The Daily Hodl
  • FEATURES
    • News
    • Bitcoin
    • Ethereum
    • Ripple and XRP
    • Altcoins
    • Trading
    • NFTs
    • Blockchain
    • Futuremash
    • Regulators
    • Scams
    • Crypto 101
  • HODLX
    • Latest Stories
    • FAQ
    • Submit Guest Post
  • INDUSTRY ANNOUNCEMENTS
    • Latest
    • Press Releases
    • ChainWire
    • Sponsored Posts
    • Submit Your Content
  • CRYPTO MARKETS
    • Bitcoin (BTC)
    • Ethereum (ETH)
    • Binance Coin (BNB)
  • BEGINNERS
    • What Is Bitcoin?
    • What Is Blockchain?
    • What Does Hodl Mean?
    • How to Pay Your Bills with Bitcoin
    • Best Bitcoin FAQs
    • Example of Bitcoin’s Purpose
    • Cryptocurrency Has Multiple Meanings
    • Authenticator Alert – Securing Your Crypto
  • SUBMIT
    • Guest Post
    • Press Release
    • Sponsored Post
    • Advertise
  • EMAIL ALERTS
  • DAILY HODL MIX
No Result
View All Result
  • FEATURES
    • News
    • Bitcoin
    • Ethereum
    • Ripple and XRP
    • Altcoins
    • Trading
    • NFTs
    • Blockchain
    • Futuremash
    • Regulators
    • Scams
    • Crypto 101
  • HODLX
    • Latest Stories
    • FAQ
    • Submit Guest Post
  • INDUSTRY ANNOUNCEMENTS
    • Latest
    • Press Releases
    • ChainWire
    • Sponsored Posts
    • Submit Your Content
  • CRYPTO MARKETS
    • Bitcoin (BTC)
    • Ethereum (ETH)
    • Binance Coin (BNB)
  • BEGINNERS
    • What Is Bitcoin?
    • What Is Blockchain?
    • What Does Hodl Mean?
    • How to Pay Your Bills with Bitcoin
    • Best Bitcoin FAQs
    • Example of Bitcoin’s Purpose
    • Cryptocurrency Has Multiple Meanings
    • Authenticator Alert – Securing Your Crypto
  • SUBMIT
    • Guest Post
    • Press Release
    • Sponsored Post
    • Advertise
  • EMAIL ALERTS
  • DAILY HODL MIX
No Result
View All Result
The Daily Hodl
No Result
View All Result

Chargers’ Russell Okung Says Bitcoin Is Freedom After Bank Denies Request to Withdraw His Own Money

by Daily Hodl Staff
October 14, 2019
in Bitcoin

LA Chargers offensive tackle Russell Okung says he equates Bitcoin directly with freedom.

In a new interview on the What Bitcoin Did podcast, Okung says his life-long experience as an athlete has taught him the value of personal independence and sovereignty.

“When I explain Bitcoin or at least when one of my teammates asks me, I say, ‘Well, what is freedom? What is independence?’

And I think one of the reasons that I ask that question and why it resonates so well with my teammates is because when you look at the construct especially with an athlete, what tends to happen is all throughout our careers, because we’ve essentially been playing this game since we were 10 years old into adulthood, there’s always been somebody sort of managing our lives and serving as some sort of facilitator and manager and agent and some sort of advocate.

And at the end of the day, what they all do is they have their hand [in our pocket] and they want a piece. They say, ‘Well in order for you to do whatever you’re attempting to do, the cost of participating is my fee.’

So, when I talk about Bitcoin and I try to explain what it is, I say, ‘Imagine a world where you have inextricable value associated to yourself, and there’s no fee.’ There’s complete independence, there’s complete sovereignty over how you want to live your life. You are exceptional and you can live that way. And not in the same accordance as whatever government or central authority may be over your life.”

Okung says an experience during a recent trip to Nigeria crystallized his thoughts on the current financial system and the need for Bitcoin.

“I went to Nigeria maybe five or six months ago. I remember being out there and it was an incredible experience to go see my family. And like when you go to any country, you want to take enough cash to sustain you throughout your entire visit. So I probably had too good of a time and spent too much money.

And I remember, I called my bank and said, ‘Hey, I’m going to withdraw some money for my stay.’ And, mind you, I had already put a note on my account suggesting I would be in Nigeria and that I would potentially be withdrawing more money. And I’m not going to say who that bank was, but I remember trying to withdraw some money and I’m talking to one of the people at customer service who said, ‘We don’t do business with Nigeria. Therefore, we can’t send your money at this time.’

And I’m like, ‘What do you mean you can’t send me my money? It’s my money!’ And I realized at that moment in time, it actually wasn’t my money. That as a custodian, they had the ability to allot money on the basis in which they saw fit. And it completely wrecked me because I’d been speculating on Bitcoin for years and I’d hear all sorts of things about why independence is so valuable and truly owning your wealth is important. And here I was where I was facing that situation head-on in a third-world country, where I didn’t have access to any dollars.

My net worth is all over the internet, so imagine what I’ve been able to accumulate over a certain amount of time. Me not being able to access that? I mean I put my body on the line for that, my mind on the line for that. And here I am, and I can’t even touch my money? That was completely crazy to me.”

