The Browns are easily the most dysfunctional team in the NFL. Lombardi just joined the team last year, and Banner joined the team in 2012 when Jimmy Haslem (who is under federal investigation for his company's fuel rebate fraud) bought the team. Absolutely no stability in that organization.
The Browns are easily the most dysfunctional team in the NFL. Lombardi just joined the team last year, and Banner joined the team in 2012 when Jimmy Haslem (who is under federal investigation for his company's fuel rebate fraud) bought the team. Absolutely no stability in that organization.
From Jeff Darlington:
Quote:
Screenwriters for the movie Draft Day wasted a lot of time coming up with a fictitious plot about the Browns. Reality would’ve sufficed.
What's interesting is that hiring coach Mike Pettine was completely Joe Banner and Mike Lombardi's doing, with new GM Ray Farmer having no role or say in the hiring process. This could lead to a situation where Farmer decides he wants to bring in his own coach and ousts Pettine after one season.
Banner is a bean counter who thinks he's a talent evaluator. He always comes across as thinking he's the smartest guy in the room. And Lombardi was nothing but an empty chair. Good riddance to both of them.
Farmer had the chance to be the GM in MIA but decided to stay in CLE so it seems apparent that this was in the works for a while. Plus he attended the Senior Bowl and has been prepping for the draft while Banner and Lombardi were looking for an HC, so I don't think this will adversely affect that.
While seemingly another black eye for the organization, I think it will be the right move for the long term.
Wow... just, wow. This fool's two other sons are in prison and this fool is worried about his very successful son who finished college and is headed to the NFL? Just sickening.
While Michael Sam has mostly received an outpouring of support since announcing that he is gay, his father is struggling with the news, according to a published report.
Sam revealed to his Missouri teammates he is gay last August, but he didn't disclose his sexual orientation to his parents until last week. He said Sunday in interviews with ESPN's "Outside The Lines" and The New York Times that he is gay.
Michael Sam Sr. told The New York Times that he received the news last Tuesday when his son wrote in a text: "Dad, I'm gay."
Sam's father took the news hard. He said he was eating at a Denny's restaurant but had to leave after receiving the text.
"I couldn't eat no more, so I went to Applebee's to have drinks," Sam Sr. told the newspaper. "I don't want my grandkids raised in that kind of environment."
Sam Sr., who described himself as "old-school," told the newspaper the idea of a gay player in the NFL bothers him, even when that person could be his own son.
And some teams won't want that controversy. Players can deal with a guy killings dogs on the side...buy a gay teammate? I can bet in locker rooms without a strong leadership presence...this can be an issue...and will be an issue for some players.
You will be much more accepted for dealing drugs or pulling a lewis and killing a guy...it's sad but the truth.
And some teams won't want that controversy. Players can deal with a guy killings dogs on the side...buy a gay teammate? I can bet in locker rooms without a strong leadership presence...this can be an issue...and will be an issue for some players.
You will be much more accepted for dealing drugs or pulling a lewis and killing a guy...it's sad but the truth.
It's really sad that there are people in Atlanta who still go to the games in Vick jerseys, boo Matt Ryan and call in to the radio shows saying we should cut Ryan and go back to Vick. These same people would probably stop supporting the team entirely if they signed a homosexual.
It's really sad that there are people in Atlanta who still go to the games in Vick jerseys, boo Matt Ryan and call in to the radio shows saying we should cut Ryan and go back to Vick. These same people would probably stop supporting the team entirely if they signed a homosexual.
Actually Atlanta might not be the worst place for Sam. It pretty much has a monopoly on the top spot of every list of the "gayest" cities in America.
They are saying they want to make sure the kinks are out of the stadium after playing some preseason games there so now most likely the 49ers will open on the road in week 1 & play home in the new stadium SNF week 2.
Well the lists are debatable as to how they are formulated but San Fran is usually a few spots down on the list.
You can make any list say whatever you want based on certain criteria. NYT says that there are more gay couples (30.3) per 100 families than anywhere else in the US. Whatever that's worth to you lol. SF just has this stigma as being the "gayest" city in the US.
Last edited by walruswarrior; 02-13-2014 at 03:27 PM.
