JimBob
09-17-2008, 07:39 AM
Up close: Dez Bryant
By MATT DOYLE, World sports writer
9/17/2008
Last Modified: 9/17/2008 2:52 AM
STILLWATER — Dez Bryant is a big man on the Oklahoma State campus.
A decent basketball player, Bryant says he could have better if he had worked harder. Instead, he put his e%ort into football — and it shows.
The OSU sophomore wide receiver has emerged as one of college best receivers. His breakout performance in the Cowboys’ 56-37 victory against Houston on Sept. 6 earned him national recognition (nine catches for 236 yards and three touchdowns, and a 71- yard punt return TD).
Bryant is only 16 games into his college career, but his potential is limitless. Coach Mike Gundy believes Bryant can rank among the best receivers in school history.
In his free time, after football and academics, Bryant hones his expertise in EA’s NCAA Football ’09 video game.
You are quite the player in real life. But how good is the video-game version of Dez Bryant."
He’s OK. There are some similarities.
They may have downgraded me a bit. But that didn’t bother me.
It didn’t bother you a little bit."
Well, when I first saw it, I thought ‘Oh well. That’s how it is. I’ll just prove it to them on the field’. That’s how it’s supposed to be anyway.
How are you handling all the attention that’s come your way."
It’s not hard to be humble. All through high school, I had good games a lot and it never changed me or anything like that.
What do you have to do the rest of the season to continue to become the best you can be."
Just stay focused and humble. Doing that can take you a long way.
Who were some of the receivers you idolized growing up."
Randy Moss and a guy from my high school (Lufkin, Texas), Quentin Holman. I always wanted to be like them when I was younger. Reggie Mc- Neal (who played QB at Texas A&M) also went to my school and I looked up to him. He was a big-time guy, but he was humble. He had the talent, but he knew he didn’t have to speak about it because he knew what he could do.
How have you developed your game over the years."
When I was younger, I got to play a lot with older guys. We played backyard ball a lot, and when I did something good they’d tell me to stay focused. They also told me if I did well in school as well, everything would work out for me.
By MATT DOYLE, World sports writer
9/17/2008
Last Modified: 9/17/2008 2:52 AM
STILLWATER — Dez Bryant is a big man on the Oklahoma State campus.
A decent basketball player, Bryant says he could have better if he had worked harder. Instead, he put his e%ort into football — and it shows.
The OSU sophomore wide receiver has emerged as one of college best receivers. His breakout performance in the Cowboys’ 56-37 victory against Houston on Sept. 6 earned him national recognition (nine catches for 236 yards and three touchdowns, and a 71- yard punt return TD).
Bryant is only 16 games into his college career, but his potential is limitless. Coach Mike Gundy believes Bryant can rank among the best receivers in school history.
In his free time, after football and academics, Bryant hones his expertise in EA’s NCAA Football ’09 video game.
You are quite the player in real life. But how good is the video-game version of Dez Bryant."
He’s OK. There are some similarities.
They may have downgraded me a bit. But that didn’t bother me.
It didn’t bother you a little bit."
Well, when I first saw it, I thought ‘Oh well. That’s how it is. I’ll just prove it to them on the field’. That’s how it’s supposed to be anyway.
How are you handling all the attention that’s come your way."
It’s not hard to be humble. All through high school, I had good games a lot and it never changed me or anything like that.
What do you have to do the rest of the season to continue to become the best you can be."
Just stay focused and humble. Doing that can take you a long way.
Who were some of the receivers you idolized growing up."
Randy Moss and a guy from my high school (Lufkin, Texas), Quentin Holman. I always wanted to be like them when I was younger. Reggie Mc- Neal (who played QB at Texas A&M) also went to my school and I looked up to him. He was a big-time guy, but he was humble. He had the talent, but he knew he didn’t have to speak about it because he knew what he could do.
How have you developed your game over the years."
When I was younger, I got to play a lot with older guys. We played backyard ball a lot, and when I did something good they’d tell me to stay focused. They also told me if I did well in school as well, everything would work out for me.