Here's my theory:

Incognito is a foul-mouthed, tough guy; but a loyal teammate. While shocking in his speech, Incognito is loved by most teammates who see him as a joker, but also a motivator. He also takes a special interest in Martin, who ironically could be a very good NFL player if he had the same mentality as Incognito. Incognito is aware of that and attempts to toughen up Martin, perhaps at the direction of coaches.

Martin is probably a good kid, but very emotionally soft by NFL standards. Things take a bad turn for him when he loses his LT job after weeks of the media and fans relentlessly complaining about his lousy play. Martin also keeps to himself because he doesn't fit in with his teammates. Martin pretends for a while to play along with Incognito's jokes, but he never really finds them funny.

When Martin's parents hear about the goings-on in the Dolphins locker room, they are highly offended that anyone would speak to their son that way. I can't blame them for that. I would never want my son to associate with anyone who spoke that way; but then again my son is not a NFL player. The Martins do not understand the mentality and teasing/taunting common among NFL players.

What strikes me is that Martin saved the voicemail message. Obviously, even he considered it a joke at first; but why save it? Was he planning something like this?

After finding out about the shocking speech and the now famous voicemail message, and now seeing their son despondent over losing his LT job and perhaps struggling with some emotional issues; the Martins decide to strike back. Incognito becomes the easy target. Make no mistake...he crossed the line of human decency; but from what we have read the past few days, that may be more common in the NFL than we would like to think.

The Martins coming from a litigious background see a lawsuit as the logical (and most profitable) way to handle bullying and racism in the workplace, especially if they can prove that management was aware of what was happening.

Coaches may or may not have told Incognito to toughen Martin up. (Does anyone honestly think that doesn't happen in other NFL locker rooms?)
Ireland may or may not have told Martin to fight back with his fists. (Probably a dumb move if he did, but he is basically telling Martin to earn some respect by being tougher. After all, these are NFL players, not accountants and bankers.)
Either way, the coaches and Ireland will come under intense scrutiny from this. Some or all may lose their jobs.

In a normal workplace, Incognito would be gone forever. Martin would be in the right and would be welcomed back.

But... this is not a normal workplace. If it is proven that Incognito and Martin were really friends and that Incognito, while grossly obscene and racist-sounding, was actually in-a-twisted-sort-of-way a good teammate and a friend to Martin, then this could have a somewhat different outcome.

Predictions:
Incognito is suspended for the rest of the season and 8 games into next season. However, NFL coaches will be too afraid of the media storm to ever give him another chance to play in the NFL. His days as a NFL player are over.
Martin wins a cash settlement and leaves the Dolphins. The team and Martin mutually agree to a release. At some point, Martin may try to play again, but no team would ever take a chance on him. Teams will always be able to point to his lousy play as the reason, but everyone will know that there is much more to the story.
Ireland is fired and will never be a NFL GM again.
Philbin is fired and will find work as an assistant somewhere.
The Dolphins play under an interim coach for the final 4-6 games of the NFL season.
Jon Gruden, who is enamored with Tannehill and has expressed a desire to coach again, becomes our new coach next year.
With many good pieces in place and the players playing for pride and unity, the Dolphins have a post-spygate like season in 2014. People applaud there toughness and resilience.

Great evaluation! I agree with your entire theory but not necessarily with your predictions. I DO think we have some great talent and a good team core. That, in itself, should attract an experienced coach. I'd love for us to be the KC of next year. I just don't think it will be Gruden.

I don't see PHilpin being fired, but you are right on the stuff.

I would honestly be sick if Gruden is our next HC. Absolutely sick.


I wished Ross would use his money to pry Bill O'Brien away from Penn St. Thats the guy I want in Miami.

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"When you suck long enough, you get a Hickey"

I heard aerlier this month that said Gruden will proabbly never go back to coaching. He loves his new gig.

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

Gruden won a superbowl....He would be 10 times better than philbin.


Finnally someone with experience coaching the phins. As opposed to all the other Duds we've had in the past.

the ideal thing would be if they fired ireland and philbin and hired gruden as a head coach.

samsam3738 Wrote:
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> Gruden won a superbowl....He would be 10 times
> better than philbin.
>
>
> Finnally someone with experience coaching the
> phins. As opposed to all the other Duds we've had
> in the past.
>
> the ideal thing would be if they fired ireland and
> philbin and hired gruden as a head coach.

**************************************************

Sure, Gruden did win a Super Bowl...but how long ago was that?

I don't trust hiring any coach who has been off the sidelines for a long period of time. They tend to lose their fire for the game. Gruden, right now, has the fire for commenting on MNF. He has had quite a few opportunities to return to coaching, both pro and college, and he has refused. He isn't coming back, and neither is Cowher.

So you trust philbin with no coaching experience whatsoever but you do not trust gruden who won a superbowl as a head coach?

samsam3738 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So you trust philbin with no coaching experience
> whatsoever but you do not trust gruden who won a
> superbowl as a head coach?

********************************************

Sam, I went back and re-read what I posted, and I didn't see anywhere in there where I said I trusted Philbin (or anyone with no coaching experience).

I'm just saying Gruden, et al, usually doesn't have the fire in them anymore to return to the sideline.

Gruden.

so we agree ok.

I doubt Gruden will come back. Fox has a heart attack, Kubiak has a stroke. The guy in Detroit says he's working 100 hour weeks. why would anyone leave broadcasting for those hours and that kind of stress?

We fire Ireland, Philbin stays on and we rise from the bs to win the SB next year. Watchn and Learn how the media, and the opium of sports lifts the human spirit

Nope I want this season over asap and Philbin shown the door. All his talk about character is BS. He is running a halfway house w/ sickos like Incog and Poucey. Incogs been a problem wherever he has been but the phins make him a cornerstone of the organization adn now the sh*t hits them in the face they show him the door. The issue w/ Martin should have been handled another way. The guy was different he did not like to throw away money and was not a thug but he played well enough as a rookie to start and showed physical progression in his second year.
He was certainly better than Muthra who is now chiming in like a punk as if he is credible. Not sure where this ends but I want Philbin gone he reeks of hypocrisy. We let leaders like Thomas, Fasano and Bush go but keep the idiots.