Just Jack Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 This lunchroom "prank" is the only one mentioned so far, there may have been many instances leading up to this, and he finally decided that this was it. Haven't we all had days of dealing with certain co-workers that one day we just decided that "one more thing happens and I'm out of here"? I know I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewildrabbit Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 (edited) wasn't money a factor? I'm sure it was part of it. But mostly because Long had been injured the last few years. Missing 2 games in 2011, 4 games in 2012. Parcells chose LT Jake Long over QB Matt Ryan for a reason. GM Jeff Ireland might have just screwed himself with this maneuver. Edited October 31, 2013 by FeartheLosing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DefenseWinzChampionshipz Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 What are the odds that someone suffers from a mental disorder? Its no different in the NFL. Mental health needs to be addressed in this country. We wear pink for a cause that is very important but as much of a commercial fabrication as Christmas or Holloween. Instead it will be 10 years from now when something similar happens to the guy at a grocery store and police are called. He will end up tazed or shot and then will we still look at concusions as the cause? Depression is a very serious mental illness. I had it when I was 19 for 3 years. It's a very lonely and the cure takes a long time. You don't just wake up "normal". I beat it with religion (no meds/psychiatrist). I prayed, became a better human being and slowly but surely got better. Suicide was never on my mind cuz like I said, I'm Muslim and will never take a life that God gave, but I can see why some people contimplate it cuz it IS that hard to deal with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DefenseWinzChampionshipz Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I am not whatsoever mocking mental illness. But your proximity to it perhaps prevents you from being more objective. The profession absolutely matters. Who in their right mind would let their child, who may have had signs of mental illness (and yes, there are early signs) allow them to play a sport where they continually get head trauma? Plus, it's not like Martin came from an underprivileged background. If he is mentally ill, football is one of the last professions which he should be pursuing. Getting hit in the head while you have a mental illness doesn't make the mental illness worse. Could you get a concussion? Sure. But that can happen to anyone. While I was going through my depression, I was boxing and it actually helped cuz exercise helps the mind, body and soul. It's a very tough disease to decipher. People always said I looked like myself but I felt like a different me. The battles a person goes through in his mind while suffering from depression is hard for anyone who hasn't been through it to see. Football is actually a great thing for him in my opinion cuz you go on the battlefield with your brothers. In his case however, they don't seem like brothers and seem more like enemies. I'm not worried about him but more about his teammates cuz he may snap at any moment if he keeps bottling it in. Trust me when I say if and only if he's suffering from depression, It's for the best that he went "awol"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I beg to differ. The worst thing a football player can do is quit on his teammates. If he left the team, he either can't handle the pressure of the game, or he has his own demons to fight. In either scenario, football is not the life for him. He should focus on himself first. I'm not sure you are quite understanding. Profession does not matter when it comes to depression, anxiety or any other "walking" mental illness. Actually, if he was a bus boy and struggling to make ends meet it might even be worse. Hell, maybe football is the thing that has kept him upright for these years. You just don't know, so be careful about what you are supposing. And no, there isn't always an indicator of depression/anxiety or mental illness when you are young. You are basing your opinions on wildly incorrect assumptions. There are lots of people around here who are close to and have experienced mental illness. There are probably even people here who are trained to counsel it who are probably cringing at what you are saying. Careful, dude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincec Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I see that this has become a discussion on mental illness. Maybe I missed something but was there any mention of mental illness in the report? Maybe he's just "as mad as hell" at some of his teammates and "not going to take it anymore." Being an athlete you could easily see how his reaction might be a little juvenile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fergie's ire Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I agree that mental illness is serious...and that IF that is what is going on with Martin he should get the help he needs, and getting that helps should be a higher priority than his football career. That said, his reaction really sounded familiar to me. I had a friend in college who was a really good guy and then his personality changed. In particular, he had a really hard time with any kind of teasing. We would be joking one second and the next he would flip out feeling he was being picked on. I remember one time he flipped out and demanded to get out of the car....miles from home in a bad part of town. That was pretty much the end of the friendship....not because we cut him off, but even though his behavior had been completely irrational, he refused to admit that. He further seemed to refuse to associate with us any more because doing so would force him to face the fact that he had been acting irrationally....so, he cut off all his friendships over some really mild joking...the kind that is part of almost anyone's daily interaction. Later, we found out what was going on. He had been trying to make the football team as a walk on and had decided to bulk up....and had been taking steroids. It was the infamous roid rage. His behavior was so similar to