Cam Cleeland Recalls Hazing Incident at Saints Camp

exile · 11-08-2013, 10:04 AM

I forgot about this incident. A trip to the past.

"It was 15 years ago in a University of Wisconsin La Crosse dormitory that housed New Orleans Saints players for training camp. Cleeland and his fellow rookies were herded at one end of a long, narrow hallway. Their veteran teammates, most of them drunk, lined either side of the hall, leaving about a one-foot gap to get through."

"Coach Mike Ditka gave me a speech as soon as it was done," he recalled. "He was like, 'Oh, man, you should have just popped those guys in the mouth.' I said, 'Coach, there were 60 of them.'"

Read More: For Cam Cleeland, hazing incident altered his NFL career — and life - latimes.com

pinch · 11-08-2013, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by exile

I forgot about this incident. A trip to the past.

"It was 15 years ago in a University of Wisconsin La Crosse dormitory that housed New Orleans Saints players for training camp. Cleeland and his fellow rookies were herded at one end of a long, narrow hallway. Their veteran teammates, most of them drunk, lined either side of the hall, leaving about a one-foot gap to get through."

"Coach Mike Ditka gave me a speech as soon as it was done," he recalled. "He was like, 'Oh, man, you should have just popped those guys in the mouth.' I said, 'Coach, there were 60 of them.'"

Read More: For Cam Cleeland, hazing incident altered his NFL career — and life - latimes.com

Wow I can't believe this kind of stuff really goes on. I can understand the mental hazing, but something like the gauntlet where players can be seriously injures just seems unimaginable.

nola_swammi · 11-08-2013, 10:43 AM

Listening to all this crap on hazing and bullying make me wonder why even have your kids grow up playing in those pop warner games. not that I don't think my son will be tough enough to endure situations like this but football is the least paying sport out of baseball, basketball, and etc. Even after you make team you still have to endure being cut not because your skill set but because they have more concerning need at other positions. The average of a football career is 5 - 8 years. then you have to go through bull$#!t like "right of passage"! Is the risk worth the reward?

exile · 11-08-2013, 10:56 AM

It sounds like the Dolphins now are much like the Ditka Saints then. Out of control. If I was a Dolphins fan I would do what the Saints fans did back then and run the entire coaching staff out of the city.

David Cornwell’s statement regarding Jonathan Martin | ProFootballTalk

saintsfan1976 · 11-08-2013, 11:00 AM

Stone Hands Cam?

He deserved a little ribbing.

hagan714 · 11-08-2013, 11:08 AM

lets see high school freshman i got slammed and shaved

college is the same

why not pro ball too.

i really do not see an issue with the rites of passage.

we are becoming a country of feel good wimps.

torrence_j · 11-08-2013, 11:35 AM

I don't think this was just a rite of passage or a bunch of wimps. If I am not mistaken, they were hit in the face with a bag of nickels, causing eye damage to one of the guys. That goes beyond regular ribbing, and puts making the team in jeopardy. Plus this was on a team that wasn't that good. The "Patriotway", the Steelers, or the Saints of today don't have to do that, and they have more success with undrafted rookies.

st thomas · 11-08-2013, 11:56 AM

i couldn't imagine a drew brees led team doing anything like the old run the gauntlet , run for beer or dinner maybe.

dueceloose · 11-08-2013, 12:33 PM

Smh like bounty gate all over.. minus the suspension.

RaginCajun83 · 11-08-2013, 12:35 PM

It was stupid then and stupid now, ribbing is one thing but physical harm is another

11-08-2013, 10:04 AM	#1
exile Cake or Death? Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 3,608	Cam Cleeland Recalls Hazing Incident at Saints Camp I forgot about this incident. A trip to the past. "It was 15 years ago in a University of Wisconsin La Crosse dormitory that housed New Orleans Saints players for training camp. Cleeland and his fellow rookies were herded at one end of a long, narrow hallway. Their veteran teammates, most of them drunk, lined either side of the hall, leaving about a one-foot gap to get through." "Coach Mike Ditka gave me a speech as soon as it was done," he recalled. "He was like, 'Oh, man, you should have just popped those guys in the mouth.' I said, 'Coach, there were 60 of them.'" Read More: For Cam Cleeland, hazing incident altered his NFL career — and life - latimes.com
exile Cake or Death? Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 3,608	One thing I learned from drinking. You should always go Christmas caroling with a group. Oh, and always in mid-December.