The Ted Wells report on the Dolphins has been released. I'd read speculation over the last couple weeks that it would be released today because the NFL wants to bury the story, and releasing it on a Friday going into a holiday weekend with NBA All-Star weekend and the Olympics ongoing is probably their best chance to get people to ignore the report as best as they can.
Edit: Beginning to read the report, and it looks like offensive linemen Mike Pouncey and John Jerry are getting a lot of blame in addition to Incognito. It looks like an Asian-American trainer may have been bullied the most. I really don't know how the Dolphins are going to be able to keep Pouncey or Jerry after reading this, and am surprised they weren't suspended as well.
Reading further and it appears Dolphins o-line coach Jim Turner participated in the bullying. There's another offensive lineman the report calls player A that was often called gay by the other lineman. From the report:
Quote:
The evidence shows that Coach Turner overheard and participated in this behavior toward Player A. During the 2012 Christmas season, Coach Turner gave all of the offensive linemen gift bags that included a variety of stocking stuffers. In each gift bag except for Player A’s, Turner included a female “blow-up”doll; Player A’s bag included a male doll. Martin and another player were surprised that Turner did this; Martin further said that he was offended that Turner had endorsed the humiliating treatment of Player A by participating in it. Incognito and others agreed that this incident with Coach Turner occurred. When interviewed, Turner was asked if he gave Player A a male blow-up doll. He replied, “I can’t remember.” We do not believe that Turner forgot this incident, which many others
recalled
Last edited by fatediesel; 02-14-2014 at 02:51 PM.
Incognito recorded a $200 fine against himself for "breaking Jmart," awarded another lineman who had been verbally taunted a $250 bonus for "not cracking first," and wrote down a number of penalties against Martin for acting like a "*****." The evidence shows, and Incognito did not dispute, that "breaking Jmart" meant causing Martin to have an emotional reaction in response to taunting.
Approximately one week after Martin left the team, on November 3, 2013, Incognito wrote nearly identical text messages to Pouncey and another lineman: "They're going to suspend me Please destroy the fine book first thing in the morning."
Quote:
Martin related that one day when he showed up to practice one day without showering, Incognito began calling him a "smelly," "dirty" or "stinky" "Pakistani." Martin said that Incognito's teasing about body odor continued, even when he was wearing heavy deodorant, and that it bothered him significantly, particularly because it had a racial element.
Quote:
Incognito and a former Dolphins offensive lineman, who is white, communicated about purchasing guns, apparently for recreational purposes. (We identify this former Dolphin as Player B.) The discussion veered into jokes about shooting black people:
Player B: Especially if u plan living in Arizona in the future, that's exactly what you want
Incognito: Yea. For picking off zombies
Player B: Lol isn't that why we own any weapons!?
Incognito: That and black people
Player B: Mmm def all black ppl
Four days later, Incognito and Player B discussed rifle scopes in text messages.
Player B: Yes. That's a solid optic made specifically for a .308 battle rifle
Incognito: Perfect for shooting black people
Player B: Lol exactly
Player B: Or Jeff Ireland
Quote:
The evidence supports a finding that Incognito, Jerry and Pouncey repeatedly and persistently made graphic, sexually explicit comments about Martin's sister, a medical student whom they had never met. Four fairly typical examples of the types of insults made orally, according to Martin, are:
"We are going to run train on your sister. She loves me. I'm going to **** her without a condom and cum in her ****."
"Hey, Jmart's sister is in town. Get the plastic sheets ready, she's a squirter."
"I'm going to bang the shit out of her and spit on her and treat her like shit."
"Hear your sister has a wolf-puss. A fat, hairy *****."
Although Martin's core complaints primarily relate to oral statements, crude references to his sister also appeared in a handful of text messages, including one that Incognito sent to Martin and other offensive linemen:
"I flew jmarts sister into Indy. My dick is dry and needs some of her healing squirt juices"
Quote:
Incognito, Jerry and Pouncey admitted that they directed racially derogatory words toward him, including "Jap" and "Chinaman." At times, according to Martin, they referred to the Assistant Trainer as a "dirty communist" or a "North Korean," made demands such as "give me some water you ****ing chink," spoke to him in a phony, mocking Asian accent, including asking for "rubby rubby sucky sucky," and called his mother a "rub and tug masseuse." Martin and others informed us that Incognito and Jerry taunted the Assistant Trainer with jokes about having sex with his girlfriend. Incognito admitted that these types of comments were made to the Assistant Trainer.
