2013 Miami Dolphins Thread

[devilsrule33]

Considering the Dolphin vets used other players as ATM's too I doubt this was about any kind of 'blackmail'.  Unfortunately that part of it's going to get overlooked and this whole thing is going to be about Martin being weak mentally.  The other players aren't just throwing Martin out to the wolves, to a man they're driving over him in a bus.

 

Armando Salguero ‏@ArmandoSalguero36m

Ryan Tannnehill: "if you ask Jonathan Martin about Richie two weeks ago he would've said he's his best friend."

 

Bart Hubbuch ‏@HubbuchNYP28m

Hartline is outraged because he says Martin was passing the voicemail around earlier in the year and laughing about it.

 

Andrew Abramson ‏@AbramsonPBP15m

Randy Starks on why they're speaking up after initially being told not to talk: We want to clear Richie's name

 

I understand Martin left the team so that's part of what's going on...but for them to vehemently defend Incognito like this, either there's some kind of cult going on over there, or this thing's been completely blown out of proportion by a sensitive flake.  And clearly this wasn't just one player going rogue either, this - Incognito being told to 'toughen him up' - was (as some have said) like the code red in A Few Good Men.

 

Really hard to say. Martin passing around the voicemail and laughing might have him been him trying to deal with the situation and laugh at himself. They could have been close and the relationship pretty abusive and hot and cold. It's so hard to understand the inner workings of a football locker room and the dynamics.

 

I don't think Incognito is a racist. I have seen it growing up and know that other races can get close enough with black individuals that they can use the n-word. Not that I think that is the issue with the phone call.

 

And again, it is so tough to know the dynamics. These athlete's probably have grown up with a thousand people like Incognito and never seen someone like Martin not be able to handle it. Most of them at one point dealt with an Incognito and earned their friendship and trust.

[Daniel]

The latest that Ireland supposedly told Martin's agent that he should confront Incognito physically.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/11/06/sources-ireland-suggested-that-martin-confront-incognito-physically/

To me, this sounds like Martin's camp and the press is desperate to keep the "bullying" narrative going right as it's starting to fall apart.  To a man, no one on the Dolphins, past or present, thought there was anything unusual going on, and, while they might have thought Martin was a little odd, they had no reason to believe that he would snap.  So Ireland gets a call from Martin's agent, right before he picks up and leaves and levels this "bullying" charge.  (Just as likely as part of what appears to be a successful attempt to not have Martin's pay docked while he's absent). Ireland, like a lot of people, tells the agent if Martin's having a problem with Incognito he should confront him physically.  This happens ALL THE TIME in practice.

 

I've never been the biggest Incognito fan, but at this point, I would absolutely love it if the Dolphins gave a big middle finger to the league and all of the feaux-outraged press, and welcome him back with open arms. 

 

And btw, I thought Tannehill handled the presser real well. 

 

ADDENDUM:  And here it comes....

 

Jay Glazer ‏@JayGlazer 2m

Sports attorney David Cornwell has been hired to help advise and represent Jonathan Martin and his family

Edited November 7, 2013 by Daniel

[Beezer34]

Martin passing around the voicemail and laughing might have him been him trying to deal with the situation and laugh at himself.

 

Excellent point.

The coping mechanism(s) throughout all of this can't be fully explained, until Martin comes out and speaks. The only incidents that we know of thus-far are; #1. He was pressured to pay for a dinner worth $30,000.00 for the o-line. #2. He was forced to pay $15k for a trip to Vegas that he didn't go on. #3. The voicemail. #4. The lunchtable incident.

"Martin played poorly in the game against New England. The next day, as soon as he [Martin] sat down at the lunchtable.. his teammates who were already seated, got up and left. Dolphins players said that this was a routine joke." http://miami.cbslocal.com/2013/11/06/report-coaches-asked-incognito-to-toughen-up-martin/

 

..and this is only what we know right now! -nevermind what else is going to come out.

The focus that the media has been targeting is; Where do you draw the line between a joke.. and harassment? There has been a groundswell of fans that are harping how this happens all the time, and how it wouldn't have been that big a deal if Martin would've just man'd up instead of being fragile. Well why shouldn't that matter?? The fact that Martin was fragile should be even more a reason why this shouldn't have went on as long as it did! I'm not trying to say that I don't think Jonathan Martin wasn't overly sensitive.. because he obviously was! But this notion that NO ONE on the Dolphins knew?? Not the coaches.. not the upper-management.. not the GM.. not the players?? Honestly?? No one picked up on any social cues, or body language? No one said; alright, that's enough Richie.

What if Martin was severely depressed? -enough to take his own life after the lunchtable incident? Would it have been his fault because he was too sensitive? Would fans continue the; "well he shoulda just man'd up" shctick?

