The Mess in Miami

The NFL is taking another one on the chin-this time with the Miami Dolphins. Jonathan Martin, a 320-pound offensive lineman, has left the team after what he called unbearable bullying from his teammates-specifically another offensive lineman with the now-improbable name of Richie Incognito.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/04/us/nfl-dolphins-richie-incognito-suspended/

Incognito has now been suspended from the team and will likely never play with the Dolphins again, nor possibly with any other team. A video has just come out showing this knuckle dragger going on a shirtless rant in a Florida nightclub (graphic language).

http://www.tmz.com/2013/11/04/richie-incognito-n-word-bar-rage-video

Sportscaster Jim Gray has written a column asking how a 320-pound NFL player could ever be bullied. Seems like a good question, but who is to say a football player cannot be sensitive? At any rate, Incognito's alleged actions including text messages calling Martin a "half-N-word", are outrageous. How does a white player get away with that from his black teammates? (who, for the most part, seem to be defending him) Maybe it was just good-natured bantering between black and white teammates, but it seems Martin didn't take it that way.

Then there is the argument that hazing rookies is part of the NFL culture. Not having been a football player (I played baseball in college), I can't say. I do remember as a fan always hearing about the rituals NFL rookies had to go through with every team like singing their university fight song in the team dining hall and carrying the veterans' shoulder pads. It seems, however, that the old tradition has gotten way out of hand. Forcing rookies to pay for expensive meals in restaurants to the tune of $30,000 and trips to Vegas? Threatening them with violence and calling them racial epithets? Clearly some intervention is in order. It seems that Miami head coach Joe Philbin was asleep on the job.  Or worse.  Now it is being alleged that coaches told Incognito to toughen Martin up.

It also goes to the issue of what kind of individuals teams are bringing into their communities, as exemplified by Incognito's rant in the Florida bar. Maybe I should be more realistic given the violent nature of professional football, but it seems to me that teams have more of a responsibility to the communities in which they operate than to bring thugs into town.

When I was living in Pittsburgh in the late 80s, the Steelers had a rookie, who will remain unnamed. He had a good rookie year and seemed to be on his way to a solid NFL career. Yet, there were stories about him acting like a thug off the field-parking his car late at night in front of bars with the music going full blast as if daring anyone to complain. Within a couple of years, he was out of Pittsburgh and soon out of the NFL. I know the Steelers are now desperate for offensive lineman, but I sincerely hope they don't bring Incognito to Pittsburgh.

This is clearly an issue that the NFL needs to address.