Dez Bryant refuses to carry pads

[Jetfan13]

ok, give him a break. On his high school team, they don't have to carry the seniors pads...instead the seniors lock them in a locker for gym period. Thats ok though, because it is a right of passage...

[Jetsfan80]

It's not his job to listen to vets. Just because they are veterans does not make them any better than him. He is NOT putting himself before the team. Letting yourself get hazed puts you BELOW the team.

Yes it IS his job to listen to veterans. He is not on equal footing with them, because they've been doing it longer and have a lot to teach him. Part of being on a TEAM is accepting that you aren't bigger than it. When a rookie is thinking himself bigger than team traditions without earning respect on the field, that's an issue.

[Falcon63]

Yes it IS his job to listen to veterans. He is not on equal footing with them, because they've been doing it longer and have a lot to teach him. Part of being on a TEAM is accepting that you aren't bigger than it. When a rookie is thinking himself bigger than team traditions without earning respect on the field, that's an issue.

There's a difference between learning on-field stuff, and carrying other players' shoulder pads.

[Garb]

There's a difference between learning on-field stuff, and carrying other players' shoulder pads.

how old are you?

Sometimes, for the sake of the greater good, you may have to participate in something you think is stupid. That could be a Jack 'n Jill bridal shower or carrying a vet players pads. It's the unwritten rule. It is teams'/players right of passage It earns the vets respect. Suck it up and do it. Not doing it alienates you, make you look like the prima-donna you claim not to be, and solidifies the opinion of many: that you are a d-bag.'

What's next? Jesse Jackson calling Dez a slave and demanding an overhaul of the "class" structure of the NFL player culture?

[SouthernJet]

If he thinks the Cowboys initiation stuff is over the top tehn Max should show him the stuff Mods at JN have to go through

[Jbro22]

Falcon, its sounds like you were the freshman that the seniors rode into the ground.

And they probably wouldn't have, if you didn't make carrying the water such a big deal.

[khesanh]

So he's a diva because he refuses to do something that is not in his contract? I mean seriously, if you've ever actually been on a high school or college team, you know that hazing "rookies" is just to embarrass and demean them. I didn't put up with that crap either when I was a freshman. Finally someone is saying enough is enough, let's just play football. All this news tells me is that Dez means business.

This is why kids today are SOFT!!!!!!!!!!

It's a right of passage all athletic have it and this is not really hazing we all have seen what hazing really is he is not getting paddled are crap thrown on him. And "Not in his contract" Really? Come one...OK I bet he asks for a new contract before his old one is up and that is not in is contract either.

[#27TheDominator]

Falcon, its sounds like you were the freshman that the seniors rode into the ground.

And they probably wouldn't have, if you didn't make carrying the water such a big deal.

Actually, IIRC Falcon's team sucks. He is big and the other players probably aren't so big and they probably let it slide. More than likely to the detriment of the team. It's part of being a team. You take your lumps. You become one of us, instead of some douchebag "professional" who won't do anything that "isn't in your contract". After the hazing (battesimo) here they sing a song with the players name - uno di noi. It means one of us and if you think a team is better off with a bunch of "professionals" than they are with family, then you don't know **** about football.

[khesanh]

how old are you?

Sometimes, for the sake of the greater good, you may have to participate in something you think is stupid. That could be a Jack 'n Jill bridal shower or carrying a vet players pads. It's the unwritten rule. It is teams'/players right of passage It earns the vets respect. Suck it up and do it. Not doing it alienates you, make you look like the prima-donna you claim not to be, and solidifies the opinion of many: that you are a d-bag.'

What's next? Jesse Jackson calling Dez a slave and demanding an overhaul of the "class" structure of the NFL player culture?

I agree this is why kids today are soft its a right of passage you accepted it as part of the program. It's one of those things that helps you build character I'm pretty sure the Jerry Rice's and Michael Irvin's had to do the same so why are you so special Mr. Bryant?

[Sperm Edwards]

how old are you?

Sometimes, for the sake of the greater good, you may have to participate in something you think is stupid. That could be a Jack 'n Jill bridal shower or carrying a vet players pads.

Demands for a Jack & Jill bridal shower are grounds for calling off a wedding. If the woman requests it, the guy has to hold his ground and say no. If the man requests it, the woman has to call off the wedding and seek out an actual man to be her husband. No greater good is served by a Jack & Jill shower.

[khesanh]

So it states in his contract that he must carry other players' pads?

And when is the last time an NFL player upheld his contract?

[The Crusher]

how old are you?

Sometimes, for the sake of the greater good, you may have to participate in something you think is stupid. That could be a Jack 'n Jill bridal shower or carrying a vet players pads. It's the unwritten rule. It is teams'/players right of passage It earns the vets respect. Suck it up and do it. Not doing it alienates you, make you look like the prima-donna you claim not to be, and solidifies the opinion of many: that you are a d-bag.'

What's next? Jesse Jackson calling Dez a slave and demanding an overhaul of the "class" structure of the NFL player culture?

Free Dez Bryant NOW

[SouthernJet]

Free Dez Bryant NOW

[Bx Jet Fan]

Man, I wish the Cowboys would bring back Charles Haley as a rookie coach for just a few weeks for this kid.

[Falcon63]

This is why kids today are SOFT!!!!!!!!!!

It's a right of passage all athletic have it and this is not really hazing we all have seen what hazing really is he is not getting paddled are crap thrown on him. And "Not in his contract" Really? Come one...OK I bet he asks for a new contract before his old one is up and that is not in is contract either.

