Three men are claiming interference against Michael Irvin in a lawsuit, saying the former Cowboys star stole their football reality show concept and turned it into a cable TV program.

The men say they approached Irvin in 2007 to pitch their show titled “Guts to Glory,” featuring contestants competing for a spot on a professional football team, according to a lawsuit filed in Dallas County District Court last week.

In May, Irvin’s program, "4th and Long," debuted on Spike TV. Irvin oversees 12 football amateurs who hope to make a spot on the Cowboys roster.

Irvin’s Dallas-based attorney, Larry Friedman, said his client had thought of the concept several years earlier after he watched the first episode of the reality TV series "American Idol." Irvin met with dozens of people regarding a reality football program, Friedman said.

“This idea is not proprietary,” Friedman said Wednesday afternoon. “This is like saying you invented tick-tack-toe. The show is based on the relationship between Michael Irvin and Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys. These people have nothing to do with that relationship.”

But Mark Taylor, the Dallas-based attorney for the three plaintiffs, said his clients were never given any indication that the football star was working on a similar concept.

“That’s inconsistent with what Michael and his agents told them at the time they were meeting and working on the deal,” said Taylor, who represents Jordan Bealmear, Shannon Clark and Christopher N. Harding.

Friedman blasted the three men for not having any producing experience, track record or money to pull off the project. He says they just want Irvin’s money.

“These guys had only one thing: Nada. N-a-d-a,” Friedman said.

Taylor said he didn’t have details on his clients’ producing backgrounds, but that they’re “only seeking what’s rightfully theirs.”

“They are young producers and being deprived of the credit for this show is also very important to them,” Taylor said.

The men presented their concept to Irvin and his agent and representative in August 2007, according to the lawsuit, obtained by Courthouse News Service. In the following months, they negotiated an agreement regarding how much money each side would receive.

The agreement first proposed that Irvin and his agent receive 25 percent of a producing fee in connection with the show. In March 2008, Irvin’s representatives told the plaintiffs he wanted 95 percent of the fee, the lawsuit states.
Fourteen months later, “4th and Long” appeared on TV.

(dallasnews.com)

Former UM receiver Michael Irvin can easily point to his lowest moment as a Hurricane.

It had nothing to do with his playing days, but when he returned for the infamous final game at the Orange Bowl in 2007. Remember: Virginia 48, UM 0?

"Toughest thing in the world was watching the final game at the Orange Bowl," said Irvin, who had a Hall of Fame career with the Dallas Cowboys. "I was on the sideline with some of those guys and just watching."

Irvin, whose reality series "4th and Long" debuts tonight on Spike TV, said he was disappointed with the attitudes of the players that night. He felt there was a lack of emotion, almost as if the once mighty UM program had began accepting losing.

"Forget the records," Irvin said. "Sometimes, you just line them up and they're better than you. But I want to see some fire. I don't want to see you getting your butt kicked and you're just accepting it. I don't want them to do nothing about it. Don't just come over and sit on the sideline. Come over and fight your own guy, fight somebody. Do something. I just had issues with that."

Irvin said UM coach Randy Shannon "has things going in the right direction," but knows this year is vital. He said the Hurricanes need to make that leap back to the national stage because he feels two years is enough for a coach to place his stamp on a program.

Irvin has never shied from bluntness, which is what you can expect from his reality series. The show gives 12 hopefuls a shot at earning an NFL contract with the Dallas Cowboys.

"I won't take it easy on them," Irvin said. "That don't work on the football field. There's going to be some serious language. I'm just letting you guys know."

(sun-sentinel.com)

The Dallas Cowboys have made several moves this offseason to improve team chemistry. The only coaching change was to finally fire Brian Stewart as Defensive Coordinator and announce that Wade Phillips would take over the job. That was not exactly a blockbuster since Phillips took over the defensive signal calling midway through last season. The Cowboys need leadership and direction on the offensive side of the ball. They got rid of T.O., which needed to be done, and now they have Roy Williams and a handful of young, fairly talented receivers on the roster. What they need now is someone to light a fire under there asses and show them how to be real NFL wide receivers. I can think of no finer person to do that than Hall of Famer and former Cowboy receiver Michael Irvin. I do not know if Mr. Irvin has any desire to coach, I know he is currently on the local ESPN radio affiliate and is doing the reality show thing with former Cowboy Bill Bates and former special teams coach Joe Avezzano. Michael Irvins leadership at practice and during games is legendary. I have watched him during several training camps in the early nineties and every game he played for the Cowboys. Now I know Irvin’s off field exploits are legendary as well, but his reputation as a leader and motivator are just what this team needs. Roy Williams is a natural talent; he showed this at the University of Texas and to a lesser degree in Detroit. Watching Williams with the Cowboys this season, it is obvious he needs some help. Michael Irvin was known as one of the great route runners in the game, Williams is known as one of the worst. Talent alone does not get you by in the NFL. Irvin could teach Williams and the other receivers how to practice, something Jason Garrett and Wade Phillips have yet to do. Irvin might even be able to ratchet up the intensity level of the whole team during training camp and during the season. He has the ability to connect and motivate people the way few people can. I do not think “camp cupcake” would apply if Michael were involved, at least not to the receivers and defensive backs. This team has no identity, no sense of urgency at all. Having a person like Mike in the locker room and on the sidelines on Sunday’s would change at least some of that, of course he cannot do it alone. Wade Phillips is not going to change his demeanor, and Jason Garrett is not going to change into a great motivator overnight. The players have to take on most of the challenge. Of course there is a chance that the changes that need to be made can be made without Irvin; I just like the chances a lot more with him than without him. Come on Mike, make the call. The fans and the Cowboys need the Playmaker to make a comeback.

