300 lb NFL lineman bullying on facebook or text messages or whatever.

Totally rediculus,they are like a bunch of teenage girls. I would of loved to see that Incognito pick on Tony Siragusa,Goose would have squashed him like a bug.

 

Oprah has officially pussified our entire country.

 

I get your point, but I don't think of Martin as a pussy for walkin', I think he just "had enough"... yeah he's a big guy, who can apparently block and protect given the rules of the game, but some of these guys are just major-league bad-asses. Go onto TMZ and check the short video of a drunk, shirtless Incognito ranting and running around the bar... you wanna mess with him? A lot of info apparently is still left to come out about this, but apparently there were/are others involved to some extent as well. Martin's got a Stanford degree and comes from an educated family and maybe he just decided the NFL isn't for him... sounds like he's got options.

I doubt anything illegal has happened, but if you're part of the leadership of the Miami Dolphins, is this the kinda shit you need goin' on? I don't think so. I'm cool with the whole "hey rookie, carry my pads" stuff", but this sounds like a case of a bully who found someone worth picking' on and just kept doin' it and doin' it, while others either participated to some extent or at least enjoyed the show. These guys are professional athletes, earning a ton of dough, but many are just street thug bad-asses who do what they know.

 

Some people are such freaking babies.

 

I think it took a lot for Martin to walk. He is giving up a career and taking a beating to his reputation. I dont think he is a pussified baby, but rather being brave after being pushed too far. He will suffer judgement for the rest of his life sadly. I suspect he is the first brave person to step out and we will hear more of these stories come to light.

Football is his job. Its not some tough boys-anything-goes-club - its a job. If someone from my job (or anyone actually) left voicemails calling me a n-word, threatening to shit in my mouth and kill me.... I should be ok with it? I would not. Football is a JOB. This is harassment and inappropriate.

Maybe because the word "bully" has been used and this word goes more often with teenage behaviour rather than grown adult behaviour and that Martin is 300+lbs we see it as something less than it is. It harassment no matter who you are, how big and tough you are. Football is a sport and the NFL is supposed to have professionals - on and off the field.

Its 2013 and times have changed. Codes of conducts exist and standards of behaviour are expected. Good natured mutual pranking is one thing, but making a person's job and life a living hell is a whole other thing. My 2 cents.

 

I really hope you're talking about Incognito with this comment....

 

After reading the article, I felt like "bullying" was probably the wrong word to describe what was going on....sounded almost like extortion to me.

 

the Dolphins organization should be proud

 

Why didn't he just punch Icognito's lights out?

Something very odd about this situation.

As much as I dislike Dez Bryant, he did tell the vet's in rookie year camp in no uncertain terms that he was not playing the hazing game.

 

It's hard for me to feel bad for someone that refuses to stand up for themselves. Mr. Martin has a weak mind.

When the going gets tough, go home and cry?

 

Good stuff.

 

Good points Sonya.

Bullies are pathetic losers. But the victims of the bully are also to blame. These victims willingly play the role of someone that will take the abuse with no threat of retaliation.

The targets of the bully must take a stand. At 300+lbs, Mr Martin has the ability to pack one hell of a punch. Instead he chose to quit the team.

It takes guts to fight back, especially when your opponent is tougher than you. But, IT WORKS!

 

What you've stated in absolutely true IMHO, I know, I lived it when young. The middle school I attended in Akron was 85% black (I'm white). I only mention this because it was probably the prime reason I was targeted, at least if the comments that were made were any indication. This was shortly after MLK was killed and race-relations were "strained" to say the least, but I was like 12 and entering 7th grade. Several elementary school's graduates were merged into this school, so it was a time for "finding oneself".

