Onto the (Shoulder) Paddy Wagon.

When you're the new guy on a team,  the new person on the job, the newbie to the community and you are about to embark on what will hopefully be a pleasant and rewarding experience the last thing you want to come off as is disrespectful, unappreciative, unaware, presumptuous, or plain stupid. 

A few days into Cowboys training camp and we have ourselves a little episode if you will. There is a long history of tradition, hazing, a protocol one is to follow when you're a rookie in the NFL. Dez Bryant has already made some mistakes with Deion Sanders a few months back, and you'd think he'd learn by now.

Rookies are supposed to do what's asked of them as a manner of bonding, respect, fitting in, showing unity and team ability. There was a moment during practice that receiver Roy Williams placed his shoulder pads down and motioned for Dez to carry them.

Dez refused. He in essence dissed Roy. I have already spoken to quite a few of the cow sheep who don't care about this little incident. In the big picture of things it's probably no big deal. Yet the old-timer in me questions the attitude, the lack of respect, and even the downright gall to diss a veteran player to the league like him or not! 

No big deal you say? What if that was Tony Romo? Jason Witten? Miles Austin? Marion Barber? Do you really think that Dez would have dissed one of those athletes and not carried something? Imagine a Dez Bryant saying no to Michael Irvin. That would make an insomniac of anybody fearing camp retribution. It is coming.

I actually met and saw Dez Bryant play in a charity basketball game two months ago. Admittedly he possessed a magnetism about him. I have been told by friends that his potential is through the roof but his maturity and people skills will require some serious hand holding. 

I flashed back to what Ryan Leaf went through with Junior Seau when he was a rookie in 1998, unwilling to do what was asked of him as a rookie. Look at Ryan now. Okay, maybe a bad example but the point I wish to impart is one of respecting tradition. 

In life there are rules, there are absolutes and there is a pecking order in how you go about things. If it was an act of disrespect to Roy Williams as if to say, 'Your position is mine' then fine and dandy. What does that tell your Quarterback when he needs to complete a pass? Think the lessons of Terrell Owens aren't still fresh in the minds of many?

I won't make a mountain out of a molehill. This could turn out to be a non-issue. If however, this Pad gate should lead to being a distraction to the players and the team, how do you stop it? 

Dez turns 22 in early November. If Mr. Bryant is to be the impact player many people believe he will be, he has some growing up to do and fast. I hope he's ready to buy Roy and his family of 12 a nice dinner later this summer. It's always something with the Cowboys. Maybe next week something more important will surface.

San Antonio has much to look forward to.

Over and out in Big D.

Mr. Will