Rookie Hazing … Tom Brady Style
June 18th, 2022
“Kyle, what’s the credit line on that Mastercard I saw in your locker?”
This fun story made Joe think of then-rookie Kyle Trask taking the Bucs quarterbacks out to dinner — and perhaps a few offensive linemen — last season.
Jack Baer of Yahoo! Sports typed a piece on NFL rookie hazing in the form of making newbies pay for gargantual dinners. It’s very much an NFL tradition. Think Tristan Wirfs taking every offensive lineman out to an elite steakhouse, including practice squad guys, and everyone intentionally going wild on the menu in a private room. It wouldn’t be hard to ring up a five-figure outing.
Baer gave examples and noted this gem from retired NFL running back Fred Taylor speaking on The Pivot Podcast.
Taylor proceeded to tell Wilson about his days as a veteran with the New England Patriots, when the entire team treated itself to dinner on the dime of a group of 10-12 rookies. He estimated the bill came in at around $50,000-$60,000, primarily thanks to Tom Brady buying a $3,000-$5,000 bottle of wine to “take one sip and say goodnight.”
Joe went back to listen to the podcast audio. Taylor only said “Tom,” but the inference was that it was Brady trying to make it hurt on the Patriots rookies. And $5,000 hurt a little more 12 years ago when Taylor was with the Patriots.
Joe’s guessing Bucs rookies got a bit of a break during 2020 because of the pandemic. But things should be back to normal now.
June 18th, 2022 at 2:29 pm
It’s odd. Where does a rookie get that kind of money or even that high of a limit on a credit card, fresh out of college?
June 18th, 2022 at 2:30 pm
Holy crap…$3,000.00 to $5,000.00 bottle of wine. I guess I should shut my pie hole when my wife spends $25.00 for a bottle of wine.
June 18th, 2022 at 2:33 pm
Brady learned from the best. Drew Bledsoe famously put purple dye in Brady’s socks. Needless to say, Brady’s feet looked like Grimace from McDonald’s for about two weeks. It’s all in good fun, and builds camaraderie. I’d much rather have my head shaved, then a 50K Bill. You don’t even want to know how GOB was hazed.
June 18th, 2022 at 2:34 pm
A bottle of wine that costs between 3 and 5 grand better come with a happy ending!
June 18th, 2022 at 2:40 pm
Hodad:bottle of wine that costs between 3 and 5 grand better come with a happy ending
Or at least a paper umbrella in the glass.
June 18th, 2022 at 2:51 pm
Most I ever spent on a bottle, was 800 on an 82 grand Cru. That was in the mid 90s. The same bottle is around 2000 today
June 18th, 2022 at 2:52 pm
Actually, D-Rok wants to hear how you were hazed, GOB. Care to share? I sure got hazed in sports and in the Army, but graciously my hazing never involved a 5K bottle of wine, LOL.
Last year’s April Fool’s Day involved me “allowing” my wife to wear 2 different-colored shoes the entire day. She had NO idea until she came home and I snapped a pic. I still have a bruise…
June 18th, 2022 at 2:54 pm
I guess Tommy didn’t order Thunderbird or Ripple Pagan Pink.
June 18th, 2022 at 3:01 pm
I once spent $3,000 on two bottles of cheap champagne (crap you can pick up for $10 a bottle). It was bottle service at a strip club. I wrote it off as a business expense, as I was entertaining a client. It didn’t even show up as a strip club on my Amex, but something more innocuous-sounding, which I suppose makes it easier for business people to deduct from either expense reports or IRS filings.
June 18th, 2022 at 3:40 pm
Ok D-Rok, here goes. I’m in college, practice had just started. A few vets came over and said I looked dehydrated, and instructed me to get a drink from a nearby Gatorade jug. To keep it PG, it wasn’t Gatorade. But bodily fluids from about 10 guys.
Another time, I found my car up on blocks. They’d hid the tires around the facility, and gave me a treasure map to find them. It’s pitch black. GOB was there until dawn.
June 18th, 2022 at 3:50 pm
Jesus passing, what was it brut by Andre?
June 18th, 2022 at 3:58 pm
GOB,
BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Good ones. Sucks being there until dawn!
My best prank I ever pulled? A coach whom we all knew had some vodka in his coffee, so I added yellow food coloring. He was always smiley, and his teeth were bright yellow. The whole team was ROFL’ing for about a week, then I got caught, and then I got in shape running about 10 miles extra for a few days.
Ahhhh – the memories!
Thanks for sharing GOB!!!