(studyofsports.com)

He wasn't running his Hall of Fame routes on the football field, nor was he talking football or giving speeches on the professional game he played so well for so long on Sunday, March 8 at the Ocean Manor Resort's Bamboo Beach Tiki Bar

St. Thomas Aquinas High School's own and Fort Lauderdale native Michael Irvin had some other important business to take care of. "We're all coming together and having a little fun," Irvin said. "It's so important. This kind of kicks off Spring Break."

Irvin was referring to the second annual charity volleyball games, which the former Cowboys wide receiver hosted with former Michigan State and NFL great wide receiver Andre Rison at the shoreline on the Galt Ocean Mile of Fort Lauderdale.

While Irvin was running around all over the court sending instructions to the Boston Village Pump Lauderdale By The Sea women's team, Rison brought his coaching expertise inside the huddle for the Bamboo Beach women's team.

All done to benefit today's children's charities, including Irvin's Playmaker Charities and Foundation, Inc. and Kid's in Distress, both of which received thousands of dollars from the event.

"Let me tell you something," Irvin said. "I don't like to refer to kids who haven't received the primary goods in life underprivileged. We're here giving kids and helping them receive the opportunity that they wouldn't otherwise have. It's about the positive things in life."

Rison would know. The four-time All-Pro selection who made 743 receptions for 10,205 yards and 84 touchdowns throughout his 12-year NFL career came from a single parent home in Flint, Michigan.

"In my eyes, with what's going on in today's society, with the economy being as bad as it is, with unemployment being at an all-time high," Rison began saying, "the fact that people of all different races, from all different parts of the world come and show their support is phenomenal. You've got people here giving care and support and giving back to those who need it through the Playmaker's Foundation and Kid's in Distress. It's a great feat."

Soulan Johnson, Executive Director of Irvin's Playmaker Foundation, estimated the fun-filled, family event would bring in approximately $5,000 to $6,000 combined toward the two local charity foundations.

Cost to attend the Bamboo Beach Tiki Bar camping grounds was $5 in order to meet and greet Irvin, Rison and current New Orleans Saints cornerback Mike McKenzie, who played his high school football at Miami Norland (1994 alumnus).

"The best part of the event is having people here who are guests being committed to making sure these charities succeed through their mission," Johnson said. "That's the basic objective. It's really simple. The bottom line is helping kids."

McKenzie didn't think twice about attending and giving back. The All-Dade county selection at free safety as a high school senior made two key observations regarding the benefits of holding such an event.

"It's about the awareness and the involvement you're able to create by getting businesses from all over Florida involved to help kids in need," McKenzie said. "People don't realize how great a demand there is for kids in need. It's huge to support these kids and to give them some extracurricular activity outside of school. By the lack of programs outside of school grounds, there's only so much the kids can do. We don't want them running wild in the streets. It's not always about the money, but it always helps."

(sun-sentinel.com)

DALLAS: Former Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin says his lawyers have been in contact with police over him being threatened with a gun.

Dallas police said last month they suspended their investigation because Irvin never returned their followup calls.

Irvin said Friday that he filed a police report after the Jan. 12 incident, when two men in another vehicle pointed a gun at him at a stoplight.

The Hall of Famer and broadcast analyst told KTVT-TV that he just returned to the Dallas area Friday morning. Irvin says he was in Tampa, Fla., for the Super Bowl, and then went to Los Angeles.

Police confirm they've been talking to his attorneys. Sr. Cpl. Kevin Janse says police have no reason to doubt Irvin.

(iht.com)

Dallas police have suspended their investigation into former Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin's report that a passing motorist pointed a gun at him earlier this month.

Police said the classification is being made because investigators have not been able to contact Irvin to follow up on his report of the January 12 incident.

"We've made multiple attempts, but unfortunately we have not made contact with him yet," said Lt. Sally Lannom, of the Dallas police assaults unit. "In order for the investigation to continue, we do need to have contact with Mr. Irvin."

The Pro Football Hall of Fame member, who was not injured, told police he stopped at a red light in the 18200 block of Marsh Lane, near Bush Turnpike, about 9:30 p.m. He said the driver of the vehicle next to him rolled down his window, a Dallas police report said.

Irvin put down his window because he thought someone wanted to talk to him and saw the passenger in the other vehicle raise a gun, the report said.

Irvin said in an interview earlier this month that he feared the men had planned to rob him and changed their minds.

"The passenger pulled out a semiautomatic and I knew what time it was," Irvin said. "But he said 'Oh, that's Michael Irvin, with the Dallas Cowboys.'"

(dallasnews.com)

It seems some of you didn't think Michael Irvin was a leader because of his numerous off-the-field transgressions.

You're completely missing the point.

None of the stuff he did off the field affected his ability to lead in the locker room and be an influence that helped his team win game after game after game in the '90s.

Only when his issues resulted in a five-game suspension to start the 1996 season did he harm the team on the field.

Talk to any of his teammates and they'll tell you Irvin was a dynamic leader in the locker room because no one practiced harder than he did. No one worked out harder in the off-season.

No one demanded more than Irvin did from himself.

And as I wrote last week, he had the rare ability to talk to every player in the locker room no matter that person's background. He also built relationships with his teammates that allowed him to demand they give him their best in the fourth quarter, when the game was on the line – and they did.

We know Irvin wasn't perfect off the field. None of us are. But he was as good as it got in the locker room.

(dallasnews.com)

DALLAS -- The first time Michael Irvin watched "American Idol," he loved the concept of giving undiscovered singers the chance to become stars. Now Irvin is doing the same for NFL wannabes.

The Hall of Fame receiver is launching a reality TV show in which 12 "football neophytes" will compete for an impressive grand prize: a spot on the Dallas Cowboys' training camp roster.

