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01:38 PM CDT on Friday, July 30, 2010
Column by KEVIN SHERRINGTON / The Dallas Morning News | ksherrington@dallasnews.com
Kevin Sherrington
SAN ANTONIO – On a programming note, in case you missed the tweet, Marty B TV has been canceled, according to the show's embattled star.
"I'm not doing that no more," Martellus Bennett confirmed after Thursday's practice. "All I want to do is play football, hang out with my friends and chill on the patio."
He thought a moment.
Martellus Bennett slipped from 20 catches and four touchdowns as a rookie to 15 and no TDs last year.
This latest development represents significant progress not only in web-based content but in Bennett's other pursuit, playing tight end for the Cowboys.
Straight up: Bennett can be a bright, engaging, extremely talented young man. Certainly no one doubts his athletic ability. His approach has occasionally been questioned, much to his chagrin, but his off-season was an improvement. He's expected to return to practice today on a limited basis after sitting out with a sprained ankle, resuming what has occasionally been a rocky path toward realizing his immense potential.
Canning the alter ego was his first sure step in months.
Marty B has always loved TV. We were first made aware when he announced his choice of colleges. He looked into a camera and said he would flip a coin to decide between Texas and LSU, then pulled out a Texas A&M cap.
Ha. That Marty B. Such a riot. He did indeed go to A&M, and he was pretty good. But not great. This was not all his fault. He played in an offense cooked up by Dennis Franchione that didn't exactly suit his talents, a point Stephen McGee can second.
Still, it didn't keep the Cowboys from using a second-round pick on him. And no one questioned it his rookie season, when he started seven games and caught four touchdown passes.
A 6-6, 267-pound package of talent rarely seen in a tight end, Martellus Bennett seemed on his way.
And then Marty B horned in again.
Some videos on the website were clever, even funny. Much of it was sophomoric.
Occasionally it got him in trouble. The Cowboys fined him $22,000 last year for making a video using derogatory language about blacks and gays, some of it while wearing a Cowboys helmet. Not good. Then six months later, just to show it wasn't a fluke, he made an ill-advised "Black Olympics" video.
All was eventually forgiven at last year's training camp, when he put on a show. Praises were sung. Expectations were raised.
But then a funny thing happened to Bennett. Or, like most of his videos, maybe it wasn't so funny.
His second season was one long, extended pratfall. A "sophomore slump," he called it.
But if there's one thing Tony Romo demands of his receivers, it's that they run where he throws it, a point Roy Williams could second.
More to the point: Romo sure doesn't miss Jason Witten often.
"People ask me all the time, 'Do you watch Witten?' " Bennett said. "Yeah, I watch him. But I'm not trying to be just like Witten."
He cites other tight ends – Tony Gonzalez , Antonio Gates – whose athleticism more closely resembles his own. A fair point, too.
"People have got a misunderstanding of me," he said, a little desperately.
He believes it started with his comic relief role his rookie season in Hard Knocks. Playing to the cameras, rolling his eyes, he didn't look like a guy dedicated to his profession.
His turns on Marty B TV – and the publication of some unfortunate photos – only accentuated that belief, as evidenced yet again by his riff on Osama bin Laden.
You looking for me? I'm here making bombs. I'm making bombs.
You looking for me, America?
Not good.
To his credit, Bennett has apologized after all of his screw-ups. He notes that he's not a bad guy. He's not getting arrested or shooting up strip clubs.
His biggest sin?
"I get bored," he said, smiling.
Suggestion: Try Sudoku.
By dropping his tone-deaf web persona, Bennett seemed to be acknowledging a sketchy concept that grew out of control.
"I dropped it because I'm past that," he said, shaking his head. "It was fun while it lasted."
You didn't do it because you were worried what people think?
"If I cared," he said, "I would have done it after the first rap."
Frankly, I don't believe him. I think he cares very much. But at least he's making progress, saying bye-bye to Marty B.
"The only thing I want to be," he said, "is Martellus."
He walked away a few steps and turned.
"I'm not crazy," he said. "I'm smarter than most people think."
