Miami's Martin leaves team after 'emotional breakdown'

[Mr. Laz]

Jonathan Martin leaves Dolphins after 'breakdown'

By Dan Hanzus
Around the League Writer
Published: Oct. 30, 2013 at 06:39 p.m. Updated: Oct. 30, 2013 at 07:00 p.m.
An unusual situation is unfolding in Miami, where Dolphins right tackle Jonathan Martin has left the team after suffering an "emotional breakdown" this week.

NFL Media's Jeff Darlington reported Wednesday that Martin is currently seeking help with his family after an incident at the team's cafeteria, according to team sources.

Martin is listed on the team's injury report with an illness, and is doubtful to play Thursday against the Cincinnati Bengals. Fox NFL insider Jay Glazer reported that Martin was the victim of a prank at the cafeteria, becoming enraged enough to "smash his food tray on the ground."

The second-year pro has not been with the team since that time. Darlington reports that Martin immediately sought treatment at a local hospital. He has since left the hospital and is now spending time with his family, according to team sources.

Martin opened the season as the Dolphins' replacement for Jake Long at left tackle. He was moved to right tackle when the team acquired Bryant McKinnie via trade last week. Tyson Clabo is expected to start in Martin's place on Thursday.

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[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

My guess is Mike Wallace had no clue what was really going on.

Or he was hoping to borrow Incognito's Jet Ski.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Hooties two white knights now white knighting Richie Incognito What's up with the need to defend douche bags?

I'm not defending Incognito. I'm sure he's guilty and hope he never draws another NFL paycheck. I'm defending the paradigm that looking at all sides of a story is never worse than only getting one version.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by tk13

I can't believe people are using Mike Wallace as a barometer of anything. This is the same guy who pouted after the Dolphins won in week 1 because he only had 1 catch.

It's patteeu.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

My guess is Mike Wallace had no clue what was really going on.

Yeah. Wallace doesn't know what's up here...but you do.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

It's patteeu.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

I'm not defending Incognito. I'm sure he's guilty and hope he never draws another NFL paycheck. I'm defending the paradigm that looking at all sides of a story is never worse than only getting one version.

So you feel it's best to wait to be sure Martin isn't involved in dog fighting, an Osama Bin Laden supporter or a pillowbiter before jumping to conclusions?

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Obvious red herring is obvious.

I'm not the one who mentioned his absence of a girlfriend/wife as though it is relevant to this story. Does it matter if Incognito is a homophobe in addition to being a racist? Does that make him less heinous? What relevance does Martin's sexuality have to the story?

No, you're not the one who mentioned those things, I did. You're the one who thinks this is unspeakable, remember.

What relevance does a life insurance policy of person who dies supsciously have when someone thinks the beneficiary might have committed murder? Understanding the motive leads to a more complete understanding of what's going on in Miami. Nowhere have I ever even hinted at the possibility that it would justify any harassment. Any "connotations" you may have thought you picked up were generated in your own mind or planted there by the similarly unjustified reaction of GoChargers.

[Chiefshrink]

Originally Posted by GoChargers

You yourself admitted that whether he's gay or not doesn't change the fact that Incognito's bullying was wrong. In other words, his sexuality is completely immaterial to the story, because the story is about Incognito's actions, which would be equally wrong whether Martin is gay or straight.


Huh? That's a pretty big reach. I was referring to your continued posts about how "he might be gay" as if that would change anything.

Incognito did 2 things:

1) Used the N word

2) Picked on a gay man(hypothetically speaking until we know for sure)

Both of which are wrong. However, IF Incognito were black do you think this would be a national story/issue ?? NOPE !! It would be just 1 black guy giving another black guy the "bro business" end of story !! But because Incognito has a dirty rep on the field already with many fines and off the field issues and he is white this is nothing short of red filet mignon for not only the nat'l sports media but even bigger for the majority Marxist Media.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

So you feel it's best to wait to be sure Martin isn't involved in dog fighting, an Osama Bin Laden supporter or a pillowbiter before jumping to conclusions?

I'm in no hurry. Let's see how it all plays out.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I don't know enough about Mike Wallace to know whether I value his opinion or not. Or whether Incognito told him, "Tweet something nice about me or I'll kill your parents." Wallace's statement seemed pretty stilted.

I bring him up, not because I think his opinion should sway us much on Incognito's character, but because it's so odd that a black teammate would go to bat for the guy when a lot of people seem to be focusing on the racial language of his texts.

I guess I just don't find it inconsistent to both believe that Incognito is probably the ringleader of a group of bad actors who deserve to be punished and also that there's more to learn about what was really going on in this situation. It seems like a lot of people here want to get the lynching over with and bury the rest of the story though.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by GoChargers

It's not a surprise that the guy who pouts even when his team wins if he doesn't get the number of targets he wants would come out and defend a team cancer like Incognito.

That seems like a strange connection to draw.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by patteeu

No, you're not the one who mentioned those things, I did. You're the one who thinks this is unspeakable, remember.

