Teammates Bullied Martin

[Hayden Fox]

We are the best, in my opinion at what we do in the country. We guard a maximum security prison. The only people in the US Army that guard a prison
to my knowledge in the US is the unit at Ft Leavenworth, KS.....Which is not a maximum security unit. I'd take a guy from my shift over a soldier from Leavenworth any day, and twice on sunday....Oh, and I served in the US Army for eight years (Only a combat medic, and a cavalry scout...I'm not bragging, I'm just saying)..And to my knowledge there are no teams of trained assassins guarding any US prison. So unless you can enlighten me, that part of your post is straight up ignorant garbage. We are/were what I said; The best at what we do in the country.

No, being tough minded doesn't mean kicking another guy to the curb. It DOES mean not to scream and cry and RUN AWAY from your workplace, or wherever you happen to be. THAT is WEAK for a grown ass man, I don't care how you slice it. As far as your coach, that's not the same thing at all.
That would be analogous to Philbin, not the other players engaging in that process, which is inappropriate for supervisors.

Thank you for your service to this country. I did not know that. God bless you and others here that have served.

 

[spiketex]

A couple of thoughts come to mind.
(a) Maybe there may be a much deeper issue behind the alleged bullying and it may not have anything to do with mental health. Martin is one of the smartest guys on the team. Listen to his sensible focused answers in every interview, every question.
(b) It sounds like the possible bastardization would most likely have emanated from a certain anonymous inner lineman. Hey, I'm only guessing, but a certain player has a skill in pissing people off. Regardless, the public dissemination of the O-line issue has to be addressed by coaches Philbin, Sherman and Turner. The victory makes it easier to put it behind but how it is handled makes it a critical point in Philbin's coaching.

 

[BIG_FISH_RI]

You do it because he's a problem.

I my line of work, we do it because having a weak link could mean somone's life.
To include that person. I'm not saying it was right or wrong in this particular case,
I'm just saying I understand, and have participated in a like process.

GoonBoss
Only people on here that will understand are those that has or are in similar environments. For all we know Martin just didn’t fit in. If that is the case the O-line ACTED as a family and unit and pushed the weak one out! Sounds foolish or mean or whatever but it is necessary. The o-line is a family within the family. They only can operate if there is harmony amongst them. Maybe they will become a full unit now because they have accomplished what they wanted and will face major heat if they under perform. If this is all true, for some reason or another the players just felt as if he did not fit.

The Football team locker room is a very complex environment. You have a mix of people and personalities and beliefs all blended into a room and they (the players) cannot control who comes and goes. You have to get to know and like a guy and if HE is different from US and just don’t fit then HE must go!!!!!

Not saying I agree with what happened. BUT I understand and I have played a role in similar situations.

 

[CattailsrEdible]

its called peer pressure! martin was stinking up the joint, and im sure it was obvious watching tape! martin could have fought thru the adversity and got better, but he chose the easy way out! typical behavior from someone born with a silver spoon up his ass!

 

[J. David Wannyheimer]

I think this entire situation is far more harmful for Jon Martin than the Miami Dolphins. When the reports first came out, it made it sound like guys pulled a prank on him and he snapped. Now it just sounds like this dude is not cut out for the NFL.

And as Chambers points out, Egnew got blasted in that locker room -- we saw that in Hard Knocks -- what does the guy do? Goes out and turns his blocking from a total liability into probably his best asset as a football player.

It's a very tough, very violent game. And while I think some of what goes on in there is ridiculous -- it's proof to me of why almost none of these guys find success after football -- being a professional also means fitting into your work environment.

 

[fish_fan]

Dude needs to become an accountant or something. If he isn't emotionally strong enough to stand up to bullies / pranksters / whatever you want to call them, then he isn't made strong enough to fight out a career in the NFL.

 

[Dmarino110]

its a good thing he has an ivy league diploma because i dont see his weak behind playing for any NFL team next year...Weakest oline that came out of the draft last year, great pick ireland...

 

[gafin]

He's probably a quiet guy who wants to be left alone. He should probably just man up and tell them he is going to stomp mudhole in them if they don't leave him alone.

