Hitting rock bottom may be just what this franchise needs...

[Slim]

I'm going to be honest here, I don't know that I can pass judgment on Richie anymore. I have seen and heard much worse between friends, and if Richie truly felt that Jon was his friend, I do not believe he is the huge villain he is being portrayed as.

Is he a man with serious mental problems? YES. He is on medication for them, in fact. Is he a guy with anger control issues? YES. Is he a guy from a, shall we say, blue collar background who probably doesn't understand where all the lines are that he's crossing? YES.

But I can't help but think he HONESTLY thought he was Jon Martin's friend and that that's how a lot of these guys joke with their friends. Construction workers and athletes... I'm sorry, guys do talk like that. When I first heard that Richie had threatened Jon's parents, I was really upset, I thought it was some real raving psycho ****, but that transcript? I could definitely see that as him joking around.

You're right that ultimately, some fault lies with whoever thought these two men could fit in together. I'm not sure Jon Martin could fit in on any pro football team.

It's a really awful situation and I think the worst part is that it became public like this. I don't know everything that's gone on behind the scenes, but it would have been MUCH better for Martin if this had stayed private. If the Dolphins forced his hand by trying to go after him for his money (which I really think is what happened) then they have NO ONE but themselves to blame. And as for Martin's parents, I hope they are happy. His NFL career is DONE and all of HIS laundry is now public consumption.

Couldn't agree more.

And can we quit blaming Philbin for the leadership council? These things are ALWAYS decided by the players. Not the coaches.

 

[Wildbill3]

1-15 and no Finheaven was rock bottom for me. this? this will be a clean slate, aside from ross and some high paid players.

 

[hoops]

i still don't understand why philbin is responsible for this...jeez

talk about a fall guy...

 

[MD]

Everybody in the locker room to date has said they know Cog always has their back. He is the guy you want going to war with you and they are reall supportive of him. Sometimes leaders have followers that just don't get it- they just don't respond to any form of leadership. Martin seems to be that guy. He isn't a killer, he isn't a down in the dirt tough player. His leaving is prob for the best for the organization.

You do realize the locker room is segregated right? Players don't have daily dealings with other players the way many think they do. Read what Ricky Williams had to say about it. He has no ties to that locker room yet knows a lot of the guys in there. His thoughts are very enlightening.

If Incognito was a leader the Dolphins wouldn't be in this mess. If there was leadership in that locker room, the Dolphins wouldn't be in this mess.

---------- Post added at 03:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:45 PM ----------

i still don't understand why philbin is responsible for this...jeez

talk about a fall guy...

Where's the leadership in the locker room?

 

[hoops]

you guys seem to be missing the fact that it's not about sending your leader so much as it is sending someone that lines up with martin every week and practice etc...why would martin listen to cam wake or some other position player...i would want someone that works with him in the trenches and has been in the league for a while and has a reputation of being an ass kicker delivering the message...

someone that has something in common on the field with martin...the guy misses two days of otas and gets his ass chewed by his teammates...so what???

secondly i doubt the lockerroom was made privy to this...this is a front office or staff saying we need someone to light a fire under a players ass and asking a player to help em out with it...i guess they should have prepared a statement too for cog to spit verbatim also right???

hell no...this is crazy...cog who knows may have a had a few pops and was mouthing off at a teammate who no showed...it happens

 

[MD]

Couldn't agree more.

And can we quit blaming Philbin for the leadership council? These things are ALWAYS decided by the players. Not the coaches.

Not according to Herm Edwards. Players choose the Captains. He chose the leadership and I am willing to bet most coaches do. I certainly would.

 

[Wildbill3]

I just read a blurb where dansby was questioning this years leadership. **** is really getting high.

 

[MD]

you guys seem to be missing the fact that it's not about sending your leader so much as it is sending someone that lines up with martin every week and practice etc...why would martin listen to cam wake or some other position player...i would want someone that works with him in the trenches and has been in the league for a while and has a reputation of being an ass kicker delivering the message...

someone that has something in common on the field with martin...the guy misses two days of otas and gets his ass chewed by his teammates...so what???

And you think Incognito fits the bill as the leader? With his background?

 

[MD]

I just read a blurb where dansby was questioning this years leadership. **** is really getting high.

And he's not the only one. You take the leadership out of the locker room and this is the result.

 

[hoops]

And you think Incognito fits the bill as the leader? With his background?

i think he fits the bill of a player that can light a fire under a guy that needs it...provided the player is not a mental mess...which martin obviously now is proving to be...he's not made for the nfl i can tell ya that if he can't handle this stuff...even worse he's participated in these kind of things against others

seriously...get this wuss and mental mess mistake off the roster...

 

[Danny]

DUDE, we've been at rock bottom for the past 10 years!!!

More like th last 20 years. We haven't won a superbowl in 40 years!!

Ozzy rules!!

 

[MD]

i think he fits the bill of a player that can light a fire under a guy that needs it...provided the player is not a mental mess...which martin obviously now is proving to be...he's not made for the nfl i can tell ya that if he can't handle this stuff...even worse he's participated in these kind of things against others

seriously...get this wuss and mental mess mistake off the roster...

Hoops you talk as if removing Martin with a snap of the fingers solves the issue and it doesn't. I am betting you that hazing will be right up there with player safety as the NFL goes forward. This opened a can of worms and the NFL is not going to allow it's product to be tarnished.

 

[J. David Wannyheimer]

Hoops you talk as if removing Martin with a snap of the fingers solves the issue and it doesn't. I am betting you that hazing will be right up there with player safety as the NFL goes forward. This opened a can of worms and the NFL is not going to allow it's product to be tarnished.

I don't think hazing will be quite the same as player safety, but I definitely see league-mandated guidelines being issued after the NFL investigation.

 

[Pelorus Jack]

FH sure has some of the biggest baddest whoop-ass posters around that's for sure. But sorry in real life when some overgrown, potentially homicidal, mental midget with a history of violence says he will kill you, you might want to be very concerned.

Being concerned for your life doesn't make you a wuss. Martin is still a human being with feelings, not a RoboCop.

Ever consider that maybe he didn't complain because he was very worried for his family's safety.

Going to some weak ass coach that looks like he can barely lift a coffee cup to complain doesn't quite seem the answer.

Possible mental issues aside, Martin has achieved the status of NFL player through many years of paying the price in blood, sweat ad tears and is still due that respect.

 

[FSU Truth]

Hoops you talk as if removing Martin with a snap of the fingers solves the issue and it doesn't. I am betting you that hazing will be right up there with player safety as the NFL goes forward. This opened a can of worms and the NFL is not going to allow it's product to be tarnished.

Whats the most important thing in the NFL....protect the shield....