50 Shades of Greg Zaun

[KingKat]

I’ll never forget it: I was out in the stretch circle, I played catch with Chris Hoiles every single day, and I lobbed the ball to him — and he was paying attention, but he pretended like he wasn’t. He head-butted the ball and all of a sudden I had what was called “the posse” all over me. Cal Ripken, Ben McDonald, Brady Anderson, Chris Hoiles, all of the above. They beat me on my ribcage, physically abused me on my way to the training table. They taped me spread-eagle to the training table, they wrote “rookie” on my forehead with pink methylate, and they shoved a bucket of ice down my shorts. I missed the entire batting practice, and you know what? Phil Regan, the manager of the Baltimore Orioles, he did not care, because he knew that what those guys were doing was ‘educating me.’

 

http://andrewstoeten.com/2015/02/19/gregg-zaun-on-playing-the-right-way-and-physical-abuse-at-the-hands-of-cal-ripken/

[King]

http://andrewstoeten.com/

 

Reported.

[HERPDERP]

I don't have much of an issue with what happened - it was a different time back then, different culture and expectations. It does lower Ripken on the 'respect' totem pole, though.

 

I'm more disturbed by the treatment of Reimold in the clubhouse, though.

 

It seems in the past 3 years we've been discussing this clubhouse chemistry thing a ton. Does this start with Bautista? Gibby? Upper management?

[KingKat]

Reported.

 

Sigh... Can we all agree to let this go already? This was actually a decent read. My favourite quote: "This here is insanity. Wonderfully, refreshingly candid and oblivious insanity, but insanity nonetheless."

[KingKat]

I don't have much of an issue with what happened - it was a different time back then, different culture and expectations. It does lower Ripken on the 'respect' totem pole, though.

 

I'm more disturbed by the treatment of Reimold in the clubhouse, though.

 

It seems in the past 3 years we've been discussing this clubhouse chemistry thing a ton. Does this start with Bautista? Gibby? Upper management?

 

Did you read the whole thing. I posted the first quote for its comic value but the other story is more damming IMO:

 

 

If I had a dollar for every time Cal worked me over, physically, I’d be a pretty wealthy guy. He still owes me a suit! He told me flat out, he said, ‘You are never to come past this point into the back of the plane, under no circumstances.’ So, I’m in my first suit that I paid for myself as a Major League player, feelin’ real frisky, and Cal says, ‘I need you to come here.’ And all of a sudden I crossed over that imaginary barrier line. He tackled me, wrestled me to the ground. They had just got done eating a bunch of blue crabs in the back of the plane, so there was nothing but mud and Old Bay seasoning everywhere. He throws me to the ground and he tears my suit off of me, and I’m like, ‘What are you doing?’ And he goes, ‘Remember when I said that under no circumstances do you come back here?’ I’m like, ‘Well you just told me to!’ ‘I said under no circumstances, and that includes when I ask you to come back here.’

 

I mean seriously could Ripken be a bigger cock? He does this whole line in the sand ******** and then he baits Zaun into crossing it just so he can get mad at him. I don't care if Zaun retro-actively thinks it was this awesome thing that Ripken did. It's f***in' moronic.

[dineke]

This all sounds very rapey but I like it.

[HERPDERP]

Yeah I read it last night but I didn't think it to be too bad. It's comparable to hazing. It's a lot more tamed now than before. Now we just have players dressed in outfits and paraded in airports.

[thatoneguy]

And he goes on to condone it? The f***?

 

You can't treat every up-and-comer as if they are Brett Lawrie (who needs a dose of humility for sure), Zaun should get his head out of his ass. Oh, and just lost a lot of respect for Iron Man.

[Sammy225]

Did you read the whole thing. I posted the first quote for its comic value but the other story is more damming IMO:

 

 

 

I mean seriously could Ripken be a bigger cock? He does this whole line in the sand ******** and then he baits Zaun into crossing it just so he can get mad at him. I don't care if Zaun retro-actively thinks it was this awesome thing that Ripken did. It's f***in' moronic.

 

I absolutely hate s*** like this.... Things i hear about with hockey hazing (not NHL) but in the younger levels makes me sick. Kid back when i was in high school 2003ish i guess was a rookie on the High School team and a couple guys tried to steal his clothes and more or less embarrass him saying it was rookie hazing... Well this kid punched one of the other guys out and he is the one that got kicked off the team for defending himself..... It was absolutely ridiculous and i am happy now that some of these stories are starting to come out and they are clamping down because it is just disgusting about things that were done to people.

 

No a days it is dress up the rookies as they go to the stadium i have no issue with that. It is pretty tame.

