OT - NFL Rookie Hazing
A good argument against the existence of rookie hazing below.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=lc-bryanthazing072710
On a personal note, my stance on the issue of hazing is:
If the only way you can feel like I've "earned" my place on your team is by humiliating and embarrassing me, then I don't want to be on your team.
There are far more POSITIVE ways to achieve both the unity of the team and individual growth. Some examples are: mentoring, community service/charity as a team or group, and including the rookies in social gatherings.
Now I've had my say. The floor is open.
ritualistic hazing is a growth experience. So many mental obstacles can be overcome by putting on a helmet full of shaving cream, or duckwalking with an egg on a spoon.
Seriously, it can go overboard in a hurry, but it's natural in any boys club.
Hazing doesn't necessarily have to be mean spirited or something.
It might just involve getting really trashed and doing dumb things.
if you're referring to the people who haze others as pussies, then I agree.
Dude look at your picture.
Just sayin'.
I mean... is this a joke? You can't be serious.
I have no problem with it as long as it stays at that level of making the rookie pick up the check, duct tape, shaving your head (as long as the person is willing. I don't condone holding someone down or forcing them to do it) or carrying the shoulder pads or helmets. I don't feel like it's an "earning your place" thing, but rather something that everyone else has gone through, and honestly a way to build team unity (not that there aren't other ways, as you pointed out above).
The problem arises when people take things too far. And unfortunately, it seems like many times, it starts with that more mild level, but quickly ramps up over a few generations (or even just a few years) into out and out physical or sexual assault. Like, I assume, most people here, I started playing organized competitive sports when I was 5, and continued all the way though high school and college. I personally never had anything terrible happen, but I've certainly heard my share of horror stories. And those probably started with "hey, carry my pads," and escalated to "Ok, we're shoving this pinecone up your ass."
Hazing like many things in life is a tradition. That is probably one of the main reasons it is still around. That and every other player had to go through it, so they want to be able to put others through it.
In my view, man up and just do what is asked of you (barring something dangerous/illegal).
These guys are professionals and this sort of thing just seems kind of immature. I don't mind seeing it to a mild extent in high school and even college, but I just don't think it's neccesary to "earn" your place on a team that way.
I like the way Roy Williams handeled the situation in the end, not making it a bigger deal than it needed to be. Some of the claims were kind of outrageous.
On the other hand it is somewhat of a tradition that everyone went through, I just don't see the point of degrading a player that way.
See, I'm not sure why people consider it degrading though. I've been duct taped to benchs, etc., and I certainly never felt degraded. Just put up a good fight, get some good licks in, and you're good. Yes it would be degrading to be held down and molested or something. But carrying a guys shoulder pads?
I have to agree with the OP on this one. Hazing is a tradition simply because the older guys want the younger guys to have to do what they went through, so they call it "putting your time in". There are much more productive ways to bond as a team that lead to much stronger team unity than making rookies the team bitches. Hazing reinforces the "class system" in a team where the rookies bond with each other but not the rest of the team. This happens in fraternities and sororities all the time. Plus its too easy for that kind of stuff to go overboard, hence why its illegal in the state of michigan
Hey man, how are you ever going to achieve "brotherhood" without getting spanked with a spiked paddle or shoving your thumb up another dude's ass while his thumb is shoved up yours?!
That wasn't his thumb.........
ahhh yes the elephant walk.....those were the days
Oh dear god... I know this is something I should not google, but like a bad car wreck, I don't know if I can turn away... is this a REAL thing?
I don't think I've ever heard of anyone actually doing it thank god
You're in favor of hazing sorority pledges so they don't become disrespectful, spoiled little bitches? It just seems to me that there has to be a better way of achieving this result....
OK OP, you go out there and you tell these NFL players they can't haze anymore and see what happens.
I can imagine what the response is you'd get from a fraternity. And that isn't very positive. So an NFL player? HAH... yeah... good luck.
"Because you can go into professional football, you can go anywhere you want to play after you leave here. You will never play for a Team again. You'll play for a contract. You'll play for this. You'll play for that. You'll play for everything except the team, and think what a great thing it is to be a part of something that is, The Team."
Pro's are playing for contracts, not for teams. Dez was right to know he is a professional and will do his best because of that. Not because he carries someone's pads.
Saints last year were a pretty good "team" IMO...
since the Saints team he mentions is from 12 years ago.
The Yahoo writer certainly doesn't seem to have ever been part of a sports team. Maybe he should be writing about Boy Scouts or something.
I think Romo should contribute to involuntary hazing by making him look bad for a few practices until he gets the idea. All it takes is throwing everything just a bit off and blaming Bryant for being "out of sync" for a few days before Bryant would realize that any individual player, no matter how good he is, is nothing without the team helping him out.
Everyone's against "hazing", but nobody agrees exactly what "hazing" means. IMO, carrying someone's pads isn't hazing at all. You're not being physically harmed in the slightest and if you feel "humiliated" or "demeaned" by having to do it, then you have some serious self-confidence issues, IMO - either too much or not enough. This further extends to things like carrying around a Dora backpack or having to sing a song for the veterans or having to bring in donuts for the team.
Besides, if you're smart, there are ways of doing things. I remember when Germane Crowell was drafted by the Lions and made to sing a song like the rest of the rookies, he said he decided to sing the Star-Spangled Banner since he figured they wouldn't boo that. Smart man. UVA grad. It's all in good fun. Not everyone agrees, but then again there are a lot of funsucking adults in this world too.
.. is different, but hazing is a tradition and i don't know of any teams who dont do it, but it depends on the coach as to how far it goes. obviously carrying pads isnt bad, im a bears fan and lovie smith makes the rookies sing individually one time during lunch, not very bad. but i can remember when dave wannstedt was coach and rookies were tied to the goal posts and left there.