A Football Story

You can't hardly turn on the television this week without seeing coverage of a football story out of Miami. Jonathan Martin, offensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins, left the team. He apparently was fed up with a pattern of bullying and harassment from another team member, offensive lineman Richie Incognito. Reporters have accessed a number of voice recordings and texts where Incognito uses racial slurs and profanity toward Martin. The Dolphins have suspended Incognito indefinitely. Martin has not returned to the team.

This incident has put a spotlight on bullying.
Questions are swirling.
Was this bullying?
And, if so, who is responsible?
And, what should be done?



The SMS definition of bullying includes three components.
1) The person who bullies intends to cause harm/distress for the target.
2) The behavior occurs in a pattern over time.
3) The person who bullies has power over the target.

So...
A pro football player repeatedly sends rude/inappropriate messages to a rookie teammate over time. Is this bullying? What do you think and why?  What should happen next?

Discuss this in Connect this week and check out another football story in our Bullying Prevention Bundle.