[King]

I absolutely hate s*** like this.... Things i hear about with hockey hazing (not NHL) but in the younger levels makes me sick. Kid back when i was in high school 2003ish i guess was a rookie on the High School team and a couple guys tried to steal his clothes and more or less embarrass him saying it was rookie hazing... Well this kid punched one of the other guys out and he is the one that got kicked off the team for defending himself..... It was absolutely ridiculous and i am happy now that some of these stories are starting to come out and they are clamping down because it is just disgusting about things that were done to people.

 

No a days it is dress up the rookies as they go to the stadium i have no issue with that. It is pretty tame.

 

From Neepawa a few years ago, crazy stuff

 

A 15-year-old hockey player in Manitoba was forced to parade around the dressing room with water bottles tied to his genitals, the teen's parents alleged Wednesday in an effort to end hazing rituals in minor hockey.

The parents described their son's hazing experience in a CBC News interview on Wednesday, a day after the Manitoba Junior Hockey League suspended the Neepawa Natives' coaches and 16 players for hazing incidents involving five team members.

The team was also slapped with a $5,000 fine, the largest fine the league has ever issued, according to its commissioner.

In all, 16 players — including the team captain and three assistant captains — have been suspended for between one and five games for the hazing incident, which allegedly took place the week of Sept. 26.

The hockey league refused to provide details of what occurred, but the teen's parents told CBC News their son first had to compete in a "rookie dance-off," in which new players were "encouraged to dance to sexy music and remove their clothing" in the team's dressing room, the father said.

"The more they would dance — or better — the more points they would get scored by the veterans," he added.

Rated on ability to endure ritual

Because he did not score well in the dance-off, the 15-year-old boy had to undergo another ritual — which the team referred to as "Tug" — in which he was held down while a water bottle carrier, loaded with bottles and towels, was tied to his scrotum with a string.

"They told me that he had to tie a string around his scrotum and had to pull around water bottles around the dressing room floor three times," the boy's father said.

Seven rookies in all were subjected to similar treatment, the parents claimed, adding that players were rated on their ability to endure the ritual.

The 15-year-old boy told a friend about the situation, and word eventually got back to his parents.

"I was appalled. I was like, 'Oh my God, this is going from bad to worse,'" the father said.

"So I went to work that day and I talked to a friend of mine who's involved in hockey and I said, 'What do I do?'"

Teen had to apologize

But after the incident became public, the 15-year-old was forced to apologize to his teammates — some as old as 20 — and his coaches suggested that he take some time off from playing, the parents said.

The alleged hazing took place in the Neepawa Natives' change room on the week of Sept. 26, according to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, which has suspended the team's coaches and 16 players. ((CBC))

The parents said their son has already missed seven games — more than the players who are being punished for their role.

"The highest penalty awarded was five games, and here we've got the victim already sitting out seven," the boy's mother said.

The Manitoba Junior Hockey League maintains that the punishment handed to the players fits the offence, but commissioner Kim Davis told CBC News that the league will try to get the 15-year-old back on the ice as soon as possible.

Both parents said they hope the MJHL will help move their son to another team.

The RCMP is investigating.

'This isn't the O.J. Simpson trial,' says coach

Neepawa Natives head coach Bryant Perrier declined to speak about the reports on Wednesday.

"The league's done the investigation, the people have been interviewed, the players have been interviewed, everything's been done," Perrier told The Canadian Press.

"They did an investigation. You want to do a second investigation? This isn't the O.J. Simpson trial."

The hockey league suspended Perrier for two games, not because he took part, but because it was his responsibility to know what was happening.

"I know you want news, but people got to be careful here, because there's lawyers being hired right in the process, so if something gets said that's not correct, we're just telling people, like, there's going to be legalities in place," Perrier said.

"If people want to dig around, they've got to be careful because if people start digging too much and they start making up false accusations, then it's defamation of character."

The boy's parents said while the entire family has faced criticism from within the community, they hope that by speaking out they will prevent similar future incidents.

"Hopefully, it will get people talking," the mother said.

"Hopefully it will get these kids side by side with each other, saying … this is unacceptable and we will unite against it rather than unite to keep it quiet.'"

[KingKat]

From Neepawa a few years ago, crazy stuff

 

A 15-year-old hockey player in Manitoba was forced to parade around the dressing room with water bottles tied to his genitals, the teen's parents alleged Wednesday in an effort to end hazing rituals in minor hockey.

The parents described their son's hazing experience in a CBC News interview on Wednesday, a day after the Manitoba Junior Hockey League suspended the Neepawa Natives' coaches and 16 players for hazing incidents involving five team members.

