<p>[Three</a> Former NFL Stars Diagnosed With Telltale Signs of CTE | League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis | FRONTLINE | PBS](<a href=“http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sports/league-of-denial/three-former-nfl-stars-diagnosed-with-telltale-signs-of-cte/]Three”>Three Former NFL Stars Diagnosed With Telltale Signs of CTE | FRONTLINE)</p>
<p>How much brain damage do you think Incognito already has?</p>
<p>Quite a bit.
[Richie</a> Incognito, Jonathan Martin, and the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal - Grantland](<a href=“http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9939308/richie-incognito-jonathan-martin-miami-dolphins-bullying-scandal]Richie”>» Man Up)</p>
<p>[Jonathan</a> Martin’s attorney reveals a vile threat from Dolphins teammate | NJ.com](<a href=“http://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/11/jonathan_martins_attorney_reveals_a_vile_threat_from_dolphins_teammate.html]Jonathan”>Jonathan Martin's attorney drops a bombshell: a vile threat allegedly from Dolphins teammate - nj.com)
^When the entire story gets told, some people are going to be shocked. Other people will excuse it as s “boys will be boys” mentality. IMO—from what I’ve read thus far, the treatment of this man by the team was disgusting. And yes, I blame the team and the coach for allowing and possibly promoting this so-called “toughen him up” program.</p>
<p>What an awesome story! Thanks!!
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<p>The NFL is having a bad couple of years from a PR point of view. Will Incognito claim that CTE made him do it? I like to watch the game too but the CTE problems in particular are chilling. Plus all the other incidents of hazing and violence. </p>
<p>[Miami</a> Dolphins? Richie Incognito bullying allegations are the latest in long list of NFL problems - The Washington Post](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/richie-incognito-bullying-allegations-are-the-latest-in-long-list-of-nfl-problems/2013/11/06/a29f48a0-46fe-11e3-b6f8-3782ff6cb769_story.html]Miami”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/richie-incognito-bullying-allegations-are-the-latest-in-long-list-of-nfl-problems/2013/11/06/a29f48a0-46fe-11e3-b6f8-3782ff6cb769_story.html)</p>
<p>Okay, I have a couple of things to get off of my chest and then (I hope) I’m done.</p>
<p>First, all of this talk about problems with the macho atmosphere in NFL locker rooms comes under the heading of “I’m shocked, Rickey, that there is gambling going on here.” The job of NFL football players is essentially to win intense bar fights every week. The players are people who like the bar fights, and the people who are going get the most respect are those who are particularly valuable in the bar fights. Now, many of the traits that make a person valuable in a bar fight are not particularly attractive in other contexts. But it is what it is, and to expect otherwise is simply unrealistic.</p>
<p>But what I find particularly galling is the effort by some to paint Jonathan Martin as a sainted, helpless victim who was singled out for “bullying.” (Jason Whitlock even described him as carrying on the legacy of Martin Luther King). The closest thing that we have to an objective account paints a quite different picture.</p>
<p>[Richie</a> Incognito never bullied Jonathan Martin, Lydon Murtha says | The MMQB with Peter King](<a href=“http://mmqb.si.com/2013/11/07/richie-incognito-jonathan-martin-dolphins-lydon-murtha/]Richie”>http://mmqb.si.com/2013/11/07/richie-incognito-jonathan-martin-dolphins-lydon-murtha/)</p>
<p>Let me give you a counter-narrative of the Jonathan Martin story. Up until two years ago, Jonathan Martin was “The Man.” He had probably been the alpha dog all of his life. But then he got to the NFL, where the players had as much athletic ability as him and in many cases were apparently tougher. (And more willing to put in the effort–Martin skipped two OTAs) He also hated the atmosphere, and the fact that people like Richie Incognito had more respect than him despite their “character flaws.” Now Martin could have decided that because he hated the atmosphere the NFL wasn’t. Instead, he decided to whine about how “its not fay-ur” and throw his entire team under the bus.</p>
<p>But while no professional football team in their right mind will touch him with a ten foot pole after this performance, weep not for Jonathan Martin. While I’m by no means certain that, in the abstract, Martin should be able to maintain a suit for racial harassment, his attorney will no doubt be able to extract a substantial settlement from the Dolphins (the league may chip in as well, just to help put this behind them.) Then he can probably become a motivational speaker telling kids how to deal with bullies or something. Maybe there will even be a book deal and a movie. And all the time he’ll be able to tell himself that he would have been an all pro if he hadn’t been mistreated.</p>
<p>Sweet.</p>
<p>Now that the report on the incident is out, ESPN columnists are writing about it again:
<a href=“Le Batard: Why is Miami siding with Richie Incognito and not Jonathan Martin, the victim? - ESPN”>http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/10462076/why-miami-siding-richie-incognito-not-jonathan-martin-victim</a></p>
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<p>Apparently, ESPN columnist Bill Williamson thinks that at least one team may be interested.
