It has not been a banner week for Miami Dolphins players on social media.
Just 48 hours after Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey found himself in hot water over recent Twitter comments, Dolphins second-year player Don Jones tweeted a controversial reaction to the St. Louis Rams drafting Michael Sam, who became the first openly gay player drafted in the NFL.
Soon after Sam was drafted, Jones tweeted "OMG" and "horrible." Those tweets since have been deleted.
Television cameras showed Sam kissing his boyfriend after the former Missouri star received a phone call from the Rams.
Following last year's issues with Miami's locker-room culture, Jones' tweet was enough to catch the attention of Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey.
"I was made aware of it and I was disappointed in those comments," Hickey said Saturday night. "That's not what we stand for as an organization. The draft weekend is a culmination for so many players, their lifetime achievement of their dream to achieve a goal for Michael Sam and all the other players.
"It's a celebration. ... I think it's a great thing for the league."
Hickey also said the team plans to "sit down with Don Jones and address and handle it appropriately."
Jones became the second Dolphins player in the past several days to make controversial statements on social media. When Miami drafted first-round pick Ja'Wuan James on Thursday, Pouncey tweeted "I can't wait for our gifts he's getting us." The comment was in poor taste following the Ted Wells report last February, where Pouncey and former teammates Richie Incognito and John Jerry were cited for bullying and harassing former Dolphin Jonathan Martin.
Pouncey shut down his Twitter account after meeting with the Dolphins' brass this weekend.
Clearly not a good look, but even as a Fins fan, I don't care that much.
>http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/dolphin-twitter-trouble/story?id=23670999 > >It has not been a banner week for Miami Dolphins players on >social media. > >Just 48 hours after Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey found himself >in hot water over recent Twitter comments, Dolphins >second-year player Don Jones tweeted a controversial reaction >to the St. Louis Rams drafting Michael Sam, who became the >first openly gay player drafted in the NFL. > > Soon after Sam was drafted, Jones tweeted "OMG" and >"horrible." Those tweets since have been deleted. > >Television cameras showed Sam kissing his boyfriend after the >former Missouri star received a phone call from the Rams. > >Following last year's issues with Miami's locker-room culture, >Jones' tweet was enough to catch the attention of Dolphins >general manager Dennis Hickey. > >"I was made aware of it and I was disappointed in those >comments," Hickey said Saturday night. "That's not what we >stand for as an organization. The draft weekend is a >culmination for so many players, their lifetime achievement of >their dream to achieve a goal for Michael Sam and all the >other players. > >"It's a celebration. ... I think it's a great thing for the >league." > >Hickey also said the team plans to "sit down with Don Jones >and address and handle it appropriately." > >Jones became the second Dolphins player in the past several >days to make controversial statements on social media. When >Miami drafted first-round pick Ja'Wuan James on Thursday, >Pouncey tweeted "I can't wait for our gifts he's getting us." >The comment was in poor taste following the Ted Wells report >last February, where Pouncey and former teammates Richie >Incognito and John Jerry were cited for bullying and harassing >former Dolphin Jonathan Martin. > >Pouncey shut down his Twitter account after meeting with the >Dolphins' brass this weekend.
From the team until he completes some kind of educational training. Clearly his comments are out of line, but I'm uneasy about the direction we're heading with this stuff. The groupthink of progressivism is very ugly imo. ______________________________ http://i.imgur.com/81XSukd.jpg
Frank Longo Member since Nov 18th 2003 86693 posts
Mon May-12-14 11:52 AM
8. ""If you can't say something nice..."" In response to Reply # 5
Athletes need to realize that you shouldn't tweet just any thought that comes into your head. If you think it's gross, you can keep that to yourself or tell the people around you-- but there are plenty of Dolphins fans, supporters of the franchise, who would be offended by ignorant tweets.
It's a business, and the company line is that outspoken anti-gay sentiment won't be tolerated.
>had this been posted about ANY other pick > >this isn't an issue
Precisely. Because no other player has been brave enough to come out of the closet as gay before the NFL draft. So him kissing his partner and getting criticized for it, as you put it, "is not equality."
>so now no player can be critical of Sam or be in jeopardy of >suspension > >Really?
You can't be critical of the gay lifestyle when your employers value a tolerant marketplace. Agreed.
>I'll go further > >if the reaction was to seeing two men kissing > >are we gonna suspend everybody that went gaga over Veronic >Webb (Darnell Dockett)
No, because those comments don't alienate a demographic audience or a potential group of future employees.
>bottomline, this is not equality.
You're right. When a gay man can't kiss his boyfriend, exactly the way a straight draft pick kisses his girlfriend/wife, without getting criticized, it's definitely not equality. Great point.
21. "RE: Okay." In response to Reply # 20 Mon May-12-14 02:39 PM by bentagain
>Because no other player has been brave enough to come out of the closet as gay before the NFL draft...
when does this stop being the case though? when CAN somebody say something?