The team was also slapped with a $5,000 fine, the largest fine the league has ever issued, according to its commissioner.

In all, 16 players — including the team captain and three assistant captains — have been suspended for between one and five games for the hazing incident, which allegedly took place the week of Sept. 26.

The hockey league refused to provide details of what occurred, but the teen's parents told CBC News their son first had to compete in a "rookie dance-off," in which new players were "encouraged to dance to sexy music and remove their clothing" in the team's dressing room, the father said.

"The more they would dance — or better — the more points they would get scored by the veterans," he added.

Rated on ability to endure ritual

Because he did not score well in the dance-off, the 15-year-old boy had to undergo another ritual — which the team referred to as "Tug" — in which he was held down while a water bottle carrier, loaded with bottles and towels, was tied to his scrotum with a string.

"They told me that he had to tie a string around his scrotum and had to pull around water bottles around the dressing room floor three times," the boy's father said.

Seven rookies in all were subjected to similar treatment, the parents claimed, adding that players were rated on their ability to endure the ritual.

The 15-year-old boy told a friend about the situation, and word eventually got back to his parents.

"I was appalled. I was like, 'Oh my God, this is going from bad to worse,'" the father said.

"So I went to work that day and I talked to a friend of mine who's involved in hockey and I said, 'What do I do?'"

Teen had to apologize

But after the incident became public, the 15-year-old was forced to apologize to his teammates — some as old as 20 — and his coaches suggested that he take some time off from playing, the parents said.

The alleged hazing took place in the Neepawa Natives' change room on the week of Sept. 26, according to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, which has suspended the team's coaches and 16 players. ((CBC))

The parents said their son has already missed seven games — more than the players who are being punished for their role.

"The highest penalty awarded was five games, and here we've got the victim already sitting out seven," the boy's mother said.

The Manitoba Junior Hockey League maintains that the punishment handed to the players fits the offence, but commissioner Kim Davis told CBC News that the league will try to get the 15-year-old back on the ice as soon as possible.

Both parents said they hope the MJHL will help move their son to another team.

The RCMP is investigating.

'This isn't the O.J. Simpson trial,' says coach

Neepawa Natives head coach Bryant Perrier declined to speak about the reports on Wednesday.

"The league's done the investigation, the people have been interviewed, the players have been interviewed, everything's been done," Perrier told The Canadian Press.

"They did an investigation. You want to do a second investigation? This isn't the O.J. Simpson trial."

The hockey league suspended Perrier for two games, not because he took part, but because it was his responsibility to know what was happening.

"I know you want news, but people got to be careful here, because there's lawyers being hired right in the process, so if something gets said that's not correct, we're just telling people, like, there's going to be legalities in place," Perrier said.

"If people want to dig around, they've got to be careful because if people start digging too much and they start making up false accusations, then it's defamation of character."

The boy's parents said while the entire family has faced criticism from within the community, they hope that by speaking out they will prevent similar future incidents.

"Hopefully, it will get people talking," the mother said.

"Hopefully it will get these kids side by side with each other, saying … this is unacceptable and we will unite against it rather than unite to keep it quiet.'"

 

The irony is that Greg Zaun would probably be the first to condemn this in youth sports while ignoring the connection with what he condones at the Major League level. Heck, Cal Ripken lent his name to an anti-bullying book because of course:

 

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/9780307942753-item.html?mkwid=KLCrs73h_dc&pcrid=44154474422&s_campaign=goo-Shopping_Books&gclid=CK2pztWq8cMCFQ4vaQodoBUAzQ

[eastcoastjaysfan]

I don't have much of an issue with what happened - it was a different time back then, different culture and expectations. It does lower Ripken on the 'respect' totem pole, though.

 

I'm more disturbed by the treatment of Reimold in the clubhouse, though.

 

It seems in the past 3 years we've been discussing this clubhouse chemistry thing a ton. Does this start with Bautista? Gibby? Upper management?

 

Every time I see Hurl IRL he goes on a 5 minute drunken rant about how much he hates Cal Ripken due to some event that occured at the ASG in Toronto in the early 90s.

 

Based on this recurring conversation from respected forum member TheHurl I can conclude that Cal Ripken has zero integrity.

[KingKat]

Stroman ahead of one but not both of Buehrle and Dickey seems kind of gauche to me. I would rather just slate him either first or third.

[43211234]

Stroman ahead of one but not both of Buehrle and Dickey seems kind of gauche to me. I would rather just slate him either first or third.

 

Dickey

Stroman

Buehrle

Hutch

Estrada/Sanchez/Norris

 

Give Stroman the Dickey effect.

