Dez refuses to carry R. Williams pads

[DKWEST]

Has anybody seen the show "Anerica;s Game", on NFL network about the Bucs 2002 season and the years leading up to that great season.

Warren Sapp is interviewed throughout the show, and he made some interesting comments about Keyshawn Johnson.  He said that Keyshawn came to him when they were playing together in the Pro-Bowl.  The Bucs had just been beat by the Rams, in yet another playoff game where the Bucs couldn't score a touchdwon.

Keyshawn told Warren,..  "Hey,..   I'll get you that extra 5 points that will get the Bucs over the top and to the Super Bowl". So Sapp lobbied to get Keyshawn here, and the Bucs made that deal. He then told a story about how the Bucs Players did things,..   They all got together in the offseason and worked together, ate together, played together,..  it was a brotherhood.  But Keyshawn choose not to participate and it irked many of the vets here at the time.  Then Warren went on to say,..  "Keyshawn is a good player,..  there's no doubt.  "But he was Never One of Us".  

[zepkin]

yep, its about paying your dues. Many jobs outside of sports require you to pay your dues. Your the low man on the totem pole. Not sure why this is a foreign concept to so many.

It's foreign because these kids are taught from the high school level that they are supposively "better" than everyone else.  The world is full of me first mentalities.

Guarantee McCoy won't be of this mentality.

[DKWEST]

It's foreign because these kids are taught from the high school level that they are supposively "better" than everyone else.  The world is full of me first mentalities.

The whole thug wannbe mentality and a general disdain. 
I'm always glad to hear a young person not talk ghetto, and say "Thanks", "Please", "Yes Sir", or "No Maam", because most kids just don't have common etiquette any more.

But this is the attitude from Dez Bryant that caused him to slip so far in the draft in the first place, so it's not really unexpected.

[Doug09]

Anyone else but Roy Williams, I think he would have carried their pads. Roy Williams should be carrying Dez Bryants pads though, he's had one 1,000 yard season, he needs to carry his own damn pads.

[anterrabae33]

This isn't eating together, going out together, watching film together. It's veteran players screwing around with younger players. Just because Dez isn't a pushover doesn't mean he isn't a team player or that he has character concerns. Like I said, if it were a Cowboy great, it would probably be very different.

It happens in every sport and it while some times its just playing around, most of the time the hazing is worse for the team. A while ago ESPN ran a report about some hazing that happened on a high school or JR high baseball team. Let's just say, if you saw it you understand.

[DKWEST]

Dez isn't a pushover doesn't

Carrying a guys pads because it's been a long tradition at Cowboys camp isn't "Being a Pushover".

And carrying a guys pads at a football camp isn't the same thing as what that show reported. Nobody is going to die from carrying a guys pads to show you're willing to start from the bottom and work your way to the top.

This is just a fun,..  welcome to the club rookie,..  type of thing.

[anterrabae33]

Dez isn't a pushover doesn't

Carrying a guys pads because it's been a long tradition at Cowboys camp isn't "Being a Pushover".

And carrying a guys pads at a football camp isn't the same thing as what that show reported. Nobody is going to die from carrying a guys pads to show you're willing to start from the bottom and work your way to the top.

This is just a fun,..  welcome to the club rookie,..  type of thing.

Obviously they aren't on the same level but it shows that hazing is something sports can do without. Carrying pads isn't what I'd call a tradition. If I was a vet player and I asked a kid to carry my pads and he said no, I'd be happy the kid has some marbles.

And another thing, and while it might fuel his ego, Bryant isn't starting on the bottom. He's most likely going to be a starter and start OVER Williams on the depth chart. (And while it would be funny to have the kid that carried your pads take your job, it won't be the case)

[Lord Freesus]

I hate tradition. Good for him. Just don't be a diva.

[Incognito]

It may be respectful for a rook to carry a vet's pads... but its DISrespectful to expect him to.

Ritual or NOT, I wouldn't have done it either. I guess I just have too much dignity and pride as a man to allow myself to be someone's do-boy.

Dez sounds like a leader to me. Good for him.

[anterrabae33]

It may be respectful for a rook to carry a vet's pads... but its DISrespectful to expect him to do it.

Ritual or NOT, I wouldn't have done it either. I guess I just have too much dignity and pride as a man to allow myself to be someone's do-boy.

Dez sounds like a leader to me. Good for him.

Agreed. I don't exactly know about being a leader but it could be possible.

Teammates should be treated with respect. Dez might have disrespected Williams for not carrying them but Williams disrespected Bryant for expecting it.

Also, Williams disrespected Cowboys fans by sucking.

Traditions are here and there. Sure, carrying pads could be a tradition for them but toy know what, tradition for the Cowboys right now is being one and done and coming up short in every possible way. Tradition for Bucs right now is missing the playoffs. Traditions should change.


I never thought I'd be saying anything positive towards the Cowboys.

[MiltonMack21]

I hate tradition. Good for him. Just don't be a diva.

Psssst he's already a diva... Good thing for the Cowboys, maybe it will interfere with their season.

[Bayfisher]

Under armour dropped him for showing up in Nike attire. Lol

[BuccaneerBrandon]

Under armour dropped him for showing up in Nike attire. Lol

Seriously? This kid is dumb as bricks.

[michael89156]

Wade Phillips, Roy Williams say carrying pads is non-issue

Source:  PFT
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on July 26, 2010 6:40 PM ET


For ten straight minutes, Wade Phillips answered questions about Dez Bryant not carrying Roy Williams' pads yesterday.  The look on his face went from bemused to exasperated by the end before a Cowboys staffer mercifully ended the mostly pointless proceedings.

"It's a non-issue," Phillips said.  "Not a problem with either of them or our football team."

Phillips was told at some point that the story led a newscast in Toronto, but he didn't know what the fuss was about.  Phillips also defended Bryant's right to do as he pleased.

"We don't haze.  That's it," Phillips said.  "I didnt like it when I was in college.  We treat our men like men.  As far as certain traditions that go -- if you want to participate in it or you don't, that's your preogorative. . . . Anytime you make someone uncomfortable, that is [going] too far."

For those scoring at home, Bryant didn't carry Williams' pads off the field on Monday.  Williams says it isn't a big deal, according to Todd Archer of the Dallas Morning News.

Phillips pointed out that Bryant wouldn't be the first rookie to do his own thing.

"Flozell [Adams] didnt do one thing.  You don't have to," Phillips said.  "I dont think they ostracized Flozell.  He was too big and too good."

[JDouble]

There is a time and place for rookie hazing. At the end of your first practice in front of 70k fans is not that time or place. If I was Dez, I would have told Williams that I am here to take your job, not carry your **CENSORED**.