>You can't be critical of the gay lifestyle when your employers value a tolerant marketplace.
okay, if that's what you took away from OMG, horrible
>No, because those comments don't alienate a demographic audience or a potential group of future employees.
wouldn't those comments objectifiy women?
>You're right. When a gay man can't kiss his boyfriend, exactly the way a straight draft pick kisses his girlfriend/wife, without getting criticized, it's definitely not equality. Great point.
uhh, there is criticism of AJ and some are alluding to his fiance's reality show deal as the reason he slipped. Should we suspend those people?
Frank Longo Member since Nov 18th 2003 86693 posts
Mon May-12-14 02:45 PM
22. "It's easy to understand." In response to Reply # 21
If a company believes its employee has made a comment on Twitter that is not in the best interest of the company, then that company reserves the right to treat its employee however it sees fit.
If dude is not really homophobic and was referring to something else, not the Sam kiss, then he'll come out and say so, apologize for the misunderstanding, and the company can do with him what they want. If he stands by it, then he'll go to the class and return hoping this PR nightmare is behind him.
If he wants the right to say whatever he wants about whatever he wants whenever he wants, then he's not in the right business. He can leave the NFL and start his own company. I wasn't allowed to tweet whatever I wanted when I was a high school teacher-- it's the same for many companies and businesses in this country.
Tiger Woods Member since Feb 15th 2004 18421 posts
Mon May-12-14 01:33 PM
17. "you know we're venturing into pretty dark waters here..." In response to Reply # 0
...a territory where vocalizing an opinion alone can have severe repercussions if they aren't linear with the mainstream way of thinking. I too was rooting for Michael Sam, but it's wildly unfair to promote that story all weekend and then aggressively penalize someone for simply not understanding said story's significance. We're getting to a point where people are going to feign tolerance out of fear of being blacklisted or labeled something harsh, not because they're simply growing more tolerant.
Why not educate and promote dialogue rather than lambast those who don't think like us, us being the college-educated progressively-minded outspoken internet dorks?
24. "vocalizing an opinion publicly can always have severe repercussions" In response to Reply # 17
people have been getting fined/suspended/fired for things they say or do in the public eye that reflect poorly on their company forever. the only difference is that with social media, pretty much everything someone says is public and those comments spread like wildfire. you can delete a tweet a couple minutes later but it's already out in the ether, so the margin of error and the ability to perform damage control are much more limited now. and that's a good thing.
------ "I can't promise I'll try. But I'll try to try."
37. "my point is that it's nothing new for people to be punished for what the..." In response to Reply # 25
your point is that different people are punished differently for different offenses, and sometimes the punishment is not in proportion to the offense. that, also, is nothing new and is something i agree should be rectified.
i would love to see irsay and any other DUI offenders get huge fines and suspensions. i would love to see ray rice get the punishment he deserves as well, but as mentioned elsewhere that criminal case is still ongoing (and is probably complicated by the fact that they got married).
but that article goes the wrong way. it's making the argument that "it's not a big deal what people say; there are greater crimes being committed", which is a lazy way to think and implies an either/or approach to ethics.
it also overlooks the fact that the dolphins have been trying to clean up their house since the incognito bullying scandal and what to do everything they can to stop getting bad press.
------ "I can't promise I'll try. But I'll try to try."
38. "That's not what I took away from it, and you wrote my take" In response to Reply # 37 Tue May-13-14 01:38 PM by bentagain
the disparity in punishment is what I took away from it and that's the point
"it's not a big deal what people say; there are greater crimes being committed", which is a lazy way to think and implies an either/or approach to ethics."
My take on the article was the contrast of an immediate suspension for a tweet vs no suspension (yet, I guess) for actual criminal actions
I'm not even sure the tweets = homophobic, IMO, you have to reach to get there
WAS EVERYBODY COMFORTABLE WITH WATCHING SAM KISS HIS BF?
I can say I wasn't comfortable with it, and I had to start changing the channel when ESPN rebroadcast an infinite replay for the last 3 days
does that mean I need counciling?
"it also overlooks the fact that the dolphins have been trying to clean up their house since the incognito bullying scandal and what to do everything they can to stop getting bad press."
39. "dawg, not being comfortable with gay men kissing is homophobic" In response to Reply # 38
sorry. but i understand that level of homophobia vs. posting something publicly about it as different. I still feel some discomfort with it--we're trained to feel that way by society from the jump.
>the disparity in punishment is what I took away from it and >that's the point
the disparity in punishment is jumping to conclusions, tho. the NFL normally waits until criminal investigations and trials are completed when there's a crime involved. Irsay is a different beast because owners are not players and treated differently for reasons that has nothing to do with the point you're making.
>I can say I wasn't comfortable with it, and I had to start >changing the channel when ESPN rebroadcast an infinite replay >for the last 3 days > >does that mean I need counciling?
nah, but you should think about why it bothers you so much to see two people show their love for each other and question that initial reaction as biased and part of the problem.