[KingKat]

Dickey

Stroman

Buehrle

Hutch

Estrada/Sanchez/Norris

 

Give Stroman the Dickey effect.

 

Yeah strategically that makes the most sense but I don't know if baseball cutlure really allows for a purely strategic approach to these things.

[bendera3]

Every time I see Hurl IRL he goes on a 5 minute drunken rant about how much he hates Cal Ripken due to some event that occured at the ASG in Toronto in the early 90s.

 

Based on this recurring conversation from respected forum member TheHurl I can conclude that Cal Ripken has zero integrity.

 

Are Hurl story times as good in real life as they are over the internetz?

[TwistedLogic]

Yeah strategically that makes the most sense but I don't know if baseball cutlure really allows for a purely strategic approach to these things.

 

lmao what the hell are you talking about? From the day that Dickey and Buehrle were hired to pitch in the same rotation, Gibby has talked about how it makes more strategic sense to separate them in the rotation. In 2013 the rotation started off as Dickey, Morrow, Buehrle, and in 2014 it was Dickey, Hutchison, Buehrle. Why would "baseball culture" suddenly intervene and stop Gibby from separating the two soft-tossers with a power arm when he's done it each year that they've been in the same rotation? If Stroman isn't the Day 1 pitcher he'll be the Day 2 pitcher, which as Andrew Shartstain said, will set him up as the opening day starter.

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Are Hurl story times as good in real life as they are over the internetz?

 

Not really.

[Spanky99]

I don't have much of an issue with what happened - it was a different time back then, different culture and expectations. It does lower Ripken on the 'respect' totem pole, though.

 

I'm more disturbed by the treatment of Reimold in the clubhouse, though.

 

It seems in the past 3 years we've been discussing this clubhouse chemistry thing a ton. Does this start with Bautista? Gibby? Upper management?

 

lol

[Spanky99]

Every time I see Hurl IRL he goes on a 5 minute drunken rant about how much he hates Cal Ripken due to some event that occured at the ASG in Toronto in the early 90s.

 

Based on this recurring conversation from respected forum member TheHurl I can conclude that Cal Ripken has zero integrity.

 

lol

[Spanky99]

Are Hurl story times as good in real life as they are over the internetz?

 

Better.

[BTS]

Christ almighty athletes are dumn. Sports were better when this fact wasn't paraded all over social media.

[Spanky99]

This is why I teach my kids not to be bully's and if they encounter one just to punch him out, no questions.

 

Guys on my team tried at first with me,(hazing) dropped 2 and it stopped real quick, no BS.

[S33n]

I don't have much of an issue with what happened - it was a different time back then, different culture and expectations. It does lower Ripken on the 'respect' totem pole, though.

 

I'm more disturbed by the treatment of Reimold in the clubhouse, though.

 

It seems in the past 3 years we've been discussing this clubhouse chemistry thing a ton. Does this start with Bautista? Gibby? Upper management?

 

 

The treatment of Reimold by the BlueJays or by the Orioles?

[Spanky99]

Christ almighty athletes are dumn. Sports were better when this fact wasn't paraded all over social media.

 

Stupid rituals, they're fading out at least. That's because of social media though.

[Spanky99]

The treatment of Reimold by the BlueJays or by the Orioles?

 

Jays, apparently no one greeted Reimold in the clubhouse for 15 minutes, I call BS, because MacArther is a hockey turd, and knows s***.

[KingKat]

Jays, apparently no one greeted Reimold in the clubhouse for 15 minutes, I call BS, because MacArther is a hockey turd, and knows s***.

 

Yeah although at this point I don't know what Nolan Reimold's story is going to change one way or another. We've heard enough accounts that it wasn't a great clubhouse to believe it's probably true but we don't know that it carried over to the field and even if it did, it's a new season after significant roster turnover so things probably won't be the same anyways.

[Spanky99]

Yeah although at this point I don't know what Nolan Reimold's story is going to change one way or another. We've heard enough accounts that it wasn't a great clubhouse to believe it's probably true but we don't know that it carried over to the field and even if it did, it's a new season after significant roster turnover so things probably won't be the same anyways.

 

C'mon man these guys are pros, I don't believe that s*** for a minute. I agree with the latter.

[Spanky99]

Maybe a few minutes felt like 20 for Reimold, who knows. I feel comfortable in Baltimore, uhh, yeah, that's only where you've been...FO!!!

[KingKat]

Maybe a few minutes felt like 20 for Reimold, who knows. I feel comfortable in Baltimore, uhh, yeah, that's only where you've been...FO!!!

 

Sounds like you're getting warmed up.