Racial slurs. I thought that maybe, just maybe, after the Riley Cooper incident early in the NFL season, football players would learn not to use racial slurs. I guess I was wrong.

Many think Richie Incognito should not be allowed to play another down in the NFL after the Jonathan Martin mess. By GMO66 (Flickr), via Wikimedia Commons

Incognito, who has had numerous off the field issues throughout his career, is known for being a “tough” guy. A recording of Incognito’s voicemail to Martin was released and showed that Incognito did indeed use racial slurs toward Martin and threatened him a few different times. When questioned about this other Miami Dolphin players have defended Incognito, saying that this is “normal” behavior that happens in the NFL. While some players may be okay with this happening, others aren’t and it needs to be dealt with.

Cameron Wake and Mike Wallace, presumably the two best players on each side of the ball for the Dolphins, defended Incognito and didn’t seem to have a problem with his comments towards Martin.

Both Wake and Wallace should be ashamed of themselves. My question is, how it is possible that two black teammates are alright with a white teammate calling another black teammate a racial slur? How does that happen? Especially in a league that was so hurt and shocked just a few months ago with Riley Cooper doing the same exact thing. Are they afraid of Incognito? Is it because Martin walked out on the team, something that is looked down on? Either way, it is wrong — very wrong. Not only did Incognito use a racial slur, he threatened someone’s’ life. Why was Cooper so scrutinized by other players while Incognito is being defended?

People can blame the coaches for what happened but I don’t care who is to blame for this happening, the fact of the matter is that it happened and needs to be dealt with. The Dolphins have already suspended Incognito indefinitely and I believe he should stay that way and never be allowed to play another down in the NFL. We are always trying to eliminate bullying in schools so why should it be allowed in professional sports? If this really is a “normal” action that happens in locker rooms all across the country, then the NFL really needs to be a leader here. It needs to take a look at itself in the mirror and change its ways.

Some people will want the conversation about Jonathan Martin’s leaving the Dolphins to fit nicely into a bullying narrative.

If bullying can happen in the NFL, we must be vigilant about it everywhere for the sake of the children.

Others will want to use it as another piece of evidence that people just aren’t individually tough enough anymore.

If an NFL offensive lineman isn’t thick skinned enough to take a little ribbing, then what is this world coming to?

I can’t imagine Jeff Ireland’s Miami Dolphins organization is a great place to work. By Chris J. Nelson, via Wikimedia Commons

What might be lost, and what might be most important in the narrative here, is a conversation about leadership. More specifically, this can be a great glimpse into the Dolphins’ organizational culture.

The Dolphins haven’t exactly been a model franchise recently.

In 2010, General Manager Jeff Ireland asked prospect Dez Bryant if his mother was a prostitute. The team has had three head coaches in three years. Richie Incognito, a lineman in the middle of the mess surrounding Martin, is in his fourth season in Miami and ninth season in the league. I would imagine that Incognito pulls more weight in the locker room with other players than the coach even does

You can argue that guys have to have thick skin or that bullying needs to be outlawed in every conceivable situation if you want to. To me, the real answer is this — when you have a positive organizational culture and environment, a little ribbing can be better taken. Based on what little I know of Ireland, the Dolphins’ coaching carousel, and now this story, I’d guess that the culture there isn’t the greatest.

We have seen what a difference a great leader can make in an organization with what Andy Reid has done in Kansas City. With the Jonathan Martin situation in Miami, we’ve also now seen how destructive a bad culture can be.

Finally, one of the things that is so wrong about the coverage so far is what happens after the first analyst on this video says what happened. He can’t just talk about what is going on with Martin. He follows-up a comment about Martin going to the hospital and in the same breath talks about how the team is unhappy with Mike Sherman. Way to muddy the water… .

Good organizational leaders aren’t perfect, but when you have them in the NFL you have a chance to meet the president from time to time.

The segment ends with a former player basically saying that this whole situation is only related to Martin and his issues. The problem is that whether Martin has emotional or other issues is something that is far less relevant. What is relevant is that the line between a good and bad organizational atmosphere is so razor-thin in the NFL that it leads to managers looking the other way when perceived “minor” things like hazing happen.

I think the continued lesson to be learned here, though, is that whether an organization is successful can have as much to do with organizational control and leadership as it does the talent of the players on the field — and maybe an organizational culture makes a difference. In this case, the difference is as the chasm between a good NFL franchise and the 2013 Miami Dolphins.