Dear Nick Bosa…I’m not mad at you…Just stand in your truth!
As much as I love my Buckeyes, I’m not naive to the fact that bullshit happens in and around the program as it does it all of the top colleges. This post isn’t specifically geared to the Ohio State athletic system, especially the football team which brings in the most money. If anything…that’s what I hate about the NCAA. They expose these young adults for financial gain. Then when they’re done sheltering and protecting them…well, some of them…for as long as they can; they dispose of them…well, some of them. My beef is just an overall issue with how these athletes are treated by the ‘hometown’ in particular when it comes to one specific athlete and that’s the one and only Nick Bosa. Let me begin with my own stereotypes about ol’ dude. No shade…but he looks like a Trump supporter. He looks like an arrogant, entitled, never had a hard time and doesn’t understand or want to understand so, therefore, doesn’t care about the suffering and continued struggle of women and people of color. I for one can separate the athlete, musician, entertainer, etc from their views and opinions. We’re all human. We’re all grown. Not everyone will and shouldn’t share the same opinions as you. If you haven’t realized that yet…then I don’t know what to tell you about LIFE! Anyway…my biased stereotypes aside…let’s finally get into the issue at hand.
So overall…my problem isn’t with Nick Bosa’s views, thoughts, and blatant ignorance; but it was his actions that followed after being exposed. Also…I hold issue with those who chose to ignore and/or see no issue with anything involving this. Let’s start out with his actions that led us to here. Nick Bose… a white, naive, privileged millennial from Florida…so there’s that; has been giving his views and opinions on many things that are conservative in nature over the years. From his open support of Trump (who of course returned the favor in his support of Bosa..no shocker there) as well as his very criticism and attacks toward many high profile black people and many things just black including: Colin Kaepernick (don’t worry…we’ll get there) to Jay-Z, his wife Beyonce where he called her music trash because she dressed as a “Black Panther” during her Super Bowl performance, Draymond Green, and others. Also called “Black Panther” the worst Marvel movie of all-time…which millions would definitely disagree with that. After his old tweets were discovered (no one’s safe), he didn’t immediately acknowledge them, instead just deleted them. Poof…they’re gone…no one will ever know. And of course, those defending him are using the typical excuse of…” he was just a kid!” “He didn’t know any better!” Spare me that bullshit…tell that to Emmitt Till. Tell that to Tamir Rice. Tell that to Columbus’ Julius Tate and Tyre King; among the thousands of other young black boys who from birth are never looked at as “just boys.” As “just a kid.” Black kids aren’t given the chance or even the opportunity to be “just a kid.” We’re not allowed to make mistakes and learn from them. If our lives aren’t taken from us, then we’re crucified for it in other ways. The local news here in Columbus never addressed it, but they’ll spend weeks talking about what a black athlete did. If that had been a black athlete, it would’ve been on the news every single day leading up to and after the draft. Pretty much throughout their career. Let’s argue…cause it happens. They only focused on the positive things Nick Bosa did like…getting healthy after his college career ending injury early last season. If their national affiliates reported on this story…then they should’ve as well.
Onto Draft Day…Nick was taken as the second overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and ironically will play for the San Francisco 49ers, which not only is one of the most liberal cities in the world, but also at one time had a hero in Colin Kaepernick until the NFL decided to show their bigoted colors. Oh…and did I mention that Nick called Colin a “clown” on numerous occassions. Not because of his bad plays (which he really didn’t have any), not for beating his girlfriend (which he never did) nor for a sexual assault. Nope…none of those horrendous things it was because a black man took a knee during the racist ass National Anthem to protest police brutality. If nothing else is…that’s definitely “clown” behavior. SARCASM! Nick was asked after being drafted by the San Francisco 49ers (my how we have come full circle): “You previously said some things that were insensitive. Can you understand why some would find them offensive?” After a brief acknowledgement, he said: “I’m sorry if I hurt anybody. I definitely didn’t intend for that to be the case. I think me being here (San Francisco) is even better for me as a person, because I don’t think there’s anywhere, any city, that you could really be in that would help you grow as much as this one will. I’m going to be surrounded with people of all different kinds, so I’m going to grow as a person. I’m going to be on my own. I’m going to grow up, I’m gonna learn a lot of new things. It’s exciting.” I don’t have an issue with that at all. However, I almost find it difficult to stomach because that wasn’t his original response when asked about those tweets. He had originally said: “I had to. There’s a chance I may end up in San Francisco.” So that was the only reason you deleted them. Never said he was sorry, that he didn’t mean them and only said those things because he was an immature kid. Nope! none of that. And mind you…he said this only a couple of weeks ago. Now…his newly hired publicist has him changing his original tune. This is why I can’t get fully behind this apology.
When his new team the 49ers were asked about his tweets and what they think…some of which were six years old…were the actions of a young, immature kid. General manager John Lynch specifically asked Bosa about his social media posts, including “liking” one that contained homophobic and racist hashtags. But the organization, based on its research, felt comfortable with Bosa as a person because he was liked and respected by his teammates and coaches. That sentiment was echoed privately by former college teammates I contacted over the last couple of days. They said Bosa related well with everyone, something he doesn’t expect to change with his new teammates, several of whom posted welcoming tweets Thursday night. You can check out the full article here: postshttp://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001028450/article/49ers-nick-bosa-apologizes-for-controversial-social-media-posts
We all make mistakes. We say and do things at all ages. More so when we’re young. I’ll give him that. If I could go back and change a lot of things that I said and also realize the views and opinions I had at a much younger age, I most likely wouldn’t have them at almost 40 years old. Lord knows that I would. I mean…I could go back 4-5 years and look at things I said and did and want to change them. The problem with Nick and people like him is that until it’s thrown right in your face…there’s so acknowledgment and no apologies until then. The thing is that I could give Nick a pass because he hasn’t lived. Especially when he made those tweets. He was a product of his environment. I would hope that 3 years around people of other races, religions, nationalities and those with various thoughts and views from which he was raised around have had an effect on his thoughts and views. If he truly means what he said on Draft Day and it wasn’t a manufactured statement, then show us. Actions speak louder than words.
