Kev On Dez: Should Bryant Have Carried Roy Williams' Pads?
by KevinPayne on Jul 29, 2010 10:50 AM CDT
17 comments
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What’s goin’ on, Rams Nation!?!
The hot topic going on ESPN the last couple days has been about the Dez Bryant / Roy Williams thing - where Dez didn’t carry Roy’s pads after practice. So I just wanted to chime-in and give my opinion, as well as find out what yours is.
As far as hazing goes, I was never really big on hazing rookies or college freshmen. I know it’s an understood thing to do in the NFL, but I never really cared much about making rookies do this and that for me. I mean, I had to do it -- all the rookies who were there with me had to do it -- but I just so happen to have not done it to any of my younger teammates.
I remember in my first year, Mike Brown told me to carry his pads for him. Doing so was just part of being a rookie, so it wasn’t a problem for me. I picked’em up, carried them, and didn’t say anything else about it. I wasn’t going to tell Mike Brown that I wasn’t going to carry his pads - Ha! I mean, it’s an understood ritual, a sign of respect towards a veteran player. I had a lot of respect for those guys like Mike Brown and the rest of the defensive backs. They’d put in years of hard work into their careers and had been in the NFL doing the things that I wanted to do. So if someone wanted me to carry their pads, I’d do it -- No big deal.
Other than carry some equipment around here and there, all I really had to do when I was a rookie was get the veteran’s food and sing some songs. So I guess you can say I never really got, like, hazed hazed - you know, stuff like having my head shaved bald or something - Haha!
Stuff like getting food and singing songs is cool and all, it’s just that when it comes to making kids do things outside their character is where I draw the line. That’s just my personal feelings on the whole thing. I know I wouldn’t want anybody to shave my head, so I never made anyone else do something crazy like that.
As far as Dez not wanting to carry the pads -- I dunno, man -- I’m really not sure what to say about that. It’s a new day and age out there. I mean, you can’t force him to carry the pads. Me, personally, I did it and didn’t have a problem with it, but everyone is their own man. However, if you don’t cooperate, it might make things worse for the rookie in terms of fitting-in and building camaraderie with the rest of the team. The veterans may give him a hard time after this for not showing any respect to Roy. Everyone has had to go through it in their careers. So for Dez not to do it, he kinda singles himself out.
I’ve never made a rookie carry my pads before. That’s not to say I won’t ever do it (haha), I just haven’t up to this point in my career. One thing’s for sure though: I’d never do anything really crazy to a rookie, because I know I wouldn’t have wanted someone to treat me like that when I was in their shoes.
So that’s my opinion on it -- Who’s to say if it’s the popular one or not? Let know what you guys think here and on my Facebook profile.
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Excellent quote below:
“However, if you don’t cooperate, it might make things worse for the rookie in terms of fitting-in and building camaraderie with the rest of the team.”
Despite having numerous por-bowlers, the Cowboys have had problems gelling together as a team. This has been one of their weaknesses and I completely agree with your statement above. It is a tradition that brings cohesiveness to the team. As such, I feel strongly that you Kevin, should be “hazing” the rooks to carry your bags, getting you water/hydration, and singing you songs to keep your spirits up and letting them know that the rookies are part of the team.
Double-Posted, but another point too
It is a sign of respect. Imagine you are a rookie coming into the NFL. Yet, you are making more than some NFL starters, and are asking for their help to learn the position. As a rookie, you have nothing to offer, but want the veteran’s knowledge experience and tips. If you really want to improve your game, you will keep your mouth shut, have a bite of the turd sandwich, and grab the veteran’s gear.
If you do not, you are sending a message to your teammates that you do not want to learn.
I want to start off by saying that this "incident" should never have been reported.
It should have stayed an internal matter but I know that is wishful thinking with all of todays “reporters” just trying to scoop “anything”.
As to my opinion though I will “borrow” a quote from Mardy Gilyard
“I’m willing to carry the (veterans’) helmets, the shoulder pads, lace their shoes up, serve the Gatorade, fix their dinners, brush their hair. … Whatever it is, Mardy’s not going to be that guy that says, ’I’m not going to do that,’” he said. “Because I didn’t do it (at the University of Cincinnati). I was a knucklehead; I was real cocky and arrogant. And I got jumped by the older guys.”
After being taped to the goal posts, dunked in a garbage bin and sprayed down with a hose, Gilyard got the message. “I remember the vets saying, ‘If you don’t want to do it this way, there’s always a second option,’” he said. "As a rookie, you don’t want to get to the second option.
