BLACK AND WHITE

18 SPORTS NOV. 7, 2013 VOL 36 ISSUE 6 SPORTS COLUMN Bullying extends to NFL ranks Player suspended from league for harassing teammate By Mac Moore himself, snitches get stitches and yada Just from the Incognito voicemail, leaders about the verbal and emotional yada on the list of machismo crap. his actions don’t deserve the reaction- abuse. The truth is, football players do live ary defense that he got from people. This seems much more unlikely af- by a different code. The standards for Once you threaten someone’s life, the ter the Dolphins responded to media bullying set forth for school children nuance of the relationships on a foot- about the situation. Wide receiver Mike will be different than we set for NFL ball team means little. Wallace said that nothing about the at- players. A football team is a group of 50 Some of Incognito’s previous actions mosphere with the team seemed out alpha males that work together for the could be considered a red flag. Going of the ordinary. Coach Joe Philbin said one goal of physically abusing another back to his freshman year at Nebraska, that he would take full responsibility group of 50 alpha males once a week. every team he has been on have cut if there were any problems. No one in The things they say and do to each ties with him for his attitude. Incognito the Dolphins organization addressed other will definitely break the reformed was named the “Dirtiest Player” from a the voicemail that was already made definition of bullying that we are trying players’ vote in both 2009 and second public. to teach currently. in 2012, although some players have From the early reports, there are also I played football in junior high and taken this as a badge of honor, includ- laundry lists of texts from Incognito to high school. It is a very testosterone fu- ing Incognito. Martin that haven’t been released to the eled environment; it is also a very unit- What’s really scary is that every- public yet. When all is said in done, In- ed environment. Many of the things we body thought he was reformed. The cognito will have a hard time getting on did would be frowned upon in school, dirtiest player honor seemed to take a another team, no matter what way he starting guard at work, or anywhere within the gener- backdoor to his nomination shows that he becomes reformed. has been indefinitely al public. Instead of those things hurt- and co-ownership of Miami’s “Good It’s the rest of the Dolphins team suspended for bullying fellow player ing us, they made us closer, more like Guy” award, given out by the Pro Foot- that won’t be sure about their future, Jonathan Martin. Reports from ESPN’s a family. ball Writers Association for a player including Coach Philbin and General Adam Schefter show a voicemail mes- New York Giants cornerback Prince that best helps the media do its job. Ap- Manager Jeff Ireland. Their answers on sage that Incognito left for Martin Amukamara had a great point when parently he just got better a faking it in Monday were less than satisfactory. If where he used a racial epithet, threat- discussing this with the media on Mon- front of the camera. the evidence proves that the bullying ens physical abuse, and the final line day. He looked at the incident in com- The only thing that is really in ques- and harassment was more public, don’t gave all the information needed to parison to the hazing he experienced as tion is how much the team knew about expect the Dolphins front office to look make any argument of context moot, a rookie, specifically teammate Jason it. The truth about Incognito didn’t as familiar next season. “I’ll kill you.” Pierre-Paul dunking him in a cold tub. really come up until a lunchroom in- The discussion brought up because The conclusion he came to was that his cident caused Martin to up and leave of the situation has been all over the experience wouldn’t be considered bul- the team. Theoretically the bullying of Contact Mac Moore, sports editor, at map. Football players live by a different lying. He said none of it truly made him Martin might have not of come to light [email protected]. MoreAffordableThanYouThink code, Martin should have stood up for feel unsafe. What Incognito did was not until now. Martin might have been too the same. afraid to talk to coaches and other team

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