Dez Bryant gets my kudos! Your thoughts on hazing in pro sports...

[nessalynn77]

So long story short... or, in my opinion, non-story short, Dallas Cowboys rookie Dez Bryant refuses to carry veteran wide receiver Roy Williams' pads after practice.  Apparently, this is a tradition for newbies to perform menial tasks for veterans during their first year.  Dez said that he's paid to play football, not carry someone's pads.  I'm inclined to agree, and applaud him for taking a stand.  As long as he plays well, ain't a thing anybody's gonna do to him.  I guess he may be singled out and ostracized, but that comes with the territory when you dare to take a stand and be different instead of bowing down to be accepted.  To me, it's a good lesson for young folks, especially those trying to forge a career in athletics.  There's so much pressure to conform, they should be encouraged to be their own man/woman, respect themselves, and don't compromise their principles.

Your thoughts?

[churchyreal]

So long story short... or, in my opinion, non-story short, Dallas Cowboys rookie Dez Bryant refuses to carry veteran wide receiver Roy Williams' pads after practice.  Apparently, this is a tradition for newbies to perform menial tasks for veterans during their first year.  Dez said that he's paid to play football, not carry someone's pads.  I'm inclined to agree, and applaud him for taking a stand.  As long as he plays well, ain't a thing anybody's gonna do to him.  I guess he may be singled out and ostracized, but that comes with the territory when you dare to take a stand and be different instead of bowing down to be accepted.  To me, it's a good lesson for young folks, especially those trying to forge a career in athletics.  There's so much pressure to conform, they should be encouraged to be their own man/woman, respect themselves, and don't compromise their principles.

Your thoughts?

OMG I've been thinking about this for a long time now. Yes people should be encouraged to be themselves. Unfortunately though, I feel like the theme of this country is "conformity = success" and many have realistically (and in my opinion, understandibly) have taken that same approach. I feel like many are afraid to be ostracized and criticized and singled out.

Not to get too spiritual with it, but even as Chrsitians we should not be conforming to the world. It doesn't mean we act separatist as if we are better than everyone else, but that we do not conform just to fit in. At the end of the day, I'd rather God be happy and people upset than people happy and God upset.

[lordluvr]

While I applaud him taking a stand, he isn't making things easy for himself.  But, like you said, if he performs on the field, that kind of stuff has a way of being forgotten quickly.

[b3wannab]

Dez needs to carry dem pads!!  This type of hazing is harmless and serves to build character.

And at least he didn't ask him to carry his jockstrap...

[nessalynn77]

Dez needs to carry dem pads!!  This type of hazing is harmless and serves to build character.

And at least he didn't ask him to carry his jockstrap...

There are better ways to build character than to demean another individual.  If the lesson is to honor those who precede you and give due respect to them, then it should be taught in that way by those in authority, and at the same time they should require humility and mutual respect from veterans. 

Mistreating and humiliating someone is not an effective way to teach them anything, other than how to mistreat others.

[T-Block]

Dez needs to carry dem pads!!  This type of hazing is harmless and serves to build character.

Ummm...no.

[sjonathan02]

So long story short... or, in my opinion, non-story short, Dallas Cowboys rookie Dez Bryant refuses to carry veteran wide receiver Roy Williams' pads after practice.  Apparently, this is a tradition for newbies to perform menial tasks for veterans during their first year.  Dez said that he's paid to play football, not carry someone's pads.  I'm inclined to agree, and applaud him for taking a stand.  As long as he plays well, ain't a thing anybody's gonna do to him.  I guess he may be singled out and ostracized, but that comes with the territory when you dare to take a stand and be different instead of bowing down to be accepted.  To me, it's a good lesson for young folks, especially those trying to forge a career in athletics.  There's so much pressure to conform, they should be encouraged to be their own man/woman, respect themselves, and don't compromise their principles.

Your thoughts?

First, Dez doesn't need to carry Roy's pads because he's BETTER than Roy. If anything, it should be the other way around.

As a member of a fraternity, I say 'haze on'. In this case, it's harmless.

[sjonathan02]

While I applaud him taking a stand, he isn't making things easy for himself.  But, like you said, if he performs on the field, that kind of stuff has a way of being forgotten quickly.

Yea, this.

[b3wannab]

There are better ways to build character than to demean another individual.  If the lesson is to honor those who precede you and give due respect to them, then it should be taught in that way by those in authority, and at the same time they should require humility and mutual respect from veterans. 

Mistreating and humiliating someone is not an effective way to teach them anything, other than how to mistreat others.

<<Waving a white flag while holding up a Peace sign>>

Hold on now, Nessa, it ain't that serious!  This is just a little harmless hazing that football players (and lots of other athletes on many levels) put newbies through.  He's not asking him to scrub the toilets with his own toothbrush, just carry his pads as a sign of respect for his veteran teammate(s).

IMHO, it's not that bad because they're not asking him to do anything they haven't done themselves.

[under13]

<<Waving a white flag while holding up a Peace sign>>

Hold on now, Nessa, it ain't that serious!  This is just a little harmless hazing that football players (and lots of other athletes on many levels) put newbies through.  He's not asking him to scrub the toilets with his own toothbrush, just carry his pads as a sign of respect for his veteran teammate(s).

IMHO, it's not that bad because they're not asking him to do anything they haven't done themselves.

I pretty much agree. But I wonder what kind of example this hazing thing is for the High School Sports teams.

[6stringapprentice]

I've never been a NFL rookie but I have been a pimple faced freshman high school football player. Not exactly parallels but close enough. The problem many have is that take these traditional tasks as a personal attack on their manhood. The freshman had to come early set up the pads, dummies, cones, etc and stay late and clean up. I didn't feel hazed or degraded, I felt tired and could wait for freshmenosity to be over. There was always some guys who felt like they shouldn't have to do the freshman chores. Most of them didn't last long.