 

If the reports are true that Martin told Philbin what was going on in April, and that Ireland had also been made aware.. then the Dolphins organization is going to have a tough time trying to play dumb, like they didn't know what was going on. The "safe work environment" comes to play in the form of; **What did the front office do about it?** aspect of a lawsuit. --And if Miami's answer is that; the coaching staff instructed players to "toughen up" Martin, and the GM suggested they resolve this through fighting..    Really?? Do they really want this to be the story they're going with??

 

-------------------------------------

 

EDIT: --and not for nothing, but this whole bulIsh!t of players now coming out to defend Incognito.. makes Martin's case just as strong, in him feeling alienated by the organization. Incognito has a 12 year history, and about 6 dozen players both current and former could tell you about the make-up of this guy. If 4 players from the fish want to come out and vent their frustration because they sense their season is torpedoing.. that means about as much to me as the paper their quotes were printed on.

Edited November 7, 2013 by Beezer34

[Daniel]

Excellent point.

The coping mechanism(s) throughout all of this can't be fully explained, until Martin comes out and speaks. The only incidents that we know of thus-far are; #1. He was pressured to pay for a dinner worth $30,000.00 for the o-line. #2. He was forced to pay $15k for a trip to Vegas that he didn't go on. #3. The voicemail. #4. The lunchtable incident.

"Martin played poorly in the game against New England. The next day, as soon as he [Martin] sat down at the lunchtable.. his teammates who were already seated, got up and left. Dolphins players said that this was a routine joke." http://miami.cbslocal.com/2013/11/06/report-coaches-asked-incognito-to-toughen-up-martin/

 

..and this is only what we know right now! -nevermind what else is going to come out.

The focus that the media has been targeting is; Where do you draw the line between a joke.. and harassment? There has been a groundswell of fans that are harping how this happens all the time, and how it wouldn't have been that big a deal if Martin would've just man'd up instead of being fragile. Well why shouldn't that matter?? The fact that Martin was fragile should be even more a reason why this shouldn't have went on as long as it did! I'm not trying to say that I don't think Jonathan Martin wasn't overly sensitive.. because he obviously was! But this notion that NO ONE on the Dolphins knew?? Not the coaches.. not the upper-management.. not the GM.. not the players?? Honestly?? No one picked up on any social cues, or body language? No one said; alright, that's enough Richie.

What if Martin was severely depressed? -enough to take his own life after the lunchtable incident? Would it have been his fault because he was too sensitive? Would fans continue the; "well he shoulda just man'd up" shctick?

 

If the reports are true that Martin told Philbin what was going on in April, and that Ireland had also been made aware.. then the Dolphins organization is going to have a tough time trying to play dumb, like they didn't know what was going on. The "safe work environment" comes to play in the form of; **What did the front office do about it?** aspect of a lawsuit. --And if Miami's answer is that; the coaching staff instructed players to "toughen up" Martin, and the GM suggested they resolve this through fighting..    Really?? Do they really want this to be the story they're going with??

 

-------------------------------------

 

EDIT: --and not for nothing, but this whole bulIsh!t of players now coming out to defend Incognito.. makes Martin's case just as strong, in him feeling alienated by the organization. Incognito has a 12 year history, and about 6 dozen players both current and former could tell you about the make-up of this guy. If 4 players from the fish want to come out and vent their frustration because they sense their season is torpedoing.. that means about as much to me as the paper their quotes were printed on.

 

Respectfully, you're dead wrong, and it isn't me circling the wagons.

 

I haven't heard about the $30k dinner, and the Vegas vacation was something he had already committed to and then backed out of, per the only detailed account by Lydon Murtha.

 

The idea this was a "coping mechanism" is circular logic that pseudo-scientists use to explain any behavior that doesn't fit the diagnosis.  The texts and voicemails were carefully leaked by Martin's camp after he left, pretty transparently to set himself up to bring a lawsuit.  Evidently, the rest of the "racist" voicemail that provides further context, was left out of press reports.

 

Incognito was known for a being a dirty player on the field.  I've never heard of his teammates having a problem with him, and actually Tiki Barber said he didn't like him, but that he's the type of guy you want on your side.  (Sort of like Sean Avery). 

 

It's becoming pretty clear that the rest of the team was in a no-win situation.  You leave Martin out of the pranks and other stuff that EVERY OTHER player has to go through, you're margainilizing him.  You treat him like every other non-veteran O-lineman, you're putting him through something he can't deal with.  If Incognito got any instructions from Philibin or Ireland, it was to treat Martin like he was one of the guys.  Well, that's how the rest of guys get treated. 

