Incognito suspended indefinitely by Dolphins

[jmt57]

Here are today's tweets from Dolphins beat writer Jeff Darlington, all within the last hour:

I count 89 members of the media. If this was a "normal" Wednesday before a midseason game against a bad Bucs team? Maybe a dozen.

Joe Philbin cites NFL investigation as reason why he will not comment on any aspects or details of this Incognito/Martin situation.

Did coaching staff view Martin as someone who needed to be toughened up? "Jonathan Martin came in here and worked hard every single day."

Ryan Tannehill: "If you asked Jonathan Martin who his best friend is on this team two weeks ago, he'd say Richie Incognito."

Tannehill has strong words about the relationship between Incognito and Martin, noting Incognito was always first to be at Martin's side.

In reference to the prank that occurred before Martin left team, Tannehill says the team played the same prank on Tannehill multiple times.

Do not discount Tannehill's sentiment. He knows this team, and these players, better than you do. And he put his name behind his words.​

 

[Deus Irae]

Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Jonathan Martin recently checked himself into a South Florida hospital to be treated for emotional distress that led the second-year player to leave the team last week, league sources told ESPN.

"Before, he wasn't around Nebraska, LSU kind of guys," Eumont, a former Tulane offensive guard, told the Palm Beach Post. "He's always been around Stanford, Duke, Rice kind of players."

Eumont told the paper he hasn't spoken with Martin since he left the Dolphins last week, but he said he could see how the team might not welcome Martin back in the locker room after Incognito's suspension.

"In locker rooms full of Nebraska, LSU, Southern Cal players, Miami players -- they'll look at this as a weakness," Eumont told the paper.

Jonathan Martin checked himself into a hospital after leaving the Miami Dolphins - ESPN

A source said Martin has tried dealing with a slew of indignities that crossed into personal and family insults, including being bestowed with the nickname of “Big Weirdo.”

The Miami Dolphins Bullied Lineman Jonathan Martin, So He Left the Team | The Big Lead

 

[ausbacker]

This thread is filled with compelling reading.

 

[Brady'sArmy]

seems like martin was singled out by the rest of the team and ganged up on.

what a topsy curvy world do these athletes live in, where fair is foul and foul is fair, the educated thoughtful son of lawyers is demeaned while college dropout with checkered past is defended and heralded.

 

[Kontradiction]

Jonathan Martin checked himself into a hospital after leaving the Miami Dolphins - ESPN



The Miami Dolphins Bullied Lineman Jonathan Martin, So He Left the Team | The Big Lead

I think the second quote is the most important one. If Martin was somewhat sheltered with his experiences then going into a locker room full of those kinds of meathead personalities would have been an extreme culture shock. Some people, mentally, aren't equipped to handle that while some people are.

 

[MUFC7]

Andrew Abramson ?@AbramsonPBP

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

This is what I think is the most telling tweet of them all. Not one well run franchise would allow something like that. Not even Brady dared to talk about Hernandez even though he said he wanted to. This organisation lacks a leader, in the locker room AND on the sidelines. I mean the Patriots are known for that kind of thing but I think at the most well run franchises they wouldn't dare to speak up for Incognito.

 

[Kontradiction]

This thread is filled with compelling reading.

This is the perfect bye week thread. We can only hope this continues into next week.

 

[shmessy]

Maybe. Or maybe they just knew the immediate backlash was going to be bad because the general public, by and large, has a huge problem with waiting for the full story to unfold before they come after someone with torches and pitchforks, and decided to suspend him to control that. If the seven month old voicemail, it's tone, and it's context were really that bad, the real question is why they haven't cut Incognito yet...

So they sent the pitchforks in Incognito's direction? That wouldn't be ok.

Their suspension announcement read:

“The Miami Dolphins have suspended Richie Incognito for conduct detrimental to the team. We believe in maintaining a culture of respect for one another and as a result we believe this decision is in the best interest of the organization at this time. As we noted earlier, we reached out to the NFL to conduct an objective and thorough review. We will continue to work with the league on this matter.”