"I don't know if you can walk upon any group of guys that wouldn't say they dreamed of playing in the NFL when they were playing in their front yard," Irvin told The Associated Press on Thursday. "So we're going to take a group of guys from their front yard, dwindle them to one and give that guy the opportunity of a lifetime."

The Cowboys confirmed that one of their 80 roster spots will go to the show's winner. The NFL did not immediately return a call.

The show, which doesn't yet have a title, will air this spring on Spike. It is being produced by the same company that's behind "The Biggest Loser" and many other reality TV hits.

Contestants are still being selected. They likely will need a football background -- just not too much. They also must be the right age, size and condition to handle an NFL training camp. The Cowboys open camp in late July in San Antonio.

"We want someone who will have a real opportunity to make the team," Irvin said. He also indicated the better the backstory, the better an applicant's chance of making the show.

"You could've played college ball and had to give up for some reason," he said. "You know how many stories are out there of players who for some reason or another had to walk away from the game. ... We want to find those guys."

Irvin will be the host and he expects to have guest appearances from friends like Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Deion Sanders and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Judges will include Jones and former players and coaches.

The show will pit six receivers and six defensive backs. As for how they will compete, all Irvin would say is: "Tune in and watch. It'll be groundbreaking in so many ways."

The winner's biggest payoff will be the fulfillment of playing for the Cowboys. While the rookie minimum is about $300,000, that's only if he makes the team. The salary in training camp is closer to $1,000 a week for an undrafted rookie.

Irvin said this is about far more than money. It's the chance to catch passes from Tony Romo or to line up opposite Terrell Owens.

"What young man do you know that's not going to read [about this show], then head straight to the gym and say, 'I'm going to get ready'? " Irvin said. "That's how this will inspire people."

Considering the Cowboys are coming off a disappointing season filled with all sorts of turmoil, adding a player more likely to be profiled in "People" than "Sports Illustrated" seems risky. It could be perceived as just another sideshow, like the cameras from HBO's "Hard Knocks" that tracked the team in training camp last year.

Yet Irvin, who hosts a local radio show that spends a lot of time analyzing the Cowboys, dismissed that notion.

"I don't see how you can make this a negative for the Dallas Cowboys," Irvin said. "We all talk of doing good things for the community, for people, giving people opportunities. Jerry has stepped up and said, 'OK, let's do it.' "

(espn.com)

A former Dallas Cowboy said he was nearly carjacked Monday night -- until the would-be robbers recognized him.

Michael Irvin said he was driving to the gym when robbers pulled alongside him and flashed a gun at him along Marsh Lane near the Bush turnpike at about 9 p.m.

"Absolutely I was afraid," he said. "I was very afraid."

Irvin, who was driving a new, white Range Rover, said a truck followed him to a stoplight.

"I was looking in my rearview, and I saw this black truck flying up behind me," he said.

The passenger rolled down his window and pointed a gun at him. Irvin said his work on the field may have saved his life -- because the would-be carjacker recognized him.

"He put it away, because he recognized me. He said, 'Hey, Mike Irvin, what's up? Mike Irving, man, we are big Cowboy fans,'" Irvin said.

Irvin, who was known as "The Playmaker," said he knew his next play may be his most important one yet. He followed the man's lead and started talking about the Cowboys.

"And I was like, 'Yeah man, you know, I miss playing, and boy, I'm sorry we couldn't win a Super Bowl this year,' because I'm just trying to get his mind on something else so he doesn't pull that gun back up again," Irvin said.

He said his pistol-packing fans sped off after several minutes.

"I was like, 'Wow, you were a coward there, Michael,'" he said. "Even when he pulled off, I still did not get that license plate."

Irvin said he is thanking God for his life  -- and his legacy with the Dallas Cowboys.

"'I'm a huge Cowboy fan' -- it never sounded so sweet before like it did last night, even coming from him," he said.

Irvin, a husband and father of four, said he went home and hugged his wife and children, saying it never felt so good.

Police said they do not have any suspects in the case.

(nbcdfw.com)

Hall-of -Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin will be in the Rio Grande Valley this Friday night for an event at Shotz Bar & Grill in Mission. Irvin, who was inducted into the Hall last summer, is making his first visit to the Valley since coming in the early 1990s.

One of 20 tables for six at the event cost $4,000, while there will be two tables for $10,000. Those tables will include Irvin sitting at the table for one hour.

Last week, The Monitor caught up with Irvin to discuss his radio show, the Cowboys and what he would tell troubled New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress.

Q: How's the radio show?
A: I love it. I love the radio show. It gives me a great opportunity, and I've always felt a great connection with the fans, it gives me an opportunity to speak with the fans. When I was doing TV, I certainly enjoyed doing it, but I would only speak to the fans. Radio gives me the opportunity to speak with the fans, and that's what's great about it.

Q: What have you learned about the fans?
A: I consider my show to be my ministry, I really do. But I've learned so much about the whole thought-process of a fan. It helped me understand why they have the passion they do for the game. When I was playing, they would do some things that I thought, ‘why would they have these thoughts?' It certainly helps me to learn the psyche of the fans from that perspective. I've gotten an understanding of things I never had an understanding of when I was playing.

Q: What have you been telling people about the 2008 Cowboys?
A: Dallas can be, and do, what they want to do. It's a matter of being self-motivated because I don't know, well I do know, that Wade is a serious motivator. They have to be self-motivated to get some things done. That's the bottom line. They are as good as anybody, anybody in this league. But can you continue to push yourself to get done what you need to get done, how you need to get it done? I'm talking about paying attention to details, that's what matters. You have to pay attention to the details. If they can do that, then they can make things happen, because the talent is incredible.

Q: Is this team going to be able to fulfill the preseason expectations?
A: From this point on it's going to be a tough go. And they placed themselves on this tough road. Certainly still, they can get it done.