 

And I'm glad the rest of the team is defending Incognito.  Whatever was done to Martin was not "bullying" and certainly should not have been the subject of a lawsuit or a league investigation.  Or it certainly was not bad enough that it isn't something that he could have handled it privately in some shape or form.  Instead, he went to the press, and really hurt the rest of the team.  Incognito would go after other players in practice that would mess with Martin (Dion Jordan evidently was one of them).  In return, it looks like Incognito is not going to get paid for the rest of the season, and perhaps ever again, AND it's likely he's going to be brought into a lawsuit.  All, supposedly anyway, because Martin couldn't take what up till then has never been a problem. 

 

ADDENDUM:  The thirty thousand dinner bill that I think you're referring to, didn't have anything to do with Martin.  It was a dinner bill that was split up between a group of this year's rookies.  If you assume, there are at least five of them there, it's a lot tamer than what other players on other teams get.  (I also wonder if Dion Jordan was at the dinner, who, as the number 3 pick, got a nice pay day).

 

http://nesn.com/2013/11/report-dolphins-rookies-had-to-pay-30000-dinner-bill-for-teammates-veterans-reportedly-using-young-players-like-atms/

Edited November 7, 2013 by Daniel

[Beezer34]

Statement released moments ago from Martin's camp..

"Jonathan Martin’s toughness is not at issue. Jonathan has started every game with the Miami Dolphins since he was drafted in 2012. At Stanford, he was the anchor for Jim Harbaugh’s “smash mouth” brand of football and he protected Andrew Luck’s blind side. The issue is Jonathan’s treatment by his teammates. Jonathan endured harassment that went far beyond the traditional locker room hazing. For the entire season-and-a-half that he was with the Dolphins, he attempted to befriend the same teammates who subjected him to the abuse with the hope that doing so would end the harassment. This is a textbook reaction of victims of bullying. Despite these efforts, the taunting continued. Beyond the well-publicized voice mail with its racial epithet, Jonathan endured a malicious physical attack on him by a teammate, and daily vulgar comments such as the quote at the bottom. These facts are not in dispute. Eventually, Jonathan made a difficult choice. Despite his love for football, Jonathan left the Dolphins. Jonathan looks forward to getting back to playing football. In the meantime, he will cooperate fully with the NFL investigation."

*Quote from teammate: “We are going to run a train on your sister. I am going to f–k her without a condom and c– in her c—.”

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/11/07/david-cornwells-statement-regarding-jonathan-martin/

Edited November 8, 2013 by Beezer34

[Daniel]

This is officially all about jackpot justice for Martin. I hope he loses badly in court, and never plays another game in the NFL.

The texts that go back an forth in my fantasy league are a lot worse than this.

Sticks and stones might break my bones, but names will help me retire to a nice beach.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited November 8, 2013 by Daniel

[NJDevs4978]

How is this about money...it's not like he would win any more in court than he'd lose with legal fees and the NFL contract money he'll never see again anyway.  He's not getting a job in the NFL no matter how this sideshow turns out, whether people think of him as a rat or weak he more or less signed his own death sentence as an NFL player.

 

I don't really trust either side in this - it's hard to trust a grown man who if you believe everything from his side was acting like some 15-year old that got sexually abused by an adult.  Granted, if you really think you're an outcast in the whole locker room it's hard to say something but if things were that fvcked up he should have quit long before this instead of just going with the flow and buddying up to everyone.  There's always the possibility that Incognito or someone said the wrong thing, he just flat snapped, left and didn't exactly think all this through and is now looking for a way out without sounding like a quitter.  

 

I don't really trust the Dolphin cult either considering how much they drank the Kool-Aid with Incognito (and I'm talking before this week), a guy that got run out of everywhere else he's been for being a loose cannon.  But he suddenly becomes part of their LEADERSHIP council?  Something's screwy there too.  Especially when there's more than one case of him and the other vets using rookies as personal ATM's.  I get there's a 'caste' culture in the NFL...you want to make the kids get the donuts and coffee, carry the dirty uniforms and sing their fight songs that's fine.  Paying for a dinner, whatever...but don't stick them with $15-30,000 tabs for exotic trips and strip clubs when it's not like they're making big money yet.

Edited November 8, 2013 by NJDevs4978

[Daniel]

How is this about money...it's not like he would win any more in court than he'd lose with legal fees and the NFL contract money he'll never see again anyway. He's not getting a job in the NFL no matter how this sideshow turns out, whether people think of him as a rat or weak he more or less signed his own death sentence as an NFL player.

I don't really trust either side in this - it's hard to trust a grown man who if you believe everything from his side was acting like some 15-year old that got sexually abused by an adult. Granted, if you really think you're an outcast in the whole locker room it's hard to say something but if things were that fvcked up he should have quit long before this instead of just going with the flow and buddying up to everyone. There's always the possibility that Incognito or someone said the wrong thing, he just flat snapped, left and didn't exactly think all this through and is now looking for a way out without sounding like a quitter.

