Carry My Pads Chump...

[Sweetleaf22]

SAN ANTONIO -- Receiver Dez Bryant has done everything right on the field during the first two days of Dallas Cowboys training camp, but he refuses to participate in an NFL rite of passage.

According to the rookie first-round pick, Roy Williams and the other veteran receivers can carry their own shoulder pads after practice.

Williams gave his pads to Bryant after Sunday's morning practice, but Bryant declined to carry them. Williams threatened to go to "step two" when talking to reporters.


"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]."

It's a common duty for rookies, who typically get some sort of hazing. Bill Parcells used to make first-round picks bring him water during breaks in practice. The Cowboys' rookie offensive linemen are given awful haircuts by the veterans at some point during each training camp.

"Everybody has to go through it," Williams said. "I had to go through it. No matter if you're a No. 1 pick or the 7,000th pick, you've still got to do something when you're a rookie.

"I carried pads. I paid for dinners. I paid for lunches. I did everything I was supposed to do, because I didn't want to be that guy."

What would "step two" be?

"We'll find out. Definitely going to find out," Williams said. "I don't know. I've seen guys take people's credit cards and go fill up their cards and wife's cards and everything. There's a lot of dirt that goes on in that locker room."

Bryant, a Lufkin, Texas, native who went to Oklahoma State, has become an immediate fan favorite. He made several spectacular catches during each practice in the Alamodome -- where the crowd roars even when he makes routine plays -- and runs a lap around the field high-fiving fans before going into the locker room.

Williams, an Odessa, Texas, native and University of Texas product, is a frequent target of fan criticism due to his poor production since being traded from the Detroit Lions during the 2008 season. He was booed during Sunday morning's practice when he dropped a pass, although Pro Bowler Miles Austin didn't get similar treatment when he had a drop in the afternoon session.

"I bought a Ford F-250 2011. Everybody loves a new car but I also have a 2004 Navigator that's still running," Williams said about the perception that Bryant will soon be the starter. "So that's the way I feel."

There has been no previous friction between Williams and Bryant, whose arrival puts Williams' status as a starter in jeopardy. Williams has consistently praised Bryant publicly and made it clear that the rookie could come to him with any questions that he had.

Williams believes it's a veteran's duty to serve as a mentor to rookies. And he believes it's a rookie's duty to carry the veterans' shoulder pads to the locker room after practice.

"I don't believe in that at all," Bryant said. "We have a goal here. It's not about playing games. It's all about just trying to do the right thing and achieve our goal."

[TTB]

personally think Roy is a bit jealous of the rook and the attention he is getting....he was reportedly the first to arrive and the first on the field at camp for day 1 and all indications have been that the guy is all biz.....I understand the rookie hazing, etc. and think for the most part it is all good fun but I don't think Roy should be messing with the guy that is potentially going to take his job, it just creates a little too much drama for my taste...wtih that said, I think Dez should just go with the flow a bit more to avoid the drama that people soooooooo want to create when it comes to the Cowboys

was about to start a cowboy thread for the upcoming season but I guess we can just use this bad boy.......word is Barber is in much better shape this year and trimmed down some weight (around 212) to get a little quicker.....Felix gained some weight to add some bulk (reported at around 220) but reportedly has not lost his amazing burst....Brooking is already missing some practice time because of the knee that bothered him last year (he has surgery in offseason) and although it's early, that is a concern

[BigFratDaddy]

dez probably just needs to do whatever hazing bullshit there is, but im sure roy is one of those guys you just dont have respect for...

[Sweetleaf22]

Dont look good,sounds like to many ego's allready,,,, wish they still had TO on the team,

[TTB]

i think if it was any other player (veteran) dez would have more likely went with the flow......i think this has more to do with the fact that roy is the guy that he is competing with for a job

[Sweetleaf22]

he better start taking the hazing or its only going to get worse, money ,food, hits....


better hope it dont get to the head coach, where he has to comment on it.............it could blow up

[Bisket]

dez is being a dumbass......nobody on the team is gonna let him get away with this

[TTB]

hopefully one of the leaders (ware, romo, james, etc.) pulls the kid aside and gets through to him and gets him to get onboard with the hazing.......problems is that dez prob doesn't want to back down now cuz he will look like a bitch lol

[be47320]

[TTB]

don't start bitch

[Romanowski]

I dont think its a big deal, one of those side stories that doesnt matter

kind of like raping women in the offseason

[TTB]

Originally Posted by Romanowski

I dont think its a big deal, one of those side stories that doesnt matter

kind of like raping women in the offseason

it's Dallas........if any other rook on another team did this it wouldn't be near as big a deal

[ZaQ]

This is hilarious. Personally, I think Williams should be carrying Bryant's pads. The only reason Williams is still on the team (or in the NFL for that matter) is because Jerry Jones hates to admit his terrible mistakes.

[TTB]

Roy discusses the situation with Dez......



Phillips Discusses Rookie Traditions With Team

[Sweetleaf22]

Obviously, Bryant’s a Don’t Get It guy. He’s a talented Don’t Get It guy, but there’s a reason he fell to 24th in the draft, and it’s not that other NFL teams don’t want to win games.

Bryant has been a headache, he is a headache, and he’ll be a headache in the future. Luckily, he’s landed in the perfect place for such a demeanor.