<a href=“Will 49ers be Jonathan Martin’s next team? - ESPN - San Francisco 49ers Blog- ESPN”>http://espn.go.com/blog/san-francisco-49ers/post/_/id/5199/will-49ers-be-jonathan-martins-next-team</a></p>
<p>“Those who know Incognito say he gets his fire from his father, Richard Sr., the son of an Italian father and German mother who immigrated to the United States. Richard likes to tell the story of the Incognito name: When his father was processed at Ellis Island, he said he did not want to keep his family name, so the official bestowed upon him the name “Incognito.””&</p>
<p>Cute story, but it can’t be true, because no one had a name bestowed on them at Ellis Island. Their names were checked off a passenger list / manifest prepared in the old country. And there were plenty of interpreters standing around. The officials didn’t “bestow” any names on anyone, and even if they had, people could walk out of there and take on any name they chose. Sorry, this drives us amateur genealogists crazy, this stupid myth that someone’s name was changed at ELlis Island. Carry on.</p>
<p>I don’t care about football, but read the Wells report, and this Incognito is a scum. No excuse. What a loser. </p>
<p>The report does not present any evidence that the 49ers are interested. It simply speculates that they might be.
A football locker room is populated by people who are almost literally going to war together. In that context, you are suggesting that the team bring in a marginal player (he had lost his starting job in Miami) who threw his former teammates–not just Incognito but all of them–under the bus essentially because his feelings were badly hurt, albeit by behavior that most of us in CC land would consider unacceptable Seriously?</p>
<p>Martin’s insistence that he wishes to continue to play pro football are very convenient as part of a litigation strategy. Drives up damages and settlement value. I am not saying that he is consciously lying–just that it is convenient.</p>
<p>I heard Indy may be a landing place for him. If the QB in Indy has his back or the coach in SF he can make it in those places. If he is good enough. He was playing poorly before he left Miami.</p>
<p>Why would a coach or GM want to take a chance on a marginal player who is going to be hated in the locker room from the moment he walks in?</p>
<p>EMM1 – Because the coach or GM wasn’t buying into the “blame the victim” theory you apparently purchased?</p>
<p>Tom, is it possible he was playing poorly in Miami because he was getting death threats from the guy standing next to him? I’d think that would be a tad distracting.</p>
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<p>As far as “marginal” goes, he was still on an NFL team (although not a very good one), so he was on the margin between starter and backup, not backup and cut. As far as the “hated in the locker room” goes, it is not necessarily the case that every football team locker room is like that of the Dolphins.</p>
<p>LasMa yes and that is why I think he will get another opportunity.</p>
<p>If I am a GM or a coach, the only questions that I am asking are a) is this guy likely to help my team and b) if he can, can I get someone for the same money who is likely to help my team more.</p>
<p>Against this background, let’s look at Jonathan Martin</p>
<p>We can quibble about the precise characterization of his play, but we can all agree that he has shown no indication that he is likely to be a really good player in the league. I’m willing to agree for the sake of argument that he has the physical ability to help the team in some degree. But there are going to be any number of options out there who also have that ability. Moreover, there is a significant possibility that he will create a BIG problem in the locker room–the kind of problem that could undermine any contribution that he otherwise might hypothetically be able to make on the field. On this point, the question is not whether Martin was justified in his reaction to the situation in Miami, but instead the question of how the other members of the team are likely to react to him. See this article from a Martin supporter</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/15/3938600/dan-le-batard-understanding-miami.html”>http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/15/3938600/dan-le-batard-understanding-miami.html</a></p>
<p>Now, I suppose that it is POSSIBLE that Martin’s presence will not create a major problem in the locker room. But as a GM, why would I take the risk when I almost certainly have other options that don’t have Martin’s track record.</p>
<p>Note that my argument has nothing to do with the question of right and wrong in the Miami situation. it is simply a cold-blooded risk reward calculation, which is what GM are supposed to do.</p>
<p>Isn’t it sometimes good for ticket sales to have some controversy and gossip about a team? Maybe having Martin on the team will lead to people talking about the team which will lead to ticket sales. I think what goes on in the locker room can be controlled and ticket sales should take priority from the owner’s perspective.</p>
<p>"football locker room is populated by people who are almost literally going to war together. "</p>
<p>Oh spare me. They aren’t “going to war.” They’re playing a game. That’s all it is. Anyone who takes it any more seriously than that is an idiot. </p>
<p>It’s abominable how you suggest “Martin may create a problem” in a new team locker room. Incognito created the problem. Your defense of it is appalling. Whatever credibility you ever had on CC is gone. This is just not defensible. This isn’t “yo mama” teasing. </p>
<p>Sorry if my assessment of Jonathan Martin and refusal to jump on the chattering class bandwagon offends your PC sensibilities. But if you will look at my posts on this subject, you will not find a single word that defended anything that Richie Incognito did. As for your characterization of football, in one sense you are right. It is just a game. But it is a violent game, akin to a street fight on every play. So I think the “going to war” analogy is not far off.</p>
<p>In any event, if I am a GM, it doesn’t matter what you think or I think. The only thing that should and does matter is what will helpthe team. And on that point I stand by my assessment.</p>