What relevance does a life insurance policy of person who dies supsciously have when someone thinks the beneficiary might have committed murder? Understanding the motive leads to a more complete understanding of what's going on in Miami. Nowhere have I ever even hinted at the possibility that it would justify any harassment. Any "connotations" you may have thought you picked up were generated in your own mind or planted there by the similarly unjustified reaction of GoChargers.

There is a difference between unspeakable and irrelevant. It's understood by literate people, and your attempt to juxtapose the two is transparent sophistry.

Why is your first conclusion to raise his sexual orientation as a question? You've never once answered this question. Why does it matter? We know that Incognito was harassing him because of his race, threatening his family, and threatening Martin. Is there an additional level of dickbag that Incognito needs to unlock?

You stated, "I've never seen/heard anything about a wife or girlfriend." The judgment is implicit in the structure of the sentence. If someone were to rape your wife and I asked, "I never heard anyone mention anything about her clothing," what is the difference between the literal meaning of the words and their connotation?

If you can't understand that, you don't have any place in an adult conversation.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

I'm not defending Incognito. I'm sure he's guilty and hope he never draws another NFL paycheck. I'm defending the paradigm that looking at all sides of a story is never worse than only getting one version.

I'd be delighted to hear Incognito's version of the story. I think we all would.

However, Incognito painted himself into a corner. He vociferously denied any role and loudly protested his innocence, and then the team and the league start reading the voice mails and texts, and documenting the shakedowns. So we already know on Page 1 of the story that he's willing to lie.

Based on the evidence, we know that he was involved. We know that he sent threatening and nasty messages to Martin. We know that Martin paid money for him to go on vacation, and we know something about a $30,000 dinner tab.

So let's speak for Incognito. What reasons could he offer for these, and are they acceptable reasons? The theories I've heard so far are:

1. Everyone participated in these things because they're a team, and they were normal behavior that even Martin participated in at times. When it was Martin's turn to be the victim, he had a fragile mental makeup and snapped.

2. Incognito treats everyone that way and is just boisterous, witness the TMZ video of him in the pool hall. Martin just has a fragile mental makeup and can't handle that type of personality.

3. This is normal rookie hazing, and everyone has to go through it.

With #1, the key is whether everyone received the same level of harassment and whether Martin participated. My guess is that we won't see the same types of behavior toward others that Martin received. If we do, and others laughed and moved on, I guess we could say that Martin was more fragile. It still doesn't excuse the behavior and it should stop, but it makes it seem less terrible.

#2 is possible, I guess. Can Incognito produce other texts where he threatened cousins, neighbors, teammates, etc., and informed them that he would like to defecate in their mouths? If so, he probably should take some time off and get off the steroids.

#3 doesn't work. Martin wasn't a rookie.

Incognito's big problem is that his history points very strongly toward a "presumed guilty" judgment by any reasonable person. He made his bed and now he's lying in it.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

So you feel it's best to wait to be sure Martin isn't involved in dog fighting, an Osama Bin Laden supporter or a pillowbiter before jumping to conclusions?

Do you know what "I'm sure he's guilty and hope he never draws another NFL paycheck" means?

Seriously people, if you absolutely find it repulsive to learn anything more about this situation than we know at this moment, you should probably stop reading this thread.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I'd be delighted to hear Incognito's version of the story. I think we all would.

However, Incognito painted himself into a corner. He vociferously denied any role and loudly protested his innocence, and then the team and the league start reading the voice mails and texts, and documenting the shakedowns. So we know that he's willing to lie.

So we know that he was involved. We know that he sent threatening and nasty messages to Martin. We know that Martin paid money for him to go on vacation, and we know something about a $30,000 dinner tab.

So let's speak for Incognito. What reasons could he offer for these, and are they acceptable reasons? The theories I've heard so far are:

1. Everyone participated in these things because they're a team, and they were normal behavior that even Martin participated in at times. When it was Martin's turn to be the victim, he had a fragile mental makeup and snapped.

2. Incognito treats everyone that way and is just boisterous, witness the TMZ video of him in the pool hall. Martin just has a fragile mental makeup.

3. This is normal rookie hazing, and everyone has to go through it.

With #1, the key is whether everyone received the same level of harassment and whether Martin participated. My guess is that we won't see the same types of behavior toward others that Martin received. If we do, and others laughed and moved on, I guess we could say that Martin was more fragile. It still doesn't excuse the behavior and it should stop, but it makes it seem less terrible.

#2 is possible, I guess. Can Incognito produce other texts where he threatened cousins, neighbors, teammates, etc., and informed them that he would like to defecate in their mouths? If so, he probably should take some time off and get off the steroids.

#3 doesn't work. Martin wasn't a rookie.

Incognito's big problem is that his history points very strongly toward a "presumed guilty" judgment by any reasonable person. He made his bed and now he's lying in it.

I don't disagree with any of this, but I believe that even the guilty deserve their day in court.