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Like you said Ripper it's sort of a right of passage no rookies should be above it or to good not to go through it especially if all the other rookies are doing it. It shows unwillingness to be a team player already. I know at Soldier Field rookies lockers are downstairs in the basement and they do not move upstairs until they have gone through camp and make the cut and become a part of the team. It's the Bears way of saying you start in the basement and work you way up and nothing is given but is earned.

Even in college when you join sororities you usually have initiations, granted some go to far and this is not what I'm talking about, carrying a veterans pads isn't that big of a deal and refusing to do so spells trouble shows sign of a troubled locker room as well as the team.

Like you said if he performs on the field all will be forgiven but if not this could bite him in the arse.

Both sides are in the wrong here. The whole "haze the rookie" treatment is stupid and goes counter to the concept of team unity. However, if it's part of the tradition, Bryant will come off as a me-first diva for not participating.

I just don't understand what he's thinking. He is not going to win over any of his teammates by acting too good for a few rookie pranks. What's the harm to him, swallow your pride, show everyone who said all those things about not drafting you they were wrong. First thing he does out the gates is prove they were all right, Dez should have been drafted probably in the top 5 and I am sure this is one of those traits that turned a few teams away.

I think the Cowboys got him for a steal where he was drafted but if he is a locker room problem they should have just kept TO who at least was a proven performer on the field.

I thought that this kind of treatment was from the leaders of the team to help you become "one of the guys"? When has Roy E. Williams been a leader of the Cowboys receiving corps? If this was Miles Austin or Jason Witten (yes I know he is a TE but he would be working with WR in practice) I would feel different about it. Right now it seems like the one guy who should be worried about losing his job should be trying to get a few more catches or routes in with his QB and stop trying to power trip the guy drafted to take his job because he is doing a poor job at it.

I say if the dude plays like a beast, none of it matters. If he brings it on the field, there are no hard feelings except maybe on Williams' part. But he just added some pressure on himself...the tolerance level just dropped a hair.

QUOTE(#5):

Originally posted 11:33 PM ET  07.26 by williewilliejuan

Both sides are in the wrong here. The whole "haze the rookie" treatment is stupid and goes counter to the concept of team unity. However, if it's part of the tradition, Bryant will come off as a me-first diva for not participating.

This covers it pretty well. Williams may have not done anything in a Cowboys uniform to earn respect, but then again, neither has Bryant.

Overblown story ... but according to the Radio here in Dallas ... Dez has been the story and making great catches almost every practice.

Traditions are meant to be broken...I would not be one of my peers bitc* either...


Go Rook!!!!!

If it was something terrible, derogatory, hazardous or harmful I would say he is right in his actions but carrying a veterans pads is none of the above and simply a sign of respect to a veteran. In order to gain respect one has to show they are willing to give respect, it's not so much about who but about why. It's the trouble with today's youths they think they are all that know it all and have no respect for anybody or anything but themselves, a sure sign of a me first player.

hard to tell..... but if he produces it won't matter. and really, he's probably going to take roy's job so it could be a statement to roy that he ain't carrying his stuff.... if it came from romo, i'd bet it would not have been an issue.

Bucky Brooks speaks about Team Chemistry in his article at NFL.com and hit on some keys related to Bryants unwillingness to carry someones pads. It's all about Chemistry and to say the least it's off to a rocky start and for what? It shouldn't matter who's pads they were they are all veterans.

Bryant says he refused to carry Williams pads because he was drafted to play football and help the Cowboys win championships, but what he doesn't understand is that chemistry is an essential part of the championship formula, and his willingness to get along with his teammates is critical to that end. You could even argue that Bryants shunning of a rookie ritual played counter to his team's title aspirations.

Eventually, Bryant must show he can check his ego at the door or run the risk of being viewed as another prima donna in the Cowboys locker room.

Bryants shunning of rookie ritual could have long-term effects

QUOTE(#17):

Originally posted 08:57 PM ET  07.27 by EazyDozit

Personally,I wouldn't rock the boat ifn they've done this for decades,Maybe the Vets,will mess with Him in another way..[like not be there when He needs it],But it does send an insult too some,maybe others don't care,he did what He wanted,so let's see how committed He really is.

It is a tradition, and I have a hard time believing that he wasn't aware of it. Having to carry pads is pretty tame compared to some of the other ways the rookies can be "initiated". He should just roll with it... just like all the rest of the rookies in the league will.

He's a diva punk. Your right Chimpo, he pissed off the football gods and got struck by a lightning bolt!

or maybe dez didnt want to carry the pads considering roy williams was on tv talkin noise about him indirectly with new car analogy. If someone was hating on you, regardless of being a rookie would you carry their pads? It probably took everything in him not to hit roy in the mouth.

You carry the pads, that's the deal when you are a rookie. It really doesn't cost much, you just doing what guys have done for years. I got hazed in the military, nothing horrid, just a bit of childish pranks, more traditions really. I will tell you the guys who resisted got it worse later.