They stated "conduct detrimental to the team" - - that IS letting someone to hang out to dry. They could have left that out and just said "it is in the best interests of the team to suspend while we further investigate". But no, they wrote "for conduct detrimental to the team".

 

[Kontradiction]

Andrew Abramson ?@AbramsonPBP

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

This is what I think is the most telling tweet of them all. Not one well run franchise would allow something like that. Not even Brady dared to talk about Hernandez even though he said he wanted to. This organisation lacks a leader, in the locker room AND on the sidelines. I mean the Patriots are known for that kind of thing but I think at the most well run franchises they wouldn't dare to speak up for Incognito.

The Dolphins are not a well run franchise by any stretch of the imagination. From their side show of an owner on down. That said, this could also be a product of a team wanting to get the back of a guy that's being badly slandered by the media and public. It's very telling that there was supposedly "racism" involved in this and the majority of the players coming to Incognito's defense are African-Americans.

 

[Deus Irae]

Andrew Abramson ?@AbramsonPBP

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

This is what I think is the most telling tweet of them all. Not one well run franchise would allow something like that. Not even Brady dared to talk about Hernandez even though he said he wanted to. This organisation lacks a leader, in the locker room AND on the sidelines. I mean the Patriots are known for that kind of thing but I think at the most well run franchises they wouldn't dare to speak up for Incognito.

You find the most telling tweet of them all to be the one where a player wants to clear the name of another player who's been accused of racism, and the players are willing to risk retribution in order to try clearing someone of what's become the scarlet "R", and you think that's the sign of a poorly run franchise, as opposed to players stepping up and doing what they think is the right thing?

Some of you people simply cannot be serious.

 

[Kontradiction]

So they sent the pitchforks in Incognito's direction? That wouldn't be ok.

The reports were already coming out about Incognito. So the pitchforks were already on their way.

Their suspension announcement read:

“The Miami Dolphins have suspended Richie Incognito for conduct detrimental to the team. We believe in maintaining a culture of respect for one another and as a result we believe this decision is in the best interest of the organization at this time. As we noted earlier, we reached out to the NFL to conduct an objective and thorough review. We will continue to work with the league on this matter.”

Any NFL team suspending someone has to give a reason for it.

They stated "conduct detrimental to the team" - - that IS letting someone to hang out to dry. They could have left that out and just said "it is in the best interests of the team to suspend while we further investigate". But no, they wrote "for conduct detrimental to the team".

To that point, the only thing they had was a voicemail with no context behind it. As the layers start to peel back on this story, you're starting to see more and more locker room presences rally to Incognito's back. Like I said, the real question is: if the voicemail was that bad and that damning, why didn't they just up and cut Incognito?

 

[Kontradiction]

Omar Kelly ? @OmarKelly
"We joke with each other. You can't have thin skin around here," Starks said. "Way we joke around is different than things in corp office."

Omar Kelly is a Dolphins reporter.

 

[Deus Irae]

I ask randy Starks who is aware of voicemail whether Richie Incognito is a racist: "No, not at all."

https://twitter.com/ArmandoSalguero/status/398220496262942720

 

[ausbacker]

This is the perfect bye week thread. We can only hope this continues into next week.

It's really interesting to see the support that Incognito appears to be getting from current players and the amount who are saying Martin needs to man up. That said, I just heard Chris Canty say he wouldn't play with Incognito. Personally, I don't mind the "hazing" of players but I do believe Incognito has crossed the line with his verbal diarrhoea.

This whole situation says more to me about the systematic failure of the Dolphins as an organisation than anything else. I refuse to believe that people in the organisation didn't know a thing.

The difficulty in this situation is we know what Incognitio is like on the field. He has developed a reputation for being dirty and a prick. When he's attached to an issue as such, naturally, aspersions will be made.

It'll be interesting to see what comes of this whole thing.

