Widespread Hazing Problem in NFL

Bobsyouruncle · Nov 5, 2013

groganbootleg said:
Not even close. Lets do some basic math.

If you are a rookie making $400K/year that probably comes out to $250k after taxes, agent, etc. An $18K dinner tab (which might not be the only one you're stuck with that year) is about 8% of your take home, lets round that to an even 10%.

You make $60K/yr. Do you think its reasonable for you to pick up a $6,000 dinner tab for your boss and workmates because you're the new guy? I wouldn't.

I think you're describing a situation that has likely never happened. Using the highest bill you've heard of and contrasting against the lowest paycheck you could have. Regardless, these guys are adults and adults still have personal responsibility. If my coworkers told me to cover a bill that was a months pay I would say no. Other players are not their bosses and can't make them do anything. I'm sure there is peer pressure to conform to the traditions but its still voluntary. Certainly grown men, most college graduates are responsible for refusing when something's gone too far.

PatriotsReign · Nov 5, 2013

Gronkandez said:
It's certainly not ideal, but it's a culture that exists in the NFL and many of the players are ok with it. What if all of the Dolphins lineman, including many of who are African American, say Incognito is a great leader and although he uses foul language it's always done in such a way as to teach the younger players and make them tougher, better players?

Should we have the same rules inside a football locker room and on the playing field as we do in Corporate amercia?

I'm certainly not condoning Incognitos actions and I hope he goes down hard bc I don't like him, I just don't think his voicemail language is all that different from any other team.

If by "rules" you're referring laws....all laws that apply to a corporate office already apply to a locker room. Did you think professional sports teams were exempt from the laws the rest of us had to abide by?

YearbookCurfew · Nov 5, 2013

hwc said:
OK, after listening to NFL players talking all afternoon about how the hazing wasn't out of control on their teams, it's becoming pretty clear that the hazing is out of control across the NFL. Miami will be the fall guy on this one, but the ramifications will go much broader across the league.

Just two examples. Bruschi saying that rookies were forced to pick up $30,000 dinner tabs.

Ladanian Tomlinson went on and on about how it was just silly stuff when he was a rookie, not "out of control like this". When asked point blank how much he as forced to pay for a veteran dinner, he said $18,000....

This is going to be a big deal for the NFL. They have to get out in front of it with draconian rules on the teams and players. It could spiral into significant sanctions...

How the f*** do you spend 30k on dinner?????????????

nashvillepatsfan · Nov 6, 2013

The stories, and players that started this argument, were 1st rd picks PRIOR to the rookie cap. They were not making 400k. LT made around 8 mil his rookie year with his bonus. 18k for a dinner wasnt a big deal to him. MOST vets have said that they only made 1st rounders pay the huge tabs. What happened in Miami is a case of someone going overboard.

With that said, I think its stupid that they can get away with forcing someone to spend their money. Vegas, dinner, it doesnt matter. Its wrong.

Danger Zone · Nov 6, 2013

hwc said:
OK, after listening to NFL players talking all afternoon about how the hazing wasn't out of control on their teams, it's becoming pretty clear that the hazing is out of control across the NFL. Miami will be the fall guy on this one, but the ramifications will go much broader across the league.

Just two examples. Bruschi saying that rookies were forced to pick up $30,000 dinner tabs.

I took away something different from what Bruschi was saying there.

From: http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/boston/chat/_/id/49338

Jacob (Bethlehem said:
Tedy, I was surprised to see what was going on in Miami with a starting OL to leave the team allegedly due to hazing. Obviously we're used to seeing rookie haircuts and similar things for first-year players, but how much of this really goes on? Have you seen something similar, and how would it be handled in New England?

Tedy (12:27 PM) said:
Here's an example of how it was handled when things got out of hand for us. When I was a rookie, I was asked to take the entire LB group to dinner. It cost me $1,700. As it got up to my 8th and 9th year, it turned into an entire team dinner and all the rookies paying for the dinner. That bill sometimes reached upwards of $30,000. Word got out that it was getting out of hand. I remember one captains meeting when Bill Belichick said 'That's enough of that. It's getting out of hand, guy.' Joe Philbin should have been all over this/

Rather than reading the above as proof that hazing is out of control in the NFL.. I came away thinking how easy it is to stop it.. which is exactly what it sounds like Belichick did after recognizing it was getting out of hand.

Widespread Hazing Problem in NFL

Bobsyouruncle

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PatriotsReign

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YearbookCurfew

In the Starting Line-Up

nashvillepatsfan

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Danger Zone

In the Starting Line-Up