 

[royalshank]

Crazy thought after reading some of these very well thought-out perspectives: is it possible the O-line play was bad because they just wouldn't gel with Martin in there? I think I'm hearing some of that - what happens if the O-line goes from total liability to a strength or not a weakness without Martin? Trying to process what that means but I think it's a possibility...

 

[J. David Wannyheimer]

Crazy thought after reading some of these very well thought-out perspectives: is it possible the O-line play was bad because they just wouldn't gel with Martin in there? I think I'm hearing some of that - what happens if the O-line goes from total liability to a strength or not a weakness without Martin? Trying to process what that means but I think it's a possibility...

The OL is not going to become a 'strength' without new personnel. The fact that they had Will Yeatman in there as a 3rd tackle about 1/5 of the time kinda says everything.

 

[gafin]

More Martin: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...ould-welcome-martin-back?campaign=Twitter_atl

 

[scodoublet]

I don't quite agree with Martin quitting on his team, but are we the only team who allows hazing, etc?
I mean, I don't personally see it as a real big deal, but it does seem a bit ridiculous for grown men to haze eachother.
I can see how it would lead to bullying and preventing the players to bond and even preventing some players from playing up to their potential or even from getting better.
Also, not knowing the situation, but seems like if the bond was stronger, the lunch room issue would have been taken as a joke, instead of the last straw.
Maybe it's time we get rid of the hazing. Make rookies play with blank helmets and "earn" the dolphin, or something.
Shaving heads and bleaching a big woody on rookies heads seems a bit odd to me...not sure why on earth that is necessary.

 

[peace4all]

Like others have said, this "getting rid of the weak link" stuff is understandable when it comes to the army and things like that, where there are huge risks and dangers involved, but I don't get how that translates to a sports team's locker room. I don't think that having to "peer out" Martin was the main thing this team needed right now. What do you think would have happened if they just accepted Martin?

I can't think of many major risks that come with playing a sport with a guy you don't necessarily like as a person. I don't think his character was an issue, and the fact that he didn't snap at his teammates after the crap they gave him proves that he had the calm needed not to become a liability for the team.

In fact, I consider not being able to be a professional towards your teammate and accept him as such a far bigger danger to the discipline and cohesiveness of the locker room than a guy getting fed up after a year and a half of childish jokes.

If this were a group of hard core commando dudes and thousands of lives were on the line, I'd get this eliminating the weak link crap, but in this case I think it's just stupid. JMO

 

[72champagne]

no one on that offensive line has any business acting like they're better than someone else. they've all sucked. martin was weak, singling him out was weak. clabo should be bussing the entire teams trays.

 

[Fin Thirteen]

I want to know where the coaches were in all this. Where the leaders on the team were in all this.

Martin has to stand up for himself. Nobody needs to be patrolling the playground to protect him from bullies. Let's get that clear. But what I don't understand is why there are guys wasting their energy they could be turning into better performance on the field with pathetic crap. If Martin's not able to take it like the average guy, the leaders on the team surely need to get the o-line to dial it down. Why? Because it's more important to the team that Martin is a functioning, contributing piece of the o-line than sitting at home, burning a pick, creating a hole after the trade deadline and costing the team his salary. The idea that it was more important that the guys be let "peer him out" than work with the situation is laughable. It isn't their call to make in the first place. Which brings me to the coaches.

Joe Philbin hates untied shoelaces. He likes picking up fluff. He chooses his words more carefully than brides choose wedding gowns. But apparently his need for harmony and order doesn't extend to making sure we don't lose a player at a key position with no depth over a stupid bit of clowning around from the team.

Just to reiterate, Jon Martin needed to be more of a man. Maybe nobody knew quite how badly he was taking the **** the guys were dishing. But if it went on for over a year, I doubt it went unnoticed and our o-line has more important things to be working on. Maybe ex-Drill Sgt. Turner thought it was all hilarious too.

Maybe if we're winning all this crap goes unnoticed. But there is a faint whiff of disarray around Davie that I am very surprised to be smelling, with guys of Philbin's and Sherman's and Coyle's background.