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Shutdown Corner - NFL

Shutdown Corner

Mon Jul 26 04:50am PDT

Dez Bryant refuses the chores of a lowly rookie

By MJD

Veteran wide receiver Roy Williams was expected to clash with rookie Dez Bryant(notes) in competition for playing time at Dallas Cowboys training camp. I guess they're going to be clashing over some other stuff, too.

It's tradition at training camps for vets to make the rookies carry their pads after practice. Things like that have been going on as long as the NFL has existed. Rookies carry pads. Rookies get donuts. Rookies sing their school fight songs in front of everyone. Rookies are in the back of the line for everything.

[Photos: See the Cowboys in action at training camp]

After practice Sunday, though, Williams attempted to give Bryant his pads, but Bryant wasn't having it. He let Williams know he could carry his own pads. From Tim McMahon at ESPNDallas.com:

"I'm not doing it," Bryant said. "I feel like I was drafted to play football, not carry another player's pads."

"If I was a free agent, it would still be the same thing. I just feel like I'm here to play football. I'm here to try to help win a championship, not carry someone's pads. I'm saying that out of no disrespect to [anyone]."

Yeah, I think you're going to want to carry those pads, young man. You can tote some pads now, or be duct-taped to a field goal post later.

Every player on that team went through something unpleasant their rookie year, and if you think they're going to let you skate by because you made a few plays in college, I think you're probably wrong.

I'm not saying what the veterans do is right — hazing should have its limits. But what exactly is your plan, Dez, to take on the entire institution of rookie hazing in the NFL? I don't think that's going to work out well for anyone.

You're probably way better off just carrying some pads and buying some ridiculous meals. I don't want this to end with you in a burlap bag in Jason Witten's(notes) trunk.

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5142 Comments

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  1. ernieball003
    1. Posted by ernieball003 Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:08 am EDT

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    No one is lowly enough to carry Roy Williams' pads, except Roy Williams.
  2. AintBeleven
    2. Posted by AintBeleven Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:15 am EDT

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    Way to Go Dez,, you Let ole washed up Roy know who is Number #1!
  3. lebron89a
    3. Posted by lebron89a Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:51 am EDT

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    Good for Dez, and i am a skins fan. Hazing is stupid and just because everyone does it does not make it right, bottom line.
  4. micaroni715
    4. Posted by micaroni715 Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:06 am EDT

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    He is inarticulate.
    I see a team or league suspension within two seasons.
    He has a poor attitude, The Cowboys were the wrong franchise for him to go to.
    Maybe, the Steelers, Patriots or Colts he could have worked out as a risky pick.
    Not enough one week into training camp and he is barking.
  5. Rob
    5. Posted by Rob Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:09 am EDT

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    Roy should drop a deuce in one of Rook's cleats every day until he learns his place and carries the pads.
  6. william
    6. Posted by william Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:11 am EDT

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    Shoulda kept the pads. If you have to buy your own pads you can bet Williams pads are like brand new if used at all and he probably wont need em. Hes another of Arkansas Jerry's great acquisitions. Wheres Tank and Pacman? Bryant already thinks he belongs in the HOF. Maybe someone should tell him he needs a career first. Just another Boy wholl look great on his back next to Romo.
  7. frogeater69
    7. Posted by frogeater69 Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:13 am EDT

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    the attitude begins.
  8. twan69@...
    8. Posted by twan69@... Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:17 am EDT

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    the best players in football rite now went thru a lil hazing. carryin a pads and gettin donuts is not hazing kinda soft for a bunch of nfl players. Dez is a rookie who have not proven anything yet he(she) should shut up and be a team player. no player is bigger than the team and i dont think one player can get u to the super bowl. all that being said Dez be a rookie feel blessed to be playing a game that you love and get paid to do. Hazin is a way to build unity within a team. dont be an outsider to ur new team
  9. T. Sheldon
    9. Posted by T. Sheldon Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:20 am EDT

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    Why would someone who is better than Williams, carry William's pads?
  10. keith
    10. Posted by keith Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:28 am EDT

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    dez has overhyped injury-plagued bust written all over him .... think of how many rookie wide receivers aside from randy moss ever actually do anything significant. yet for some reason the media is so enamored with dez that they assume he'll automatically be at an all-pro level from the get-go despite the fact that he's a major mental detriment, piss poor attitude, terrible work ethic, ego-driven and already thinks he knows everything so he won't try very hard to learn from anyone ....... wait until the season actually starts and he's a constant 'questionable' on the injury report every single week, driving the cowboys and their fans crazy
  11. BroncosFanInFL
    11. Posted by BroncosFanInFL Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:37 am EDT

