Raiders Quarterback Applauds Bullied Dolphins Player For ‘Standing Up And Being A Man’

[demmiblue]

Source: Think Progress

<snip>

Stick to the code. Don’t go to others. Be a man. Handle it yourself. Do it any other way, Murtha and others are saying, and you’re weak, soft, not a man.

That’s not how Terrelle Pryor sees it, though. Asked about the Dolphins’ situation Thursday, the second-year Oakland Raiders quarterback applauded Martin’s courage to stand up against the bullies, even if he didn’t do it with his fists.

“I hope that we see [Jonathan] Martin playing again soon – I’ve watched some tape of him, he’s a good player,” Pryor said, according to Raiders.com. “Hats off to him for standing up and being a man.”

But that wasn’t all. Pryor also insinuated that there should have been leaders — men — in the locker room who stood up for Martin and spoke out about Incognito’s problems (which are only looking worse with each passing day).

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/sports/2013/11/08/2918291/raiders-quarterback-applauds-bullied-dolphins-player-standing-man/

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

1. It must have been pretty bad

Like everybody else in the NFL, Martin probably started playing football when he was ten years old (or younger). He's been a rookie before and knows what hazing is. He knows what locker room culture is like. For him to walk off the job like that, it must have been pretty over-the-top.

[mythology]

2. I wish more people in the NFL believed this

I've read some articles where Miami players were supporting Incognito which is a little stupefying.

[theHandpuppet]

3. That's probably because it wasn't just Incognito doing the bullying

Reports of the bullying and abuse going on in the Dolphins locker room reminds me of Lord of the Flies.

[a kennedy]

4. Cris Carter on ESPN was all, own up to it, be a man, buck up....blah, blah, blah.

I can not believe ANY African American would be ok with what incognito said..... some of it was JUST PLAIN RACIST. I hope I'm not to out on a limb being white saying that. But sheesh. It's not ok. JMHO.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

8. This African American is NOT!! And the majority of us that I've spoken to are not

OK with this at all!! Not in the least!

Michael Wilborn (sp?) had a nice exposé on this issue on Pardon the Interruption the other day. Just because a few ignorant ass blacks may be fine with it doesn't mean the majority of blacks are. I can assure you that it's just not the case.

[Enthusiast]

21. I'm not saying it is right but I think Miami players are supporting him

because the team needs him as a football player. The line is poor with him and it would be even worse without him. Winning is everything. Wins have come hard for the Dolphins.

[alarimer]

5. Good for him.

I hate this circling the wagons around the abuser. This is exactly why people don't come forward more when they are harassed at work, because often they are the ones blamed for the situation.

The NFL should have policies in place to prevent this kind of targeting and abuse. I don't care if it is "different". I don't care about the macho bullshit (which in my opinion poisons far too many good people) or any of that. These are PROFESSIONALS. They shouldn't act like that.

[DinahMoeHum]

6. What we have out in Miami is: Failure of Leadership. . .

Last edited Sun Nov 10, 2013, 11:17 AM - Edit history (1)

Failure of leadership all across the board in the Miami Dolphins' franchise.

Failure of leadership among the players.

Failure of leadership among the coaches.

Failure of leadership in the front office/general management.

[WinstonSmith4740]

7. Bullying is bullying.

I don't care if it's in a school or workplace. It's wrong and needs to be dealt with. The hierarchy is always the same...the bully, his or her wingman, and the followers. Incognito is typical, and had obviously been a problem for a long time...he makes others feel bad about themselves so he can feel better about himself. That fact that the Dolphins are rallying around him is pretty disgusting. I wonder how many more times this will happen before they decide to do something about it. These things never end well.

[Marrah_G]

9. It really comes down to the coaching staff

They set the tone on what is acceptable behavior in their organization. There is no way the staff did not know what was going on.

[mother earth]

10. I'll tell you one thing, this is due to the bullying nature that is embraced in ANY power structure.

It's the sickening definition of bullying. This has been displayed blatantly in this situation, but have no doubt, it is played out across this country in business, education and university settings.

We aren't going to deal with bullying in children, until we deal with bullying in adults. Money and power is what it's all about, majority rule, whether right or wrong is fueled by money and fear. Grown men are displaying a mentality that is clearly wrong & somehow they are trying to justify it.