Q: Could going through what they did without Tony Romo be a good thing in the long run?
A: I think they all realized they need their starting quarterback. I think what was good out of it is they realized they need a back-up quarterback. Let's just call a spade a spade. That's the conclusion they came to. ‘We got starter, but we need a back-up. What are we going to do about that?'

Q: What does Pacman's return change for this team?
A: This is a tough situation. Most NFL players, and other people and the media, wonder ‘How will they handle it, bringing Pacman back?' Most guys understand this that have been in the business longest, and they see right there, we can't decide who's here, but what we can do is determine if we can get our job done. Let's go get our job done. Adam's part of the team, he's worked hard. Like Romo's said, he's worked hard and does what he's supposed to do on the field. We can't ask for more than that.

Q: If you were in that locker room, would you trust him?
A: You throw the word ‘trust' out there and I don't know if it's really applicable. Would I trust him to play hard? Yes. Yes I can. Can I depend on him to be there every week and not get suspended? You have to think from a coach's perspective, I'm going to play you if you can play and help us win. But, I also have to have my contingency plans in place.

Q: What are your thoughts on the Plaxico Burress situation?
A: I feel sorry for him, I really do. But I'm blown away with it.

Q: How so?
A: Let's think first. We can talk about how many players have been involved here lately. How do you take a gun? Why are you taking a gun to a night club? You know, you're with Antonio Pierce and other guys, why are you taking a gun to the night club? And second, what are you doing by having no safety? And how in the hell can you shoot yourself? You are in the NFL, and I don't mean to make light of it, you are a professional athlete. How can a professional athlete be that clumsy with a gun?

Q: If Burress were to call you, what would you say to him?
A: I'd tell him that I don't care what anybody says, hold a press conference. The biggest mistake we make as athletes is that we take advice from counsel is that when something goes down, everybody shuts up. Doesn't say a word and be quiet. And while you are quiet, everybody else is talking, so that is swaying the public's opinion at that time. I would tell him hold a press conference and let people know you're not the raving maniac that they're making you out to be. And maybe Mayor Bloomberg and all of them will scooter back off to what they're doing. They're not seeing a guy that made an honest mistake. What they're seeing is a guy who didn't show up for meetings, didn't call, a guy that's trying to do whatever he wants to do and now make sure he gets this message.

(themonitor.com)

Michael Hiestand of USA Today recently reported that Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin, who was dropped by ESPN in early 2007, will join NFL Network.

The assignment is temporary, but is likely the television equivalent of dipping a big toe into a small pool.

Irvin will work the league-owned network’s coverage of the 2008 Hall of Fame induction ceremony. 
 
”There’s no better example of true passion for the game . . . than the emotional induction speech given by Michael last year,” NFLN executive producer Eric Weinberger told Hiestand. 

We agree.  And, as we’ve previously observed, the various networks could use more genuine passion for the game in their presentation of it to an impressionable public. 

In Irvin’s case, the challenge will be to keep him from going over the top.  A good start?  Never allow Irvin and Deion Sanders to be in the same city (OK, same state) at the same time.

(profootballtalk.com)

The NFL decided to follow through on an idea conceived by Michael Irvin before his induction into the Hall of Fame last year, which has the rookies from all 32 teams traveling to Canton, Ohio, this spring.

On Friday, the Cowboys were joined by Philadelphia. Green Bay was supposed to be on hand but weather conditions postponed the Packers' trip.

Here's why Irvin came up with the idea: he was lauding Commissioner Roger Goodell about the get-tough Personal Conduct Policy last August and wanted to giver the younger players a sense of football's history.

"Most of these guys they come from the place I come from," Irvin said he told Goodell. "They don't understand the history of the game. They play the game to get away from their history - poverty, the ghetto. As soon as they are drafted and escape their history, bring them to the Hall and teach them this history and hopefully when they come to that fork in the road, they won't make the bad decisions like I made. They'll make better decisions."

The league is picking up the tab for the teams and there's talk the Rookie Symposium could move to northeast Ohio next year.

(cowboysblog.dallasnews.com)

Former Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin spoke to the Charlotte Touchdown Club on Wednesday at the Westin Hotel. Afterward, Irvin – a Hall of Famer who left his commentator job with ESPN in 2007 and now does a sports-talk radio show in Dallas – answered five questions from the Observer's David Scott:

Q. You've agreed to serve as a mentor to Adam “Pacman” Jones, who's had legal troubles but just signed with the Cowboys. How is that going to work? I'm a former player with a love for all the guys in the league and I understand what they go through. We all need guidance. I've made some bad decisions before, so I can help him. I'll be there for him, because I've been there.

Q. What's your take on the Carolina Panthers' receiving corps, which is led by Steve Smith and added Muhsin Muhammad and D.J. Hackett? Steve is just a strong guy and Muhsin will come in and give them veteran leadership. I never understood why they let (Muhammad) go the first time, after he had one of his best seasons. I understand the salary cap and business, but you've got to try and work the numbers if you want somebody bad enough. Those guys are smart in the front office and you can manipulate the numbers to get something done. I'm glad they manipulated it to get him back here, where he should be playing.

Q. How do you like having a radio show? I love it. I enjoyed TV, which gave you an opportunity to talk to people, but there's no response. Radio is a gift that gives you an opportunity to speak with people, and hopefully I can influence people.

Q. What do you remember about being knocked out early in a 1997 playoff game by the Panthers' Lamar Lathon? Tyrone Poole (who is 5-foot-8) was the corner. I remember lining up and thinking, “I'm going to kill him today! He's only this tall (Irvin holds his arm out about 5 feet off the ground).” It was a slant and I had an opportunity to take that all the way. But I slowed down and tried to make a move. Lamar came up behind me and I said to myself, “Wow.” That one play broke my collarbone and I was out.

