A very very touchy topic in the NFL today and very very strong words said by Incognito. Myself being a high school athlete, college athlete and a NFL athlete I have heard words thrown around towards other players but never in the direction to degrade or belittle a team mate. I know for a fact that being on the field and going in to hostile stadiums and towns racially charged words and words to hurt you emotionally are said by fans and players from the opposing team but never by a team mate.
In the situation of Incognito and Martin I do believe some of the things said by Incognito did push the limits of verbal trash talking and belittling because some of Incognitos attitude and words filter outside of the locker room and was recorded. One coach that I had when I was with the New York Jets Coach Herm Edwards said it best when we would have our team meetings was that what you do in the public will be seen and broadcast because of who you are and always remember someone is watching at all times. I say to say Incognito let what was allowed in the locker room to run over to the public life because his behavior was accepted in the locker room by the other players and he believed that it would be accepted in the public eye.
As a African-American his words were disturbing but mainly from what I saw in the video of him in the bar shouting and yelling the word NIGGER over and over again in a drunken state. His behavior that was displayed in the locker room and towards Martin I believed was seen as acceptable behavior because his team mates didn't see anything wrong with it because they accepted him as an honorary African-American. That right there doesn't put the majority of the blame on Incognito in my eyes I believe the rest of the players that allowed that to take place share that blame because it created a comfortablility for Incognito to do what he did. So I posed the question just as the title of this blog states, when does words in the lockeroom push the limits?
Great post, I agree.....WE need to be very careful with allowing people to have these so called "passes".......WE need to STOP this behavior, especially before we start ranting and raving about what someone did or said that we allowed a different situation.
ReplyDeletedef. true
DeletePeople think because they are big and athletes that they too don't have feelings. As long as a person has a heart they will have feelings so yes words hurt
ReplyDeletemos def i think martin has other stuff that he's dealing with also and this triggered it
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