I don't really trust the Dolphin cult either considering how much they drank the Kool-Aid with Incognito (and I'm talking before this week), a guy that got run out of everywhere else he's been for being a loose cannon. But he suddenly becomes part of their LEADERSHIP council? Something's screwy there too. Especially when there's more than one case of him and the other vets using rookies as personal ATM's. I get there's a 'caste' culture in the NFL...you want to make the kids get the donuts and coffee, carry the dirty uniforms and sing their fight songs that's fine. Paying for a dinner, whatever...but don't stick them with $15-30,000 tabs for exotic trips and strip clubs when it's not like they're making big money yet.

It's very much about money. First, by walking out on the team, he'd ordinarily have his pay docked, like Ricky Williams. Now that he's leveled this charge, not only will he get paid the rest of this season, but probably for the remainder of his contract without playing a single game. That's probably why he made that brief hospital visit. Not bad for a guy who was playing very poorly and basically got benched.

Second, in court he'll probably argue that this "racist bullying" created a hostile work environment and emotional distress so his career is over and the Dolphins have to pay him what some NFL left tackle gets paid over the course of his career, not to mention punitive damages in the millions. If you think this is far fetched, an employee of the Knicks that was being harassed by Isiah Thomas got something like a $12 million jury award.

Otherwise everything that Martin's lawyer is saying indicates he's got a lawsuit for a lot of money coming. That's what this is all about.

 

EDIT:  Re the Incognito "cult", there's less there than meets the eye.  It's a pretty young team, and Incognito was the longest tenured player on the O-line this season.  As I understand it, the leadership counsel is made up of people from each position, so he was probably selected more by default than anything else.

 

And all teams use the rookies as "personal ATMs".  The story I cited talked about all of the rookies having to chip in for a $30,000 meal, in November of this year.  When one of those rookies is presumably Dion Jordan, it's a lot more tame than it sounds.  Martin's $15k for the Vegas trip was, according to the one person that provided any context at all, was something that Martin had originally committed to and backed out of. 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited November 8, 2013 by Daniel

[Beezer34]

I respect what you're doing Daniel.. and if it were somebody on the Jets (depending on the situation) I may or may not come running to my teams' defense aswell. But I think this story is starting to unravel in a way that won't allow anyone to see the Dolphins point-of-view, and if what's being reported is true.. the real question is, why would you? Verbal sexual assault towards a players sister is not hazing. Physically attacking someone (and again, depending on the severity) is not hazing. I spoke briefly yesterday how what had been reported was only the tip of the iceberg, and 8 hours later, all this has now come out. Martin's Mother is a lawyer.. his Father is a lawyer.. and the family has hired an outside attorney in addition. The Martin camp is being very methodical in the way they're releasing information in drips & drabs. I'm guessing every phone call.. e-mail.. voicemail.. text.. and any other aduit trail has been saved by Jonathan Martin since April. --and if this is what the legal team has been releasing over the past week up until this point.. you can rest assure that they have much more incriminating points that they're withholding for court. THAT'S why I'm so wrapped up in this.. because the Dolphin players should've shut their yaps before more information had yet to be released! Players like Hartline & Tannehill are going to look very foolish running to Incognito's defense, if incriminating evidence gets released on Richie.. or WORSE, other players of the Miami Dolphins. It's important to note, Martin's defense is not singling out Incognito.. rather, he was one of MANY players. -and the way the players are acting strengthens Martin's case.

I like Ryan Tannehill ALOT! I think he's a great kid with a bright future. But to not just say "no comment" when asked about what's going on, really wan't the brightest thing to do. All he could've done was direct all questions to Coach Philbin.. instead he sang swoon songs of Incognito being a great guy, lockerroom leader, and the best teammate he could've ever asked for. Then 24 hours later..

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9944012/police-report-filed-richie-incognito-alleged-molestation-2012-no-charges

"The 34 year-old volunteer went to police alleging that Incognito had molested her. The report says Incognito used his golf club to touch her by rubbing it up against her pants. He proceeded to lean up against her buttocks with his private parts as if dancing, saying: 'Let It Rain, Let It Rain!' before finishing up the inappropriate behavior by emptying bottled water in her face."

 

..take a guess on what's going to happen now? Miami reporters will run to Tannehill with this report in hand, asking him to clarify his comments. SMART!  Likewise Mr. Hartline.. who went out on a limb to defend the voicemail, will now be hounded with the sister text, and asked to defend that.

If the Dolphins had isolated Incognito on an island, and said things like; "well I don't know about all of that, but that's certainly not how the rest of us act" -they would've been free and clear from public scrutiny. But that's not what happened here. The players have made Incognito a martyr, and have isolated Martin! They went out and not only praised Incognito, but defended points like the voicemail and the $15,000.00 vegas trip. They have named him their Leadership Council, and in the process, have come off looking like a bunch of thugs. I had no other motive against any of Miami's players other than Incognito when this had first been reported. However, their caviler attitude against Martin wants me to see Goodell throw the book at all of them. (and depending on how this unfolds, you may see exactly that)

 

I'm betting that Martin's camp has much more stuff that they're saving for the right time. (with names attached) When that stuff gets released, this is going to get very messy in Miami.

