Court issues January date to hear jeweler's lawsuit vs. Bryant

Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant received a Jan. 9, 2012 court date, according to The Dallas Morning News, in a civil lawsuit that he claimed in June was "done."

Eleow Hunt, a jeweler and ticket broker in Colleyville, Texas, filed suit in Tarrant County in September 2010, alleging Bryant and his confidante, David Wells, didn't pay him for about $600,000 in jewelry, sports tickets and loans given to the receiver before the Cowboys selected him in the first round of last year's NFL draft.

It was the second civil suit filed against Bryant within the past year. He settled with a New York jeweler in April over a $267,000 debt.

In addition to the lawsuits, Bryant had a well-publicized run-in with a Dallas-area mall's security staff this offseason. Those problems overshadowed what Bryant did on the field last season, when he had 45 receptions for 561 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie.

Bryant acknowledged in a recent interview that he's had to change the way he does some things.

"Of course there were problems (in the past), and there was some stuff I didn't understand that could have been a problem that I understand now," Bryant said earlier this month on KESN-FM. "I feel like I'm mature as a man and I've got my priorities straight."

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Lawyer: Bryant still owes more than $600K to Texas jeweler

While Dez Bryant recently claimed to have his legal woes under control, a lawyer says the Dallas Cowboys wideout still owes more than $600,000 and faces a pending lawsuit, ESPNDallas.com reported Monday.

Cowboys owner stands by his man

Bryant told reporters Saturday that his money troubles are behind him, saying: "I have a handle on it and it's done. It's in the past and I'm ready to go ahead from here."

But attorney Beth Ann Blackwood says Bryant owes upwards of $600,000 to Eleow Hunt, a Colleyville, Texas, jeweler and ticket broker who filed suit against Bryant for outstanding bills for jewelry, tickets to sporting events and cash advances before he was selected by the Cowboys in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

The former Oklahoma State star -- who was supposed to pay back Hunt when he signed either an NFL or promotional contract, whichever came first -- is hoping to settle the suit when the NFL lockout ends, at which time he is set to net a $1 million roster bonus from the Cowboys.

Blackwood said the suit is on hold because Bryant's attorney -- Royce West, a Texas state senator -- is in special session in Austin.

Bryant also bought $267,000 worth of jewelry from A+A Diamonds LTD d/b/a Rafaello & Company last year, and the New York-based company filed suit against the receiver for non-payment. Mikel J. Bowers, the company's attorney, confirmed to ESPNDallas.com in April that a settlement had been reached in the case, although he didn't disclose the terms.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Bryant determined to be a Cowboys star, not a problem

TULSA, Okla. -- Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant is proclaiming himself ready to go whenever the NFL lockout is over, ending an offseason he'd rather forget.

"There will be an NFL season, and I think we will start on time," Bryant said Saturday afternoon during an appearance at a local department store about an hour from Oklahoma State, where he played college football. "I know Dallas will be ready to go, and I'll be ready to put on my helmet and go to work."

Cowboys owner stands by his man

Bryant said he doesn't have any lingering effects from the broken ankle that he suffered against the Indianapolis Colts in early December. It put an abrupt stop to Bryant's rookie season, in which he had 45 catches for 561 yards and six touchdowns and also returned two punts for scores.

"I'm very determined to stay healthy this season," Bryant said. "I'm working hard, and I am staying focused on that. I'm running routes every day to get ready. It was 104 degrees yesterday, and I was running gassers. I feel good, and I'm ready to play."

Although the lockout, in its third month, is keeping players away from the team's facility, Bryant and his teammates are working out on their own.

"We're getting together two or three times a week at an undisclosed location," Bryant said with a smile. "We can't be at the facility, but everything else is fine. We're going through practice and getting ready. The work stoppage isn't hurting me at all. I'm motivating myself to be ready."

The practice routine has been welcomed by Bryant, who had been facing more than $800,000 in debt and lawsuits after several spending sprees. He also had a well-publicized run-in with security at a Dallas-area mall.

"I have a handle on it, and it's done," Bryant said when asked about his money problems. "It's in the past, and I'm ready to go ahead from here."

Bryant's offseason problems and the lockout did little to dissuade Dallas and Oklahoma State fans from attending Saturday's autograph session. The autograph line started forming 2½ hours before Bryant's appearance.

Bryant was quick to dismiss stories that the offseason money problems caused a rift between himself and his teammates or Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

"From what I see, my relationship with Mr. Jones is fabulous," Bryant said. "The relationship between Big Tony (Romo, the Cowboys' quarterback) and me is great. He believes in me and knows what I can do. If he throws a jump ball, he knows that I will go up and get it."