Q. Your thoughts on the Panthers next season? John Fox has a squad he can go somewhere with. But they've been saying that for a couple of years, when they've been on the verge and on the verge. They went down, but now he has to step up and do something about it. It's not about talent. They have the talent, but they've got to play like a football family. Then they can be as good as anybody. If they're not, tell them to send Steve (Smith) to Dallas!

(charlotte.com)

Used to be that Michael Irvin could go to a neighborhood health club and enjoy relative serenity. But then, all he used to be was a lightning rod wide receiver on a three-time Super Bowl champion who would evolve into a big-time ESPN television analyst.

These days, even the steam room offers no sanctuary from inquiring minds who want to know.

"People are more interested in talking to Michael Irvin now than when he was a player," Irvin said, offering a smidge of third-person insight. "They want to respond to something they heard me say. They know my opinion or want to know my opinion on something else, and they want me to know theirs."

Such is life when Michael Irvin is a local sports talk show host with the most famous face on the radio dial.

The reason for the increased connect is logical. Most people believe players live in their own world and don't want to be bothered. (Most people are correct.) Approaching a player of Irvin's stature carries the possibility of rejection. Talk show hosts – good talk show hosts – ooze approachability.

Irvin, who has been on the job since late January, is growing into a good talk show host on the 11 a.m.-to-2 p.m. shift at ESPN-FM (103.3). To be sure, his show is a little different. A listener can never be sure how far from the sports path Irvin and sidekick Kevin Kiley might venture. Irvin fancies himself a Dr. Phil/Dr. Laura for the afflicted who happen to be sports fans.

Tom Lee, the station's program director, echoes what anyone who has ever worked with Irvin has reported: "He works hard and is hungry to learn. He's thrown everything he has into the show."

Irvin's effort has resulted in a 64 percent increase in ratings for his time slot among men ages 25-54, the most sought-after demographic in sports talk.

Irvin's guest list has been chock-full of celebs. He's had Adam Sandler and, more famously, Adam "Pacman" Jones. Ice Cube and the Round Mound of Rebound. He's even had an athlete calling in asking to be on the air. Surely, you've heard about the Josh Howard call.

No one was more surprised than Irvin last week when Howard offered maverick talk about his marijuana use.

"I thought he wanted to come on and talk about his camp and tell me he was misquoted in the newspaper story about him," said Irvin, who had never before had a phone conversation with Howard. "Then I was going to ask him about the Mavericks game that night. That's what I really wanted to talk to him about."

Irvin grabbed a copy of The Dallas Morning News story on Howard's marijuana use, which appeared on the morning of Game 1 of the New Orleans series. Irvin read it back to Howard, waiting for the denials. They never came. Only confirmation blasted into his headphones.

"I got caught up in the moment, and I'm thinking, 'Should I stop him for his own good?' " Irvin said. "But I know I'm onto a story, and I have a responsibility to my listeners and to my employer. ..."

"I could not believe what I was hearing. I've been in the firestorm. My actions put me there, and I'm thinking, 'Why would anybody put himself into the firestorm with his own words?' "

Irvin said he doesn't miss his ESPN television job. In the NFL studio, he was simply a role player. On The Michael Irvin Show, he is once again "The Playmaker."

I confess that when I first heard Irvin was taking a local radio job, I thought it would be a pit stop until something bigger came along. Irvin says he is too happy to think about anything else. And, he reminds, he hasn't yet been on the air during what should be his strongest season: football.

"They can't do this one without me," he said. "I'm having a blast. We're live and unedited. Radio is reality. There are no outtakes ... no do-overs ... no taking things out of context ... no cutting out my mistakes ...When I say something, it goes all the way from my mouth to Pluto."

(dallasnews.com)

ARLINGTON -- Former Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin admits being “fascinated” by suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones.

He is fascinated by his legendary tails of woe and the apparent interest by the Cowboys in acquiring Jones.

And Irvin is fascinated because of the similarities to his own controversial entanglements to his career with the Cowboys that nearly derailed his chances of making the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Although Irvin says he still fights the battle of public perception, he was able to overcome them to become a member of the Hall of Fame Class of 2007.

And he believes it’s too early for people to give up on Jones _ who has been suspended indefinitely by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

“I’m not just interested in what happens, I’m interested in why it happened,” said Irvin, who will have Jones as a guest on the Michael Irvin show from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. today on KESN 103.3 FM ESPN radio. “That’s what I try to figure out with myself all the time. I self-evaluate. He is a young man. We pray and hope he gets it going again.” Click here to continue reading...

WACO -- Michael Irvin's first trip into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame might be forgettable because he looked and felt like a man kissed with the flu, but unforgettable because of the reminder it served.

When Irvin was escorted into the Tom Landry Theater on Tuesday he had to stop and take a bit longer to look at the exhibits on the iconic late Cowboys coach.
It's often overlooked that in 1988 Irvin was Landry's last first-round pick. Landry was fired after that season by new owner Jerry Jones.

It is often mistakenly assumed that Irvin was drafted by his college coach, Jimmy Johnson. But without Landry pushing to draft the star receiver from Miami, Irvin might never have ended up with the Cowboys.

"To walk in and see all of the other guys that are in the Hall of Fame, I stood and looked at Landry [exhibit]," Irvin said. "I wouldn't be here had he not pulled the trigger. It's definitely an honor."

Known for his gift with words, Irvin was not his normal, entertaining self Tuesday. He was sick, and he sounded and looked every bit the part of an ill man.

"I'm not my usual self," he said. "I wouldn't have missed it no matter how poorly I feel. I was going to make it."

Irvin was part of an eight-member class that was inducted in front of a crowd of more than 1,000 at Baylor's Ferrell Center.

