Chris Bosh’s Dire Basketball Situation Teaches Us A Lesson

Chris Bosh’s current health situation teaches us a very important lesson about our professional athletes

Being criticized based on our physical appearance is a natural part of life. It happens to the best of us. If an individual is jacked, then people will aim for to critique that persons face, hair or legs. If a person isn’t muscular, then haters will focus on making a person become something they aren’t.

For example, Serena Williams is one of the most beautiful woman on earth, but she’s consistently excoriated for her muscle mass.

Then there’s LeBron James, the most polarizing male athlete in the world, who has a body of a warrior, but has been shamed her something as finite as his hairline.

The harsh reality is that haters exist and will always find a way way to bring someone down, especially in this day and age of social media, with it rising and becoming an integral part of everyday life.

More from Sir Charles In Charge

• LeBron James working to assemble super team for USA Basketball in 2024
• Dillon Brooks proved his value to Houston Rockets in the 2023 FIBA World Cup
• NBA Trade Rumors: 1 Player from each team most likely to be traded in-season
• Golden State Warriors: Buy or sell Chris Paul being a day 1 starter
• Does Christian Wood make the Los Angeles Lakers a legit contender?

Some people are ruthless and “tough” behind a screen in order to get a retweet or like. What some of those fake comedians don’t understand is that their jokes can damage the most important part of a human: the mental side.

Yeah, they’re celebrities and flourish in lives we wish we could be placed in, and their social status makes them somewhat easy targets, but they’re in that position due to their talents and not to be… Cyber Bullied.

Miami Heat big-man Chris Bosh has been the highlight of memes since he was the man back in the day, with the Toronto Raptors. The jokes with Bosh while playing north of the United States involved him looking like a dinosaur while playing for a team named after a dinosaur.

See, Bosh wasn’t in the limelight much due to his lack of success in the “6.” When he decided to head towards South Beach, he entered the spotlight alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

When the Heat were upset by the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 during The Finals, Bosh was seen crying towards the locker room as the Mavs celebrated in Miami. With tears drag racing down Bosh’s face, his knees went forward to touch the ground as he had just let all the emotions in his body out.

The emotions were built up, because prior to Miami, Bosh either missed the playoffs or was eliminated in the first-round. Everybody knows that the pain is more excruciating the farther an athlete advances in the postseason, and Bosh felt that but became the subject of his “manliness” being questioned.

Over the next few seasons throughout the era in which Bosh played with James and Wade, he became the internet’s No. 1 option for comedic relief, prior to the “crying Jordan” meme becoming a fixture in popular culture. Memes, vines (remember when that was a huge thing?), captions, or basically any playoff an individual can get a laugh, Bosh was probably seen there.

There are a number of videos posted on YouTube which are devoted to questioning Bosh’s manhood and poking fun at Bosh. Heck, even ESPN’s Skip Bayless did it to Bosh.

If you watched some of those videos, it’s worth guessing that you had a good laugh. That’s awesome a smile was created on your face, but what makes it bad is that it had to come at the expense of someone you don’t know even know.

Yes, we all laugh at things from other people we don’t know. What makes the Bosh situation different is its been happening for years, and you can only imagine the toll it takes on him.

Here’s an excerpt of a piece written on Bosh back in 2014 by ESPN’s Tom Haberstroth:

"The ones that cut the deepest? The barbs that called him soft, often cloaked in veiled misogyny and homophobia.“That’s the venom,” Bosh says. “For a while, they were questioning my sexuality. They still do. They were questioning my sexuality, questioning my game. And I’m like, ‘Why are they all messing with me?’ I didn’t do anything to anybody. I didn’t do nothing. I just came here to play basketball. And they’re like, ‘Oh, he’s not a real superstar.’ I never cared about being a superstar.”When he doesn’t come down with a rebound, “Christina Bosh” floods his Twitter mentions. He was nicknamed “Bosh Spice.” Someone dunked on him? What a woman.“What am I supposed to do?” Bosh says. “You want me to have cornrows and tats on my neck and just punch somebody in the face when they score on me? It’s crazy. It’s impossible. I can’t do that and play. That’s never been who I am.”"

We’ve all made fun of Bosh, but it’s interesting to see how quick people’s perceptions can change on others. Back in February of 2015, after the All-Star break, Bosh was diagnosed with blood clots within one of his lungs. He was shutdown for the remainder of the season, and with him being sidelined wanting to be on the court, the entire NBA family, including fans, espoused throughout his serious medical condition.

One day he’s the topic of laughter, the next he’s the topic of concern.

Throughout social media all you seen were posts dedicated to Bosh getting and people using “#PrayForBosh” on their various accounts across the Internet. It was the classic life example of becoming to nice someone instantly, once you learn that their life is in jeopardy.

Be careful who’s name you sully, because the next day they might not be here and you’ll be left regretting what you said about them

Bosh would go on to make a full recovery…for a few months. Similar to 2015, during the 2016 All-Star weekend, Bosh was sadly diagnosed with blood clots, this time in his leg. Just like the year before, people sent their condolences to Bosh and his family. The only difference this time around was that the 11-Time All-Star wasn’t shutdown for the season immediately.

He was placed on blood thinners with the idea he could return during the postseason, but the Heat had the idea of shutting him down. It was an internal battle of which doctor to believe, as the Heat had a legitimate to make the NBA Finals. Long story short, Bosh was officially declared done for the season in early May.

Bosh’s battle with blood clots has been dormant to the public since the Heat had their season ended by the Raptors, ironically enough. There were reports that it’d be wise for Bosh to enter medical retirement due to him possibly dying on the court, in similar fashion to former Boston Celtics forward Reggie Lewis. Since the news of Bosh possibly retiring came out in May, nothing else has been reported.

Excerpt from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on the Bosh situation from a piece posted in May:

"Bosh last played Feb. 9. According to league rules, if he does not play again by Feb. 9, 2017, an independent doctor approved by the Heat and the player’s union can review Bosh’s case and give a recommendation to the league. If the doctor doesn’t believe Bosh can continue his career, the Heat can take the 11-time All-star’s contract off their books for salary cap purposes.Bosh is owed $75 million over the next three years. He would receive all the money. Miami would receive some savings via an insurance policy, but would not do this to save money. If it was up to the Heat, a healthy Bosh would be playing for them every night."

This would allow the organization to replace Bosh when his contract hypothetically comes off in the summer of 2017.

Moral of the story: Be careful who’s name you sully, because the next day they might not be here and you’ll be left regretting what you said about them. Bosh, the person is alive, but his career on the court, where most people get their fodder, might be dead.

Only you can decide how seriously you take the appearances and mannerisms of others. Making that joke or meme to get a laugh, like, retweet, etc., isn’t worth it in the grand scheme of things.

must read: Dwyane Wade Should Sign With The Cavs

We’re all lucky most athletes have thick skin and don’t go ballistic every time they’re the subject of the joke, because if that was the case then there would be an epidemic on our hands…and people wonder why some athletes are disrespectful to fans and the media.