Dolphins fine, suspend Don Jones from offseason program

[Just Passin' By]

Just as the Dolphins were watching the Jonathan Martin/Richie Incognito mess fade into the distance, another member of the team has created a situation with which the team dealt swiftly and decisively.

The Dolphins announced that cornerback Don Jones has been fined by the team and excused from offseason workouts “until such time that he undergoes and completes educational training for his recent comments made on social media during the NFL Draft.”

Specifically, Jones posted disapproving comments on Twitter after the Rams drafted defensive end Michael Sam — and after ESPN showed an on-air kiss between Sam and another man who wasn’t his twin brother. Jones said “omg” after the kiss was televised, and later called the moment “horrible.”

“I want to apologize to Michael Sam for the inappropriate comments that I made last night on social media,” Jones said in a statement released by the team. “I take full responsibility for them and I regret that these tweets took away from his draft moment. I remember last year when I was drafted in the seventh round and all of the emotions and happiness I felt when I received the call that gave me an opportunity to play for an NFL team and I wish him all the best in his NFL career. I sincerely apologize to Mr. Ross, my teammates, coaches, staff and fans for these tweets. I am committed to represent the values of the Miami Dolphins organization and appreciate the opportunity I have been given to do so going forward.”

“We were disappointed to read Don’s tweets during the NFL Draft,” coach Joe Philbin said. “They were inappropriate and unacceptable, and we regret the negative impact these comments had on such an important weekend for the NFL. We met with Don today about respect, discrimination and judgment. These comments are not consistent with the values and standards of our program. We will continue to emphasize and educate our players that these statements will not be tolerated.”

While Jones’ comments were inappropriate and merit scorn from the general public, it’s tricky to punish a player for views expressed on his own time via his own Twitter page while away from the workplace regarding someone who isn’t even on his team. Plenty of NFL players have made homophobic remarks over the years on Twitter and elsewhere; those comments often are ignored by their teams. Why does the fact that Jones’ remarks — which were far more tame than some of the stuff other NFL players have said about homosexuals — related to a player on another NFL team make them automatically worthy of punishment?

That’s not a rhetorical question. If the arrival of an openly gay man on an NFL team is going to subject players to punishment for saying things that reflect intolerance of homosexuality, all players deserve the benefit of clear guidance as to what will trigger adverse action from their employer.

If the NFL isn’t going to provide it voluntarily, the NFLPA needs to demand it.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...eason-program/

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

Agree.

Edit: The Dolphins are just super sensitive to anything that might cause controversy after the Incognito deal.

Wrong. The chiefs would have suspended someone just the same. Political correctness is a hideous evil but unfortunately, it has power over the emotionally handicapped.

[Dante84]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Do you honestly think they talked about Michael Sam, gay players, or any of this?

I'm not saying the Sam situation; I'm saying they probably had meetings about not saying stupid shit on social media, watching what you text, and probably a bunch of HR do's and don'ts.

[Dante84]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Wrong. The chiefs would have suspended someone just the same. Political correctness is a hideous evil but unfortunately, it has power over the emotionally handicapped.

You say politically correct, we say hope for a new normal.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Dante84

I'm not saying the Sam situation; I'm saying they probably had meetings about not saying stupid shit on social media, watching what you text, and probably a bunch of HR do's and don'ts.

Unless they explicitly said "don't say anything at all on Twitter" I'm guessing he had no idea that a one-word Tweet was gonna get him suspended.

[jd1020]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Unless they explicitly said "don't say anything at all on Twitter" I'm guessing he had no idea that a one-word Tweet was gonna get him suspended.

Then there is no reason to feel sorry for him if he's that stupid.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by jd1020

Then there is no reason to feel sorry for him if he's that stupid.

I didn't say I feel sorry for him nor did I say he wasn't stupid.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Xanathol

Hope he sues the shit out of them. Showing two mentally ill men kissing is ****ing sick. Stating so is just calling water wet.

wow ... stupid shit like this might just change my mind about what the Dolphins did.