Okung also talks about his efforts to get the Chargers to pay him in BTC.

“I’m going into the third year of my deal, and I go in to see my general manager. And he’s an older white gentleman, a really good guy. And he’s probably in his 60s. And I go up to him and I say, ‘Hey, I want half of my salary paid to me in Bitcoin.’

And he had the most stoic look on his face. And he’s a super smart guy. He’s been around the team forever. He’s probably heard everything. Every excuse for a player to come back and renegotiate his contract. And here I was saying I don’t want more money. Instead, how about you just give me half of my salary in Bitcoin. And he looked at me and was just like, ‘What the fuck is Bitcoin?’

So here I was saying, ‘Well it can be like digital gold, and it’s an asset and a currency. And there’s this thing called a ledger.’ And he’s just like, ‘No.'”

Okung says the Chargers continue to deny his request to be paid in BTC. But he’s not done trying.

You can check out the full interview here.

Featured image via Daniel X. O’Neil/Flickr/CC 2.0

[the_ad id="42537"] [the_ad id="42536"]
Check Latest News Headlines


 
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any loses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any cryptocurrencies or digital assets, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing.
Submit a Press Release

Industry Announcements

  • Yesports Launches the Largest Esports Marketplace for Gaming Expansion Into Web3 Alongside 40+ Partners
    March 21, 2023
  • Metatime Raises $11M in Private Funding To Enhance Web 3.0 Ecosystem
    March 21, 2023
  • Coinfest Asia Is Back in 2023 Carrying the Theme of Web 2.5
    March 20, 2023
  • Poolz Security Incident Prompts Rapid Response and Platform Restructuring
    March 16, 2023
  • Sovryn Introduces Decentralized Bitcoin-Backed Sovryn Dollar To Combat Centralized Stablecoins
    March 16, 2023
  • Partnership Announcement – Oraichain x DoraHacks
    March 16, 2023
  • Wemade Announces Partnership With Space and Time To Power Blockchain and Gaming Services
    March 15, 2023
Submit a Guest Post
ADVERTISEMENT
Bitcoin
$28,268.57
$28,268.57
1.36%
Ethereum
$1,809.60
$1,809.60
3.94%
Cardano
$0.372966
$0.372966
11.31%
XRP
$0.469142
$0.469142
24.42%
Dogecoin
$0.07714
$0.07714
7.06%

Spotlight

  • Reminder: Credit Suisse Guilty of Tax Fraud and Subprime Mortgage Fraud, Accused of Aiding Clients Engaged in Torture, Drug Trafficking, and Money Laundering
    March 15, 2023
  • Four Major Crypto Exchanges Announce Support for Arbitrum (ARB) Ahead of Massive Airdrop
    March 18, 2023
  • Top Crypto Analyst Says Bitcoin Could Be Gearing Up for Parabolic Push – Here’s His Target
    March 21, 2023
  • Ethereum Creator Vitalik Buterin Sends 200 ETH to Crypto Exchange Kraken: PeckShield
    March 14, 2023
NBX Warsaw Summit Banner
DON'T MISS A BEAT
Crypto headlines delivered daily
to your inbox
BTC, ETH, XRP news alert options
By joining The Daily Hodl news list you agree to our
Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
Featured Image: Shutterstock/Billion Photos

Cryptocurrency news and analysis, covering Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, XRP, altcoins and blockchain technology

Categories

Bitcoin • Ethereum • Trading •
Ripple and XRP • Altcoins •
Blockchain • Regulators •
Scams • Crypto101 • HodlX •
Futuremash •
Industry Announcements

ABOUT US | EDITORIAL POLICY | PRIVACY POLICY
TERMS AND CONDITIONS | CONTACT | ADVERTISE

JOIN US ON TELEGRAM

JOIN US ON TWITTER

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

COPYRIGHT © 2017-2023 THE DAILY HODL

No Result
View All Result
  • FEATURES
    • News
    • Bitcoin
    • Ethereum
    • Ripple and XRP
    • Altcoins
    • Trading
    • NFTs
    • Blockchain
    • Futuremash
    • Regulators
    • Scams
    • Crypto 101
  • HODLX
    • Latest Stories
    • FAQ
    • Submit Guest Post
  • INDUSTRY ANNOUNCEMENTS
    • Latest
    • Press Releases
    • ChainWire
    • Sponsored Posts
    • Submit Your Content
  • CRYPTO MARKETS
    • Bitcoin (BTC)
    • Ethereum (ETH)
    • Binance Coin (BNB)
  • BEGINNERS
    • What Is Bitcoin?
    • What Is Blockchain?
    • What Does Hodl Mean?
    • How to Pay Your Bills with Bitcoin
    • Best Bitcoin FAQs
    • Example of Bitcoin’s Purpose
    • Cryptocurrency Has Multiple Meanings
    • Authenticator Alert – Securing Your Crypto
  • SUBMIT
    • Guest Post
    • Press Release
    • Sponsored Post
    • Advertise
  • EMAIL ALERTS
  • DAILY HODL MIX

© 2023 The Daily Hodl