Bears 1st round pick Olsen's rap makes Imus look like feminist

[Ben]

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Olsen's rap makes Imus look like feminist
(http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/365087,CST-NWS-carol01.article)

May 1, 2007

BY CAROL SLEZAK Staff Reporter

Rap music is filled with graphic language, and the rap song "7th Floor Crew" certainly has its share. I lost count of the number of times I heard the word "ho," or a certain b-word or a certain f-word. And the lewd sexual acts that are described? Well, let's just say they're not appropriate for this newspaper.

But apparently the Bears don't have much of a problem with them. The fact that the team's top draft pick, Greg Olsen, raps in the song doesn't bother the Bears a bit.

After listening to all 8 minutes and 56 seconds of this unbelievably disgusting rap, I was shaking in anger and shock. How is it possible for these young men to have such little respect -- or is it hatred? -- for women? If Don Imus got fired for the comments he made about the Rutgers women's basketball team, these guys deserve jail time by comparison.

The group called itself "7th Floor Crew," reportedly after the seventh floor of a University of Miami dormitory where the guys hung out. Olsen was not the only football player involved in the group, which recorded the song in 2003, when Olsen, also known as "G-Reg," was a freshman.

'I am not proud of what we did'
The song first surfaced on the Internet in 2005, and because football players were involved in the recording, Miami athletic director Paul Dee issued an apology. He called the song's content "unfortunate, inappropriate and demeaning" but stressed that "the recording was made privately" and "was not intended for public distribution or use." The university never officially identified the players.

The controversy quickly died down, and the song was forgotten. I'm sure the Bears would prefer it had remained that way. They seem to be trying to convince themselves it never happened.

"We felt that Greg's value, not only as a player but as a person -- what he represents off the field and certainly on the field -- was what we want to represent for our football team and our organization," general manager Jerry Angelo said Monday while introducing his new tight end, making me wonder if Virginia McCaskey has heard the song.

Communications director Scott Hagel summed up the Bears' case, explaining that the recording took place "in the distant past" and was "a one-time issue." Between Tank Johnson's latest guilty plea and Olsen's rapping, it was a long day for Hagel.

Olsen sent word through the Bears that he regrets recording the song.

''As a freshman, a few of my friends and I recorded a song that was written for us," Olsen said. "It was an immature mistake on my part, and I certainly recognize it was wrong. I am not proud of what we did and have become a more mature person over the past three years."

The Bears weren't the only NFL organization to overlook Olsen's rapping. He said his participation in the song was not an issue during any of his pre-draft interviews. That can mean only one of two things: Either the entire league has a short memory, or the entire league believes that misogyny is no big deal. Given everything I know about the NFL, I'm going with the latter. These guys just don't get it.

Too bad Imus was a talk-show host instead of, say, an up-and-coming football player who reminded people of Mike Ditka. Instead of getting canned for his remarks, he'd be getting ready to sign a big, fat contract.

Olsen and the Bears would have us believe his rap days are part of his Miami past. I hope that's the case. But on Monday, I found a ''7th Floor Crew'' page on myspace.com, which is where I heard the song. And in a comment posted on the site Monday, someone gave ''Big ups to G-Reg bout to do big thangs in the Chi.''

Let's hope Olsen realizes that G-Reg ain't welcome here.




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[Jamie_B]

The Steelers should have drafted him instead of the TE they have and then he and Big Jen could form a rap posse.