Martin's....flying off the handle...but then unable to face others and admit flying off the handle...that it makes me wonder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simpleman Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I do have to commend the majority of posters in this thread. Considering the subject is a member of another team, the level of empathy and civility is refreshing. This attitude is much better than a lot of what was going on the board a month ago. Thanks mods, I think you helped get this board back to a reasonable level of civility again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 (edited) I'm not sure you are quite understanding. Profession does not matter when it comes to depression, anxiety or any other "walking" mental illness. Actually, if he was a bus boy and struggling to make ends meet it might even be worse. Hell, maybe football is the thing that has kept him upright for these years. You just don't know, so be careful about what you are supposing. And no, there isn't always an indicator of depression/anxiety or mental illness when you are young. You are basing your opinions on wildly incorrect assumptions. There are lots of people around here who are close to and have experienced mental illness. There are probably even people here who are trained to counsel it who are probably cringing at what you are saying. Careful, dude. And that's what I was getting at- in the right locker room he might have never had an outburst. Heck as jack points out he could simply have AWFUL teammates and decided if the coaches weren't going to stop it he was and now doesn't know what to do next. There are a variety of different conditions and situations that may be contributing and right now we simply know there was some sort of bullying/hazing type stuff probably and he walked out. As the story continues to unfold we may find ourselves thinking it was a reasonable decision even. I agree that mental illness is serious...and that IF that is what is going on with Martin he should get the help he needs, and getting that helps should be a higher priority than his football career. That said, his reaction really sounded familiar to me. I had a friend in college who was a really good guy and then his personality changed. In particular, he had a really hard time with any kind of teasing. We would be joking one second and the next he would flip out feeling he was being picked on. I remember one time he flipped out and demanded to get out of the car....miles from home in a bad part of town. That was pretty much the end of the friendship....not because we cut him off, but even though his behavior had been completely irrational, he refused to admit that. He further seemed to refuse to associate with us any more because doing so would force him to face the fact that he had been acting irrationally....so, he cut off all his friendships over some really mild joking...the kind that is part of almost anyone's daily interaction. Later, we found out what was going on. He had been trying to make the football team as a walk on and had decided to bulk up....and had been taking steroids. It was the infamous roid rage. His behavior was so similar to Martin's....flying off the handle...but then unable to face others and admit flying off the handle...that it makes me wonder. As a guy that's had his strength questioned and job challenged it seems possible, though I hate associating steroids without any real proof as that can be a tough word to shake once it's associated. Another example of not knowing what's behind the scenes though and it could be possible I suppose. Edited October 31, 2013 by NoSaint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsrcursed Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I see that this has become a discussion on mental illness. Maybe I missed something but was there any mention of mental illness in the report? Maybe he's just "as mad as hell" at some of his teammates and "not going to take it anymore." Being an athlete you could easily see how his reaction might be a little juvenile. I think the part about him seeking treatment, coupled with the reaction he had, is leading most to believe there MAY be a mental illness factor involved. I, too, commend the majority on their interactions in this thread. It reminds me why I still hang around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillnutinHouston Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Just wanted to say that I thought this was a really great post and it didn't come off as a rant at all. Glad to hear you got the help you needed and I hope if Martin is going through anything like this he gets support as well. Agree 100%. Gutsy post Captain, kudos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALLEN1QB Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Sounds like grade school stuff. Whats wrong with todays youth? Toughen up already! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle flap Posted October 31, 2013 Author Share Posted October 31, 2013 (edited) Some more details here: http://espn.go.com/n...ins-leaves-team http://www.nfl.com/n...after-breakdown http://msn.foxsports...onathan-martin/ So, Martin visited the hospital, and it seems that there was ongoing bullying/harassment/pranking/whateveryouwanttocallit and this cafeteria incident was "the last straw." I echo the sentiments of others: There has been a quality discussion here that I would hope is educational to some. Kudos to those who have shared their personal experiences. Approximately 25% of US adults suffer from some type of mood disorder. Some are better equipped to cope than others, and internal chemistry vs external stimuli can create some really tough situations. That seems to be the case here. Some people get the support they need from those closest to them. Perhaps Martin's teammates didn't intend to make Martin "snap," and probably had no idea he was taking the "ribbing" to heart. I'd hope that's true, and not that they were amused by a guy who seemingly let "teasing" get to him. Sounds like grade school stuff. Whats wrong with todays youth? Toughen up already! What is more "wrong?" Grown men habitually teasing another grown man, or one grown man having a hard time with it? When I was a kid, I was kind of a bully, and