Maybe they do need to go all speech nazi to weed out the gutter trash like yourself. In fact, you should really consider that the world would be a better place without your worthless ass and step into oncoming traffic.

I also have to wonder whether or not Chiefsplanet needs to ban your ass for such a twisted homophobic statement. Similar to a racists comment ban.

post reported

[Dante84]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Unless they explicitly said "don't say anything at all on Twitter" I'm guessing he had no idea that a one-word Tweet was gonna get him suspended.

Fair enough. I'm just saying, from the front office's perspective, they probably feel he had ample warning.

I've sat through meetings at every job where they have trainings and say "If you think it might be bad idea, it probably is."

And that was without Incognito-ish shit happening.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by Dante84

I'm not saying the Sam situation; I'm saying they probably had meetings about not saying stupid shit on social media, watching what you text, and probably a bunch of HR do's and don'ts.

And yet, there was Pouncey, one of the primary instigators in the whole Incognito/Martin situation, tweeting about how excited he was to get the rookie to buy him new gifts.

[Dante84]

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

I also have to wonder whether or not Chiefsplanet needs to ban your ass for such a twisted homophobic statement. Similar to a racists comment ban.

post reported[/B]

Dude.

I was just thinking about that as well.

Homophobia needs to be lumped in with racism. It's 2014.

[Dante84]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

And yet, there was Pouncey, one of the primary instigators in the whole Incognito/Martin situation, tweeting about how excited he was to get the rookie to buy him new gifts.

Exactly. The entire organization is probably filled with assholes.

Remember Jeff Ireland asking Dez Bryant if his mother was a prostitute at the combine?!

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by Dante84

Dude.

I was just thinking about that as well.

Homophobia needs to be lumped in with racism. It's 2014.

Im not sure disgareeing with homosexuality means someone is a homophobe.

[Dante84]

Originally Posted by Chocolate Hog

Im not sure disgareeing with homosexuality means someone is a homophobe.

"Showing two mentally ill men kissing is ****ing sick."

If that's not homophobia, then I'm not sure what is.

Edit: "Showing a black guy and a white girl kissing is ****ing sick." - racist, no?

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

wow ... stupid shit like this might just change my mind about what the Dolphins did.

Maybe they do need to go all speech nazi to weed out the gutter trash like yourself. In fact, you should really consider that the world would be a better place without your worthless ass and step into oncoming traffic.

I also have to wonder whether or not Chiefsplanet needs to ban your ass for such a twisted homophobic statement. Similar to a racists comment ban.

post reported

Don't be a baby. Nobody likes babies.

[bowener]

I like Lombardi's stance.

In 1969, Lombardi’s Redskins included a running back named Ray McDonald, who in 1968 had been arrested for having sex with another man in public. In the Lombardi biography When Pride Still Mattered, author David Maraniss writes that Lombardi told his assistants he wanted them to work with McDonald to help him make the team, “And if I hear one of you people make reference to his manhood, you’ll be out of here before your ass hits the ground.”

Lombardi was more awesome than I knew.

"During his first year in Green Bay, Lombardi called his team together on the practice field and delivered a rare lecture on racism. 'If I ever hear ****er or dago or kike or anything like that around here, regardless of who you are, you're through with me. You can't play for me if you have any kind of prejudice.' His actions that year were often more quiet behind the scenes, like paying Tunnell's hotel bill when it was hard to find suitable housing, or making sure the black players had enough money to go to Milwaukee or Chicago on off-days. But as his status and power increased in his second season, his sensitivity to racial inequities intensified as well, and his responses became more overt. Before the season began, Lombardi spread the word among Green Bay's tavern and restaurant owners that any establishment that did not welcome his black players would be declared off limits to the entire team. At Tunnell's suggestion, he allowed the black players to leave the St. Norbert training camp twice during the preseason for quick trips down to Milwaukee, the closest city where they could find barbers who knew how to cut their hair." - David Maraniss, When Pride Still Mattered