Hey everyone. I know it’s been a while since I’ve blogged. Work and life have gotten in the way. So is my life at times, busy, busy, busy!
I’ve had a few people ask me my thoughts on this whole Richie Incognito / Jonathan Martin situation, and even had some ask if I was going to blog on it. Since I’ve discussed football (and sports in general and how it changes social norms) as well as bullying, I’ve had a number of people ask my opinion on the subject.
I decided, rather than just have a knee-jerk reaction to it. I’d let it play out a bit to get more of the “full story.” There are always two sides to a story, even in something as disgusting as racism and bullying. Having done so, I’ve decided there is blame to be placed on many sides. I’ve also decided that the majority of it falls at Richie Incognito’s feet, but not all of it. Some even falls at the feet of Jonathan Martin.
First, I’ll start with some background on me. Then I’ll break down how Mr. Martin should have dealt with it himself. I was bullied when I was a kid. Just like Martin, I made good grades (not claiming Stanford level smarts, but you get the idea). That wasn’t “acceptable” for me growing up in a rural area. I was picked on, and had other kids attack me. One day, I just snapped. I confronted my bully (kind of like Ralphie in A Christmas Story) I just saw blind rage! I fought back, and HARD! The bus driver actually had to stop the bus in the middle of the road and pull me off of my antagonist. After that day, that bully only tested the waters with me once more. And after standing up to him again, I had no more issues with him. I still had issues with other boys. Obviously, I couldn’t fight them all. Even if I tried, I’d eventually lose. So I started playing football. Once it became known that I could hold my own (and excel) on a football field, I was no longer bullied. Was this because I was deemed “more manly”? Was it because I was able to intimidate my bullies then? Or was it that some saw me as their equal once I took it to them on an open field? Who knows. Probably some of all options listed. Sometimes I lost on the football field. I’d get “blown up” from time to time, but peeling myself off the turf and lining up again changed that perception of me. Perhaps even gave me some respect from my former “rivals.”
I’ll even admit, that years later, as my perception changed, I was even at times capable of being a bully. Luckily, that didn’t last long, and I “grew up.” Part of that is the mentality and culture that surrounds football (but more on that later).
Now, I’ll start with Jonathan Martin. The victim in this situation. Yes, there is blame to be laid on him. Some of you may disagree, but this is how I see it from a football standpoint. Bully’s are just really insecure themselves. They pick on you because you’re “different.” Whether the color of your skin, your background, your education or “just because.” Bullies will almost always back down when confronted. Martin, while maybe “soft” in the eyes of the Miami Dolphins (it’s been suggested they assigned Incognito to “toughen him up”) is still a grown and very large man. Most of the time, just verbalizing your issues and standing up to your bully verbally will cause them to back down or give you the respect you deserve, or in a physical confrontation like I had.
Martin is smart. He’s been around football for a long time (1.5 years as a pro. 4 years of college, 4 years of high/prep school, and let’s say 5 years (probably much more) of midget league/pop warner etc.) 14-15 years! If he decided to go head-to-head with his aggressor (the method I would suggest in a football locker room). He should understand that any physical confrontation, on the field or in the locker room, will last 10 seconds or less. Your teammates will break it up faster than it started. That may have been all that was needed to get Incognito to back off. If not, there are still other avenues to deal with this before it becomes so bad you throw away your career (because it’s likely over, but more on that later too).
Martin, while feeling stuck in the Dolphins locker room because inexplicably, Incognito was on the “Leadership Team” of the Dolphins, he still had other avenues. If he decides he can’t handle the abuse he’s receiving on his own. He has his O-line coach, his Offensive Coordinator, his Head Coach. If he feels his been singled out to be “taught a lesson and toughen up” Code Red style (if you don’t understand watch the movie A Few Good Men), he still has the NFL Players Union, or even the Commissioner of Football!
He didn’t do any of this. He decided instead to take it outside of the normal “Football Culture” rules of dealing with it in-house, and made it a spectacle for all the world to watch as he walked out on his team. He should have dealt with this ahead of time. This divides a team, and makes you even more of an outcast. NFL Players around the league have stated that was wrong and wouldn’t be able to trust him as a teammate, and trust, especially on an offensive line is the most important element. Once you’re untrustworthy to your fellow teammates, you’re no longer welcome. You become an outcast. By taking the approach he has chosen, he just made matters worse for himself.
Not everyone is cut out for football, and that’s fine. But someone that’s been playing more than a decade doesn’t just quit out of the blue. And the “toughening up” should be at a minimum at that point. Which means that there are issues elsewhere in this onion.