in retrospect I feel awful about it. The difference is that as I grew older I realized that it was a s****y thing to do. Why would anyone blame the victim? What's "wrong" in my opinion, is deriving joy from "hurting" another person, even if it wasn't meant to get so serious. I'm not saying the other players are sadists, but their behavior is more flawed than someone being too "sensitive," IMO. Edited October 31, 2013 by uncle flap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackFergy Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Sounds like grade school stuff. Whats wrong with todays youth? Toughen up already! If you could define "tough" that would be most helpful. People are "tough" in all different ways. This young man experienced pain (as all of us have). To minimize it or his tolerance for pain is really useless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 I do question one bit out there. That he is getting help from his family. While I do not know the circumstances at all I hope that this is being handled correctly and it does not become a coddling environment for the young man. Too many times families have too much empathy to unbiasly treat someone when it comes to mental illness. I am hoping Martin is not just being a big baby and feeling victimized. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papazoid Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 this is minor, but even our own Mario Williams got in on the act of teasing him. in that recent video when mario was mic'd up during the miami game, immediately following one play, mario was chuckling pretty good to himself and then turned to Martin and was laughing about the way Martin "hopped" while blocking and how it threw mario off a little. Martin didn't hear him right the first time and responded "i wasn't holding you". Mario said "no, that hop you did". Martin said "oh" and mario kept chuckling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cash Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Did anyone watch hard knocks when the dolphins were on during Martins rookie year? They were really making fun of him a lot then too. He seemed like a different guy and they were always calling him Big Weirdo. Mike Pouncey seemed like the ring leader Some people get the support they need from those closest to them. Perhaps Martin's teammates didn't intend to make Martin "snap," and probably had no idea he was taking the "ribbing" to heart. I'd hope that's true, and not that they were amused by a guy who seemingly let "teasing" get to him. What is more "wrong?" Grown men habitually teasing another grown man, or one grown man having a had time with it? When I was a kid, I was kind of a bully, and in retrospect I feel awful about it. The difference is that as I grew older I realized that it was a s****y thing to do. Why would anyone blame the victim? What's "wrong" in my opinion, is deriving joy from "hurting" another person, even if it wasn't meant to get so serious. I'm not saying the other players are sadists, but their behavior is more flawed than someone being too "sensitive," IMO. That Hard Knocks segment with his teammates calling him "Big Weirdo" was the first thing I thought of when I heard about this. (I believe Incognito was heavily involved.) When I first saw that, I predicted that Martin's time in Miami wouldn't go well, because it was immediately clear that: 1.) Martin did not find this kind of teasing to be good-natured or funny, and was quite upset by it; 2.) His teammates seemed to be completely oblivious to Martin's discomfort, and thought they were being cool. The fact that the teasing/bullying/whatever was coming not just from his own teammates, but his O-line mates, probably made things even worse. Football, like almost any team sport, is very very "team" oriented. The players usually have an intense camaraderie, almost to the point of brotherhood. (Even our crappy Bills teams have been very close in the locker room this past decade.) Now, men often fight, or tease each other, or find other ways to give each other a hard time. But when they're close, like teammates or close friends or brothers, it's usually coming from a place of love. My friends bust my balls all the time, but never in a way that cuts deep or makes me feel uncomfortable. What Martin's teammates were doing on Hard Knocks was not good-natured ribbing or ball busting. They might just be emotionally clueless and can't read a teammate to see that he's not okay with you calling him a weirdo. (Also, "Big Weirdo"? That's such a lame nickname. At least be funny if you're going to make fun of someone.) Or they might be a-holes who decided to keep riding him for the sake of it. Aka, bullies. Maybe they'd never before had a sensitive/thin-skinned/mood-disordered/whatever teammate like Martin. I don't know, but I do know that if the coaching staff was smart, they would've seen the same thing I saw and put a stop to the teasing/bullying. Whether they're bullying Martin or he's being a baby is irrelevant from a coach's perspective. The bottom line is that Martin is a valuable resource (2nd-round pick, starting OT, seemed fairly promising as a rookie) and can't be wasted. Sorry for being so long-winded on this, but that's ultimately the point I wanted to make -- the coaching staff needs to be held accountable for what's going on in their locker room, too. And for the record, I tend to think that the Bills wouldn't stand for that kind of thing if it was happening here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsrcursed Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Sounds like grade school stuff. Whats wrong with todays youth? Toughen up already! I knew I should have given this thread another few hours before praising its content... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malazan Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 wasn't money a factor? for a team that gave out 200 million in contracts this offseason? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 for a team that gave out 200 million in contracts this offseason? well, you cant give it to everyone. they decided wallace instead of long, essentially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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