Falcon, its sounds like you were the freshman that the seniors rode into the ground.

And they probably wouldn't have, if you didn't make carrying the water such a big deal.

Actually, no, I was a varsity starter my freshman year, and my brother started right next to me. I was never hazed, and as such, I never haze any of the incoming freshman.

[GodWearsAGrayHoodie]

Good for him.

I agree with Falcon63, the whole hazing rituals are stupid. Harassing the newbies doesn't build team unity, it creates team disharmony.

Not everyone can successfully object to the hazing. Someone with enough talent to be a varsity starter freshman year can. A first round draft pick can. A late round draft pick would not be able to.

But the question of Dez's integrity will come next year. If he participates in way in the hazing of new rookies, I will have zero respect for him. If he stands up for next years rookies than he is honorable man.

[124]

Good for Dez.

F Roy Williams. Dez is there to WORK, produce & make bank for him and his family. He is competing against Roy Williams for a job as the #2 man to Miles Austin. This is a STUPID tradition to begin with and it's nice to see some players with balls and confidence in themselves to turn away form it. Good for Dez Bryant. This might've been the best thing he's done in quite some time.

As GWAGH said though, he better not be found doing this to rookies next year, because then all respect for him is gone. Only THEN does he think he is above everyone else.

[Jbro22]

Actually, no, I was a varsity starter my freshman year, and my brother started right next to me. I was never hazed, and as such, I never haze any of the incoming freshman.

And you said your team sucked right?

[Jetsfan80]

Good for Dez Bryant. This might've been the best thing he's done in quite some time.

And you can twitter that to him all you want as he gets taped to a goalpost. He won't be able to answer you.

[jgb]

And you can twitter that to him all you want as he gets taped to a goalpost. He won't be able to answer you.

yup. rookie "hazing" (carrying pads doesn't even count as hazing) is meant to instill a team spirit above individual concerns. this to me is a potential warning sign of a guy who won't "buy in" if he doesn't think it benefits him.

[bobbyjet69]

So he's a diva because he refuses to do something that is not in his contract? I mean seriously, if you've ever actually been on a high school or college team, you know that hazing "rookies" is just to embarrass and demean them. I didn't put up with that crap either when I was a freshman. Finally someone is saying enough is enough, let's just play football. All this news tells me is that Dez means business.

it has nothing to do with contracts or demean them! it builds caracter! it's called taking your lumps!! it goes on in every profession, whether your a carpenter, elec, or sports player! SUCK IT UP!!!

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

Dez wears tampons, like 75% of his fellow young 20-somethings in this country.

[The Gun Of Bavaria]

Did Dez "Tweet" this or post it on Facebook? LOL

Dez is pathetic. The kids like him are pathetic.

Boo freaking hoo. You gotta carry some pads, sing some fight songs. Ahh, poor baby.

[Jetsfan80]

Did Dez "Tweet" this or post it on Facebook? LOL

Dez is pathetic. The kids like him are pathetic.

Boo freaking hoo. You gotta carry some pads, sing some fight songs. Ahh, poor baby.

Yeah, if this were the 60's or 70's, the Cowboys would be dropping him off several miles from the training facility and making him walk back as a hazing exercise. And that would be tame for the times.

[khesanh]

Did Dez "Tweet" this or post it on Facebook? LOL

Dez is pathetic. The kids like him are pathetic.

Boo freaking hoo. You gotta carry some pads, sing some fight songs. Ahh, poor baby.

I agree 100% you just signed a multimillion dollar You are getting paid in advance a contract for what you did in college.

[Sperm Edwards]

"I don't want to go through what every other veteran did. I just want to walk into the league and get treated as someone who has already accomplished something at this level."

[Larz]

Exactly

if he doesn't get duct taped to the goal post or the old ben-gay in the jock strap trick, I'd be shocked

[khesanh]

if he doesn't get duct taped to the goal post or the old ben-gay in the jock strap trick, I'd be shocked

uh, I'll take the goal post for 300 Alex

[Falcon63]

And you said your team sucked right?

Yeah, our team as a whole. But we had 3 All-County players on our OL and DL in the toughest county in the country.

Now, I'm not saying I was All-American or anything, but I'm just saying that I was "one of the guys" since the day I took the field. I actually got my starting job by putting MYSELF in.

[Larz]

the toughest county in the country.

southern Ca ?

texas ?

Florida ?

Ohio ?

[Matt39]

Anyone who thinks carrying pads builds team unity is delusional or has never played football.

Its not a unity thing by any means...its just how football works. Thr younger guys carry the blocking bags, vets pads etc, get the showers last, get the crappy lockers. It just is what it is.

If they had the rookies do skits or something like that then yeah thats a team building exercise. Carrying pads definitely isnt.

[Jetsfan80]

Now, I'm not saying I was All-American or anything, but I'm just saying that I was "one of the guys" since the day I took the field. I actually got my starting job by putting MYSELF in.

This tells me all I need to know about your team and why you side with Bryant on this one.

[Falcon63]

southern Ca ?

texas ?

Florida ?

Ohio ?

Palm Beach County, FL

[Midget Love 20]

Yeah, our team as a whole. But we had 3 All-County players on our OL and DL in the toughest county in the country.

Now, I'm not saying I was All-American or anything, but I'm just saying that I was "one of the guys" since the day I took the field. I actually got my starting job by putting MYSELF in.

Self promotion reminds me of this....

http://www.jetnation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67406

[Larz]

Palm Beach County, FL

good for you

high school football is so different up here, you can't get 50 people to a game