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Nick Bosa and the politics of being a football fan

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Nick Bosa deleted his pro-Trump tweets specifically on the chance the 49ers draft him. Therefore this post will probably anger some of you on both sides of the spectrum. For that I apologize.

Last night ESPN reported, in a draft profile on Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa, that Bosa reportedly deleted all his pro-Donald Trump tweets and his anti-Colin Kaepernick ones as well. The move was aimed at what Bosa said was a chance that he "might end up in San Francisco."

The story was reported by a variety of sports and news media outlets such as Sports Illustrated, Fox News, The New York Post, USA Today's For the Win, and TMZ, because of course TMZ covered it. It is 49ers news and it is football news and therefore fans may find it interesting to hear what others have to say. Other fans won't and will plead with us to keep it strictly football. That's fair. But this could garner more than one day of national attention as the draft approaches.

Bosa enters the 2019 draft widely regarded as the best player in the current crop of prospects, if not the second best behind Quinnen Williams of Alabama. My own breakdown of him can be read here, but the bottom line is I think he is the best player in the draft and the 49ers should not hesitate to run his card up to the podium if they have the chance to take him. He has the potential to be a game changer along the defensive front that they badly need.

But some fans do not feel this way, as former Niners Nation editor David Fucillo stated today in a post over that the situation leaves him conflicted and it's one that's not easily ignored given Fooch's political views and Bosa's pro-Trump/conservative stance on politics and his outspoken criticism of former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. And that's totally fine. Fooch and other fans like him are free and entitled to hold whatever opinions of him they wish to hold. Those of you reading this who follow me on Twitter know that I am an outspoken liberal/leftist/socialist/communist, whatever you want to call me.

And while I respect the views of the former Niner's Nation editor, I respectfully disagree (even though Fooch and myself are very politically aligned). Bosa's views, most of which I think are abhorrent given the current state of the presidential administration, do not detract from the kind of player he is. This presidential administration is also an abomination and a stain on this country that was 60 years in the making. I'm sure Bosa doesn't agree with that. And I could not care less, just as I do not care what he thinks politically because we have that freedom.

I think he deserves a shot to prove to 49ers fans that he's the real deal and can help them win should they choose to draft him. I doubt he's going to be an outspoken critic of the players in a league where he's going to share the same locker room with guys who helped make the anthem protests famous. Some of you more on the left may disagree with me and want him nowhere near the team. That's fine.

I am a veteran of the US military, I have left/socialist-leaning values that I hold dear, and I support Bernie Sanders for president, but I don't expect everyone else to feel the same because this fanbase is so diverse. When I am watching the game I have spent the better part of my life playing, watching, coaching, or writing about, I cannot easily flip off the switch, even if we know the game is probably not healthy for the guys who are playing it. If you are bothered by Bosa's politics, are you also bothered by the CTE scandal? If so, why do you or I or anyone else keep watching and reading these sites?

Those are issues that bother me as a fan. And it's generally why I believe players should go get every red cent they think they're owed for their service to the league. But if you are genuinely thinking about boycotting the NFL over stuff like this, are you ready to completely shut it out of your life and not read, tweet, or post about anything that gives the NFL traffic? Cut your cable and disassociate from cable providers who pay the NFL to run content? Cut off your Amazon Prime?

I don't think any of us are going to do that. I'm certainly not. Some might, and while I admire the courage of your convictions, I cannot say that I would do the same and I cannot say that seeing him in red and gold would bother me one bit. The 49ers also shouldn't pass up this opportunity to draft him.

I think that if you are bothered by it, that you aren't wrong in any way for feeling that. Please don't misconstrue anything here to mean that either. There are legitimate concerns. But at the end of the day, we love this game, and we want our teams and players to be better and do better. The players may not care what you think but they're there to win games for the team and also make a living for themselves and I wouldn't want someone scrutinizing everything I've said or done online or elsewhere over the years to come back on me unfavorably because someone found something I said when I was younger.

Lastly, I'm not sure you actually want to go down that road of saying you don't want some like Bosa on your team. You'd be surprised and shocked to learn how many of your favorite teams' players have political opinions you don't like. For now this should be the end of the conversation unless it comes out that the 49ers passed on him because of this issue. Unless that happens, I will not be taking up anymore of your time with this kind of stuff because it's not what you came here to read, and it's not what I want to be writing about. But I felt this needed to be said.

