Never Ending Road of Bullying

Never Ending Road of Bullying
Football players participating in a bit more than touchdowns and fumbles resulting in a quitting teammate

Bullying has gained headlines in the past few years as a situation that has seriously affected people’s lives. Suicides, emotional trauma, and loss of friendships are only few of the very serious consequences that result from intense bullying.

Sports teams are known for being families and being each other’s support systems. Teammates play off of each other and support each other when in a time of need. This scenario was very different for the Miami Dolphins recently as one player quit as a result of bullying.

Jonathan Martin literally marched off of the Miami Dolphin team directly following a trick that was played on him in the lunchroom. The general public is now blaming Richie Incognito for Martin’s leave and is now being labeled as a bully. Incognito was interviewed on Nov. 10, 2013 and discussed this incident that he is involved in.

What was the issue?

Richie Incognito is a guard for the
Miami Dolphins.

 Team hazing has always been apart of the Miami Dolphins. The players fool around with what they call harmless tricks. In Nov. 2013, Richie Incognito came up with a plan to have everyone sitting at the lunch table get up when Jonathan Martin sat down. Incognito claims that this trick had been done many times before to other teammates.

What resulted from the trick?

When the players got up from the table, Jonathan Martin threw his tray across the room and left the facility. Incognito claims that Martin and him have spoken over text since the incident and Martin does not blame Incognito for the incident. Martin said that the football environment and
everything that it entails was too much for him to handle.

Jonathan Martin has not been back to the team
since the incident. 

The incident has now been looked at as bullying and has changed the way that the public views Richie Incognito. Although Incognito claimed that there was no intent of actually harming Martin’s character, it shows that people may take practical jokes more to heart than people tend to think. Incognito has taken an indefinite leave from the Miami Dolphins.

The point is now raised as to how far a joke with your friends can go. It may actually be hurting them more than you think. How far is too far? How do you know the limit?