Dwayne Bowe: An Open Letter To Chiefs’ Star Wideout
Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Dwayne Bowe, I’m not mad at you because you got pulled over for speeding and arrested for possession of marijuana.
I’m not mad about the 16.8 grams of weed that were found in your car, or the fact that you were going 48 in a 35. Heck, I have a few speeding tickets under my belt, and who are we to judge what you do in your spare time?
You see, Dwayne, I’m not stupid or naive enough to believe that NFL players don’t mess around with weed from time to time. I’m also not the type of person who believes that you have to be a hero and a role model to kids all around the world.
Would it help if you were a model citizen? Sure, I’m sure you could make a positive impact on a few lives. With that said, what kind of irresponsible parent passes life lessons onto an adult their child may never meet? Wouldn’t they want to be their kid’s role model? Why does that responsibility automatically fall on you because you’re 6’2”, 221 pounds and can catch a football?
Anyhow, let’s not get sidetracked here. The point is, I don’t care what you do.
I’m not mad about the weed, because frankly, you’re not the first NFL player to get caught and you certainly won’t be the last. I’m not surprised and I’m not offended.
That’s not what bugs me.
What bugs me, Dwayne, is that you forgot that your mistakes affect more than just you.
I’m mad because you forgot that as an NFL player, everything you do is put under a microscope and turned into news. Do you think you’re the only one in the world who got arrested for possession of marijuana today? Hardly.
If Joe Smo from Kansas City, MO. goes out and gets arrested with 16.8 g’s in his car, that’s not going to make the news cycle and ultimately end up on this blog. It may, depending on Joe’s sense of pride and purpose, end up on a Facebook status, but that’s about it.
Nobody cares what Joe does with his life, Dwayne. Conversely, due to your role as a star wide receiver for a 9-0 NFL franchise, everybody cares what you do.
Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
I don’t care, but I’m disappointed that you forgot that other people do.
I’m disappointed that you forgot about the die-hard Chiefs fans who hope, and sometimes even pray, for every win that you and your teammates go out and get. I’m disappointed that this magical 2013 season means more to them than it does to you.
Speaking of your teammates, I’m sad for them.
I feel bad for those teammates who have been putting in the work since the offseason, just for a chance to make the playoffs and potentially win it all. I know how hard they work. That obviously meant nothing to you as you were speeding down the road like Snoop Dogg on April 20th.
I feel bad for the role players who would do anything to have even half of the opportunities that you do on the football field. I’m sad for the coaches who spent all that time coaching you, and more importantly, spent all that time preparing this team to win, with you.
Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
I’m not stupid, Dwayne. I know that the Chiefs’ offense already struggles to move the ball through the air with you on the field. I know that now defenses won’t have to use a safety to bracket cover you, which will allow them to focus on stopping the tight ends, Donnie Avery or even Jamaal Charles out of the backfield.
You see, to me this is just all about strategy and football, and without you, this team is going to have an even harder time winning during this second half of the schedule. I’m not exactly sure what the NFL or your front office is going to do, but unless you’re somehow proven not-guilty, I’m almost certain you’re going to miss some time because of this. I’m not sure when, but I’m almost certain you’re going to have to deal with some kind of consequence that will also hurt the team.
The silly part about this whole thing Dwayne is that you’re not going to miss time because you got involved with weed. Heck, I dare say 50 percent of the NFL probably has some contact with it at least once or twice during the season anyhow.
The silly thing is, you didn’t care enough to be smart. You were stupid enough to get caught.
Mugshot via fox4kc.com (Michelle Pekarsky)
You knew the rules of our land and the rules of the NFL, yet you still decided to hop into your car with your two buds and light up a few buds. I don’t know if you actually smoked, but does that even matter? It was your car and your possession, and you were stupid enough to put yourself in that situation.
Look, Dwayne. I’m not some kind of hippy activist. I’m just a football analyst and coach. From a pure X’s and O’s strategic standpoint, this was the worst call you could have made at this juncture of the season, and that’s why I’m mad at you.
You were either too arrogant, selfish or just too stupid to realize that nobody cares what you do in your private time. We just care that you were stupid enough to get caught.
You’ve hurt a fan base and you hurt your team.
You didn’t hurt me. I’m just disappointed that you didn’t see the bigger picture.