By Anthony Panciocco

When Dolphins offensive tackle Jonathan Martin left the team after their game last weekend, it was sudden and unexpected. By all accounts, Martin seemed like an average, everyday player. He was six games into his third NFL season before checking into a hospital for emotional distress and missing their Oct. 31 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The media onslaught that ensued came in waves.

An alleged voicemail from fellow offensive lineman Richard Incognito to Martin was leaked, in which Incognito called Martin racial slurs and threatened to kill him. Text messages threatening the rape of his sister were released. Later there were further allegations that Martin was bullied into paying for a $15,000 trip to Las Vegas that he himself did not attend, as well as Dolphins rookies being tabbed with a $30,000 dinner bill.

Along with the emotionally-charged voicemails and use of rookies like ATMs, Incognito was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team and an investigation was launched regarding the extent of the situation.

Controversy also stemmed from claims that Incognito took Martin under his wing, treating him like his “little brother.” There were pictures of them sitting together on the team plane, and Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill claimed that “if you asked Jonathan Martin about Richie two weeks ago, he would’ve said he’s his best friend.”

Reactions from around the league were mixed, with some coming to Martin’s defense and others claiming this behavior was only part of the NFL’s locker room culture.

Dolphins defensive tackle Randy Starks blamed the situation on Martin, saying, “You can’t have thin skin around here. We’re trying to clear Richie’s name. He’s getting a bad rap.”

Martin was also defended by many, with former NFL defensive tackle Dave Pear coming to his defense.

“Back when I played, which was the ’70s, rookies did things like maybe have to sing at meals or do menial-type jobs for veteran players, but it was all in good fun.” Pear went on to say, “It sounds like this is bullying.”

Hazing, bullying or whatever it should be called, has always been a part of sports, particularly football. At its most mild, it is harmless and benign. Each preseason, SportsCenter shows rookies carrying veteran players’ pads into the locker room after practice or sporting wild haircuts courtesy of their teammates.

This kind of hazing welcomes rookies to the team in a way that lets them feel like a part of the brotherhood, while at the same time making them “pay their dues.”

Rookie hazing, or hazing in general, should be designed for team building. It should bring the team closer together. If the manner of hazing is harmful to even one player, it becomes detrimental not just to the player but to the group as a whole. When players are ostracized, it drives a wedge between the them and the rest of the team, instead of bringing them together.

Incognito’s behavior went far beyond what is acceptable anywhere in the world, including an NFL locker room.

NFL locker rooms are a place different than any other because of the pressure and physical, aggressive nature of the game its occupants are conditioned for. Players tend to retain some degree of the brazen attitude they are taught to embody on the field.

This does not excuse the harassment and abuse of those within it. Just because some of the players on the team are more famous, rich or are bigger than others does not give them a license to harass their teammates.

In the end, Martin had no choice but to leave the team. Had he fought back against Incognito, physically or otherwise, he would have been portrayed as the bad guy acting out against an older player. If he put his head down and continued to take the abuse of his teammates, nothing would have changed and he would have been subject to the same torment that he and some of his fellow Dolphins had been facing.

As the investigation continues, more storylines and controversy will certainly emerge. The fact that this won’t be the last bullying episode that comes to light in professional sports history, however, is the saddest part of all.