Anyways, not long after school started, I found myself cornered at my locker by three-(3) guys demanding my lunch money. Only one was my size, and the mouthy aggressor was quite a bit smaller actually, but had the look of being much older. I was intimidated. I gave it to them. This went on 2-3 times a week for the next month I guess. I never said anything to anyone, but I was feeling pretty down. One day, and I didn't plan this, I said "NO" (I like to eat, still do...) and I meant it. The aggressor got right in my face, I'm sure he felt he needed to in front of his "crew". He pushed me back into the locker and I came back with everything I had right square in the nose. We went to the ground and I got the best of him in the short squabble till a teacher broke up. I actually broke his nose. Of course, the trip to the vice-principal's
office followed.

I felt an empowerment that I still remember well to this day. I was, of course warned, that he was "gonna get me back"... never happened... later in the same school year he was transferred to another school for disciplinary reasons (imagine that) and I didn't see him again till high-school. Didn't say a word to me and in fact, he was killed in a robbery attempt during our senior year. I received a lot of respect from others for what I did and a true sense of confidence as well. I went on to be one of 2 white guys (out of 70 some) on our high-school football team and played 2 years of college ball (DII) as well, so I've been in my share of locker rooms and never had another issue of this type.

BUT.. I sincerely don't believe that's the only or necessarily the correct way to handle things. My son is 25 now and 6'5" and 275lbs and he wouldn't hurt a flea. He's powerful, but as unaggressive as anyone I've ever met in my life and he's OK with it... so am I...

While your view is one way to deal with it and a way I chose when I was very young, I'm not at all positive it has a place in a civilized, adult society. Maybe that's just my Pollyanna way of looking at things though.

 

So you are advocating violence to solve your problems? That is a slippery slope in this day and age when physically violent altercations often times lead to gunshots (Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman is a recent example).

You really think that two 330 pound men at peak physical condition should fist-fight to solve their problems? I don't even know where to start with your comments. All Jonathan Martin wants to do is come to work and do his job without being bullied/extorted/tormented. Is that too much to ask? According to you it's Martin's fault that he was treated this way. That is shocking and laughable to me, but judging by other comments in this thread, you are not alone in your thinking. What the fuck is happening to our society??

Furthermore, if you think a simple fist-fight would end the issue, you are certainly mistaken. The only thing a fight would do is make things even worse for Martin, as Incognito would probably win the fight and then increase his bullying/tormenting/extortion.

 

Bullying happens to children. This is a case of harassment. Stop using the word bullying to discuss this topic.

 

Yes, we are talking about a 6'5", 312 pound Stanford graduate. He can take care of himself, and if he chooses to do that by leaving an undesirable environment, so be it.

 

I have a friend that is truly a badass. He is a former special forces guy who went back to school and now is an IT consultant; about as far away from the action now as one can imagine. He mentioned yesterday that Martin did the right thing. What good would have come out of it if he punched Incognito? He might have received short term gratification but the long term ramifications could be severe. Incognito was a veteran who had the coaches' ears. It is Martin's career who may have been over. The situation did not warrant fighting.

My friend mentioned on several occasions he was in situations, usually at bars, where someone wanted to take a poke at him or one of his friends. While he is not a big guy, he could have easily taken down the instigator. Instead, he walked away or had the people kicked out of the bar. Why get hit with the possibility of felony assault for destroying some jerk.

 

^^^ this. I dont think throwing punches solves it. Next step we end up with a gunfight??

Also, people need to be responsible for their own behaviour - if someone is bullying you, its NOT your fault! The person doing the bullying is responsible. There are decisions to be made on how to handle it (like fighting back, or leaving, or reporting it etc etc), but by no means is it the bullied persons fault.

I personally think Martin is brave, not weak-minded. He has taken the smart way out. He has being paying a price as the bullied and will pay a price in the future for his decision to leave and out the person/team. The fallout from this will be great and Incognito and any others who have contributed to this situation will pay, whether by job, reputation or cold hard cash. And it is THEIR fault.

I may have a minority opinion here based on others thoughts.

 

Both of their NFL careers are over. One for being a bigoted piece of shit and sadly one for going to the players union. I just don't see any players ever forgetting or accepting either of these moves. I don't know what Martin's best move was but I dint understand how veterans allowed this and also the low tier coaches. I blame Mike Wallace and the others for not squashing this instantly.