Newly signed Outkick.com member Jason Whitlock was very critical of Oklahoma State player Chubba Hubbard’s refusal to participate in team activities after his coach Mike Gundy wore an OAN t-shirt.
OAN is a conservative news network that supports President Donald Trump.
Hubbard’s tweet says, “I will not stand for this… This is completely insensitive to everything going on in society and it’s unacceptable. I will not be doing anything with Oklahoma State until things CHANGE.”
Hubbard later appeared with Gundy in a video where the two seemed to have reconciled their differences.
In his column “Cancel Twitter Twerking with Sports Stars”, however, Whitlock (who is African-American) questions Hubbard’s motives behind the tweet.
“Going viral for smearing someone close to you for “racial insensitivity” is the quickest route to brand relevance and social-media traction,” Whitlock writes.
Hubbard’s tweet has certainly gone viral, receiving more than 24,000 likes and 10,000 retweets as of Tuesday morning. Whitlock compares Hubbard’s tweets and others like them to “Male twerking.”
“A handful of black athletes are the new Instagram Models. Hot women built cash-generating, influencer followings with booty shots and twerk gifs,” Whitlock writes. “Now we have a few opportunistic athletes cashing in on the tragic death of George Floyd. ‘Speaking out’ via social media is male twerking, except it’s less honest.”
Whitlock adds, “Supporting Trump or a conservative news outlet is not a criminal offense. “(I don’t participate in politics or watch cable news). It’s not even a sign of immorality. It’s a political tactic, strategy, position, or belief that is every American’s constitutional right.”
Whitlock does not entirely blame Hubbard for his tweet saying he is just following the lead of stars like Malcom Jenkins who was recently hired by CNN to discuss racial issues.
“Hubbard is a kid,” he said. “I understand his error. He’s following the lead of grown men. I feel sorry for the kids and the men caught in the snare of Twitter and Instagram. They are primarily well-intentioned. It’s just the smartphones and social media apps we love are designed to tap into our emotions, create an addiction and drive us all to see each other as potential fodder for our personal brands.”
Whitlock then asserts that Twitter and other forms of social media are damaging sports.
“Social media is the cancer (that is) killing sports. It’s the cancer dividing locker rooms and America. Like cancer, we may never discover a cure. This is a tragedy…. Now we cancel teammates, coaches and colleagues who don’t share our views. It’s un-American.”