Bryant also said he's excited to begin working with his new position coach, Jimmy Robinson, who signed with the Cowboys less than one week after helping the Green Bay Packers win last season's Super Bowl.

"I feel about him the same way I do coach (Jason) Garrett," Bryant said. "He's a determined guy who wants to win. With that kind of attitude, you can't go wrong. Knowing that, it's easy for me to buy into his philosophy.

"I think we'll be more aggressive this year with (Garrett) in charge. I still have a bad taste in my mouth after starting 1-7 last year, and that makes me motivated and determined for this season."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Bryant determined to be a Cowboys star, not a problem

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Bryant downplays now-infamous dinner tab, cites rookie duty

IRVING, Texas -- Dez Bryant didn't mind picking up the $54,896 dinner tab for his Dallas Cowboys teammates. He's OK with being teased about it.

Apologies from the guys who ran up the bill? Not needed, he insists.

On "Around the League," Pro Bowler Jason Witten gives his thoughts on the Cowboys' start, his knee and if the team has the chemistry it needs to win. More ...

"It was all in fun," Bryant said.

The wide receiver spoke to reporters Thursday for the first time since his rookie dinner became a national topic of discussion, with reactions ranging from laughter to disgust.

Most NFL teams have a tradition of a top draft pick paying for a lavish meal. Rarely, however, does it go to this extreme.

The Cowboys went overboard as payback for Bryant violating another rookie tradition, carrying a veteran's pads at training camp.

Bryant sort of knew it was coming. Still, signing a check that big had to be staggering, even for a guy making $2.8 million this season.

"It is funny. It was always funny," Bryant said. "It's what rookies are supposed to do. Some of the older guys apologized. I felt there was no need for them to apologize because it just happened."

Asked whether he felt his teammates took advantage of him, Bryant said, "No. Not at all."

"It's like trying to fit in, basically," he said. "I felt like those are the things you have to do in order to be a part of the team. The older guys helped me understand that everybody goes through it. It happened. It's no big deal. Everything's fine. Everybody is having fun. That's the great thing about it."

Here's further proof of what a good sport Bryant is about all this: He'll be the guest Monday night on linebacker Bradie James' radio show, which happens to be held at the steakhouse that hosted the now-infamous feast.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones chalked up this incident as an expensive lesson for the rookie.

"Frankly, I think he's handling it very well," Jones said on his radio show this week. "I can tell you right now that that would make my eyes water to have a bill like that, and it should. But by the same token, it's in the spirit of the same thing that Bill Parcells used to have the No. 1 draft pick bring him his water out there. It's that same type of thing that goes on with a team and the kind of rapport that you want to build on the field."

Bryant is growing accustomed to being at the center of sensational stories.

Earlier this year, Miami Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland publicly apologized to Bryant for asking him in a pre-draft interview if his mother was a prostitute. Last fall, Bryant was suspended from Oklahoma State for lying to the NCAA about a meeting with former Cowboys star Deion Sanders, now an NFL Network analyst.

Despite an outstanding combination of size, speed, moves and good hands, Bryant's tendency to draw unwanted attention likely caused him to slide in the draft. The Cowboys nabbed him at No. 24, and Jones immediately anointed Bryant with jersey No. 88, previously worn by Roger Staubach's top target, Drew Pearson, and by Troy Aikman's go-to wideout, Michael Irvin.

Bryant is working his way up Tony Romo's list of favorite receivers. He has 14 catches for 158 yards, with a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown.

"I feel like we have chemistry," Bryant said. "He's been a tremendous leader for us, and he's making sure that everybody is on the right page. ... I feel like I'm doing good. I came along as far as learning everything. There's still a lot, but everything's fine."

Romo sees progress.

"I think Dez being a young guy, every week he's going to continue to get better," Romo said. "He's still going to make young-player mistakes. You just keep accelerating the learning curve a little bit."

Bryant also has dealt with a variety of injuries -- a high ankle sprain that cost him the entire preseason, rib damage during the opener, then hip pain caused when he ran into a cameraman on the sideline during the last game, at Houston a week ago Sunday.

Bryant knew he was hurt when he hit the guy, "but at the same time, I didn't want to show my weakness."

"I had to keep myself together and get back out there on the field," said Bryant, who finished the game before telling the team's athletic trainers he was hurting.

So far, though, the biggest welcome-to-the-NFL hit Bryant has taken came at the steakhouse.

"I'm guessing that one of these linebackers or these safeties are waiting to get this big hit on me to let me know," he said. "I'll be ready for it."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

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