Bart Starr, Hazing Ritual

[Curly Calhoun]

A well-guarded secret is revealed decades later:

Green Bay Packers legend Bart Starr suffered from debilitating back issues throughout his career because he was beaten in a hazing incident at Alabama, his wife told AL.com.

Complete news story: http://espn.go.com/college-football...bay-packers-legend-back-issues-hazing-alabama


The article credits Bart Starr with 4 championships. He actually won five:

And with Starr at quarterback the Packers went on to win six division crowns, five NFL championships and two Super Bowls. From 1960-67, the Packers were 62-24-4 under Starr. The only playoff game Starr ever lost with the Packers was his first, the 1960 NFL Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

http://www.packers.com/history/hall-of-famers/starr-bart.html

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Hazing....It is amazing what college brains are (in)capable of then and now......"Thank you Sir may I have another....."

An excellent documentary about what sadly still goes on in Colleges these days, for those who haven't see it: "The Hunting Grounds".

 

[Darth Garfunkel]

So essentially Starr played a HOF 16 year career with a broken back. That's one tough dude!

"Andrews discovered a crack in one of Starr's vertebrae, and he finally underwent back surgery."

 

[azrsx05]

I'd like to see any of these pansies do the same thing in today's NFL.

 

[Sky King]

It's a shame that many of you are too young to have seen him play in-person or meet him. The guy is pure class, gracious as they come. Plus, he was money in the biggest of the big games. That final drive in the Ice Bowl may be the greatest drive in the history of the NFL and, at the very least, it's got to be in the top three. Late in the game in those conditions and he was masterful as always. Awesome! There have been some great ones but none better than him IMHO.

 

[Mondio]

Never saw him play, but I did meet him by the elevators outside of the pro shop at Lambeau. Walking thru and all of a sudden there he was, just standing there. Said Hi, he was just chatting with a couple other people. Hardly anybody was around, it was pretty cool.

 

[easyk83]

I'd like to see any of these pansies do the same thing in today's NFL.

Thats not really fair, in the old days you played through pain and that was that. Sure you might be causing permanent damage to a body part that could recover with rest and treatment but no you played through pain. Nowadays team docs and trainers want the players to tell them when there's something wrong. In the old days you'd pump em full of Toradol, even if they were blowing their knees up. Now if the MRI comes back positive, players are pretty much ordered to sit.

 

[Ogsponge]

I'd like to see any of these pansies do the same thing in today's NFL.

Right, and 25 years ago, getting a concussion was called getting your bell rung and you went back in the game...

 

[jrock645]

It's like I just found out that bears were ****ing in the woods 50 years ago... Who knew?!?!?!

 

[Curly Calhoun]

So essentially Starr played a HOF 16 year career with a broken back. That's one tough dude!

"Andrews discovered a crack in one of Starr's vertebrae, and he finally underwent back surgery."

I think most people here have a great deal of respect for Bart Starr. It's difficult not to.

After reading what he went through, that level of respect has to be taken up another notch.

 

[longtimefan]

Thats not really fair, in the old days you played through pain and that was that. Sure you might be causing permanent damage to a body part that could recover with rest and treatment but no you played through pain. Nowadays team docs and trainers want the players to tell them when there's something wrong. In the old days you'd pump em full of Toradol, even if they were blowing their knees up. Now if the MRI comes back positive, players are pretty much ordered to sit.

So Aaron playing thru a torn meniscus for ten games doesn't count?

 

[Sky King]

So Aaron playing thru a torn meniscus for ten games doesn't count?

Who said that?

 

[longtimefan]

Who said that?

Easy said mri positive players are to sit..

Aaron had torn meniscus

 

[El Guapo]

It's a shame about the hazing but we all knew that kind of stuff happened and unfortunately continues to happen today. What enters (or fails to enter) a young person's brain when they decide to hurt somebody physically or emotionally to build a stronger bond. There are scores of effective ways but the most brutal tend to persist.

All of this builds to the legend of Bart's strength.

 

[Sanguine camper]

The question I have is why would Starr who is a bright guy and a decent human being allow himself to go through such a stupid ritual to the point where it would cause lasting bodily harm? I know young people make a lot of foolish decisions but I can't imagine he wasn't bright enough to see the rediculousness of the gauntlet. I'm glad his wife is telling the story. It makes Bart appear tougher no doubt but a little dumber in my opinion. Nevertheless Bart is a class guy that deserves a lot of respect. He was also a much better coach than he was given credit for. Dan Devine traded away his draft picks before he was hired so Bart never really had a chance to build the Packers into a great team.

 

[El Guapo]

Smart people do dumb things to fit in, just as readily as dumb people.

My father still has his "pledge paddle" hanging in his basement. He's told me many times that it wasn't just a ceremonial piece, it was used. When I got to college I ended up in a fraternity as well but there was zero chance I was going to join an organization that did that stuff. Some people just accept things as-is and go with the crowd. I assume that Bart was one of them. He's no different than most others. He just got it worse.

 

[Mondio]

what's smart looks a lot different to 20 year olds than it does to 40. Things also looked a lot differently 40 years ago than today. Perceptions of what is acceptable or smart and all the rest, changes. None of that changes that Bart was still a very good human being.