don’t ruin twitter!

Posted on | August 4, 2009 | Comments

I swear, people left and right are trying to ruin Twitter. First, the Denver Post prints some story about J.R. Smith supposedly using gang signs on his Twitter. Yes, you heard that right. Gang signs. On his Twitter. How the hell does one accomplish THAT? By the end of the day *poof* J.R.’s Twitter is dead as disco. This royally frosts my cupcakes. Why? Because J.R. Smith is was priceless on Twitter. Simply priceless. If I had known this debacle was coming down today I would have at least taken a commemorative screen shot of his page or something. Instead, I’m stuck with this empty J.R.less existence. Not cool, Denver Post. Not cool.

Then, Ric Bucher (@RicBucher) shared the news (while still having balls enough to do so, I might add) that ESPN dropped the hammer. The hammer being a memo to their employees – including on-air personalities — that essentially seeks to cut them off at the knees in terms of what they can and can’t tweet about.

bucher
Source: http://twitter.com/RicBucher/status/3132468169

Unless it “serves” ESPN? Wha wha what?! The Worldwide Leader getting all, “I’m your master” on people. That just makes me queasy.

I realize there have to be some standards and practices. Hell, Chad Ochocinco (wait, is it “Ocho Cinco” or “Ochocinco”? Meh. F- it.) posted pictures of the Bengals’ drug test piss cups today on Twitpic. That can’t be kosher.

I commend Chad for giving fans inside access, but this might have been just a tad over the line. Just a tad.

ocho1
Source: http://twitter.com/OGOchoCinco/status/3124716428

I guess we can be happy he didn’t decide we needed to see him actually pee in the cup. Aye yie yie.

ocho2
Source: http://twitpic.com/cqlbd
From this tweet: http://twitter.com/OGOchoCinco/status/3124748206

So, I get it that at some point you have to create some guidelines, but ESPN and their ilk need to understand that the allure of Twitter for many people is the unfiltered access to insiders that it allows. Turn all of your associated Twitter accounts into PR machines vomiting press releases all day and just watch the follower counts drop like a lead balloon.

There has to be a happy medium. While ESPN mulls over just what that is, I hope they keep this in mind: Don’t ruin our fun!

ps. Looks like some NFL teams are cracking down. Thankfully the Bengals are not one of them!