Dolphin Tales Like It Was 1984

You’ve probably heard about the NFL in one form or another from the gripping games to major stories.  And I’m sure you know the story of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins’ locker room. It’s hard not to know if you follow media like ESPN, local news, and “Conan”. But, anyway, over the past month it has been heavily reported and scrutinized over that offensive lineman Richie Incognito has been bullying and hazing on fellow offensive lineman Jonathan Martin. There were many incidents on the field and in the locker room of Incognito and teammates trying to “toughen Martin up.” As these call-outs continued over a year’s period, starting in Martin’s vulnerable rookie season, Martin became more uncomfortable and edgy. This edginess with Martin and Incognito contiued outside the locker room, where mainly in the off-season and around the Dolphins’ organized team activities (OTAs), the two communicated with thousands of text messages and hundreds of voice mails. Many times; let’s just say “unprofessional” comments were used, reportedly causing both, especially Martin to become bitter. Inevitably, everything boiled over on November 2, 2013  in the Dolphin facility; Martin came to the cafeteria for lunch and sat down. His teammates, playing a practical joke, all got up from the table and left. Martin, then slammed his lunch tray down, left the facility, and did not come back. Now weeks later, Incognito is indefinitely suspended, Martin has retreated to California with his parents, the NFL is investigating, and who knows what will happen next. All in all, surrounding the people and events of the Incognito-Martin situation, is the representation of, “Ignorance is Strength.”

    The three words in this statement may be just a reference to an Ingsoc party slogan in George Orwell’s’ 1984, but this slogan is an important one. This is from its meaning, where if you don’t focus on injustices placed on you, like the “Party” in 1984 with “telescreens”, “Newspeak”, and more, the stronger you’d be in life. It may sound crazy, but in this negative utopia, it kept “The Party” in power and the low-life, unknowing “proles” out of the picture. With this  same idea, we learned with the Incognito-Martin situation that the whole Miami Dolphin organization was ignorant of the problems ensuing around them. The players and coaches, as the investigation has been progressing, seemed to be the center of this problem. As the accounts of bullying came out and interviews with the media were wanted, Head Coach Joe Philbin, Quarterback Ryan Tannehill, and others, kept referring to the two as “best friends” and the bullying being just “usual locker room business and player toughening up.” Many also said, “The NFL locker room is different than the usual workplace…,” so, “…The standards are different.”  And with all the reports coming out about what has happened, I keep thinking to myself, ‘Are you kidding me?’ How, in a professional environment, can this kind of demeaning hazing be present and you  not even recognize it or help out; let alone covering it up and now; lying about it. The Miami Dolphin organization is ultimately too embarrassed to admit how wrong they were when they knew about Martin’s emotional problems. This shows complete ignorance, which keeps the organization “in the clear,” and allows them to move on with their everyday lives without being scrutinized, giving them a “lift.” This was also the case with Richie Incognito himself in his interview with Jay Glazer; a week after he was suspended indefinitely after the lunchroom situation.  In this FOX interview, Incognito kept playing dumb and referring to Martin as his, “Best friend,” and that if he were to talk him again, “Give him a big hug…,” and ask, “Dude, what’s going on?’” All this says is he’s oblivious in what he was doing and the problems he was causing. Also, NFL locker rooms are so close that Incognito is just trying to keep the heat off, not receive scrutiny, and keep his dignity. Which he has none of after this and past incidents at the University of Nebraska and with the St. Louis Rams. Honestly, the whole situation is beeing handled completely wrong and the team and Incognito should be punished.

   So, as the cloud hangs over the Dolphin locker room and news media personnel storm the team facilities, the NFL continues to investigate.  And you know what? The NFL is also being ignorant of what’s going on; because you know how much progress has been made by the NFL? Zero. There’s been no further news and reports that have come out except the investigation is; quote: “Ongoing.” Just look at stories on NFL.com and other news sources; it’s unbelievable. How can such high standards be set by the NFL to make a “world-class” league, and all they do is to try to let the Incognito-Martin situation “slide by.” Well that won’t be possible, because it shows unforgivable negligence and ignorance. I seriously hope the NFL can resolve this, but at least show some priority and get to the bottom of the question, "What’s happening in the Dolphin locker room and is it happening elsewhere?" The NFL is awesome, but if they don’t get their act together, there be some real questions for the credibility of the league. All I’m saying is we don’t need more problems, and in the end, people want answers. People also want  the Dolphin organization to be men, and admit their faults. Until then, problems will continue, credibility will be in question, and the Miami Dolphins and the NFL will hold the slogan: “Ignorance is Strength.”