 

 

EDIT: Again Daniel, no disrespect.. but have you ever even considered the notion that what went on to Jonathan Martin was bullying?

Edited November 8, 2013 by Beezer34

[MadDog2020]

The whole thing is just an embarassment and a black eye for the organization. I just wish it would end, but I'm sure there will be tons more info coming out in the coming days too. The good thing is a couple of the beat writers said the locker room is absolutely galvanized and united by this. Two of the guys from the Sun-Sentinel (Omar Kelly and Dave Hyde) said they went from thinking the Fins would win a close game Monday night to thinking we're going to absolutely destroy Tampa.

[Daniel]

I respect what you're doing Daniel.. and if it were somebody on the Jets (depending on the situation) I may or may not come running to my teams' defense aswell. But I think this story is starting to unravel in a way that won't allow anyone to see the Dolphins point-of-view, and if what's being reported is true.. the real question is, why would you? Verbal sexual assault towards a players sister is not hazing. Physically attacking someone (and again, depending on the severity) is not hazing. I spoke briefly yesterday how what had been reported was only the tip of the iceberg, and 8 hours later, all this has now come out. Martin's Mother is a lawyer.. his Father is a lawyer.. and the family has hired an outside attorney in addition. The Martin camp is being very methodical in the way they're releasing information in drips & drabs. I'm guessing every phone call.. e-mail.. voicemail.. text.. and any other aduit trail has been saved by Jonathan Martin since April. --and if this is what the legal team has been releasing over the past week up until this point.. you can rest assure that they have much more incriminating points that they're withholding for court. THAT'S why I'm so wrapped up in this.. because the Dolphin players should've shut their yaps before more information had yet to be released! Players like Hartline & Tannehill are going to look very foolish running to Incognito's defense, if incriminating evidence gets released on Richie.. or WORSE, other players of the Miami Dolphins. It's important to note, Martin's defense is not singling out Incognito.. rather, he was one of MANY players. -and the way the players are acting strengthens Martin's case.

I like Ryan Tannehill ALOT! I think he's a great kid with a bright future. But to not just say "no comment" when asked about what's going on, really wan't the brightest thing to do. All he could've done was dirrect all questions to Coach Philbin.. instead he sang swoon songs of Incognito being a great guy, lockerroom leader, and the best teammate he could've ever asked for. Then 24 hours later..

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9944012/police-report-filed-richie-incognito-alleged-molestation-2012-no-charges

"The 34 year-old volunteer went to police alleging that Incognito had molested her. The report says Incognito used his golf club to touch her by rubbing it up against her pants. He proceeded to lean up against her buttocks with his private parts as if dancing, saying: 'Let It Rain, Let It Rain!' before finishing up the inappropriate behavior by emptying bottled water in her face."

 

..take a guess on what's going to happen now? Miami reporters will run to Tannehill with this report in hand, asking him to clarify his comments. SMART!  Likewise Mr. Hartline.. who went out on a limb to defend the voicemail, will now be hounded with the sister text, and asked to defend that.

If the Dolphins had isolated Incognito on an island, and said things like; "well I don't know about all of that, but that's certainly not how the rest of us act" -they would've been free and clear from public scrutiny. But that's not what happened here. The players have made Incognito a martyr, and have isolated Martin! They went out and not only praised Incognito, but defended points like the voicemail and the $15,000.00 vegas trip. They have named him their Leadership Council, and in the process, have come off looking like a bunch of thugs. I had no other motive against any of Miami's players other than Incognito when this had first been reported. However, their caviler attitude against Martin wants me to see Goodell throw the book at all of them. (and depending on how this unfolds, you may see exactly that)

 

I'm betting that Martin's camp has much more stuff that they're saving for the right time. (with names attached) When that stuff gets released, this is going to get very messy in Miami.

 

 

EDIT: Again Daniel, no disrespect.. but have you ever even considered the notion that what went on to Jonathan Martin was bullying?

 

If you read my posts, you would know that, while I'm a Dolphins fan, I am not a Dolphins Kool-Aid drinker, and not by a longshot.  And I never really was an Incognito fan.  Like I said, he's a big dumb animal, but so are many, many NFL players, as well as other pro athletes.  Frankly, with the exception of hockey players, I don't have a very high opinion of pro atheletes in general.

 

That said, I know media sensationalism, hypocrisy, and jackpot justice seeking lawyers when I see them, and this has all of the hallmarks.

 

Also, "Verbal sexual assault"?  Are you kidding me.  If that was worth a $100 fine, some of the highest paid players in the league would be broke faster than Travis Henry. 

 

What really irks me about guys like Martin running to lawyers is that it'll just be another part of a sport I like watching that will be fundamentally changed because of a lawsuit.  With concussions at least, it's a health issue and I can live with it.  What happened to Martin has been going on forever, and I have yet to hear anyone be forever emotionally scarred by it.  I seriously doubt Martin is either. 

 

I don't think Martin had this plan in his head from the start.  He has an abnormal personality at least for the NFL, and it got the better of him based on a pretty innocuous prank.  My guess is that while he was acting impulsively at the time, he soon realized that he could capitalize on the situation when it looks like he might have trouble sticking with another team. 

[Daniel]

The whole thing is just an embarassment and a black eye for the organization. I just wish it would end, but I'm sure there will be tons more info coming out in the coming days too. The good thing is a couple of the beat writers said the locker room is absolutely galvanized and united by this. Two of the guys from the Sun-Sentinel (Omar Kelly and Dave Hyde) said they went from thinking the Fins would win a close game Monday night to thinking we're going to absolutely destroy Tampa.

 

Omar Kelly makes Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith look like Howard Cossell. 

 

It's clowns like Omar Kelly that really make me thankful that our little hockey team has a great beat writer in TG.

[MadDog2020]

Omar Kelly makes Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith look like Howard Cossell.

It's clowns like Omar Kelly that really make me thankful that our little hockey team has a great beat writer in TG.

Omar Kelly is a fvcking tool, but Hyde is credible and I enjoy reading his stuff. I'll take both of them at their word on this one.

[Beezer34]

http://m.espn.go.com/nfl/story?storyId=9941696&src=desktop

"Mass incarceration has turned segments of Black America so upside down, that a tatted-up, N-word-tossing, white goon, is more respected and accepted than a soft-spoken, highly intelligent black Stanford graduate. According to a story in the Miami Herald, black Dolphins players granted Richie Incognito "honorary" status as a black-man, while feeling little connection to Jonathan Martin. Welcome to Incarceration Nation! The mindset of the Miami Dolphins' locker room mirrors the mentality of a maximum-security prison yard, and where a wide swath of America believes the nonviolent intellectual needs to adopt the tactics of the barbarian. I don't blame Jonathan Martin for walking away from the Dolphins and checking himself into a hospital seeking treatment for emotional distress. The cesspool of insanity that is the Miami locker room would test the mental stability of any sane man. Martin, the offspring of Harvard grads, a 24-year-old trained at some of America's finest academic institutions, is a first-time offender callously thrown into an Attica prison-cell with Richie Incognito and (Aaron Hernandez's BFF) Mike Pouncey. Dolphins Warden Jeff Ireland and Deputy Warden Joe Philbin put zero sophisticated thought into what they were doing when they drafted Martin in the second round in 2012. You don't put Jonathan Martin in a cell with Incognito & Pouncey. You draft someone else, and let another team take Martin. The Dolphins don't have the kind of environment to support someone with Martin's background. It takes intelligence and common sense to connect with and manage Martin. Those attributes appear to be in short supply in Miami. “Richie is honorary” a black former Dolphins player told Miami Herald reporter Armando Salguero. “I don't expect you to understand because you're not black. But being a black guy, being a brother, it's more than just about skin color. It's about how you carry yourself. How you play. Where you come from. What you've experienced. Alot of things.” I'm black. And I totally understand the genesis of this particular brand of stupidity and self-hatred. Mass Incarceration, its bastard child, Hurricane Illegitimacy, and their marketing firm, commercial hip-hop music, have created a culture that perpetrates the idea that authentic blackness is criminal, savage, uneducated and irresponsible. The tenets of white supremacy and bigotry have been injected into popular youth culture. The blackest things a black man can do are loudly spew the N-word publicly and react violently to the slightest sign of disrespect or disagreement. Thus, Richie Incognito is an honorary black.. and Jonathan Martin is a sellout. “I love Richie” Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace was quoted in Salguero's story. The Dolphins are circling the wagons around Incognito. Why? Tannehill's different. I get Ryan Tannehill's defense of his Pro Bowl left guard. He needs him! He doesn't believe the Dolphins can protect him or win games without Incognito. There's a popular belief you can't consistently win football games without a few "thugs" like Incognito in your locker room. Makes you wonder how Stanford competes with USC, Oregon, UCLA, etc., every year. You also wonder how Nebraska and Oregon survived after booting Incognito. Wonder why three NFL teams let him go? Maybe he's not as essential as the myth-makers would have you believe. But what makes me want to check into a mental hospital is Miami's black players' unconditional love of Incognito, and indifference to Martin. It points to our fundamental lack of knowledge of our own history in this country. We think the fake tough guy, the ex-con turned rhetoric spewer was more courageous than the educated pacifist who won our liberation standing in the streets, absorbing repeated ass-whippings, jail and a white assassin's bullet. We fell for the okeydoke. We think Malcolm-X was blacker than Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I'm as guilty as anybody. I've read X’s autobiography a half-dozen times. I own Spike Lee's movie about X and watch it a couple of times a year. I love Malcolm-X. But I'm not an idiot. MLK liberated me. MLK blazed the proper path to respect, progress and achievement. Barack Obama stands on MLK's shoulders. And so does Jonathan Martin. Richie Incognito is an "honorary" bigot, standing on the shoulders of Gov. George Wallace. The fact that a group of young black men in the Dolphins' locker room can't see that speaks volumes in the level of ignorance unleashed by Mass Incarceration, Hurricane Illegitimacy and commercial hip-hop. Too many young people have grown up. There's a difference between growing up and being raised. When you grow up, you're left to figure things out on your own. That's why we have a generation of young people who can't recognize the self-hatred and damage of describing yourself as the N-word. They don't know what they haven't been taught. Video games, iPads and headphones can't raise a child. But those technological advances can entertain and empower popular culture to corrupt. I don't know Jonathan Martin. He's biracial. He was apparently smart enough to qualify for entry into Harvard. He's huge and athletic. He strikes me as someone ripe to struggle with his identity. And so his teammates in Miami tagged him the "Big Weirdo." Meanwhile, the Dolphins held up Richie Incognito as the ultimate role model for offensive linemen. Incognito was a Pro Bowler. He was voted a member of their Leadership Council. It makes perfect sense for a kid like Martin to befriend Incognito and try to fit in. I'm sure they were friends, for a time. I'm sure Incognito offered Martin physical protection on the football field. It's standard operating procedure for a prison-yard bully to cultivate a relationship that is equal parts fear, love, and disrespect. It's how you turn a guy out and make him grab your belt loop. Martin was confused. He probably thought the bullying and hazing would pass after his rookie season. He wanted to fit in and make it in the NFL. The paycheck is incredible. He tried to laugh off the abuse and disrespect. He may have even participated in it. He coughed up $15,000.00 for a trip to Las Vegas he didn't want to take. But finally he snapped. He wasn't raised to be a full-blown idiot. He was raised to think and solve problems with his mind. He was savvy enough to figure out a physical confrontation with Incognito was a no-win situation. It wouldn't curb Incognito's behavior or change the culture inside the Dolphins locker room.. it would confirm it. In order to win the fight, Martin would have to physically harm Incognito. It would not be a one-punch or two-punch fight. So Martin walked. If the entry fee to being an NFL offensive lineman is adopting the mindset of Incognito & Pouncey, Martin wisely chose not to pay it. He has a developed brain and a supportive family unit. He's not desperate. He has options. People with limited options and no family support don't understand or respect his decision. That's on them and illustrates the vast impact of Mass Incarceration and Hurricane Illegitimacy. And now it's now time for Roger Goodell to render a verdict on Wardens Ireland & Philbin, and Cell Block-D leader Incognito. The world is so upside down that I half expect Goodell to suspend Martin for conduct detrimental to American idiocy." --Jason Whitlock via ESPN.com | November 8, 2013

..one word, WOW!

If I'm Philbin, I post this article up for all to see in the locker room just before the Tampa game to rally my team. Whitlock REALLY cut into Miami, and if I'm JP, I use it as motivation.

[MadDog2020]

Typical ridiculous overreaction from Whitlock, the Reverend Sharpton of the journalist community.

[Beezer34]

..truth be told, this Martin stuff concerns me as a Jets fan. To say that the players for the Dolphins will be galvanized by all of this is an excellent point.

The organization has now been labeled Enemy #1 in the eyes of the public, and that can go one of two ways for the fish. They can either crack under the pressure of this distraction.. or embrace it, and use it as a rallying cry. I'm betting on the later, because now they have newfound motivation to not only win, but to stick a gigantic middle finger at the world.

[Daniel]

I would just roll my eyes at Whtilock article if I'm a Dolphins player. 

[Beezer34]

It's remarkable how this story has evolved from the poor character\morals\decency of Incognito, -to- the entire Dolphins team..

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9946248/richie-incognito-held-offensive-line-meetings-strip-club

 

"The National Football Post, citing two sources, reports that Incognito made the linemen attend the Dolphins meetings at strip-clubs. If they failed to show up, Incognito would fine them, and mock them for not being part of the group. “Richie wanted to set up Richie's world as a way for everybody to act. He [incognito] thinks everybody should act that way. He doesn't get that some guys aren't into that behavior. Some guys don't want to constantly explain to their wife or girlfriend why they have to go to a strip-club."

 

..are we beginning to understand why he was voted to the Leadership Council by his teammates?

Would not surprise me in the least to see Stephen Ross step in here before the investigation even begins, in the form of releasing players, and\or firing someone. They're taking a beating in the court of public opinion with no end in site. The NFL looks embarrassingly bad here, and needs to stop the bleeding.

[NJDevs4978]

And all teams use the rookies as "personal ATMs".  The story I cited talked about all of the rookies having to chip in for a $30,000 meal, in November of this year.  When one of those rookies is presumably Dion Jordan, it's a lot more tame than it sounds.  Martin's $15k for the Vegas trip was, according to the one person that provided any context at all, was something that Martin had originally committed to and backed out of.

 

I wasn't referring to the Martin/Vegas incident with the ATM comment...one of your other beat writers (Adam Beasley) had this Tweet on Sunday:

 

 

Adam Beasley ‏@AdamHBeasley3 Nov

One young defensive player, whose privacy I'm protecting, has literally gone broke because he's been pressured to pay for older players.

 

https://twitter.com/AdamHBeasley

 

Understandably THAT guy ain't coming forward cause he's still on the team. But it's more widespread than the Martin situation.  And no there's no excuse for peer-pressuring these guys into paying for extravagances when they ain't making all that much money to begin with because of the rookie wage scale.  This isn't ten years ago where the first-round pick could literally pay everyone's expenses for the year.

 

..truth be told, this Martin stuff concerns me as a Jets fan. To say that the players for the Dolphins will be galvanized by all of this is an excellent point.

The organization has now been labeled Enemy #1 in the eyes of the public, and that can go one of two ways for the fish. They can either crack under the pressure of this distraction.. or embrace it, and use it as a rallying cry. I'm betting on the later, because now they have newfound motivation to not only win, but to stick a gigantic middle finger at the world.

 

They may be galvanized, but they also lost the entire left side of an offensive line that wasn't that great to begin with.

Edited November 8, 2013 by NJDevs4978

[Beezer34]

Typical ridiculous overreaction from Whitlock, the Reverend Sharpton of the journalist community.

 

I agree it's over the top.

[SS#4-Life]

It's remarkable how this story has evolved from the poor character\morals\decency of Incognito, -to- the entire Dolphins team..

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9946248/richie-incognito-held-offensive-line-meetings-strip-club

 

"The National Football Post, citing two sources, reports that Incognito made the linemen attend the Dolphins meetings at strip-clubs. If they failed to show up, Incognito would fine them, and mock them for not being part of the group. “Richie wanted to set up Richie's world as a way for everybody to act. He [incognito] thinks everybody should act that way. He doesn't get that some guys aren't into that behavior. Some guys don't want to constantly explain to their wife or girlfriend why they have to go to a strip-club."

 

..are we beginning to understand why he was voted to the Leadership Council by his teammates?

Would not surprise me in the least to see Stephen Ross step in here before the investigation even begins, in the form of releasing players, and\or firing someone. They're taking a beating in the court of public opinion with no end in site. The NFL looks embarrassingly bad here, and needs to stop the bleeding.

 

might be a dumb question, but if he was fining the players was he pocketing there money

[Beezer34]

 

..truth be told, this Martin stuff concerns me as a Jets fan. To say that the players for the Dolphins will be galvanized by all of this is an excellent point.

The organization has now been labeled Enemy #1 in the eyes of the public, and that can go one of two ways for the fish. They can either crack under the pressure of this distraction.. or embrace it, and use it as a rallying cry. I'm betting on the later, because now they have newfound motivation to not only win, but to stick a gigantic middle finger at the world.

 

They may be galvanized, but they also lost the entire left side of an offensive line that wasn't that great to begin with.

 

..also a fair point.

If the Dolphins lose to Tampa on Monday, there will be a full blown mutiny brewing down there. They've got; San Diego, Carolina, Jets, Pittsburgh, New England over the next 5 games.. so only time will tell how this effects them on the field.

In a way it helps that we play them January 1st the second game, because I really believe that Clabo & Pouncey are both going to be pulled into this too. By then the legal team will have released 75% their case, and by December you should find out who said\did what. If the Dolphins organization suspended Incognito for a voicemail.. I expect them to act just as harsh to anyone else once the details leak.

 

But of course, knowing the Jets luck, even with our beast front seven.. we'll still lose to an o-line without Martin, Incognito, Clabo & Pouncey!

[MantaRay]

might be a dumb question, but if he was fining the players was he pocketing there money

Starting to understand why some Dolphin players are backing or feigning ignorance about Incognito; they are all intimidated by him. No wonder they a middling team.

['7']

Mike Silver is reporting neither Philbin or Ireland will survive this

 

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24214061/report-joe-philbin-jeff-ireland-wont-survive-incognito-scandal

[Muevelos]

No one wants a incognito on there team. Proven. Dolphins give up the most sacks in the league. They need to fix that