KCrockaholic
03-07-2010, 12:44 AM
Oklahoma State Wide Receiver Dez Bryant, has a unique and deranged background. His past and present are hurdles that all NFL teams will have to beware before they even think about selecting Bryant. Just 5 years ago becoming an NFL prospect was pure mythical.
It starts when he was born to a mother who was only 15 years old at the time, and a father on the wrong side of 40. By the time his mother, Angela Bryant was 18 she had 3 children, and little or no money working as a cook in Lufkin, Texas. She then succumbed to selling drugs on the street, including PCP, Cocaine, and Marijuana. Soon after, she was using, and showing up high at home in front of her children.
Her criminal life caught up to her in March of 1997, when Dez was just 8 years old, a police informant caught her selling crack cocaine. After she pleaded guilty to the charges, her sentence was 4 years in the state prison. Angela Bryant later stated that Dez grew up troubled and "he was just around a lot of bad things."
While Angela was behind bars, Dez was sent to live with his 50 year old father McArthur Hatton, and was then sent back home to his mother after serving just 18 months in prison.
Football soon became Dez's passion, but mental issues caused him trouble and forced the schools to place him in special education classes. As time passed, he boomeranged around houses, living with his mom, dad, girlfriends parents, and others.
By the time he was in high school his talents shined through on the football field as he drew interest from LSU, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M, but most schools backed off when they realized how much of an academic mess he was, and what a liability it would be to offer him a scholarship.
Despite his troublesome situation Oklahoma State maintained contact with Bryant and their efforts paid off as Bryant was able to achieve just enough credits to graduate and then made a qualifying score on his 3rd ACT attempt. OSU offensive coordinator Gunter Brewer later said "we'd stick with him to the end and help in any way we could. We felt he was a good kid, he just needed a chance, and a break.
By the next fall Dez Bryant was burning OSU defensive back's on the practice field and eventually becoming the main target above other standout OSU wide receiver, Adarius Bowman.
All was not easy once he was on with OSU. His grades where still an issue, and he had to be walked back to class on more than one occasion by OSU directors. Thanks to the strong academic support OSU offers to its athletes he was able to find his way to passing grades through tutoring.
Time passed and NFL scouts began to take notice of "The Freak" from OSU with incredibly natural hands.
After his incredible Sophomore season, Bryant found himself in another sticky situation. The NCAA was probing to find out if Dez's relationship with former NFL star Deion Sanders was improper. The two had met twice in Dallas, and once at a training facility, and again at Sanders' house for dinner. The NCAA was not specifically after Bryant considering nothing that had been going on was improper. Bryant was then caught lying to investigators, and trying to cover Deion Sanders rather than save himself. The NCAA had caught Bryant red-handed.
"He panicked," Sanders said of Bryant. "He thought it was a violation to come over to my house, and it wasn't."
The suspension soon came thundering down on Bryant as he soon learned he would miss the rest off his Junior season and eventually become his last. Football is Bryant's passion. Taking the game away that helped make Bryant who he was, was very difficult for him to accept. Eventually Bryant left OSU and suggested that he would begin training in Tampa, Florida for his NFL career.
Dez Bryant now awaits to hear his named called at the 2010 NFL draft. Once that call is made to the Bryant's household, emotions will run high and 22 year weight will be lifted off his shoulders as he looks to change not only impressions, but his life.
It starts when he was born to a mother who was only 15 years old at the time, and a father on the wrong side of 40. By the time his mother, Angela Bryant was 18 she had 3 children, and little or no money working as a cook in Lufkin, Texas. She then succumbed to selling drugs on the street, including PCP, Cocaine, and Marijuana. Soon after, she was using, and showing up high at home in front of her children.
Her criminal life caught up to her in March of 1997, when Dez was just 8 years old, a police informant caught her selling crack cocaine. After she pleaded guilty to the charges, her sentence was 4 years in the state prison. Angela Bryant later stated that Dez grew up troubled and "he was just around a lot of bad things."
While Angela was behind bars, Dez was sent to live with his 50 year old father McArthur Hatton, and was then sent back home to his mother after serving just 18 months in prison.
Football soon became Dez's passion, but mental issues caused him trouble and forced the schools to place him in special education classes. As time passed, he boomeranged around houses, living with his mom, dad, girlfriends parents, and others.
By the time he was in high school his talents shined through on the football field as he drew interest from LSU, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M, but most schools backed off when they realized how much of an academic mess he was, and what a liability it would be to offer him a scholarship.
Despite his troublesome situation Oklahoma State maintained contact with Bryant and their efforts paid off as Bryant was able to achieve just enough credits to graduate and then made a qualifying score on his 3rd ACT attempt. OSU offensive coordinator Gunter Brewer later said "we'd stick with him to the end and help in any way we could. We felt he was a good kid, he just needed a chance, and a break.
By the next fall Dez Bryant was burning OSU defensive back's on the practice field and eventually becoming the main target above other standout OSU wide receiver, Adarius Bowman.
All was not easy once he was on with OSU. His grades where still an issue, and he had to be walked back to class on more than one occasion by OSU directors. Thanks to the strong academic support OSU offers to its athletes he was able to find his way to passing grades through tutoring.
Time passed and NFL scouts began to take notice of "The Freak" from OSU with incredibly natural hands.
After his incredible Sophomore season, Bryant found himself in another sticky situation. The NCAA was probing to find out if Dez's relationship with former NFL star Deion Sanders was improper. The two had met twice in Dallas, and once at a training facility, and again at Sanders' house for dinner. The NCAA was not specifically after Bryant considering nothing that had been going on was improper. Bryant was then caught lying to investigators, and trying to cover Deion Sanders rather than save himself. The NCAA had caught Bryant red-handed.
"He panicked," Sanders said of Bryant. "He thought it was a violation to come over to my house, and it wasn't."
The suspension soon came thundering down on Bryant as he soon learned he would miss the rest off his Junior season and eventually become his last. Football is Bryant's passion. Taking the game away that helped make Bryant who he was, was very difficult for him to accept. Eventually Bryant left OSU and suggested that he would begin training in Tampa, Florida for his NFL career.
Dez Bryant now awaits to hear his named called at the 2010 NFL draft. Once that call is made to the Bryant's household, emotions will run high and 22 year weight will be lifted off his shoulders as he looks to change not only impressions, but his life.