----------- Y'all stupid...should've tanked for Lebron/Wiggins in 2014 -Rex LongFellow
Its 2014...there are computers in glasses and people stunt after hitting the ball far. Get over it. -Cenario
It's only funny till someone gets mad. Then it's hilariou
26. "feigning tolerance is what leads to more tolerant society" In response to Reply # 17
it's not ideal, but its better than the alternative of open homophobia that most of us grew up experiencing. feigning tolerance can keep kids from killing themselves. feigning tolerance can help someone get or keep a job, adopt a kid, not feel harassed every day in their community. we know that sometimes its bullshit, and that fake liberalism can feel ultimately empty, but it's still better.
also, the children and grandchildren of people faking tolerance sometimes learn to fake tolerance too, but they can also learn it sincerely.
and i think we have every evidence so far to say that fake tolerance with sexuality probably will lead to more real generational change than than fake progressiveness with race and gender, because the structural and institutional boundaries aren't the same.
18. "to all of the above posters critiquing a suspension" In response to Reply # 0
1. this indefinite suspension is until he's completed some diversity education stuff. Which I'm sure will be done well before any team activities. it's a suspension in name only. 2. Similar to point #1, when someone makes public, homophobic comments, most every corporation responds with diversity training and possibly suspension from work to complte said diversity training. this ain't new ground. 3. If y'all don't think there's a bunch of gay people who work for the Dolphins (and every NFL organization) who now have been publicly told that their love is "horrible" according to a coworker, you're willfully wrong. That's what makes this matter as more than just PCness being PC (though it's that too, no doubt). 4. Also, it's Miami. you can't be homophobic as part of a public organization in Miami, one that's already in hot water for its players being stupid. and of all the places--miami. nah, b.
now, the idea that diversity training teaches ignorant fucks anything other than to hide their ignorant fuck-ness is questionable at best. but at least he'd learn to hide it.
----------- Y'all stupid...should've tanked for Lebron/Wiggins in 2014 -Rex LongFellow
Its 2014...there are computers in glasses and people stunt after hitting the ball far. Get over it. -Cenario
It's only funny till someone gets mad. Then it's hilariou
33. "you wrote a 4 point reply IRT tweets of OMG and horrible" In response to Reply # 32
can you do the same for Irsay and Rice?
1. indefinite suspension, etc...no 2. back to the real world example, if I was arrested for DUI w/narcotics or accused of beating my wife (complete with video), would I not be suspended or even fired? 3. how many women work for the NFL? how many people that have had their lives touch by addicition work for the NFL? 4. was Pouncey suspended?
34. "concern trolling much?" In response to Reply # 33
i wrote in response to people on this board saying things i disagreed with, not in response to the tweet. logical jumps make arguments fail.
>can you do the same for Irsay and Rice?
well, like i said APPLES TO ORANGES.
>1. indefinite suspension, etc...no
you do realize it's "indefinite" because it's going to be extremely short/until he finishes a training, right?
>2. back to the real world example, if I was arrested for DUI >w/narcotics or accused of beating my wife (complete with >video), would I not be suspended or even fired?
when there's criminal justice cases involved, it goes differently due to legal ramifications.
>3. how many women work for the NFL? how many people that have >had their lives touch by addicition work for the NFL?
addicts aren't disrespected by other people doing drugs. and, like i said, the NFL *routinely* waits to suspend players until after legal processes resolve themselves and need evidence. The Rice situation is, unfortunately, complicated by the fact that the woman involved is not cooperating like you'd want her to in order to bust his ass.
>4. was Pouncey suspended?
He didn't disrespect an entire group of people based on their identities. so...no.
aka, think more.
----------- Y'all stupid...should've tanked for Lebron/Wiggins in 2014 -Rex LongFellow
Its 2014...there are computers in glasses and people stunt after hitting the ball far. Get over it. -Cenario
It's only funny till someone gets mad. Then it's hilariou
27. "kind of who gives a shit stuff to me" In response to Reply # 0
the gifts comment is just bad PR because it's the phins, if it were any other franchise or at least any other league, nothing would even be remarked.
the sam thing, hey are we getting to the point where we have to shove it down someone's throat every time they are not elated about homosexuality? i am all for difference without deference, respecting people's sexuality an privacy and viewing homosexual relationships as every bit the equal of heterosexual ones, but i don't think some cheesy comment in passing to the contrary is a crime.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
44. "personally i dont even think it's that, it's not any kind of ..." In response to Reply # 29
infraction or transgression in my eyes really. if i were in the phins organization i'd have just had a conversation with him about it and moved on.
also if i were any organization, i'd train guys before the fact on how to use social media or i'd just have someone in PR work their accounts for them.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
36. "i actually think OMG and HORRIBLE is even worse" In response to Reply # 27
than just posting something like "LOL FAG" you are that shocked to see 2 guys kissing? and its "horrible"? that dude just got drafted to the NFL and as a fellow footballer you feel his sexuality supercedes all the work he put in? to me that kind of sentiment is worse than any armchair homophobic slur. don jones is a bad human.
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