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    Just another reason I am glad we took Demaryius "Bay Bay" Thomas over him.What a spoiled loser who cares nothing about tradition.Go Broncos!!!!!!!!!!!!
  12. James
    12. Posted by James Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:42 am EDT

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    ok, the obvious issue here is the person that asked him to carry his pads, williams is an OU alum and Bryant came out of O-state. If there is anything an oklahoma player hates more than a texas player it's a state player. I think anybody else could have asked him and there wouldn't have been a problem.
  13. chris.curran
    13. Posted by chris.curran Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:44 am EDT

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    ...shew... just when I thought the T.O. era had ended....a new one valiantly takes his place as the NFL's newly appointed JESTER. What a fool.
  14. valvis4
    14. Posted by valvis4 Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:46 am EDT

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    another arogant rookie I think he's going to fall flat on his face. Ungrateful
  15. Bozo
    15. Posted by Bozo Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:47 am EDT

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    He makes a good move by being the first 1st round pick to sign, then he does something stupid like this. You're a rookie kid, take your lumps and like it!
  16. sarge
    16. Posted by sarge Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:50 am EDT

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    Typical sports fans and their sheep mentality. Good for Bryant. He is in Dallas to do his job, not engage in childish games to satisfy a bunch of morons' view of "tradition." Perhaps Williams should spend a little more time working on his game than he does worrying about hazing rookies. Maybe if all rookies were as courageous as Bryant, the "traditions" would fade away and hazing would be a thing of the past. Wow, what a concept....a sports figure acting professionally and with class.
  17. G-Block
    17. Posted by G-Block Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:57 am EDT

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    Sorry James, but this "Roy Williams" is from UT, not OU. The Sooner was a safety; the receiver is a Longhorn. In any case, it's not that Dez is a prima dona or have a bad attitude, but he doesn't see the point in anything other than practice and playing the game.
  18. Roger Dorn
    18. Posted by Roger Dorn Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:59 am EDT

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    Dez Bryant, what a joke. Mr better than anybody. Who cares how great you are or think you are. Everyone has there hazing as a rookie, some more than others but you just do it. Now its going to rough for you throughout the whole year just because you said no right off the bat. You didnt win anything in college to deserve the all time status of a T.O. want a be. Even Heisman trophy winners or National Championship players go through rookie hazing, its all in fun and builds team chemistry but its all about you isnt it DEZ. This is just another T.O. sighting and thats not good for the Cowboys., I hope Witten opens a can of whoop !@# on him and straight him out or its a long season in Dallas again!!!!!!
  19. LOL
    19. Posted by LOL Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:02 am EDT

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    And the "Ride" Begins, looks like "Any Given Sunday" will be the movie of the year for them Cowboys!!!! Good for Dez. This is a job. Ever man should carry his own "Tools of the trade". Problem is, there is a different set of rules for the workforce of the NFL, no sense p***ing of the guys that are going to help you. Remember Dez, it's a team sports. No one man can win it on his own. Nice media fire to cause a hype for the 'Boys though!!!!
  20. LOL
    20. Posted by LOL Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:02 am EDT

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    And the "Ride" Begins, looks like "Any Given Sunday" will be the movie of the year for them Cowboys!!!! Good for Dez. This is a job. Ever man should carry his own "Tools of the trade". Problem is, there is a different set of rules for the workforce of the NFL, no sense p***ing of the guys that are going to help you. Remember Dez, it's a team sports. No one man can win it on his own. Nice media fire to cause a hype for the 'Boys though!!!!
  21. Michael B
    21. Posted by Michael B Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:02 am EDT

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    What a premadonna, wanna be Diva!!!
  22. Shalin
    22. Posted by Shalin Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:04 am EDT

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    Damn..hazing in practice is just a tradition. Dez is going to be a big problem attitude-wise.
  23. Andsome
    23. Posted by Andsome Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:04 am EDT

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    You know Williams can hide behind "Oh, it's tradition. We've all done it." but he was trying to make a point about the order of things but it backfired on him.
    Good for Dez.
  24. greenspeedstick
    24. Posted by greenspeedstick Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:05 am EDT

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    Uhh, James, wrong Roy Williams. This one went to Texas. Either way, it's a bonding process Dez. Quit being such a prima donna. You came into this league needing to perform damage control on your image. This isn't really going to help.
  25. Mario B
    25. Posted by Mario B Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:08 am EDT

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    To me Dez refusing to carry Roy's shoulder pads was his way of saying , your job is mine you ain;t better than me , so why the hell i gotta carry your effin pads !!

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Shutdown Corner is an NFL blog edited by Matthew J. Darnell. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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