So, let’s talk about the “Leadership” at the Miami Dolphins! The organization has a major issue if it’s placing people like Richie Incognito on it’s “Leadership Team.” The fact that no one knew anything of this, I consider a major lack of institutional control by the coaching staff as well as ownership. When a man is verbally abusing (and suggested) physically assaulting a team member, it’s up to his brothers on the team to take care of him. That’s the definition of team.
For the entire team, to now rally around the bully rather than the victim says a lot too. None of them are man enough to say anything, because at this point, you’re an accessory after the fact to the bullying if you didn’t do anything about it! When you read the transcripts of the voicemail (shortly) how can you label this guy a “jokester” and a “good guy”??
You also can’t tell me that a man with the emotional issues of Richie Incognito will be smart enough to keep it under wraps while in the facilities and leaving voicemails and texts like he was is, well, bullsh-t. There had to be ‘stuff’ going on at the facilities. We can’t be talking about “normal hazing”. I have no problem at all with rookies carrying pads, lugging water coolers, having their heads shaved etc. That’s once again, part of the “Football Culture.” (no matter how disgusting to some of those reading this)
But there are reports out today (which I doubt) from Martin’s lawyer that he was viciously attacked in the locker room by another player. I believe this is blown out of proportion due to my previous comment about a football fight won’t last but seconds because everyone will jump in to break it up. However, if true, there would be an athletic trainer, coach, clubhouse manager, or water boy that would have seen it. It should have been reported without fear of reprisals! If the Dolphins locker room is anywhere close to the house of horrors that it sounds it has become, the team, coaches and ownership should all be dealt with as far as the NFL Commissioners powers will allow. There also should be some level of local, state and federal law that will be applicable here as well.
Finally, Richie Incognito, the racist, bigotted, bullying piece of sh-t that he is. Let’s first look at his laundry list of past issues (exhibits A-I):
Richie Incognito Timeline
A timeline of notable incidents involving offensive lineman Richie Incognito, in both his college and professional careers:
| Date | Incident |
|---|---|
| Oct. 2013 | Suspended indefinitely by Dolphins after alleged harassment of teammate Jonathan Martin |
| Aug. 2013 | Texans DE Antonio Smith suspended for Week 1 for swinging helmet at Incognito during game |
| Dec. 2011 | Raiders DT Richard Seymour fined $30,000 for punching Incognito during game |
| Dec. 2009 | Released by Rams two days after being penalized twice for personal fouls and arguing with coach Steve Spagnuolo during game against Titans |
| 2009 season | Voted NFL’s “dirtiest player” in poll of NFL players by Sporting News |
| Oct. 2004 | Dismissed from Oregon football program after transferring to school in September |
| Sept. 2004 | Suspended indefinitely by Nebraska coach Bill Callahan for repeated violations of team rules |
| June 2004 | Convicted of misdemeanor assault charge stemming from incident at party in February |
| Spring 2003 | Suspended by Nebraska coach Frank Solich (reinstated prior to season) |
How any team could put this man on their “Leadership Team” is beyond me. When the football culture is, you keep it “in-house” and people are voting you the dirtiest player in football, you need to be watched like a hawk. Not put in charge of anything! How do you get so far under an opponents skin that they remove their helmet during a game and take a swing at you??
Then, let’s just work with what we know to be fact. The voicemail for instance from Incognito to Martin (signs of not being smart enough to handle his emotions and keep it out of the locker room – exhibit J)
“Hey, wassup, you half n—– piece of s—. I saw you on Twitter, you been training 10 weeks. [I want to] s— in your f—ing mouth. [I’m going to] slap your f—ing mouth. [I’m going to] slap your real mother across the face [laughter]. F— you, you’re still a rookie. I’ll kill you.”
This language is not that of a good guy, or is it ever a joke! This is bordering hate crime. Racial intimidation, and threats of murder. That’s not the language of a jokester and certainly not the language of a “good guy.” This isn’t even “toughening” a guy up, that’s handled through “bull in the ring” drills or other things of that sort. It’s not threats of death and racial rants!
Incognito, even threatened members of the press for reporting on this (exhibits K-N)-
Exhibit K:
Richie incognito ✔@68INCOGNITO
@espn @CBSSports @NBCSports @FOXSports @ProFootballTalk I want my name CLEARED
@espn shame on you for attaching my name to false speculation. I won’t be holding my breathe for an apology
@AdamSchefter Stop slandering my name. You hide behind “sources” who are not man enough to put their name behind the BS you report
@AdamSchefter Enough is enough If you or any of the agents you sound off for have a problem with me, you know where to find me #BRINGIT
polarbearmusings 