He's only just now proving his point. Now comes the football.
Column by KEVIN SHERRINGTON / The Dallas Morning News | ksherrington@dallasnews.com
Kevin Sherrington
SAN ANTONIO – On a programming note, in case you missed the tweet, Marty B TV has been canceled, according to the show's embattled star.
"I'm not doing that no more," Martellus Bennett confirmed after Thursday's practice. "All I want to do is play football, hang out with my friends and chill on the patio."
He thought a moment.
Martellus Bennett slipped from 20 catches and four touchdowns as a rookie to 15 and no TDs last year.
This latest development represents significant progress not only in web-based content but in Bennett's other pursuit, playing tight end for the Cowboys.
Straight up: Bennett can be a bright, engaging, extremely talented young man. Certainly no one doubts his athletic ability. His approach has occasionally been questioned, much to his chagrin, but his off-season was an improvement. He's expected to return to practice today on a limited basis after sitting out with a sprained ankle, resuming what has occasionally been a rocky path toward realizing his immense potential.
Canning the alter ego was his first sure step in months.
Marty B has always loved TV. We were first made aware when he announced his choice of colleges. He looked into a camera and said he would flip a coin to decide between Texas and LSU, then pulled out a Texas A&M cap.
Ha. That Marty B. Such a riot. He did indeed go to A&M, and he was pretty good. But not great. This was not all his fault. He played in an offense cooked up by Dennis Franchione that didn't exactly suit his talents, a point Stephen McGee can second.
Still, it didn't keep the Cowboys from using a second-round pick on him. And no one questioned it his rookie season, when he started seven games and caught four touchdown passes.
A 6-6, 267-pound package of talent rarely seen in a tight end, Martellus Bennett seemed on his way.
And then Marty B horned in again.
Some videos on the website were clever, even funny. Much of it was sophomoric.
Occasionally it got him in trouble. The Cowboys fined him $22,000 last year for making a video using derogatory language about blacks and gays, some of it while wearing a Cowboys helmet. Not good. Then six months later, just to show it wasn't a fluke, he made an ill-advised "Black Olympics" video.
All was eventually forgiven at last year's training camp, when he put on a show. Praises were sung. Expectations were raised.
But then a funny thing happened to Bennett. Or, like most of his videos, maybe it wasn't so funny.
His second season was one long, extended pratfall. A "sophomore slump," he called it.
But if there's one thing Tony Romo demands of his receivers, it's that they run where he throws it, a point Roy Williams could second.
More to the point: Romo sure doesn't miss Jason Witten often.
"People ask me all the time, 'Do you watch Witten?' " Bennett said. "Yeah, I watch him. But I'm not trying to be just like Witten."
He cites other tight ends – Tony Gonzalez , Antonio Gates – whose athleticism more closely resembles his own. A fair point, too.
"People have got a misunderstanding of me," he said, a little desperately.
He believes it started with his comic relief role his rookie season in Hard Knocks. Playing to the cameras, rolling his eyes, he didn't look like a guy dedicated to his profession.
His turns on Marty B TV – and the publication of some unfortunate photos – only accentuated that belief, as evidenced yet again by his riff on Osama bin Laden.
You looking for me? I'm here making bombs. I'm making bombs.
You looking for me, America?
Not good.
To his credit, Bennett has apologized after all of his screw-ups. He notes that he's not a bad guy. He's not getting arrested or shooting up strip clubs.
His biggest sin?
"I get bored," he said, smiling.
Suggestion: Try Sudoku.
By dropping his tone-deaf web persona, Bennett seemed to be acknowledging a sketchy concept that grew out of control.
"I dropped it because I'm past that," he said, shaking his head. "It was fun while it lasted."
You didn't do it because you were worried what people think?
"If I cared," he said, "I would have done it after the first rap."
Frankly, I don't believe him. I think he cares very much. But at least he's making progress, saying bye-bye to Marty B.
"The only thing I want to be," he said, "is Martellus."
He walked away a few steps and turned.
"I'm not crazy," he said. "I'm smarter than most people think."
He's only just now proving his point. Now comes the football.