 

[Deus Irae]

This is odd. Last thing I ever expected was an ANGRY Dolphins locker room. Players are pissed off they are being put through this.

https://twitter.com/OmarKelly/status/398221089215483904

"Two guys are your teammates,so its always tough. It is not about picking sides. Its about telling what's the truth & not the truth"Hartline

https://twitter.com/OmarKelly/status/398231230585401344

Hartline: The use of the N word it's depicted and used in terms where it can offend or not offend. It can be taken completely out of context

https://twitter.com/AbramsonPBP/status/398232058222239744

Harltine on voice mail: "If I'm not mistaken, (Martin) is the same guy who was laughing about this voice mail at one point in time."

https://twitter.com/AbramsonPBP/status/398230810655850496

John Jerry said the prank that set off Martin was done to everyone on o-line and they always had a good laugh about it.

https://twitter.com/AbramsonPBP/status/398221692088356864

Randy Starks said Dion Jordan and Jon Martin got into it at practice one day and Incognito came in to back up Martin.

https://twitter.com/AbramsonPBP/status/398222297410310144

Brian Hartline on media onslaught: "Now we're able to say our opinion and really protect ourselves from being bullied by you guys."

https://twitter.com/AbramsonPBP/status/398228636412551168

 

[MUFC7]

You find the most telling tweet of them all to be the one where a player wants to clear the name of another player who's been accused of racism, and the players are willing to risk retribution in order to try clearing someone of what's become the scarlet "R", and you think that's the sign of a poorly run franchise, as opposed to players stepping up and doing what they think is the right thing?

Some of you people simply cannot be serious.

Yes, I do think so. After all it's their damn job and the Dolphins are still paying for their checks. I don't know where you work, but even if think that one of my colleagues is being treated wrong by his former employer and is now a scapegoat in the national media, I simply have to shut up and focus on MY job. They could've told all of that the media as anonym locker guy who is aware of the situation and if more would've told it would've been more credible. You could've stood up for your friend/teammate and still don't go against the wishes of your employer.

Second, I don't judge something until I have heard both sides on a fair basis. I have Martin on one side, who has a very serious case against Incognito and Incongnito with the support of the locker room. So far all I can say it sounds there are deep problems in this locker room and that Incognito was liked amongst his peers. Nothing more, nothing less. When both side have fielded their arguments and represented their opinion about it all, THEN I think we have far more telling tweets, but so far I say this was the most telling thing about the Dolphins and this whole locker room and Icognito/Martin thing

 

[Deus Irae]

@AdamHBeasley @J_Martin71... I took this about a month ago. Night before saints game.

https://twitter.com/Bresnahan/status/398226784229269504/photo/1

 

[Kontradiction]

And in the span of an hour and a half, Jon Martin's credibility has just been totally annihilated. This is why you, hold on...

THIS IS WHY YOU WAIT FOR MORE DETAILS TO EMERGE.

 

[Deus Irae]

Yes, I do think so. After all it's their damn job and the Dolphins are still paying for their checks. I don't know where you work, but even if think that one of my colleagues is being treated wrong by his former employer and is now a scapegoat in the national media, I simply have to shut up and focus on MY job. They could've told all of that the media as anonym locker guy who is aware of the situation and if more would've told it would've been more credible. You could've stood up for your friend/teammate and still don't go against the wishes of your employer.

Second, I don't judge something until I have heard both sides on a fair basis. I have Martin on one side, who has a very serious case against Incognito and Incongnito with the support of the locker room. So far all I can say it sounds there are deep problems in this locker room and that Incognito was liked amongst his peers. Nothing more, nothing less. When both side have fielded their arguments and represented their opinion about it all, THEN I think we have far more telling tweets, but so far I say this was the most telling thing about the Dolphins and this whole locker room and Icognito/Martin thing

Stop... You went on comparing it to the Patriots and denigrating it because players are defending a fellow player against charges of racism. That's about as ridiculous as it gets.

 

[GrogansArmy]

I'm not sure why many of you seem to think its a big deal (and possibly malicious) that Martin kept voice mails from months ago. If this was early 00's I could understand it as back then voice mail had tapes that filled up and you had to erase the messages before more could be stored.

However most people now have smart phones which can store thousands of vmails without making a dent in the memory. I myself have voice mails from when the iPhone first came out way back in 2007. I've just not been bothered to delete them as there hasn't been any need to delete them.