G-Reg's a Rapper, too?

First-round draft pick Greg Olsen is getting a quick lesson in media scrutiny after the local press discovered a raunchy rap that Olsen, rapping under the G-Reg moniker, recorded along with a number of his fellow dorm mates / teammates.

The 7th Floor Crew, as they called themselves, recorded the rap, and somebody posted it to a MySpace page (warning: NSFW lyrics, autoplay music) for all to hear. And yes, the lyrics are very explicit and very degrading to women.

When it first became public in 2005, Miami's athletic director issued an apology for the "unfortunate, inappropriate and demeaning" song but also stated that it was recorded privately and not intended for public consumption. The players involved were not identified by the school.

WIth Olsen's selection by the Bears on the heels of both a renewed effort by the NFL to crack down on off-the-field transgressions and the Don Imus controversy, it's not surprising that the local press has brought up Olsen's participation. It also opens up further discussions into the way that women are treated by men, both in rap music and in locker rooms. Many are rightly disgusted at the way that the objectification of women is routine in those circles.

Jay Mariotti, on the other hand, seems to fall into the "boys will be boys" camp with his column about Olsen.

At least publicly, Olsen admits the song was a mistake. ''As a freshman, a few of my friends and I recorded a song that was written for us. 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."

Who among us hasn't done something regrettable in our past? Who didn't do something, or ten things, during their freshman year of college that they wish they hadn't — that people keep reminding them about?

Of course, none of us were drafted by the Chicago Bears this past weekend.

His longtime girlfriend has already come forward to vouch for him and his character. Not exactly the way you want to have to introduce yourself to your new city.

So, in your mind, is Olsen and his participation in the 7th Floor Crew a big deal or not? Is it a sign of the Bears drafting a bad apple, or just a case of stupid college antics unfortunately released to the public? Or does this issue speak more to the larger issue of the way that athletes treat women in general, and how can that issue be addressed?

Image via AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast.