'Bullying' in the NFL?

[Desperado]

Some of the texts included racial slurs, and in one he threatened to punch the guy's mother in the mouth. Anyone who thinks that kind of shit is "funny" has something seriously fucking wrong with them.

Well apparently Martin himself thought it was funny according to other players.
Jonathan Martin Was ‘Laughing’ at Richie Incognito’s Vulgar Voice Mail, Teammate Brian Hartline Says

Brian Hartline spoke to reporters Wednesday about the vulgar and apparently racially charged voice mail that has become the centerpiece of the investigation thus far, saying that Martin originally did not seem at all offended by Incognito’s words. “This is the same guy that was laughing about this voice mail at one point in time, first of all,” Hartline said of Martin, via NFL.com. “Second of all, I believe that if you look through the whole voice mail, there’s some things said that you probably shouldn’t say in general, friends or not friends. But I know for a fact, that I’ve said things to my friends that I kind of wish I’ve never said to, either.”

Read more at: Jonathan Martin Was ?Laughing? at Richie Incognito?s Vulgar Voice Mail, Teammate Brian Hartline Says | Miami Dolphins | NESN.com

 

[Decus]

I can't believe there isn't already a thread about this. Bullying is something you associate with little kids in school, not among professional football players. Weird.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/s...e-nfl-a-question-of-hazing-or-abuse.html?_r=0

This Incognito head-case sounds like a real POS.

Football is a high contact, physical sport filled with a bunch of undereducated, testosterone-saturated men who beat the shit out of each other every week and enjoy it. OF COURSE there's going to be bullying and hazing, especially when considering the fact that every single year a new class of young players are systematically injected into the league and must quickly figure out their place on the hierarchy.

Personally, I think Incognito's an idiot but at the end of the day these are grown adults we're talking and I place a great deal of the blame on Martin for simply not saying "no". Incognito - by law - cannot physically assault Martin, or force him to pay a bill he didn't owe, or threaten him or his family. Martin should have dealt with this like an adult.

Racial slurs? Tell him to stop. If the slurs are real and extreme, I'm sure there's plenty of other black players on the team who would back Martin up.

I agree with you that aggressiveness permeates all facets of the sport. I also agree that a bully has to be put down. I have real doubts however if Martin was trully a victim in this instance.

 

[KevinWestern]

I can't believe there isn't already a thread about this. Bullying is something you associate with little kids in school, not among professional football players. Weird.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/s...e-nfl-a-question-of-hazing-or-abuse.html?_r=0

This Incognito head-case sounds like a real POS.

Football is a high contact, physical sport filled with a bunch of undereducated, testosterone-saturated men who beat the shit out of each other every week and enjoy it. OF COURSE there's going to be bullying and hazing, especially when considering the fact that every single year a new class of young players are systematically injected into the league and must quickly figure out their place on the hierarchy.

Personally, I think Incognito's an idiot but at the end of the day these are grown adults we're talking and I place a great deal of the blame on Martin for simply not saying "no". Incognito - by law - cannot physically assault Martin, or force him to pay a bill he didn't owe, or threaten him or his family. Martin should have dealt with this like an adult.

Racial slurs? Tell him to stop. If the slurs are real and extreme, I'm sure there's plenty of other black players on the team who would back Martin up.

I agree with you that aggressiveness permeates all facets of the sport. I also agree that a bully has to be put down. I have real doubts however if Martin was trully a victim in this instance.

Yea, I think there was a lot of factors involved. I don't buy the "victim" thing either...

 

[JakeStarkey]

Is it possible to imagine that the sequence of events leading to Martin leaving the team might have been along these lines?

No.

 

[manifold]

Is it possible to imagine that the sequence of events leading to Martin leaving the team might have been along these lines?

No.

It's actually surprisingly easy if you try. No kidding.

 

[Decus]

Is it possible to imagine that the sequence of events leading to Martin leaving the team might have been along these lines?

No.

It's actually surprisingly easy if you try. No kidding.

Thanks, that made me laugh.

 

[hangover]

Supposedly Incognito was on a lot of teams "do not draft" list because of his personality disorders. Also, supposedly Incognito and Martin were best friends. But sticking any player with a $30,000.00 dinner check is definitely over the top. More like extortion. Not only is the NFL going to get a black eye over this, but I won't be surprised to see congress get involved. Harassment in the work place was just voted on today in the Senate.

 

[Unkotare]

Football is a high contact, physical sport filled with a bunch of undereducated [sic], testosterone-saturated men who beat the shit out of each other every week and enjoy it. .

"Under educated"?

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Supposedly Incognito was on a lot of teams "do not draft" list because of his personality disorders. Also, supposedly Incognito and Martin were best friends. But sticking any player with a $30,000.00 dinner check is definitely over the top. More like extortion. Not only is the NFL going to get a black eye over this, but I won't be surprised to see congress get involved. Harassment in the work place was just voted on today in the Senate.

That was only one dinner tab.. there was a another story in the news links on this thread about a rookie being forced to pick up a tab of over 50,000.00 and this was the teams bar tab being included. In that instance I believe they said the rookie who paid the bill was not even present at the dinner. It is extortion. I agree. My sons favorite team is the Dolphins and he feels very angry over the treatment of Martin and believes the coaches should be fired. He also hopes Martin brings a lawsuit and sues the owners for allowing such practices to go on.

I believe whatever it takes to get the NFL cleaned up? They should do it. I do hope that Martin will make sure to file charges against these coaches and the players involved and that these people will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The example must be set. This is a workplace environment and as such they need to comply with the laws of the land. Just as Libary workers are expected to do. No difference. The NFL has a tremendous opportunity to say zero tolerance to bullies by making a campaign out of this and cleaning it out from within their own ranks. I hope they will step up to the plate and do just that. This story has deeply troubled many people I believe. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens to these coaches and Incognito also. - Jeri

 

[hangover]

Football is a high contact, physical sport filled with a bunch of undereducated [sic], testosterone-saturated men who beat the shit out of each other every week and enjoy it. .

"Under educated"?

More like fake educated. Dexter Manley had a degree and couldn't even read.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Did you ever play football? Or any sport?

How would this be relative to identifying a situation of Bullying? Wouldn't it be better to say, have you ever been the victim of a bully? How about in the work place? In the business world? There you go... that is the line of questioning for that one! - Jeri

Those are not the question I asked. Answer the question I asked. Why the trepidation?

No trepidation, I just do not feel it is any of your business. Understand? It is has no bearing on the discussion anyhow, Unkotare. Get back on the topic please. -Jeri

 

[Unkotare]

Football is a high contact, physical sport filled with a bunch of undereducated [sic], testosterone-saturated men who beat the shit out of each other every week and enjoy it. .

"Under educated"?

More like fake educated. Dexter Manley had a degree and couldn't even read.

About half of all NFL players have college degrees. That's more than the general public.

 

[Unkotare]

How would this be relative to identifying a situation of Bullying? Wouldn't it be better to say, have you ever been the victim of a bully? How about in the work place? In the business world? There you go... that is the line of questioning for that one! - Jeri

Those are not the question I asked. Answer the question I asked. Why the trepidation?

No trepidation, I just do not feel it is any of your business. Understand? It is has no bearing on the discussion anyhow, Unkotare. Get back on the topic please. -Jeri

You just answered the question and revealed why you are afraid to address it directly.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Supposedly Incognito was on a lot of teams "do not draft" list because of his personality disorders. Also, supposedly Incognito and Martin were best friends. But sticking any player with a $30,000.00 dinner check is definitely over the top. More like extortion. Not only is the NFL going to get a black eye over this, but I won't be surprised to see congress get involved. Harassment in the work place was just voted on today in the Senate.