(thescoreboards.com)

The Texas Sports Hall of Fame Induction Committee chaired by Dave Campbell announced its 2007 class of inductees who will be inducted during the special enshrinement ceremonies on Tuesday, March 11 in Waco. The class includes Dallas Stars Center Mike Modano, former Dallas Cowboys Wide Receiver Michael Irvin, former U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team forward Mia Hamm, former Baylor and Cleveland Browns Offensive Lineman Jim Ray, former Texas A&M and Houston Oiler Defensive Tackle Ray Childress, former Texas Tech Football Coach Spike Dykes, former North Texas State and Dallas Texans Running Back Abner Haynes and Granbury Girls Basketball Coach Leta Andrews.

(pegasusnews.com)

El Paso, Texas - United Blood Services, the selected non-profit organization for the Annual WinStar Derby Gala, is selling tickets to the public for the annual WinStar Sertby Gala.The event scheduled for Saturday, March 15, 2008, is traditionally sold out, but due to the event landing the week of Spring Break, some annual table sponsors did not renew their commitments this year. Approximately 100 tickets are available to the public, $125 each. The event, which takes place in the Signature Showroom at Sunland Park Racetrack, includes butler service with champagne and hors d'oeuvres, dinner, a silent and live auction, and the opportunity to listen to former Dallas Cowboy wide receiver, Michael Irvin. Click here to continue reading...

Man, there's nothing like an inspirational Hall of Fame speech to revive a tarnished image. Two weeks ago, Michael Irvin was better known as the former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver who had a fondness for coke and hookers, and a one-time ESPN bobblehead who specialized in yelling inanities during the Sunday morning pregame show.

Now, after a rousing, emotional induction speech at Canton, Irvin is, overnight, a new man. At least in the eyes of potential employers, anyway.

And then there's this:
Michael Irvin's Hall of Fame speech was so stirring that it drew calls or text messages from Charles Barkley, Vivica A. Fox, Chris Rock and Kenyon Martin, among others. But the text message that pleased Irvin the most came from a man in New Mexico who once drove him to an appearance.

The man had considered ending his life, but after hearing Irvin, drove to church instead.

(aolsportsblog.com)

CANTON, Ohio — When Michael Irvin visited Canton for the first time a few years ago, in town with the Dallas Cowboys to play in the NFL's preseason opener, he came with his signature brashness and a bold proclamation.

Seems that Irvin, at that time, wanted no part of touring the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

He refused to see the museum and pay homage to the greats of the game.

Thought it was, well, too early — because he knew he'd be coming back.

"I won't go through the Hall," he roared back in 1999, "until I go into the Hall."

Long path to glory for South Florida inductee

Michael Irvin enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame today as the first inductee from South Florida.

The landmark moment again marks how Florida has risen in prominence in a sport that just several decades ago was dominated by players from Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and the Midwest.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As Michael Irvin watched the Hall of Fame induction ceremony last year he pondered whether he would ever receive football's ultimate honor.

The man with limitless confidence on the field was riddled with doubts off of it.

"You've got to understand that class," he said. "John Madden, Troy Aikman, Harry Carson, Rayfield Wright, Warren Moon, Reggie White. That's what a Hall of Fame is.

"Those guys were great on the football field and off the football field. So to be honest with you, I doubted that I would ever do that."
Irvin's dream of stepping to the podium in Canton, Ohio will be realized Saturday when the former Dallas Cowboys receiver enters the hallowed hall with five other inductees.

PLANO, Texas - Lord knows he's still trying. Even 1,500 miles away. Even a quarter-century removed. Even with all the fame, the fortune, the three children attending the best schools and the 20,000-square-foot home with a movie theater, game room, two garages stuffed with luxury cars and the office he's sitting in now.

Look at him here. See for yourself how hard he's still trying: notebook open, pen in hand, phone to the ear for an hour now with his speech coach — or "voice-awareness teacher" — as Irvin calls him. Today's session involves some detail work on his Pro Football Hall of Fame speech, to be delivered Saturday in Canton, Ohio.

"Per-i-pher-al," Irvin, 41, says over the phone to the man in Los Angeles. "Is that better?"

Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin will donate $100,000 to his alma mater, St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, next week.

The Fort Lauderdale native will appear at a press conference at St. Thomas on Tuesday, along with longtime football coach and athletic director George Smith and other school officials, speaking about the donation and future plans.

School officials said in a press release the money will help pay for the expansion of athletic facilities already underway.

Irvin, 41, played at St. Thomas in the 1980s before winning a national championship at the University of Miami in 1987. He also won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys. He made five Pro Bowl appearances in the 1990s before retiring after the 1999 season.

Former Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin is taking the side of his fellow Cowboys receiver, Terrell Owens, against former Cowboys coach Bill Parcells.

Specifically, Irvin doesn't like the way Parcells referred to Owens as "the player," rather than calling him by his name. Irvin had this to say to a local TV station, as reported by NFL Network:

"I think it's one of the most disrespectful things you can do. You go to work every day and your boss refuses to call you by your name ... you would have a problem with that. ... I wouldn't have liked playing for a head coach like that."

The one thing Irvin doesn't mention here is that he has a reason to have ill will toward Parcells: ESPN fired Irvin and hired Parcells this year.

Still, Irvin has a point: As great a coach as Parcells is, he has a propensity for acting like a jerk toward some of his players, and just because Owens is a bigger jerk, that doesn't make Parcells blameless.

(aolsportsblog.com)

Former Dallas Cowboy wide receiver Michael Irvin vividly recalls the shock of his two sons when they saw the modest Fort Lauderdale house where he grew up. They told him, ``Dad stop lying. You didn't grow up here.''

