez story was overblown. I completely think that was a way to measure his attitude.

Now, asking about sexuality is expressly forbidden by the law.
 
Christine Brennan. Keep grinding that ax.

I think these questions are getting asked because losing and ****ing up gets you fired in this league in a blink of an eye. Teams are asking these questions that appear over the top, but in the team's mind it is due diligence. Perhaps the teams need to take a step back and put it in perspective. However, I do not think they are asking these questions out of ignorance, it is simply they want to get a pick right.
 
IMO, these questions aren't real questions. I don't think anyone really cares if someone's mother is a prostitute, or if someone's into the same sex. I think it's more to see how the player reacts to these questions, and how they would react when taunted on the field

Irregardless of the motive of the questions, both the league offices and the NFL player union are in complete agreement that all national, state and local employment laws must be followed by the teams. If you have ever been in a position where you have interviewed a potential employee, you are made aware by HR that there are certain questions you can not ask because they are against the law to ask. Questions regarding sexual orientation are on that list.
 
I don't mind articles mentioning the 2010 Bryant/Ireland situation as a relation to what apparently happened at this year's combine. The Ireland situation happened, it was unfortunate, but it will always be on the minds of people when something like this happens.

However, I have seen some people already start trying to connect Ireland to this specific situation. No facts, sources or reports, they just take this story as an attempt to try and bash Ireland even more. These individuals apparently have a monthly quota to meet so they will go to the bottom of the barrel to do so. Now I am not saying this thread or the OP is doing that, not at all. I saw one member already make an off topic post in another thread trying to connect Ireland to it and there was one individual on Twitter that went on a big rant about Ireland and this latest story. Even started convincing others that Ireland was indeed the center of the story. Until I hear otherwise, this is a NFL issue and has nothing to do with Ireland or the Miami Dolphins.
 
I don't mind articles mentioning the 2010 Bryant/Ireland situation as a relation to what apparently happened at this year's combine. The Ireland situation happened, it was unfortunate, but it will always be on the minds of people when something like this happens.

However, I have seen some people already start trying to connect Ireland to this specific situation. No facts, sources or reports, they just take this story as an attempt to try and bash Ireland even more. These individuals apparently have a monthly quota to meet so they will go to the bottom of the barrel to do so. Now I am not saying this thread or the OP is doing that, not at all. I saw one member already make an off topic post in another thread trying to connect Ireland to it and there was one individual on Twitter that went on a big rant about Ireland and this latest story. Even started convincing others that Ireland was indeed the center of the story. Until I hear otherwise, this is a NFL issue and has nothing to do with Ireland or the Miami Dolphins.

If I implied in my original post that Jeff Ireland was being accused of illegal activity I apologize. My only intent was to bring the fact that Ireland was tangentially mentioned in the article to the attention of the message board.
 
If I implied in my original post that Jeff Ireland was being accused of illegal activity I apologize. My only intent was to bring the fact that Ireland was tangentially mentioned in the article to the attention of the message board.
No need to apologize, I even mentioned that you and this thread are not the type of people I am talking about.
 
And? Got much of an Agenda?

Amusingly his mother ended up causing problems in his career anyway, way to go Dez, show you deserve better than questions like that.
 
I don't mind articles mentioning the 2010 Bryant/Ireland situation as a relation to what apparently happened at this year's combine. The Ireland situation happened, it was unfortunate, but it will always be on the minds of people when something like this happens.

However, I have seen some people already start trying to connect Ireland to this specific situation. No facts, sources or reports, they just take this story as an attempt to try and bash Ireland even more. These individuals apparently have a monthly quota to meet so they will go to the bottom of the barrel to do so. Now I am not saying this thread or the OP is doing that, not at all. I saw one member already make an off topic post in another thread trying to connect Ireland to it and there was one individual on Twitter that went on a big rant about Ireland and this latest story. Even started convincing others that Ireland was indeed the center of the story. Until I hear otherwise, this is a NFL issue and has nothing to do with Ireland or the Miami Dolphins.
I am confident in predicting there is more then a couple that will try and connect the Dolphins to this. It was unfortunate what happened in 2010 but I am sure the front office is very well versed in the laws regarding the questioning of someones sexuality. Still, some people will jump to the wrong conclusion.
 
No need to apologize, I even mentioned that you and this thread are not the type of people I am talking about.

I strongly agree with the portion of your post regarding people attempting to make more of this than is there. Ireland to the best of my knowledge has not been accused of asking illegal questions at this year's combine. For anyone to try to blow up the mention of the Bryant incident in this article into an accusation that Ireland has broken the law is irresponsible in my opinion.
 
I honestly don't know why people feel that Ireland was wrong in the Dez Bryant "incident". Bryant said that his father was a pimp, and that his mother worked for his father. Bryant offered this information freely, so evidently he was not offended by their "line of work". He probably didn't take offense at Ireland's question, since it was a logical assumption that his mom was a prostitute. It seems like everyone else (who had no involvement in this interview) are the ones who are in an uproar.

For all of you who feel that Ireland was way out of line, did you grow up in a neighborhood where pimps, hookers, junkies, crack-heads, etc. were abundant? I did. Some kids from my neighborhood did good, while others are constantly in and out of prison. If I'm a GM considering signing someone from a low-income or any other kind of troubled background, I'd want to know everything. NFL players are similar to the kids from my youth as they got older... the ones who get caught up in trouble are usually the ones who remain close with the low-lifes from their past, no matter whether they're friends or family.
 
I honestly don't know why people feel that Ireland was wrong in the Dez Bryant "incident". Bryant said that his father was a pimp, and that his mother worked for his father. Bryant offered this information freely, so evidently he was not offended by their "line of work". He probably didn't take offense at Ireland's question, since it was a logical assumption that his mom was a prostitute. It seems like everyone else (who had no involvement in this interview) are the ones who are in an uproar.

For all of you who feel that Ireland was way out of line, did you grow up in a neighborhood where pimps, hookers, junkies, crack-heads, etc. were abundant? I did. Some kids from my neighborhood did good, while others are constantly in and out of prison. If I'm a GM considering signing someone from a low-income or any other kind of troubled background, I'd want to know everything. NFL players are similar to the kids from my youth as they got older... the ones who get caught up in trouble are usually the ones who remain close with the low-lifes from their past, no matter whether they're friends or family.

When someone tells you their dad is a pimp and their mom works for their dad, you accept it at face value and move on to more relevant lines of questioning. I think Dez Bryant is a grade A ****head, but come on, even he deserves that small measure of basic courtesy.
 
When someone tells you their dad is a pimp and their mom works for their dad, you accept it at face value and move on to more relevant lines of questioning. I think Dez Bryant is a grade A ****head, but come on, even he deserves that small measure of basic courtesy.


That's a good point, and well put. From my perspective, I see no reason for Bryant to be offended by the question. After hearing the info about Bryant's parents, Ireland probably blurted out the question without thinking (as it is a natural assumption), even though it really didn't need to be asked. It's like watching your grandmother pull cookies out of the oven, and then asking if she made them. Well, DUH!
 
One of Christine's interview question for the USA job...

Hey Christine, are those melons real?

Why yes, yes they are.. go ahead and touch them for yourself.

Wow, they are real, you definitely got the job...

By the way, what does your mother do?

Oh, ah, she is a Madam.
 
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