11-08-2013, 10:34 AM	#2
pinch 100th Post Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Diamondhead, MS Posts: 272 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Cam Cleeland Recalls Hazing Incident at Saints Camp Originally Posted by exile I forgot about this incident. A trip to the past. "It was 15 years ago in a University of Wisconsin La Crosse dormitory that housed New Orleans Saints players for training camp. Cleeland and his fellow rookies were herded at one end of a long, narrow hallway. Their veteran teammates, most of them drunk, lined either side of the hall, leaving about a one-foot gap to get through." "Coach Mike Ditka gave me a speech as soon as it was done," he recalled. "He was like, 'Oh, man, you should have just popped those guys in the mouth.' I said, 'Coach, there were 60 of them.'" Read More: For Cam Cleeland, hazing incident altered his NFL career — and life - latimes.com Wow I can't believe this kind of stuff really goes on. I can understand the mental hazing, but something like the gauntlet where players can be seriously injures just seems unimaginable.

11-08-2013, 10:43 AM	#3
nola_swammi 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Monroe, La Posts: 2,627	Re: Cam Cleeland Recalls Hazing Incident at Saints Camp Listening to all this crap on hazing and bullying make me wonder why even have your kids grow up playing in those pop warner games. not that I don't think my son will be tough enough to endure situations like this but football is the least paying sport out of baseball, basketball, and etc. Even after you make team you still have to endure being cut not because your skill set but because they have more concerning need at other positions. The average of a football career is 5 - 8 years. then you have to go through bull$#!t like "right of passage"! Is the risk worth the reward?

11-08-2013, 10:56 AM	#4
exile Cake or Death? Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 3,608	Re: Cam Cleeland Recalls Hazing Incident at Saints Camp It sounds like the Dolphins now are much like the Ditka Saints then. Out of control. If I was a Dolphins fan I would do what the Saints fans did back then and run the entire coaching staff out of the city. David Cornwell’s statement regarding Jonathan Martin \| ProFootballTalk
exile Cake or Death? Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 3,608

11-08-2013, 11:00 AM	#5
saintsfan1976 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Atlanta Posts: 10,832 Blog Entries: 3	Re: Cam Cleeland Recalls Hazing Incident at Saints Camp Stone Hands Cam? He deserved a little ribbing.

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11-08-2013, 11:08 AM	#6
hagan714 LB Mentallity Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 15,870 Blog Entries: 68	Re: Cam Cleeland Recalls Hazing Incident at Saints Camp lets see high school freshman i got slammed and shaved college is the same why not pro ball too. i really do not see an issue with the rites of passage. we are becoming a country of feel good wimps. saintsfan1976, claus808 and Beastmode like this.

11-08-2013, 11:35 AM	#7
torrence_j Rookie Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 1	Re: Cam Cleeland Recalls Hazing Incident at Saints Camp I don't think this was just a rite of passage or a bunch of wimps. If I am not mistaken, they were hit in the face with a bag of nickels, causing eye damage to one of the guys. That goes beyond regular ribbing, and puts making the team in jeopardy. Plus this was on a team that wasn't that good. The "Patriotway", the Steelers, or the Saints of today don't have to do that, and they have more success with undrafted rookies. Halo and exile like this.
torrence_j Rookie Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 1

11-08-2013, 11:56 AM	#8
st thomas Site Donor 2018 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: lafayette Posts: 7,753	Re: Cam Cleeland Recalls Hazing Incident at Saints Camp i couldn't imagine a drew brees led team doing anything like the old run the gauntlet , run for beer or dinner maybe.

11-08-2013, 12:33 PM	#9
dueceloose 500th Post Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 957	Re: Cam Cleeland Recalls Hazing Incident at Saints Camp Smh like bounty gate all over.. minus the suspension. aintasinner likes this.
dueceloose 500th Post Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 957

11-08-2013, 12:35 PM	#10
RaginCajun83 Hou Saints Fan Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 5,050	Re: Cam Cleeland Recalls Hazing Incident at Saints Camp It was stupid then and stupid now, ribbing is one thing but physical harm is another aintasinner likes this.

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