Those words from Michael, now 10, and Elijah, now 8, brought Irvin's memories of the past flooding back to him. It's a time of his life that Irvin admits he has been running away from ever since he graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, received a football scholarship to the University of Miami and ultimately was drafted to play for the Dallas Cowboys.

''I wanted out of here so bad,'' said Irvin, who gets emotional recalling how he would never let his friends from St. Thomas visit his house off Northwest 27th Avenue near Dillard High School and always envied their fancier homes. ``I wanted better.''

As well as he played - and he will enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August - the former St. Thomas Aquinas, University of Miami and Dallas Cowboys receiver talks an even better game. Staff writer Ethan J. Skolnick caught up with Irvin at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino for his Playmaker Charity Weekend.

Q: How are your poker skills?

A: "I'm not a great poker player. I'm not much for bluffing. I'm so pure and honest, it's ridiculous. This game requires an expertise in lying: lying and the ability to deceive and the art of deceit. Those are things that I haven't mastered, and I don't know if I really want to master, because it may take away from my broadcasting career. I make my living on telling it like it T-I-S, tis."

Q: Who is your Hall of Fame presenter?

A: "Jerry Jones. . . . In all my years, and I've been blessed, the reaction I got out of Jerry when I asked him to present me was one of the greatest things I have ever experienced. It was honest, it was pure, he was so excited, and my wife was so overjoyed, and there were tears shed in the room."

Q: The odds on you crying that day?

A: "I don't know. I'm learning more and more what it means to be a Hall of Famer. And I have used the Hall of Fame as a springboard, many a time. When I got tired, and I'd go, "Man, this is what it takes to be a Hall of Famer." And so I knew the enormity of it all, but I couldn't grasp it all until I got here and started going through it. So for me to tell you that I'm going to be in total control of my feelings.... I don't know what the happenings will be that day."

Q: Do you endorse UM moving to Dolphin Stadium?

A: "I love that we have the great tradition that we had in the Orange Bowl. Tradition means that we had great success there. But we can¹t live on yesterday's success. We¹ve got to enjoy it, remember it, appreciate the tradition, but we have to move forward to tomorrow's success. There's a business aspect to all of this."

(sun-sentinel.com)

DALLAS — Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin has filed a countersuit against a contractor who alleges in his own lawsuit that the former Dallas Cowboys star grabbed his arm and injured him during a dispute over a $2,800 payment.

Irvin filed suit Tuesday against Shawn Vandergrift, whom Irvin hired to install a fountain at his Plano home, according to court records. Irvin's lawsuit claims extortion, duress and slander. The lawsuit also names Dominick Marsala, Vandergrift's lawyer.

Vandergrift's suit claims that Irvin grabbed the contractor and jerked his body as he tried leaving. Irvin had begun "screaming and shouting" after Vandergrift said he was owed payment for the work, according to Vandergrift's lawsuit.

The former wide receiver denies the assault allegations and claims Vandergrift's lawsuit is "an attempt to extort and coerce money from Irvin," according to his lawsuit.

Marsala said Vandergrift has passed a lie detector test in which his client was asked questions about the allegations.

(chron.com)

ARLINGTON, Texas It seems everyone gave ex-Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin the same advice about throwing out the first pitch today at the Texas Rangers home opener.
Don't mess up.

Irving -- having seeing replays of the nowhere-near-the-plate toss by Cincinnati's mayor -- vowed he'd at least come close.

That said, Irvin went to the mound at Rangers Ballpark In Arlington.

His high toss to the first-base side of the plate was close enough for him to smile and go into a victory pose.

It was Irvin's most prominent Dallas-Fort Worth appearance since being voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He received a standing ovation from about 40-thousand baseball fans.

Irvin also went to the owner's box to greet Rangers owner Tom Hicks and his guest: Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Irvin has selected Jones as his presenter at this summer's Hall of Fame ceremony.

(kcbd.com)

ANAHEIM -- Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin has been selected to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for the Rangers at their home opener against the Boston Red Sox on Friday.

Standing room only tickets remain for the game, which starts at 1:05 p.m. CT at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Irvin played for three Super Bowl championship teams and will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame later this year. Former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman threw out the first pitch in 2001 and Emmitt Smith did the honors in 2003.

Irvin, the Cowboys' first-round draft pick in 1988, had a 12-year career with the Dallas Cowboys. In 1991, he led the league with 1,523 yards on 93 catches. From 1991-1998, Irvin recorded 1,000-yard seasons in all but one year.

(mlb.com)

At FanHouse, we're all about news that casts Michael Irvin in a positive light. The latest: Irvin sounded as nervous as a high school kid getting ready to ask the prettiest girl in his class to the prom as he humbly requested that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones introduce him at his induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"Would you..." an emotional Irvin stammered, "could you ... be my Hall of Fame presenter?"

Jones accepted. It's the first time he's made a Hall of Fame introduction, so he's got a long ways to go to catch up to Raiders owner Al Davis, who has introduced nine Oakland Raiders.

Betsy Crayon chokes up when she describes the look on her son's face when Michael Irvin walked into his bedroom. “This is so wonderful,” she said of the retired Dallas Cowboys wide receiver's visit to DeRidder Thursday to see Kevin Crayon, who is terminally ill with cancer.

When told of Kevin's condition earlier in the week, Irvin rearranged a scheduled trip to New York to surprise the 27-year-old who has been given the prognosis of six months to live.

Kevin told the future Pro Football Hall of Famer that he was “awesome” when Irvin sat by his bedside, bearing gifts of a Cowboys' hat and No. 88 jersey which he signed.

Last week I wrote a couple of posts about methods for ranking the great wide receivers. Based on some good discussion in the comments following those posts, I’ve modified the method somewhat and am close to being comfortable calling it a Definitive Ranking System (as definitive as such things can ever be, anyway). But that’s a post for later in the week if all goes well.

