Pretty sure it was the media that went on and in about him being a bully and a racist.

To be fair, that was because Martin's agent only released information that would make it look that way. In reality and in a larger context (which his agent conveniently didn't share), these guys appear like a lot of male friends are with each other - vulgar but not intended to be hurtful.

That is the definition of getting the media to spin something in your favor - release snippets of "facts" that tell the story you want told.

[This message has been edited by DannyDuberstein (edited 2/6/2014 11:17a).]

Yes. But no one in the media initially said, wait. This is one side of the story. They talked about how Ingonito was crazy and this and that or the other.

And then people who only hear that side assume he is crazy and a racist.

The media was set up, yes. But they took it hook line and sinker.

The media can only report on the facts released to them.

What was released to them were snippets of texts of Richie calling him a mulatto and a *****. And they know the Dolphins have suspended him a great deal.

It isn't the media's job to say wait. It is their job to say "We have this information, this is what is happening." Their job is to report all the facts known. They did that.

Its the media job to report on facts. Making judgements about his character is not reporting facts.

Depends what you are talking about.

Hard news = facts

Editorial/OpEd/Discussion (like Hardball/PTI/M&M,etc) are all there to create and share opinions.

Both are part of the media.

I dont have a problem with facts.

Its things like James Brown calling inconito a despicable human being.

Incognito didn't exactly have the best history before this either. Your past actions are going to influence what people think about you. It's not like the dude was an angel, these texts reveal drug use and prostitution.

Oh no. For both of them.

Brown is paid to give an opinion. He isn't a reporter in the sense that he is digging up news and reporting facts.

That's like getting mad at Skip Bayless and saying all reporters are loud mouthed idiots.

Exactly. There is an entire industry based on opining on the known facts and it's older than dirt. That's what people did here - the media, the public, etc. There was nothing wrong with that. If someone is to blame, it's those that are aware of more facts but are only presenting the partial view in order to sway the public perception in their favor.

[This message has been edited by DannyDuberstein (edited 2/6/2014 11:51a).]

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It isn't the media's job to say wait. It is their job to say "We have this information, this is what is happening." Their job is to report all the facts known. They did that.

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Like they did with the story on Cam Newton taking money? Like they did with the story on Manziel signing autographs for cash?

I agree with your presumption when it's reporting an actual news event. But the Incognito/Martin mess was tabloid drama that turned quickly into a character assassination. We're not talking about getting information out to the public on a time sensitive situation; we're talking about the media once again jumping on salacious information without being troubled to cross-reference for fear of losing the scoop on a story that will generate hits.

I'll admit that I was right there eating it up, too. I thought it was an absolutely captivating story, and I bought into the "Incognito is dirty" rap and assumed he was some racist homophobe that was bullying the guy. Between watching what they tried to do to Manziel, I should have known better. As of now, I don't think anyone should trust any story about a pro athlete with all these carrion birds swarming the internet sky.

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But the Incognito/Martin mess was tabloid drama that turned quickly into a character assassination.

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It was turned into a character assassination by all the talking heads, not the reporters. You need to make that distinction.

And if you really want to blame someone, you have to lay it on the shoulders of Martin, Martin's agent and the Dolphins.

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We're not talking about getting information out to the public on a time sensitive situation; we're talking about the media once again jumping on salacious information without being troubled to cross-reference for fear of losing the scoop on a story that will generate hits.

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How do you know they didn't cross reference it?

So Martin's agent gives them a few brief texts that have racial and bullying messages. They call the Dolphins and the Dolphins confirm they are real texts. What else are they supposed to do?


And those texts WERE true. But when you can see the big picture - something Martin and the Dolphins and the NFL refused to release - you can read them and realize they aren't a big deal.

the bullying claim fit into a larger cultural narrative

it was too good of a story to pass up on the chance to proselytize

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It was turned into a character assassination by all the talking heads, not the reporters. You need to make that distinction.

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embrace debate

Oh Jesus Christ GS, you knew what i was talking about.

It was an all out assault on his character based on cherry picked info.

They know there is context in every situation, but that doesn't make money.

That's what guys like Skip Bayless, Colin Cowherd and Stephen A Smith are paid to do.

They have nothing in common with the reporters that are paid to report facts.

No **** sherlock.

No one said anything differently.

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Its the media job to report on facts. Making judgements about his character is not reporting facts.

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Other than you?

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How do you know they didn't cross reference it?

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Richie Incognito ✔ @68INCOGNITO
Follow
@AdamSchefter Enough is enough
If you or any of the agents you sound off for have a problem with me, you know where to find me #BRINGIT

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Richie Incognito ✔ @68INCOGNITO
Follow
@AdamSchefter Stop slandering my name. You hide behind "sources" who are not man enough to put their name behind the BS you report

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Richie Incognito ✔ @68INCOGNITO
Follow
@espn shame on you for attaching my name to false speculation. I won't be holding my breathe for an apology
7:50 AM - 3 Nov 2013

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Richie Incognito ✔ @68INCOGNITO
Follow
@espn @CBSSports @NBCSports @FOXSports @ProFootballTalk
I want my name CLEARED
8:08 AM - 3 Nov 2013

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Certainly reads like a guy that got sucker punched by a story without giving his side of the story.

