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Friday, June 6, 1997

Irvin's Announcement Consistent With Recent Pattern

By Brian Comerford

New York

Michael Irvin held a press conference yesterday, which finally cleared up the mystery as to his whereabouts. Jerry Jones couldn't locate him.

Neither could Barry Switzer (no surprise there). Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith were baffled as well. Even the friendly neighborhood process server couldn't find the Playmaker, a man so flamboyant that he can normally be found a mile before he arrives due to the glitter of his appearance. Irvin had been somewhat reclusive, even during the team's post draft mini camp and recent quarterback school. For a man who loved the spotlight so much, he was remarkably invisible.

Irvin's newly found chameleon like existence was due to media hounding and public disapproval of him since his March, 1996 arrest for cocaine possession, and partying with "self employed models". After pleading no contest to the felony coke charge, Irvin's life hasn't been the same. Seems the media won't leave him alone. Seems the fans don't turn their heads to his off the field actions, and love him for being the Playmaker. In other words, Irvin is trapped in a world and existence he created by making the Playmaker his off the field moniker as well.

This moniker helped get his name bandied about in a world of rumors, from failed drug tests, to a false charge of the attempted rape of a former topless dancer held at gunpoint. The media did run wild with this, in a few cases convicting Irvin before all the facts were in. It's sad that that was the case, but unfortunately, it's due to that night in March. Many people feel that once you sin, you always will sin. Irvin wasn't given the benefit of the doubt, but, in a sense, it was his moniker that did him in there.

Now, Irvin says he's fighting back. He's going to even the score, so to speak, by suing the Dallas Police Department, who foolishly gave his name out to an eager group called the media, and even more foolishly stated that they had enough evidence to arrest him then, but were waiting for the case to become more iron clad. The media proceeded to help Irvin assasinate his character, finishing off the job Irvin himself started in March of 96. For those trangressions, Irvin's going to sue Channel 5 in the D/FW area, specifically Marty Griffin, who ran with this story faster than Deion Sanders with a punt, except he forgot the ball. On paper, it may seem like Irvin is definitely right here, and should sue them. In reality, it's a bad move that follows a recent pattern of behavior as far as Irvin is concerned: Act first, think later.

What does Irvin stand to gain here by suing these two entities? Money? While it may seem like a good idea, the chances of him recouping a large sum of money would seem to be minimal, based on flismy laws that can be strangely flexible in favor of the ones being sued. Difficult to prove attempted malice in this case, especially when you figure that they never reported about Irvin's night prowling before he was arrested. Apparently it wasn't that they lacked for opportunities either. The Playmaker moniker strikes again.

Is revenge a good motive here? Not really. What does he stand to gain by seeking revenge for revenge sake only? Not much. Remember, the media and the police department are two powerful foes with long memories. Irvin's lawsuit will not shut them down for good, nor will it change the way they do business. If Irvin think this is the case, he's in a larger state of denial than he was before his motel tryst. The only thing that this motive can accomplish is to make Irvin a bigger Public Enemy #1 in the eyes of the media and the police department(if that's possible). They will be salivating for the opportunity to nail him to the wall when(and if) he slips up again. There will be little good press for Irvin, especially from Channel 5, and it could make it that much more difficult for him to rehab his image. The media is the best outlet for that, but Irvin may have closed that door by not thinking. The Playmaker strikes again.

The most important thing about Irvin's suit is further damage to his image and to his family could come out of this. Once this suit of his hits the courts, any past action of his that is unsavory is fair game. Any past marital infidelities. Any past drug use. Any past modeling sessions with the self employed variety. Anything under the sun. If he didn't sue, these potential indiscretions could stay out of the limelight. Instead, Irvin risks further embarassing himself, his wife, his family. All of this for what? A payday? Revenge? Restoring his life to what it was before March of 96? It's not going to happen. The Playmaker saw to that.

The media and the police department were way off base in their handling of the Shahraven incident, and should be penalized. Irvin's family should not be. By following his recent pattern of not thinking, Michael Irvin, or the Playmaker, has made the former as big of a possibility as the latter. The Playmaker strikes again.

All Irvin should do is to maintain a low profile(as he has been until this press conference), live up to his obligations(family and football included), and try to be a good individual. This lawsuit is beyond senseless, it keeps this nonsense in the news, and in his life. Which is exactly what he doesn't want.

Maybe the Playmaker does.

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