Incognito-

I only have 28 years on earth, but I've never called anyone that. I think I can make it to 45. It's really not that hard. I don't get why some people think it IS hard to not use that word in any context that isn't discussing it like this. Maybe I don't count because I'm white, but lots of African Americans disagree with any use of the word by anybody. I'm surprised you didn't know that. I find the assumption that he has done it his whole life, or huge parts of his life, and/or right now, to be incredibly stupid. If his race is the reason (my hunch) why you assume he uses it and is therefore a hypocrite, then that's pretty damn racist of you.

 

To try to make comparisons with this and teachers of elementary kids is just stupid. One is apples and the other is broccoli!!!

Richie is who he is, a hard nosed brash and nasty football player. In the right locker-room where he isn't the top dog & team leader, just a member of an OL he would be an asset since he has worked very hard to clean up his on field troubles over the last 3 years.

I hate bullying, I hate racism, and I hate lynch mob mentalities.

It seems Martin has sent just as many "disturbing" text to Richie as Richie sent him. Disturbing being used loosely because to us it may be but to them it was normal.

This started after a group of people pulled a prank on Martin like they've done to others yet Richie got blamed. Martin says he's ok and good with Richie, he just is struggling with the culture of the locker-room yet Richie is still a POS and dirtbag for this.

I say before you hang a man make sure he is guilty first because hanging ( metaphorically speaking ) an innocent man is the worse tragedy.

1400 text between these two guys can and will speak volumes.

I'd still take Richie on our OL because he was once a loose cannon knuckle head on the field but he woke up and fixed his game. His locker-room antics while widely accepted in that culture is being challenged to determine should that really be okay by the general public and since this fiasco with Martin his friend being blown out of proportion by the Media, and general public who doesn't understand the emotions of these competitive man within a once enclosed and private locker-room, will fix his off-field problems.

In a locker-room filled with quality team leaders I can see Richie as a valued member of a team.

Cajun-

 

LOL!!!!

Dialog, gotta love it!!!

Cajun-

 

Blast, you can't simplify a victims actions like that. The Human psyche is way too complex for that.

I reserve my final judgement until ALL the facts are in. Richie isn't a choir boy but he shouldn't be blamed for EVERYTHING as I'm quite sure it was wide spread. I also believe Richie & Martin were friends.


You are probably right about one thing. Martin was trying to fit in to a culture he isn't suited for. He felt like he couldn't do it and left. Maybe he didn't like the person he was becoming over the past year and fleeing was his best option. Who really knows?


At this point I'd bring in Richie but it must be understood if Richie indeed crossed the line, whatever that line may be as long as it university accepted in the NFL, then no, he can't come here and discipline is in order.


Assault- It happens in every lockeroom every year. Doesn't make it right but it is what it is. Men at times get physical when emotions run high. I just can't see repeated physical abuse over an extended time and no-one did anything about it. That would really be bad.


Cajun-

 

Well, there was quite a bit of context in my post, and as you may or may not have guessed, I picked teaching as the analogy because it's so different. I said they were obviously different in lots of ways, but one way they are the same is that they are all American workers and human beings, and deserve to feel safe and comfortable at work without being harassed. If it was sexual harassment then you'd probably agree with me. I don't think "regular" harassment becomes okay just because it's common in a certain field. No one hates the "It's not a game, it's a business" side of football more than me, but they shouldn't have to sacrifice basic American rights just because they stumbled into a boys' club full of dicks. And that goes for the military, colleges, and anyone else that thinks it's okay to abuse somebody for fun and use tradition as a cover.

Well don't worry about it, because he is guilty. He just is. Martin could come out tomorrow and say, "You know what, all the stuff Ritchie did doesn't bother me after all. April Fool's, I guess." And it wouldn't change what Ritchie did. He did it. If the lesson here is, "Don't do things that are wrong, even if you think you'll get away with it, and even if you think the other guy will be okay with it, and even if he ultimately is," then that's the lesson. Still guilty. He did wrong things that an adult knows is wrong. The fact that he thinks he should have gotten away with it, or that the victim might point the finger somewhere else (like "the whole culture") is irrelevant.