16 Comments

• ohio49er
  I'm from Columbus and Nick Bosa's political leanings are well-known. I'm not a conservative, definitely not a Republican, and have zero respect for Trump. That said, I could care less about Bosa's views on politics. I want to see him wreak havoc on Russell Wilson, not whether he wants the wall built. I want to see him knock Jared Goff on his butt, not ask him if Trump colluded with the Russians. I do care about politics and I supported Colin Kaepernick's protest (and still do), but I'm weary of pro football being about everything except football. This is still America and Nick Bosa has a right to be a right-winger. Whether he's making plays for the 49ers or against them is what matters to me at this point.
  Apr 18, 2019 at 6:32 PM
  ♡ 1
• No
  Should probably say you THINK this administration is an abomination, since that's not a fact. I could say Obama's administration was an abomination and socialism is the antithesis to freedom... well, actually that latter part is fact, but I digress. Anyway, I hated Kaepernick's protest, but I'd have been ok with him being quarterback if he didn't suck, but... he did.
  Apr 15, 2019 at 4:29 PM
  ♡ 1
  Response: You missed the entire point of the post.
• ttime1
  I'm not surprised that this site favors overlooking his apparent racist views as it will ban anyone who speaks-up against it. This is not his only jaded post, he has others that suggest that he has character issues. I am beginning to think that he is overrated and has bust written all on him.
  Apr 12, 2019 at 8:50 AM
  ♡ 4
• Richard
  So no one favors the Constitution above banal "patriotism"?
  Apr 11, 2019 at 5:35 PM
  ♡ 1
• Alister
  Great article. At 42, I think back on all the foolish things I said at 20...and I'm just glad Twitter didn't exist. Nick Bosa is entitled to his worldview. And if there is any team or any city that can reshape it, it's San Francisco.
  Apr 11, 2019 at 5:31 PM
  ♡ 1
• mr. b
  I imagine there are a lot of NFL players and coaches who support Trump, even if it is only because his tax cuts let them keep more of their money. The only "stain" on the country that Trump caused were the tear stains of socialist, leftist Hillary supporters who lost the election. Get over it. I grew up 3 blocks from the 49ers headquarters in Redwood City. I live in Texas now but still following the team. I hope they get Bosa. I'll confess that I too think Kaepernick was/is an embarrassment and am sorry he was ever associated with team I grew up with and still love.
  Apr 11, 2019 at 10:52 AM
  ♡ 2
  Response: Did you even read this article? I'm defending Bosa and you're still mad. Why is everything always perceived as a slight against your beliefs and why is everything always a grievance? I'm on your side here.
• Richard
  I favor the Constitution
  Apr 11, 2019 at 10:11 AM
  ♡ 1
• Richard
  Anyone? We could discuss which is more "Patriotic".
  Apr 11, 2019 at 10:09 AM
  ♡ 0
• Richard
  So everyone cool with players kneeling during the banal Anthem ceremony while reading the Constitution?
  Apr 11, 2019 at 10:06 AM
  ♡ 0
• WhoWho
  Still trying to figure out how people support Kaepernick's first amendment rights, but not Bosa. I guess Bosa doesn't get the same rights if you oppose his views. Quintessential fascism
  Apr 11, 2019 at 9:44 AM
  ♡ 1
  Response: Who doesn't support Bosa?
• William
  This is the most dumb thing I could have imagined. No wonder the NFL ratings are down.
  Apr 11, 2019 at 8:04 AM
  ♡ 1
  Response: Ratings aren't down.
• Scott
  Already controversy ??? No Thanks, where is Josh Allen.
  Apr 11, 2019 at 4:05 AM
  ♡ 2
• Ernst82
  Why did I get banned from the forum for discussing the obvious political bias from this article? It's an opinion website but apparently only one opinion is allowed. You guys should be ashamed pushing politics on here and banning anyone who doesn't agree.
  Apr 11, 2019 at 3:01 AM
  ♡ 3
  Response: I didn't ban you from anything but this is a post defending Bosa and you're still mad?
• Bryan
  Can we please just stick to football?
  Apr 10, 2019 at 9:53 PM
  ♡ 1
  Response: I can appreciate that but the fact this is national sports news means it's going to eventually be covered by us here because this is a 49ers news and opinion site.
• Richard
  Good evening. Quick suggestion for those who want to continue their first amendment rights to protest and kneel during those banal activities characterized as being "patriotic" at the beginning of all major spirting events, take a pocket Constitution onto the field, kneel during the anthem, pledge, etc and read the book. Read it loud and clear. Read it into the camera and into the faces of those who are trying to deny and take away your Constitutional rights.
  Apr 10, 2019 at 9:31 PM
  ♡ 1
• jack grasso
  Great article. I am an avowed supporter of AOC and anyone who is a Democratic Socialist (as is anyone who receives Social Security and Medicare and the 40 hour work week, ect.). I am also a 49 Faithful since 1975. And, I definitely hope the Niners draft Nick Bosa, if Arizona passes on him. Hey, I don't hear any Patriot fans dising TB12 for his MEGA hat. Sports is sports. Politics is politics. To paraphrase, "never the twain shall meet" (apologies to Rudyard Kipling). I respect Colin and Eric for their stance abhoring racial injustice in this country. But, I also realize that political views are a right of this country. Just that mine are better.
  Apr 10, 2019 at 9:14 PM
  ♡ 2

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