That was only one dinner tab.. there was a another story in the news links on this thread about a rookie being forced to pick up a tab of over 50,000.00 and this was the teams bar tab being included. In that instance I believe they said the rookie who paid the bill was not even present at the dinner. It is extortion. I agree. My sons favorite team is the Dolphins and he feels very angry over the treatment of Martin and believes the coaches should be fired. He also hopes Martin brings a lawsuit and sues the owners for allowing such practices to go on.

I believe whatever it takes to get the NFL cleaned up? They should do it. I do hope that Martin will make sure to file charges against these coaches and the players involved and that these people will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The example must be set. This is a workplace environment and as such they need to comply with the laws of the land. Just as Libary workers are expected to do. No difference. The NFL has a tremendous opportunity to say zero tolerance to bullies by making a campaign out of this and cleaning it out from within their own ranks. I hope they will step up to the plate and do just that. This story has deeply troubled many people I believe. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens to these coaches and Incognito also. - Jeri

To be clear it is against the law as it comes under "creating a hostile work environment".. the team owners are liable as well as the NFL. We'll see how they proceed now....

-Jeri

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Those are not the question I asked. Answer the question I asked. Why the trepidation?

No trepidation, I just do not feel it is any of your business. Understand? It is has no bearing on the discussion anyhow, Unkotare. Get back on the topic please. -Jeri

You just answered the question and revealed why you are afraid to address it directly.

Wrong. You already know that I am a woman. I just told you it is none of your business whether or not I've ever played any sports games. I was not afraid to tell you it wasn't any of your business and I am still not afraid to let you know it isn't any of your business. Because it isn't.

Back to the topic now, Unkotare. - Jeri

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

According to a statement from the team, “We believe in maintaining a culture of respect for one another, and as a result we believe this is in the best interests of the organization at this time.”
One young defensive player, whose privacy the Miami Herald is protecting, is on his way to going broke because he has been unable to say no to the older players, a source said.
“Everything tastes better when rookies pay for it,” veteran defensive end Jared Odrick wrote on Twitter over the weekend. “Yes, the bill would make you sick.”
Younger players were handed the tab for a $30,000 team dinner, according to a source. The rookie minimum salary this year is about $400,000.

Read more here: Sources: Miami Dolphins rookies pushed to pay up - Miami Dolphins - MiamiHerald.com

This is flat our wrong, people. It is wrong. - Jeri

 

[Unkotare]

No trepidation, I just do not feel it is any of your business. Understand? It is has no bearing on the discussion anyhow, Unkotare. Get back on the topic please. -Jeri

You just answered the question and revealed why you are afraid to address it directly.

Wrong. You already know that I am a woman.

No, I didn't know that already. Your answer and what it revealed about you remain unchanged.

 

[KevinWestern]

About half of all NFL players have college degrees. That's more than the general public.

Perhaps that statement wasn’t worded correctly, but hear me out.

Top althetes aren’t accepted into colleges for their brains, nor are they accepted onto pro teams for their brains. And when they get accepted into college, learning is often their #2 or #3 priority (and I’m talking specifically about top athletes who are bound for the pros).

I’ve built this opinion based on what I’ve experienced and heard from folks who knew top athletes at the big ten school I attended. Big athletes often missed class, missed tests, yet were given special exemptions and “help” (ie someone else did their work) to get a passing grade so that they wouldn’t get kicked out of the school.

A 20 year old who knows he’s NFL bound is hardly worried about his Chemistry exam, generally speaking of course.

My main point is not only are pro athletes not selected for their brains (which lowers the IQ of the pool), many of them also didn’t dedicate as many rigorous hours to studying as your run of the mill college student, therefore rendering the fact they "have a degree" less meaningful.

Normal student = needs to get accepted by school based on intelligence, will receive no "special exemptions" passing classes
Athlete = gets accepted to school based on physical ability, will receive "special exemptions" passing classes

Fair statement?

 

[Unkotare]

Top althetes aren’t accepted into colleges for their brains, nor are they accepted onto pro teams for their brains.

That is an inaccurate generalization.

 

[Unkotare]

many of them also didn’t dedicate as many rigorous hours to studying as your run of the mill college student

And many of them do.