The NFL isn't exactly your everyday 9-5. It is a team of players with written and unwritten rules, regulations, and traditions. It's never wise to be the new guy rocking the boat esp when its with things all the vets have been through. There is a system of seniority that is unbiased on talent or skill level. Now on the field it doesn' matter who's been playing longest, the hot hand is going to get the plays. On the real, this is about the furthest stretch of the word "hazing" i've heard of. When I saw the word hazing I though it was going to be some college frat type foolishness which I am not for at all, but for real carrying some pads into the locker room?

On a professional level, the cowboys franchise has had their fill of T.O. drama so this isn't going to go over well with the other players or the fans. This is going to come across very pre-madonna'ish. However, performance is the great equalizer.

[cordney]

It's harmless hazing;  it's part of the game.  How will he feel in two years when some rookie refuses to carry his pads?

[ssabass]

Anyone that would allow themselves, to go through any type of hazing is foolish. From sports to fraternities/sororities. Now if he would have said, the rookie buys lunch or dinner, I can get with that. But carry his pads or anything else, naw that should never happen.

[sjonathan02]

I've never been a NFL rookie but I have been a pimple faced freshman high school football player. Not exactly parallels but close enough. The problem many have is that take these traditional tasks as a personal attack on their manhood. The freshman had to come early set up the pads, dummies, cones, etc and stay late and clean up. I didn't feel hazed or degraded, I felt tired and could wait for freshmenosity to be over. There was always some guys who felt like they shouldn't have to do the freshman chores. Most of them didn't last long.

The NFL isn't exactly your everyday 9-5. It is a team of players with written and unwritten rules, regulations, and traditions. It's never wise to be the new guy rocking the boat esp when its with things all the vets have been through. There is a system of seniority that is unbiased on talent or skill level. Now on the field it doesn' matter who's been playing longest, the hot hand is going to get the plays. On the real, this is about the furthest stretch of the word "hazing" i've heard of. When I saw the word hazing I though it was going to be some college frat type foolishness which I am not for at all, but for real carrying some pads into the locker room?

On a professional level, the cowboys franchise has had their fill of T.O. drama so this isn't going to go over well with the other players or the fans. This is going to come across very pre-madonna'ish. However, performance is the great equalizer.

It's 'prima donna', bruh not 'pre-madonna' as in "before the chick who sang, 'Like a Virgin'".  

[6stringapprentice]

It's 'prima donna', bruh not 'pre-madonna' as in "before the chick who sang, 'Like a Virgin'".  

Actually I was speaking of a time where rookies wouldn't carry pads around the early 70's before madonna claimed her fame.



Yeah that was horrible only because I have looked the word up before and still misspelled it. I have a bad habit of typing things the way they sound in my head.

[under13]

It's 'prima donna', bruh not 'pre-madonna' as in "before the chick who sang, 'Like a Virgin'".  

*dead*

Has the grammar wizard returned?

[mbamoody]

<<Waving a white flag while holding up a Peace sign>>

Hold on now, Nessa, it ain't that serious!  This is just a little harmless hazing that football players (and lots of other athletes on many levels) put newbies through.  He's not asking him to scrub the toilets with his own toothbrush, just carry his pads as a sign of respect for his veteran teammate(s).

IMHO, it's not that bad because they're not asking him to do anything they haven't done themselves.

I'm kind of torn between the two. Being in a frat myself, I understand that there are some things you are going (not have) to do. This is in order to remain in the good graces of those who've goine before you. However, in the Dez vs Roy case, Dez has every right to say no and stick by his belief. I know some may say that the vets had to do it when they were rooks; but they had the same right to say no as well. The "I had to go through it, so you have to too" mentality doesn't apply to everything. How is that possibly showing respect? They are all grown men and carrying pads is not a sign of respect. This is not the And 1 Streetball show and as someone has already stated, if he performs on the field, it will all be forgotten.

[nessalynn77]

<<Waving a white flag while holding up a Peace sign>>

Hold on now, Nessa, it ain't that serious!  This is just a little harmless hazing that football players (and lots of other athletes on many levels) put newbies through.  He's not asking him to scrub the toilets with his own toothbrush, just carry his pads as a sign of respect for his veteran teammate(s).

IMHO, it's not that bad because they're not asking him to do anything they haven't done themselves.

If it ain't that serious, then him exercising his right to refuse shouldn't be that serious either, IMO.

[nessalynn77]

It's harmless hazing;  it's part of the game.  How will he feel in two years when some rookie refuses to carry his pads?

I would assume and almost bet, he doesn't agree with making some rookie carry his pads.  That's the whole point.  Maybe I'm a Maverick (insert Palin pic here), but I don't agree with being forced to do random tasks to boost someone else's ego, who is not even the someone who signs my checks, lol.

[mbamoody]

I'm kind of torn between the two. Being in a frat myself, I understand that there are some things you are going (not have) to do. This is in order to remain in the good graces of those who've goine before you. However, in the Dez vs Roy case, Dez has every right to say no and stick by his belief. I know some may say that the vets had to do it when they were rooks; but they had the same right to say no as well. The "I had to go through it, so you have to too" mentality doesn't apply to everything. How is that possibly showing respect? They are all grown men and carrying pads is not a sign of respect. This is not the And 1 Streetball show and as someone has already stated, if he performs on the field, it will all be forgotten.

http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/news/story?id=5413827

"I said this is a situation where this is a custom and a ritual that's been around before you were even born," Harrison said in recalling his conversation with Bryant. "I had to do it and everybody had to do it."

I get the point but I don't agree. I also don't like how now ppl are trying to make him feel guilty into carrying pads.