It’s a one-off incident. Richie Incognito is a meatheaded jerk who took it too far.
I have no doubt in my mind that this is indicative of a pervasive attitude in lots of professional sports. On a scale of one to five, where one is that teammates are treated with respect in a professional organization, and five is this kind of treatment, it would not surprise me in the least if a lot of pro sports franchises are in the three-and-a-half range.
But what is also clear to me is that there is no correlation between hazing and the performance of the team. Let’s keep in mind: during Incognito’s tenure on the Dolphins, they have been a reliably mediocre team.
Lets also not forget that Martin is no longer a rookie. The $15,000 Vegas trip was at the end of his rookie year and I wouldn’t blame him for thinking that was going to be the end of rookie hazing BS.
More hijinks from the world’s favorite NFL player:
Sure, he sexually assaulted her… but I’m sure someone will come in to explain that he just took the normal sexual harassment that NFL players always do just a liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittle too far. If he had backed off just a teeny bit, it would be fine, because NFL players are supposed to act like moronic cavemen. It’s because they’re like warriors… granted, a warrior that makes more in a day than an actual infantry sergeant in the United States Army makes in a month, but a warrior nonetheless.
Great, I need to find a new team to root for, I can no longer be a Dolphin fan.
So all people who don’t have a problem with hazing feel the same way about sexual assault? That’s dumb.
Given how easily hazing has historically morphed into sexual assault, I don’t think it’s at all an unusual parallel to draw.
You don’t understand that he did it to toughen her up to the rigor of volunteering at a golf tournament. I mean with all the ass-pinching and "Hey baby"s, the tournament director needs to know if she can handle it or not. Incognito was doing her a favor and if you were in the fraternity of organizational amateur tournament golf players you would understand that.
Would it help if I got some NFL players quoted talking about how scoring chicks is important to locker room cred?
That’s true about nearly any locker room. What would that prove?
It might expose the patent absurdity of the proposal that society should give any deference whatsoever to the childish, masochistic behavior which may pervade locker rooms in any sport.
Richie Incognito sounds a bit like he may be, could be, a bit (a lot) of a psychopath.
I was listening to a CNN report about this…person…as I was driving home after work. He needs to be locked in a small padded room with a small round window for observation.
When I was involved with sports at a younger age, this type of behavior would not have been tolerated. Ever. And this was 30 years ago. Have things devolved so much that people actually think this is okay? ::shudders::
Yes, I can see how aggression is a necessary trait in professional football and players have to develop that. But how does it help your team when you’re directing that against the other members of you team? Does bullying draw a team together and make it play better? Or does it divide a team and make it weaker on the field?
Maybe the situation here is some players know how to target their aggression and use it productively. And others players are not in control of their aggression and direct it anywhere without regard for whether it’s helping or hurting the team.
Two updates:
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NBCnews.com reported this morning that Incognito is feeling “betrayed.”
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The cover story on the NYTimes Magazine, obviously long-planned, is on the **former Rutgers basketball coach Tim Rice **who was fired after a tape was released showing him bullying the crap out of his players during practice. Should be an interesting read…
Are there currently any rules in place to punish bullying or hazing in the NFL? I think everyone agrees Richie Incognito is an a-hole, bullying, dipshit, jerk. But is there much the NFL can do in this case? I suspect he’ll be playing on another team next year.
I’m sure new rules on hazing will be forthcoming. But that doesn’t help much in the current situation.
Mike Rice. Sorry.
Then it doesn’t need to exist.
Part of the reason hazing exists is to establish that the victim can tolerate hazing?
Really?
Hazing is never justified, anywhere.
First of all, I agree with your basic premise.
I think the idea is that opponents will do whatever they can to get in your head - including talking about your momma and your sister, and trying to scare you with how crazy they are.
I don’t see how that type of trash talk and intimidation will ever go away. Should your own teammates act that way to “toughen you up”? Jeez, not the way the Dolphins appeared to. If Martin could play at the levels he has, I’d assume he found his way to deal with those types of things.
I’m surprised Jim Harbaugh hasn’t spoken up - he was Martin’s coach at Stanford and a known, nutty tough guy. Andrew Luck has already come out very pro Martin…
Verbally abusing member of the opposing team. Fifteen yard penalty.
Next?