On December 7, 2012 (the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor), Incognito, Jerry and Pouncey donned traditional Japanese headbands that featured a rising sun emblem and jokingly threatened to harm the Assistant Trainer physically in retaliation for the Pearl Harbor attack. Martin reported that the Assistant Trainer confided to him that he was upset about the Pearl Harbor prank, finding it derogatory and demeaning.
Quote:
Martin and other witnesses informed us that Player A was repeatedly called a "******" and subjected to other homophobic invective. Incognito stated that Player A, although not actually believed to be gay, was subject to these taunts repeatedly and persistently—he got it "every day from everybody, high frequency." According to Incognito, Player A was a "good kid" and he "took it well," never asking his teammates to stop.
Incognito and others acknowledged that Player A was routinely touched by Incognito, Jerry and Pouncey in a mockingly suggestive manner, including on his rear end, while being taunted about his supposed homosexuality. Incognito specifically admitted that he would grab Player A and ask for a hug as part of this "joke."
Martin said that on one occasion, Pouncey physically restrained Player A and, in full view of other players, jokingly told Jerry to "come get some *****," and that Jerry responded by touching Player A's buttocks in a way that simulated anal penetration. Pouncey and Jerry both denied this allegation. Given the seriousness of this allegation and the conflicting recollections, we decline to make any findings about this particular alleged incident.
The evidence shows that [Offensive Line Coach Jim Turner] overheard and participated in this behavior toward Player A. During the 2012 Christmas season, Coach Turner gave all of the offensive linemen gift bags that included a variety of stocking stuffers. In each gift bag except for Player A's, Turner included a female "blow-up" doll; Player A's bag included a male doll.
Quote:
Incognito left the following voicemail message for Martin:
"Hey, wassup, you half-****** piece of shit. I saw you on Twitter, you been training 10 weeks. I'll shit in your ****in' mouth. I'm gonna slap your ****in' mouth, I'm gonna slap your real mother across the face [laughter]. **** you, you're still a rookie. I'll kill you."
Martin was appalled by this message. He said that Incognito had never before called him a "******." And although Martin did not regard statements such as "I'll kill you" as literal threats, the voicemail further distressed him because he feared that it signaled that the abuse he had endured during his rookie season would continue during his second season. According to Martin, a few weeks later, prior to a dinner at a Fort Lauderdale restaurant, Incognito addressed him in a text message as "shine box," which Martin felt was a derogatory term, and he responded with a message complaining about Incognito's "racist shit." At the dinner, Martin claimed, Incognito made additional offensive racial comments to him (although he said he laughed them off at the time). The comments, Martin said, included jokes about slavery, and he claimed that Incognito called him a "******" to his face at the restaurant. Incognito also insulted Martin in person and in text messages with other racially charged language, including referring to Martin as a "liberal mulatto *****," "stinky Pakistani," "shine box" and "darkness."
Martin letter to Mom:
Quote:
I figured out a major source of my anxiety. I'm a push over, a people pleaser. I avoid confrontation whenever I can, I always want everyone to like me. I let people talk about me, say anything to my face, and I just take it, laugh it off, even when I know they are intentionally trying to disrespect me. I mostly blame the soft schools I went to, which fostered within me a feeling that I'm a huge *****, as I never got into fights. I used to get verbally bullied every day in middle school and high school, by kids that are half my size. I would never fight back, just get sad & feel like no one wanted to be my friend, when in fact I was just being socially awkward. Most people in that situation are witty & quick with sarcastic replies, I never have been. I'm awkward around people a lot of the time because I simply don't know how to act around them.
[...]
I care about my legacy as a professional athlete. But I'm miserable currently. A therapist & medication won't help me gain the respect of my teammates. I really don't know what to do Mom.
