“We take this situation seriously. As the owner, I am committed to creating a professional environment for all of the members of the Dolphins family. Once the review is completed and I have all of the facts, we will respond accordingly.”
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross
Disturbing news continues to emerge from the saga in Miami involving veteran Dolphin lineman Richie Incognito harassing rookie lineman Jonathan Martin. Initial reports offered details of Martin leaving the team after a prank in the cafeteria which involved teammates getting up from his table as he sat down. Martin abruptly left the team and is receiving counseling along with his family.
After the incident, more and more details appear in the troubled history of rookie hazing, and the shocking behavior of Incognito who reported left voice mail and text messages laced with racial slurs, death threats, and promises of violence to Martin’s family.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell appointed special New York lawyer Ted Wells to investigate the matter further. Wells said, “My task is to assemble the facts and present my findings to the commissioner. I will do so fairly and comprehensively so that commissioner Goodell can address this matter properly. I will begin my work immediately and report my findings to the commissioner as soon as practical.”
In the meantime Incognito is indefinitely suspended, and the Miami coaches, players, and owner are left trying to salvage the rest of their season.
Rookie hazing is nothing new to the ranks of football whether in the professional leagues or welcoming freshmen on the high school team. However when taken to the extreme it destroys mental toughness and football confidence.
Teammates should help young players develop and strengthen their mental game for football rather than creating negative distractions and weakening mental focus. Coaches must also be aware of what is happening with the relationship between rookies and veterans both on and off the field, and in and out of the locker room.
In Miami, unsubstantiated reports say that Dolphin coaches told Incognito to “toughen up” Martin. Certainly a clearer picture will develop over time, but coaches must understand the power that veterans play in the development of their young players.
Mental toughness doesn’t develop with “toughening up” and threats of violence or derogatory yelling. Mental toughness improves along with mental focus when a player feels empowered to overcome negative situations.
The violence of football requires a successful player to maintain a mental game in order to face the pain and powerful hitting of the opponent. It is not easy, nor for the weak hearted or weak minded.
Sports psychology for football promotes the idea of both individual and team mental toughness. Teams that win championships form a cohesive ability to maintain superior play as a group, and each individual pushes their teammates to play at a higher level of performance.
Teammates and coaches that belittle other players destroy the cohesiveness of the team, and consequently the team’s mental toughness and focus.
Hopefully the remaining Miami players and coaches will find some answers in the coming weeks, and take the necessary steps to bring their teams focus back to their performance on the field and not the controversy surrounding Richie Incognito.
