Richie Suspended

[Phishfan]

It's being piece milled for sensationalism. For instance ... the $30,000 bill was split between many players. Other "rookies" and young players don't seem to have an issue.

“Everything tastes better when rookies pay for it,” veteran defensive end Jared Odrick wrote on Twitter over the weekend. “Yes, the bill would make you sick.”

Younger players were handed the tab for a $30,000 team dinner, according to a source. The rookie minimum salary this year is about $400,000.

Will Davis, a rookie cornerback, tweeted Sunday: “The bill was definitely split. . . . They would never put that on one man to pay for it all. Haha now that would be crazy . . .”

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/11/04/3729152/incognito-dolphins-push-back-against.html#storylink=cpy

See CF, I think you are looking too simplistically. This has nothing to do with the Martin story. The story there is he has received physical threats. The real story is more than about this rookie hazing which we all know happens. The real story is about someone being threatened which is unacceptable.

[Spider-Dan]

Do you honestly think this is about Incognito?

Yes.

Do you really think coaching has anything to do with it?

Yes.

Do you really think the NFL didn't know what goes is going on in these locker rooms? It is a part of the game..

So CF, what was your position on Spygate and Bountygate?  Because this sounds a lot like what NE and NO fans were saying around then.

Every team does this and it isn't bullying. The freaking NFL is the fraternity of all fraternities. These guys do not have to play. It is a privilege and there is always someone waiting for your spot if you don't want it.

I'm cracking up with Joe Rose and his stories of hazing rookies and the most underlying factor is the more they complained the worse it got.

All of your posts on the subject seem to be blaming the victim.

What is your ideal result here?  Should Martin just retire because, even though he he has achieved his lifelong dream of playing in the NFL, he can't handle all the threats and bullying?  He made it through his rookie year and the hazing didn't stop.  That's when it became more than that.

If you don't see something wrong with someone strongarming you out of $15K for a trip you didn't even go on, I don't know what to tell you.

[Landshark]

If you don't see something wrong with someone strongarming you out of $15K for a trip you didn't even go on, I don't know what to tell you.

Its called extortion and it is a crime

[Pappy13]

Much ado about nothing.

Ok, they suspended him indefinitely, but he didn't play most of the night Thursday, so not really even sure he was healthy enough to play next Monday even if they hadn't suspended him. This is Miami covering their ass. They have officially passed the buck to the NFL. If the NFL doesn't suspend Incognito, I think he'll be reinstated by Miami. I don't know how long that will take, but I would assume he should be back in time for the San Diego game.

Martin is another issue. Basically he has broken ranks with the family. I don't expect he'll return to Miami and frankly I'm not sure I want the guy back. This has really shown me that he's not mentally tough enough for the NFL.

[Pappy13]

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Pulling pranks like dying rookies hair is one thing.  Using them as ATMs is another.   I can understand having one team dinner a year which is paid for by all the rookies.  But to constantly go on those outings and put it all on one rookie each time is messed up. 

All you have to do is say no. I don't think anyone held a gun to their heads and had them clean out their ATM.

[Dolphin-UK]

Martin is another issue. Basically he has broken ranks with the family. I don't expect he'll return to Miami and frankly I'm not sure I want the guy back. This has really shown me that he's not mentally tough enough for the NFL.

Depends on where the ranks lie, and how complicit the other players were in either helping or not stopping the issues.

[MikeO]

Its called extortion and it is a crime

And Ted Cruz and the rest of Congress will be involved soon over $15,000!! Everyone better lawyer up! lol

[Pappy13]

Rookies required to pay for multiple veterans meals

And what if you say no?

Martin paying 15K for the linemen to go to Vegas (a trip he didn't make)

Why didn't he just say no?

So you think all of this was going on with the approval of Philbin? Did he ever go to Philbin and say he anything about this? If he did and Philbin ingnored, then absolutely Miami is to blame, but I don't see Philbin as a guy who would just let this go if he knew someone had a problem with it.

I think we have to consider that perhaps this has a lot more to do with Martin being moved to right tackle after bringing in McKinney. That was a slap in the face to Martin and then it's possible that perhaps Clabo was going to be given a chance to start over Martin which would have been even more demoralizing. I got a feeling there's a LOT more going on here then meets the eye and once all is said and done, Martin is gone and Incognito and the Dolphins are moving on without him.

I just watched where they asked several other former NFL players about this type of stuff and they all said you just have to say "No" if someone is trying to get you to do something you don't want to do.

[MikeO]

Lets not all forget what caused Martin to walk out....it was the lunch-room prank. NOT the $15,000. That has come up after the fact. And the lunch-room prank was played on Nate Garner the week before (Martin was involved in it) and in training camp another prank on another linemen in which they took someones car keys and hid his car.....Martin DROVE THE CAR AND HID IT!!! A case of someone being able to dish it out but not take it.

This whole "extortion" is nonsense and how its bullying is also nonsense....so when Martin plays pranks on others that's ok and not bullying? And if he was at a meal THIS YEAR where rookies paid the tab (safe bet is he was) really blows up Martin's whole defense and gives him no leg to stand on!

[Spider-Dan]

And what if you say no?
Why didn't he just say no?

If "No thanks" or "Please don't do that" worked as a solution to bullying, bullying wouldn't exist.

Should Martin have simply fought Incognito?  I know we may be inclined to think of football players as mindless beasts that exist solely for our entertainment, but some of them are real people who enjoy the playing the game of football and don't enjoy fistfights with 300-pound men.

The idea that you should have to fight someone at your place of work to get them to stop intimidating and threatening you is bizarre.

[Spider-Dan]

Lets not all forget what caused Martin to walk out....it was the lunch-room prank. NOT the $15,000.

So basically, every other instance of bullying didn't count, only the one that caused Martin to snap?

[Landshark]

This is getting crazy.  Reports are being leaked that the evidence Martin turned over to the NFL has Incognito calling him racial slurs and threatening him and his family with bodily harm.  Forget extortion.  This is an alleged hate crime.   If the allegations are true, Incognito could end up joining Aaron Hernandez.

[EKnight]

Just heard that on the Rome show. Criminal charges likely at this point. -EK

[Pappy13]

If "No thanks" or "Please don't do that" worked as a solution to bullying, bullying wouldn't exist.

That's why you have the NFL, the NFLPA, Philbin, Sherman, the offensive line coach etc etc etc. Now if he went through all these channels and the problem persisted then I'm fine with Incognito being suspended, Philbin being suspended and Martin suing the NFL and NFLPA. On the other hand if he didn't....

[MikeO]

This is getting crazy.  Reports are being leaked that the evidence Martin turned over to the NFL has Incognito calling him racial slurs and threatening him and his family with bodily harm.  Forget extortion.  This is an alleged hate crime.   If the allegations are true, Incognito could end up joining Aaron Hernandez.

Incognito is nuts! Miami needs to CUT him now!

Still don't want Martin back though after all of this