Two weeks ago, when Jonathan Martin left the Miami Dolphins for reasons due to emotional distress, many people jumped to conclusions. Richie Incognito, an offensive lineman for the Dolphins, was indefinitely suspended while the NFL investigates allegations of locker room harassment and bullying involving Martin.
The controversy centers on voicemails and text messages containing threats, profanities and racial slurs that Incognito sent to Martin, which he admitted to in a recent interview with Jay Glazer. It has induced many to consider locker room conduct for NFL teams.
But Incognito, along with teammates and a host of other current and former NFL players, has insisted that this type of treatment is indicative of normal behavior in that setting - that Incognito's comments were jokes that are part of the outrageous humor that professional athletes often engage in.
The nature of this type of behavior in professional sports should be subject to closer scrutiny in the aftermath of this incident, but only after we know the full story.
Sadly, today's media cares more about getting the story first than getting it right.
The inundation of coverage on ESPN (mainly) and other news outlets on Martin's leaving the team depicted Incognito as a derelict who is out of control and highlighted the problem of bullying in the NFL.
But the failure of the media to fully investigate the story - digging deep into the complexities of the situation - has caused the American public to get an incomplete image of the problem. Martin sent text messages to Incognito of harassing nature, too. Incognito provided them to Glazer after his interview. So Martin participated in the very conduct he now claims he couldn't handle.
This notion should not be overlooked - it is quite possible that he participated in a certain way to fit in with his teammates while really feeling uncomfortable with his actions all along and eventually feeling like it was too much for him to handle.
"You can ask anybody in the Miami Dolphins locker room who had Jon Martin's back the absolute most and they will undoubtedly tell you, me," Incognito said. "Jon never showed signs that football was getting to him, um, the locker room was getting to him."
It is true that many of Incognito's teammates have risen to his defense and support the testimony that he has provided. It is certainly true, also, that it was completely inexcusable for him to use the derogatory and offensive language he did; and much of his behavior that has become known is undoubtedly egregious.
An issue relevant now, however, is the manner in which Martin handled it. One day, suddenly, he just disappeared. And he hasn't spoken since. It has been his agent and others (sometimes referred to as his "camp") that have been in contact with the Dolphins organization and the media.
But much of the media had no problem rushing to conclusions. And that is the main problem of this fiasco - the way the media decided to handle it.
Much like the Mante Te'o incident, certain outlets reported facts that were untrue - or exaggerated things. It was ESPN that held off on breaking the Te'o story before it got the whole story. But this time, it didn't want to wait.
And it was us who suffered because of it.
Media coverage on titillating or controversial stories has become too much a game of trying get the most exciting story the fastest. But that is losing sight of the purpose of journalism - to inform the public.
What matters in this story is a comprehensive overview of the whole picture - which we have yet to receive, as Martin has decidedly stayed out of the limelight.
Until then, we are in no position to jump to conclusions. The NFL should conduct a thorough investigation of locker room conduct after everything has been revealed, and then it should consider whether it wants to try and enforce stricter rules and regulations - which may be appropriate.
So perhaps the NFL and the media may have learned the same lesson from this incident: that there needs to be real investigation before conclusions are reached.
email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
