There’s a line between harmless hazing and bullying and harassment, like what Richie Incognito did in Miami. And according to the Giants and Jets, hazing is normal, harassment a job of players to police — and prevent.
“The coaches at the end of the day don’t have anything to do with that, the players have to police it,” Giants safety Antrel Rolle said. “But something like that you should never allow to take place in the locker room.
“I don’t know all the facts, but just overhearing things, certain things should never take place. It’s serious business as far as death threats and so forth and so on. A lot of things can go south.’’
That’s why Big Blue players say hazing like Jason Pierre-Paul dumping Prince Amukamara in a cold tub last year for talking back is just normal dues-paying.
“Last year, what I went through wasn’t bullying at all; it was just more of fun in the locker room,” Amukamara said. “ Of course nobody’s going to be happy being thrown into a cold tub of water, but we need to respect our teammates and we know that things can get out of hand sometimes.
“Anything that’s racial or threatening, that’s the definition of bullying or harassment … There are captains and guys who are mature that know its getting out of hand. That’s when leadership steps up and says something … If you have mature players, they know how to keep the locker room intact.’’
Amukamara getting dumped in the tub caused a stir only because punter Steve Weatherford posted it on YouTube. But rookies have always gotten hazed, especially first-round picks and those who talk back. Amukamara wasn’t a rookie last year, but was treated as one since he missed so much time as a rookie in 2011.
“In our locker room, it’s simple,” cornerback Terrell Thomas said. “Do what we say and you won’t get hazed. If you don’t, you’ll get thrown in the cold tub or your shirt will get cut up. But that’s about it.
“Prince was talking back that day, so he got thrown in the cold tub. If you don’t listen as a rookie, your choices are very limited.
“I remember my rookie year going in a snowstorm before Saturday meetings and having to get breakfast sandwiches, and then getting in trouble for not putting them at their lockers. Just little stuff like that they fine you for as a rookie. That’s a part of earning your stripes.’’
Food runs and dinner tabs are par for the course. Thomas recalls a $3,000 tab as a rookie, while 2013 first-round pick Justin Pugh recalled being pranked, told a dinner tab came to $10,000. It was really just $1,200, but he still had to pay.
“[The rookie] buys food for the away games,” Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson said. “ I bring donuts every Friday for the guys in meetings. Nothing really extravagant, nothing crazy. Everybody’s done it before. I don’t take it to heart; I just laugh it off. Me and Dee [Milliner], we just talk back a little bit and there might be a few consequences to go along with that, but I can deal with them.’’
Such as?
“Back in [Organized Team Activities], we pushed back once, and our mattresses were flipped over and our door was locked,’’ Richardson recalled. “I don’t know how it was done. We went to go eat, came back and our mattresses were flipped over and everything was on the floor. I mean everything was on the floor.’’
Jets quarterback David Garrard — who said a typical hazing is to make rookies carry his pads — was in Miami last year with Incognito.
“It seems like things went too far and lasted too long,’’ Garrard said. “[Incognito was] a good guy, but a jokester. It’s unfortunate. You never want to go to the point where a guy gets so fed up he wants to leave the team. You’d hope that other guys in the locker room would police it. It’s one of those situations that’s sad to see.’’