For now I want to talk about the one guy who always appears near the top of these kinds of lists but who isn’t usually thought of as one of the all-time greats: Michael Irvin. Among all receivers whose careers started since the merger, Irvin ranked #2 in the receiving yardage category of the Gray Ink rating system I posted last week. He ranked #1 among all receivers debuting in 1978 or later according to this system that I posted back in May, and he ranked #7 among all receivers debuting since 1970 in my favorite WR ranking system EVER (though I admit it’s one that probably doesn’t produce the “best” rankings, it’s the one I like best in theory).

Irvin’s prime was something to behold:

FORT WORTH, Texas - Michael Irvin has lost his ESPN gig, barely two weeks after being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Cowboys' all-time leading receiver spent four years as an NFL studio analyst for the all-sports network.

ESPN decided Friday "as part of an annual evaluation" not to exercise an option in Irvin's contract, it was confirmed Saturday.

"Michael Irvin will not be returning to ESPN," said network spokesman Bill Hofheimer.

"We thank him for his contributions and wish him well."

Two weeks after his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Michael Irvin is out of work. Irvin and ESPN have officially parted ways, ESPN spokesman Bill Hoffheimer said Saturday.

"Michael will not be with us this fall," Hoffheimer said.

Hoffheimer stressed that Irvin had not violated any contractual morals clause. Irvin has been a regular on ESPN's two primary NFL studio shows, Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night NFL Countdown.

"This was a decision that came from our annual review," Hoffheimer said.

Irvin was not immediately available for comment.

(dallasmorningnews.com)

February 9, 2007 -- This week, NYP TV Sports' Andrew Marchand spoke with ESPN NFL analyst Michael Irvin. The 40-year-old Irvin last week was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Q: What was your reaction when you heard the news?

A: I was totally elated. I was overjoyed. I had gone through two years of getting to that point and then not making it. And I was expecting the best, but getting absolutely the worst.

Q: Let's fast-forward 12 months from now. Who is the Super Bowl champion and who is it they beat?

A: I think once you get to this point and you feel confident and comfortable with who you are, it makes it easier to repeat when you know you are this good. I'm thinking maybe Indianapolis repeating. This time they will be playing, and probably even beating, the Dallas Cowboys.

Check out Highlights and commentary on the top 5 games of Michael Irvin's career. Click at the top on NFL U Video Highlights or click here!

MIAMI BEACH -- Michael Irvin and his wife, Sandy, were watching the Hall of Fame announcements on television, and the suspense was building.

"I was taking deep breaths and praying. I thought that I was going to have a heart attack," Sandy Irvin said.

After the list went from 17 to 10 to six, Gene Hickerson, an offensive guard with the Cleveland Browns (1958-73), had his name read.

"I know the alphabet," Irvin said. "When I heard `H,' I was like, `OK, I is next.' Whew! I was so afraid they were going to skip over the I's."

HOLLYWOOD -- The news spread to Diplomat Landing, where Dallas Cowboys luminaries Troy Aikman and Jerry Jones had been scheduled to appear at Leigh Steinberg's Saturday party if something historic hadn't come up.

Even without Aikman and Jones around, you could find someone to tell you a Michael Irvin story, since few played football in South Florida at any level without experiencing a Playmaker moment.

"We were playing Florida State my sophomore year, and we were on the last drive, and we were going down to hit [Jeremy] Shockey, and I had an incompletion to Reggie Wayne in the corner of the end zone," former University of Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey said. "And I look over to the sideline to get the next play, and Michael Irvin is there, just yelling, `Just give him a chance! Just give him a chance!'"

MIAMI - A few years ago, Michael Irvin returned to the tiny, three-bedroom house he shared with his parents and 16 brothers and sisters on Northwest 28th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

His sons, Michael and Elijah, did not believe their father grew up there. Outside on the street, Irvin could still see the green lines he painted for a makeshift football field.

From that scratchy pavement to Texas Stadium, Irvin built himself into a Hall of Famer.

On Saturday, less than an hour from where he grew up and minutes from where he starred at the University of Miami, Irvin was selected for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, becoming the 10th member of the Cowboys organization to receive the honor.

MIAMI - Nobody does joy better than Mike Irvin. Nor does anybody do charisma better. He was a special football player as a big-game, big-time receiver, and also always a guy blessed with a unique personality while being cursed by well-chronicled off-the-field demons.

Here Saturday afternoon, the joy and the charisma over flowed.

After two years of knocking on the door of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, only to be rejected, this time Irvin gained entrance.
Michael's reaction was gracious, articulate and thankful. He did himself proud with his humble "thank yous" Saturday.

MIAMI - It was a humbled Michael Irvin who saw his journey to football immortality come full circle on Saturday.

What began just up the road in Fort Lauderdale, where his brothers marked off yard markers in the street with chalk, ended at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Irvin, the Cowboys' all-time leading receiver and the heart and soul of three Super Bowl title teams, was voted in as one of six members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2007.

He acknowledged with regret the role his past problems played in the process.

Two NFL greats with strong South Florida ties hope their Hall of Fame dreams finally become reality Saturday.

Former UM and Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin -- again among the 15 finalists for the Pro Football HOF in his third year of eligibility -- said being elected while in South Florida for the Super Bowl ``would blow my mind, with all my brothers and sisters and university there. That is my home.

``The experience of walking the Hall with [inductee Troy Aikman] last year was incredible, and now it's even more important to me. I have 8- and 9-year old boys now, and we eat, sleep and breathe football. It makes me want to get in that much more .''

Irvin said being passed over two years ago ''was pretty devastating. I cried myself to sleep.'' Last year, he joked with ''as big an ego as I have,'' he would have loved to be inducted with Troy. He spoke of what would be the ''depth of disappointment'' if he's passed over Saturday.

(herald.com)