“I’m going to be one of those guys that the vets know, ‘Hey, this rookie knows his place. He knows when to speak, and he knows when not to speak.’ … I want to soak it all in, like a dry sponge in the ocean, to the max. And then soak up some more.”
man i have a LOT of love for Mardy
KP, how is he settling in?
i also remember reading he’d never let anyone touch his hair, because each shell represents someone he has lost.
Mardy is the mack. he has his limitations but he isn’t no prima donna like dez.
i wonder how bad they’re gonna get him back?
and also KP, whats the worst hazing ritual you’ve seen being done to a rookie?
thanks for the post too!
Bradford to Onobun!
love the post
Personally, I think Dez made a big deal out of nothing – which is more alarming than him not carrying Roy William’s, aka scrub sauce, pads. Secondly DB’s are cool so not surprised not a lot of hazing on KP’s end. Lastly, Bradford was acting like his crap would b good but now look, someone get Bradford in camp, please…………….
Julio Jones for Rams 2011
To me it's just disrespectful,
If I was the coach his tail would be washing the teams jock straps until he knows who the boss is. To state he’s a starter like Roy so he shouldn’t have to answer to his silly requests. We all know he’s going to start, but to be so arrogant about it?
I honestly think this is just the media
Pitting the two WR’s against each other in order to create a story during a slow time in the offseason. This isn’t the first time in history someone refused to hold someone elses pads so everyone should stop acting like it is.
Per fas et nefas - Latin translation="By Any Means Necessary"
You could be right about that
But look how easy it is for the media to have every one jumping on this lol
Gilyard knows what it's like to have nothing
.. can’t speak for Bryant, but just to have the privilege of playing in the NFL, carry the damn pads. Bottom line, even in a regular JOB you gotta eat the crap sandwich sometimes… even though i’d be proud to carry vet’s pads if offered this opportunity!
Come on man! Grow up, carry the pads, then have a rook carry yours next year. Have some fun with it, and be a team player! Remember, the guy you’re carrying pads for, carried his share of pads… pay some respect.
"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." - Vince Lombardi
I know it's been going on for a long time
buy my question is Why? Why do the vets feel they have to lord it over the rookies, make them carry pads, get food for the vets, pay for meals, stand at the end of food lines, etc? What is the point? If it’s supposed to build team spirit, it sure wouldn’t build mine if I was a rookie. Do the vets do it just because someone did it to them? Are they trying to beat the rookies down so the vets won’t lose their jobs? I really don’t understand it. Again, what is the point? How is it helping the team get better?
IMO, because these rookies are signing huge contracts without ever stepping on a field,
It helps keep their heads on their shoulders. It teaches them to pay attention when a vet speaks when helping them learn from their mistakes no matter how stupid it may seem or sound.
Its harmless fun that has been known to help build relations with new members while helping ease the whirlwind of transition to the NFL.
Bronco fan checking in here. A member at MHR links a few “outside” articles each week that are worth reading. I didn’t even know there were current players that participated. We don’t have any at MHR, so extra kudos for taking the time. I enjoyed the perspective.
Obviously I don’t play pro ball, but if I did, I wouldn’t ask someone to carry my pads for me. That said, I would look carry the pads of any and all veterans that even hinted at me to carry theirs. I would probably just go grab them without being asked. It’s a sign of respect. Additionally, I even have to say I would look down on somebody for balking at the tradition. It’s disrespectful and arrogant. I don’t care if you flip burgers, sell cars or wear an American Flag on your chest and carry an M-16… you earn your stripes before you earn your respect.
Nobody asked Dez Bryant to shave his head (although that was part of the hazing in Denver last year). Nobody asked him to pick up dog crap. It was a set of pads that he was asked to carry for a veteran as part of a harmless tradition. He was wrong, IMO. And later saying he wasn’t aware might have carried more weight with me if he had gone out the next day and carried pads for the entire WR corps. He didn’t. He lost some of my respect.
Just my two-cents. Thanks again for the great read and good luck on the season!
It's just about time for us to get out there and win a MF Game!
Yes He Should Have.
Dez seems to be a diva. So, Dallas is a good fit. I hope he gets stuck on special teams, only blocking, his whole career.
Sidenote: Haha. Brad! Haha! Knock off the haha’s. Haha! You make Kevin sound like a 11 yo girl on Twitter. Haha!
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