To his father:
Quote:
People call me a ****** to my face. Happened 2 days ago. And I laughed it off. Because I am too nice of a person. They say terrible things about my sister. I don't do anything. I suppose it's white private school conditioning, turning the other cheek
From his father:
Quote:
They think ****** is okay because black people use it. Tell them you don't use it and it is never okey and if they do it again then they can kiss your black ass. Likewise say that your sister is a Madonna. If they say it again they can kiss your ass. If they do say either again then just stare at them give them and give them your finger.
Just so you know, I punked out many times including over ******. Also over just being black. Mot proud of it in the least. It is just a matter of understanding your own strength. Had 3 white boys outside of a bowling alley calling me ******. I backed down.
Had a Harvard ******* talk about my suntan. I backed down. Just stay who you are.
Also, I learned how to pop a bully in his mouth and kicked one in his balls.
To his mother a few days later:
Quote:
I'm never gonna change. I got punked again today. Like a little *****. And I never do anything about it.
I was sobbing in a rented yacht bathroom earlier
Quote:
Turner: Richie incognito is getting hammered on national TV. This is not right. You could put an end to all the rumors with a simple statement. DO THE RIGHT THING. NOW.
Martin: Coach. I want to put out a statement. Believe me I do. This thing has become such a huge story somehow. But I've been advised not to... And I'm not supposed to text anyone either cuz last time I responded to a teammate (Richie) I was intentionally manipulated and the conversation was immediately forwarded to a reporter.
Turner: He is protecting himself. He has been beat up for 4 days. Put an end to this. You are a grown man. Do the right thing
Turner: John I want the best for you and your health but make a statement and take the heat off Richie and the lockerroom. This isn't right.
Turner [The next day]: I know you are a man of character. Where is it?
Pro and con list of returning to NFL after rookie season:
Quote:
-Football games are fun
-I can make a lot of money playing football and be set for life
-I have a legacy that will live after I die
-not many people get to live their childhood dream
-I am the left tackle for the Miami dolphins
-if I quit, I'll be known as a quitter for the rest of my life
-my legacy at Stanford will be tarnished
-I will never be able to look any coach from my past in the eye
-I hate going in everyday.
-I am unable to socialize with my teammates in their crude manner
-I already have a lot of money. I could travel the world, get my degree. Then get a real job
-I could lose 70 lbs and feel good about my body
-I won't die from CTE
-Maybe I'll start to LIKE myself
-I don't need to live lavishly. I could live very frugally
-why do I care about these people? All I need is my family
Quote:
In May 2012, Incognito engaged in two incidents of inappropriate behavior at a Dolphins' charity golf tournament within the span of less than 24 hours. He has admitted that both incidents were fueled by alcohol. In the first, he and several other players commandeered a guest's car for joy-riding in the parking lot of the golf club and allegedly damaged the guest's luggage. The next day, Incognito allegedly molested a female volunteer at the tournament. He was accused of using a golf club to touch her genitals, touching her inappropriately with his body, squirting water on her and other inappropriate conduct, and she filed a report with the police. Incognito was not charged with a crime, but he entered into a confidential civil settlement to resolve the matter; news reports claim that he made a payment of $30,000. The Dolphins fined Incognito $5,000 for the first incident and $50,000 for the second, both for conduct deemed detrimental to the organization. The $50,000 penalty is one of the largest fines imposed on any Dolphins player to date for off-season conduct, according to team executives.
Incognito apologized to the Dolphins for his conduct at the golf tournament, but also filed a grievance against the team with respect to the $50,000 fine. He disputes certain allegations made by the female volunteer at the golf tournament, though he does not claim his conduct was appropriate. That matter remains unresolved.
The report is pretty much what I expected. Incognito is a loud mouth clueless idiot. Martin was unable emotionally and mentally to deal with it, which lead to his breakdown.
I think Turner will be let go, as it seems he knew enough and was himself involved in inappropriate behavior.
I'm sure much of the same sort of things happen in most locker rooms, but hopefully not to the extent of what happened in Miami. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out.
I wonder who Player 'A' and Player 'B' is... I have a feeling one may be rookie Dallas Thomas.
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