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Its the media job to report on facts. Making judgements about his character is not reporting facts.

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Other than you?

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Ok i can see your confusion.

He definitely got sucker punched by the Dolphins, the NFL and Jon Martin's camp.

That doesn't mean that what they said wasn't true or that they didn't confirm the truth through the Dolphins/NFL/Martin.

Incognito should have released all the texts back in November and proven he was Martin's friend, that he cared for him and that he was a hard partier, but not THAT hard (Pouncey).

Both of these guys tried to play it in their favor - Martin spins the bully story via a selective release of texts/voice-mails while Incognito doesn't want to release everything (which largely vindicates him as a bully) because it's full of drug and hooker encounters.

Man Richie has some cahones. And after reading the text messages I don't blame him. The release of the texts actually helped him I think.

Yup. I'm sure he got the go-ahead from his side now that everything is out there he's free to say what he wants.

He may or may not also have been tipped off as to what the "decision" will be in the investigation.

The fine book and him telling someone to destroy it is pretty telling he was covering something. The dolphins get off the hook for the binders that were distributed and signed by the players..

Pretty interesting read.

Some of it gets nasty especially directed towards Martins sister.

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Said Mr. Wells: "The Report concludes that three starters on the Dolphins offensive line, Richie Incognito, John Jerry and Mike Pouncey, engaged in a pattern of harassment directed at not only Jonathan Martin, but also another young Dolphins offensive lineman and an assistant trainer. The Report finds that the assistant trainer repeatedly was the object if racial slurs and other racially derogatory language; that the other offensive lineman was subjected to homophobic name-calling and improper physical touching; and that Martin was taunted on a persistent basis with sexually explicit remarks about his sister and his mother and at times ridiculed with racial insults and other offensive comments. The Report rejects any suggestion that Matin manufactured claims of abuse...The Report concluded that the harassment by Martin's teammates was a contributing factor in his decision to leave the team, but also finds that Martin's teammates did not intend to drive Martin from the team or cause him lasting emotional injury."

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In the fine book, Pouncey was fined $100 for being Subpoenaed by the FBI

Lolls like they took the high road basically saying this is unprecedented and their conclusion is:

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As all must surely recognize, the NFL is not an ordinary workplace. Professional football is a rough, contact sport played by men of exceptional size, speed, strength and athleticism. But even the largest, strongest and fleetest person may be driven to despair by bullying, taunting and constant insults. We encourage the creation of new workplace conduct rules and guidelines that will help ensure that players respect each other as professionals and people.

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This is so stupid. Martin engaged in the same banter. Maybe he did it to try to fit in with the culture of his OL peers, but if it truly distressed him, he should've addressed directly it with RI, et al. instead of going nuclear with lawyers, quitting the team, and painting himself as a pure victim

I am on the fence.

I think Martin has mental problems and instead of directing his feelings of being bullied towards the organization and feeling trapped, he took the ease way out instead of addressing it with the organization first. He decided to try and fit in and mildly banter back which added fuel to the fire.

However, after reading the report, some of things being said by Richie which weren't recprocaited, are disturbing. We all joke around with friends but just reading the comments that were made towards Martin's sister made my skin crawl..

Interesting thing going forward will be what happens to Richie going forward. He's a free agent and now this comes out..

Just my two cents

There's also the racial remarks made to the trainer who was Asian. Incognito, Pouncey & Jerry “called his mother a ‘rub and tug masseuse.’”

Another person had this to say:

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While trudging through the 144-page Ted Wells report (here’s a tip — start at the bottom and work your way up), I found at page 133 a significant text-message exchange between Dolphins guard Richie Incognito and Dolphins center Mike Pouncey.

It happened after reports surfaced that Dolphins tackle Jonathan Martin was bullied and harassed primarily by Incognito, and after Incognito had reached out to Martin and expressed support for him.

Here’s the exchange, with the profane language sanitized:

Incognito: F–k Jmart That f—t is never back

Pouncey: Bro I said the same thing I can’t even look at him the same he’s a *****

Incognito: My agent just said if we held mandatory strip club meetings Jmart is f–king ratting on everyone

Pouncey: Lol wow are you serious he is a f–k boy

Pouncey: He’s not welcome back bro I can’t be around that f–king guy

Incognito: F–k that guy if Ur not with [u]s Ur against us

Pouncey: No question bro he’s a coward for snitching

Incognito: Snitches get stiches Blood in blood out F–king guy

Pouncey: He’s dead to me

So while the text messages exchanged between Incognito and Martin — which Incognito admitted to Wells had been promptly leaking to Jeff Darlington of NFL Network — painted one picture about their relationship, the text messages exchanged by and between Incognito and Pouncey show a more troubling truth.

The two men held a grudge against Martin for being a “snitch,” and they discussed (if not planned) to retaliate against him in some way.Which won’t be good for Incognito or Pouncey.

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[This message has been edited by bilbobag (edited 2/14/2014 10:39a).]

[This message has been edited by bilbobag (edited 2/14/2014 10:44a).]