Stand up and be a man, is the mantra these bullies need to apply to themselves.

Pryor is so right on, where are the leaders, where are the real men that would not stand for this blatant brutality and racism.
Our culture is deteriorating.

K & R for Pryor's words. K & R for Martin, he should be congratulated and it should be made known in no uncertain terms that he is not alone & has support from many corners, including DU.

TY, demmiblue, bravo for bringing this here!

[trumad]

11. The same Terrelle Pryor who helped get his college coach fired

because he accepted illegal gifts. If only there would have been a leader in his college locker room.

[LittleBlue]

14. Same Raiders whose very name has become a synonym for losing

Possibly the worst run, worst performing sports franchise among the major 3 sports for the last decade.

The anti-bullying movement couldn't have found a worse spokesperson.

[Mz Pip]

26. Don't laws against workplace harassment apply to the NFL?

It shouldn't matter what your job is or how much money you make. Your workplace environment shouldn't include bullying or racial slurs.

It's bad enough that the NFL is tax exempt. The fact that excuses are made for this behavior is pretty deplorable.

[Jamaal510]

27. Being a Raiders fan is so tough

that the phrase "bandwagon Raider fan" has become an oxymoron, considering how embarrassing they've been playing. They haven't even had a winning season since I was in middle school.

[LittleBlue]

28. I feel you, bro

A shame because the Raiders have the coolest mascot and colors, and I'm a Seahawks fans.

Al Davis' "sort by 40 time and draft in order" technique didn't help, nor did JaMarcus Russell.

[Are_grits_groceries]

15. Oh please.

Tressel got fired because he covered up that hot mess. Pryor was his number one priority and he lost sight of everything else but keeping him eligible and winning.

If Tressel had reported the infractions, he would still have a job. His record would have withstood any sanctions from the NCAA if he hadn't aided and abetted those who had committed the infractions.

As far as accepting illegal gifts, he and others traded memorabilia for tattoos. It was against the rules. However, they weren't running around and accepting cars and bazzillions of dollars. He paid with suspensions.

This was also an example of no leadership at the top. If Tressel hadn't set the tone by covering it up, it would have stopped. Pryor knew better, but he certainly didn't have an adult reining him in. This wasn't a secret. Players knew what was happening and Tressel's actions had to have had a negative effect on other players.

AND once again, I am not excusing Pryor. He was punished as he should have been.

[trumad]

19. Yeah you are..

The hypocrites coming out of the woodwork are fucking amazing.

[Are_grits_groceries]

20. Please don't tell me what I mean.

Pryor was punished and he should have been.
However, Tressel also deserved to be punished for his actions. Pryor was going to be punished no matter what Tressel did but as HC he set the wrong tone for the team.

You act like Pryor's actions alone got Tressel fired. That's not true. Tressel had the opportunity to follow the rules and keep his job.

[Enthusiast]

22. He didn't accept illegal gifts.

He sold his legal "awards" for cash to pay for tattoos.

Well said, Terrelle Pryor.

[sulphurdunn]

12. Somebody needs to drop

a net on this berserker before he finally kills someone or someone kills him.

[ronnie624]

13. Ugh.

The misogyny is so thick.

The 'jock culture' is repulsive to me. How I loathe football.

[alarimer]

16. Yes, ultimately that is the problem.

It is poisonous. Fuck the NFL and its defenders.

I just watched Terry Bradshaw and the other meatheads at Fox try to excuse this behavior. "Wanting to hear BOTH sides." and "Jonathan Martin has to come clean", "He had emotional problems." Yeah, no shit, when he was being abused, of course he had emotional problems.

[Oilwellian]

17. Bradshaw is a douchebag

I always thought it was the bullies who had emotional issues.

[tenderfoot]

18. This would have happened to any intellegent person surrounded by frat-boy dipshits...

that is something I haven't heard addressed in this.

[Enthusiast]

23. And they're full of roids.

And act accordingly.

[KAESNO2]

24. What did the racist text say?

I can't find it on Google.

[awoke_in_2003]

25. Incognito called him a half-n*****. nt