June 18th, 2022 at 4:03 pm
Nice one D-Rok, bet you were in the best shape of your life after that stunt. I look back on it with tremendous fondness too. I’d give almost anything to have one more year.
June 18th, 2022 at 4:17 pm
@GOB
Close. It was Cook’s Champagne. People should follow directions; the reason a ship is on the label is because it should be broken over the bow during a launch. It isn’t fit for human consumption.
June 18th, 2022 at 4:30 pm
Ahhh yes passing, Cook’s, the first “American Champagne” the headache your client must’ve had the next day.
June 18th, 2022 at 4:38 pm
LOL @ GOB and PassingThru. Again, Ahhhh – the memories!!!
GOB, my wife and I are members at a winery in NC. Very good wine for this region, but nothing close to a 82 Grand Cru. One day I will get to experience a great wine!! (Gotta save up first).
June 18th, 2022 at 6:19 pm
Joes,
I tell ya man, this site rocks. But man, if we could like/LOL our fellow commenters comments, it would make our fan experience much better. Or, is it just me?
LOL.
#GiveUsLikeButtons
June 18th, 2022 at 7:07 pm
It Certainly would D-rok. But Joe is antiquated and set in his ways. He could triple the amount of hits on this site in a week if he changed to a different format.
June 18th, 2022 at 7:14 pm
SB,
So, it’s not just me and my cray-cray idealogy? There are so many posts on this site I would love to give a Like to or a LOL to. Joes?
June 18th, 2022 at 7:18 pm
Somebody give me $5000, I could drink Diet Bush beer the rest of my life.
June 18th, 2022 at 8:11 pm
You hiring ?
RE I once spent $3,000 on two bottles of cheap champagne (crap you can pick up for $10 a bottle). It was bottle service at a strip club. I wrote it off as a business expense, as I was entertaining a client. It didn’t even show up as a strip club on my Amex, but something more innocuous-sounding, which I suppose makes it easier for business people to deduct from either expense reports or IRS filings.
June 18th, 2022 at 8:29 pm
D-Rok, you know I love you, but this isn’t the Twitter, or the Facebooks. I hate them both with the power of a thousand Suns.
June 18th, 2022 at 8:32 pm
RE I once spent $3,000 on two bottles of cheap champagne (crap you can pick up for $10 a bottle). It was bottle service at a strip club.
🙂🤔🤷♂️
June 18th, 2022 at 8:56 pm
Well, Go Bucs. The Lightning’s season apparently ended after beating the Rangers.
June 18th, 2022 at 9:19 pm
GOB,
Back atchya my man. I was thinking outside the box in wanting to have a like button on this site, but truth is I love it just the way it is. It’s just a football site, and I love football. 🙂
June 18th, 2022 at 10:07 pm
gross
June 18th, 2022 at 10:14 pm
@cmurda, wtf happened? I thought after that backbreaking OT loss, Tampa would come out, and stoop stomp em. One thing is for sure, my poor Bs are a mile away from the talent on those clubs. Too bad many in the Tampa region don’t appreciate it.
June 19th, 2022 at 12:35 am
I know GOB. It hurt. They honestly look way better but I’m not buying that we are just going to go out like this. I expect us to bring every ounce of it Monday night at home.
June 19th, 2022 at 12:43 am
I don’t know GOB. Many seem to appreciate it. Bolts have more sellouts than pretty much all other teams. Fans come from all over the place but the marketing and organization are top notch. They convert the most hardened NY Rags apologists.
June 19th, 2022 at 1:05 am
$3,000.00 to $5,000.00 is like $30 to $50 for Brady. Let alone Giselle.
June 19th, 2022 at 9:59 pm
HODAD
A happy ending from a bottle of wine… I don’t want to know where you’re putting it. Also… Should we start calling you Deshaun? Lol
June 19th, 2022 at 10:10 pm
As someone who lived in Colorado in the Air Force for much of the 90s I will say this… When I saw the schedule for the Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup finals come out I was pissed. Having to travel to Colorado and play at that altitude for game one is not that big a deal. Having to stay there and play three days later is a massive deal.
People talk about the altitude- it has a huge affect but it doesn’t usually kick in until about day three of being there and it last for a few weeks. You get winded walking upstairs. You cannot catch your breath during sports.
I played on a highly competitive citywide flag football 8v8 team for Colorado Springs representing the Air Force. We actually traveled to national tournaments for a few years.
When you leave and come back or when you first get there the altitude kicks your butt. It causes nose bleeds and headaches and you just can’t catch your breath when exerting yourself.
I fully expect the Lightning to have their legs back and show some lock down D. Hopefully it’s enough to take both games at home.