The Toronto Argonauts have a community program called “Huddle Up” which is an anti-bullying campaign. So, of course, there is an uproar in Toronto about the team hazing a 22-year-old intern after a photo was released of the intern taped to a goalpost with food being poured over him.
However, this is much ado about nothing as it turns out it was the intern’s birthday and the team was just having some fun with him. Coach Mike Clemons defended his team:
This young man said in his 22 years that this was the best birthday he had in his life. When we did this we put pineapples on him because we said, `You should be in the Caribbean somewhere on your 22nd birthday’.
We put on string beans because he’s built wiry, like a string bean, and we had whipped cream and cherries on top because it was his birthday and we’re proud to have him here as a member of the Toronto Argonauts.When we took him off we also embraced him and hugged him and made sure he wasn’t injured. And (by dousing him) with water we celebrated him as we do in sports and he was now an official member of the Argonauts football team.
This reminds us of the one time we were tied up and had whipped cream and cherries poured on us by a bunch of dudes. That didn’t end well… though with the help of therapy and by the grace of God, we can step foot into a Baskin-Robbins again.
Links:
[Toronto Star]: Argos accused of degrading intern; coach stands by team
