Twitter coaches; Who are we Kidding?
Trivia question: What do Urban Meyer, Lane Kiffin, Ron Zook and Pete Carroll all have in common? The list of possible answers is endless but for now let's admit they are use Twitter.
The latest internet fad, fueled mostly by media types and those PR branding types who see a chance to make a quick buck, is being felt in the coaching profession. Breathless reports of their brethren saying they will "tweet", some even saying they are going to do it during a game. Can you imagine the alumni barking after a losing contest when they complain the coach was more concerned about 140 character tweets than the 80 characters he was responsible for on his sideline.
Let's call this what it really is: a handful of coaches using another mechanism to help recruit kids, not a love of banality. A couple of years ago it was text messaging. The NCAA stepped in and stopped that nonsense; one can hope it's only a matter of time before it comes in and regulates or even prohibits this tomfoolery.
And really, do Twitter backers who clog the internet with claims it is the most revolutionary thing since the wheel really believe the coaches are the ones actually doing the messaging; is LSU's Les Miles really concentrating on his next "tweet" at halftime instead of devising a game plan to beat Alabama? Is Duke's David Cutcliffe focused in on telling folks what he plans to eat for breakfast and not trying to figure out how to win in Blacksburg, Va.? Chances are some football ops guy, an intern or SID is doing the work; how much journalism background do you need to write "UCF Spring game at 2 p.m. I've got my SWAG on. I got a lot of JUICE and you know my Chili's Hot. Hot!!! " We're not making this up; it's what Central Florida assistant football coach Geoff Collins wrote recently according to the Daily Iowan in Iowa City.
Of a more serious concern are the possibilities of abuse and damage to a program: it is so easy to pretend to be a head coach or star player on Twitter; false comments made wind up on bulletin boards and chat rooms before they can be taken down. Negative recruiting tweets sent to high school prospects by unscrupulous assistant coaches; fans making up comments under the guise of an athletic director, coach or player. Or in the case of a Big Ten coach who made some alleged negative comments in a "tweet" about a beat sportswriter that had to be taken down after negative feedback.
Want to start a rumor? no problem on Twitter. Make up something? There's no fact checking or accountability mechanism in place. Columns and even many top bloggers fact check and face peer scrutiny.Even on talk radio, callers are screened by producers.
With all coaches have to worry about, do they really want to have to worry about putting this mechanism in the hands of their student-athletes. In our communications training, we deal heavily with the issues raced by social websites, principally Facebook, instructing them their posts and pictures not only represent themselves but are an open window for potential job employers and potential recruits. Facebook and similar sites do allow for some positive interaction among college students and a growing number of adults (and companies) to talk about their thoughts, plans and prospects without being limited to 140 characters or banal chatter. We teach the audience goes way beyond the "friends" on your facebook page or in Twitter-talk the number of "followers". These messages can potentially be read by anyone with an internet connection. We tell them not to be taken in by claims of privacy and safeguards in a world of hackers and geeks who easily find their way into any site.
Tweeter is fine for Ashton Kutcher (1 million followers? big deal!) , Shaq (will anyone really care what he eats for breakfast after a month of postings) Larry King (I am interviewing Dr. Phil and Jesse Ventura exclusively and I luv it!) and reporters looking for something new to write about (one White House cable correspondent tweeted about what he had for breakfast and snacks covering the President. Woodward and Bernstein this ain't. The Pulitzer Committee will pass on this blurb).
Once this fad has passed one can hope the next new media idea will require more thought, accountability and eloquence to reach out to fans, recruits, alumns and each other. FYI, the above paragraph wouldn't have made it on Twitter: it's more than 140 characters.
The latest internet fad, fueled mostly by media types and those PR branding types who see a chance to make a quick buck, is being felt in the coaching profession. Breathless reports of their brethren saying they will "tweet", some even saying they are going to do it during a game. Can you imagine the alumni barking after a losing contest when they complain the coach was more concerned about 140 character tweets than the 80 characters he was responsible for on his sideline.
Let's call this what it really is: a handful of coaches using another mechanism to help recruit kids, not a love of banality. A couple of years ago it was text messaging. The NCAA stepped in and stopped that nonsense; one can hope it's only a matter of time before it comes in and regulates or even prohibits this tomfoolery.
And really, do Twitter backers who clog the internet with claims it is the most revolutionary thing since the wheel really believe the coaches are the ones actually doing the messaging; is LSU's Les Miles really concentrating on his next "tweet" at halftime instead of devising a game plan to beat Alabama? Is Duke's David Cutcliffe focused in on telling folks what he plans to eat for breakfast and not trying to figure out how to win in Blacksburg, Va.? Chances are some football ops guy, an intern or SID is doing the work; how much journalism background do you need to write "UCF Spring game at 2 p.m. I've got my SWAG on. I got a lot of JUICE and you know my Chili's Hot. Hot!!! " We're not making this up; it's what Central Florida assistant football coach Geoff Collins wrote recently according to the Daily Iowan in Iowa City.
Of a more serious concern are the possibilities of abuse and damage to a program: it is so easy to pretend to be a head coach or star player on Twitter; false comments made wind up on bulletin boards and chat rooms before they can be taken down. Negative recruiting tweets sent to high school prospects by unscrupulous assistant coaches; fans making up comments under the guise of an athletic director, coach or player. Or in the case of a Big Ten coach who made some alleged negative comments in a "tweet" about a beat sportswriter that had to be taken down after negative feedback.
Want to start a rumor? no problem on Twitter. Make up something? There's no fact checking or accountability mechanism in place. Columns and even many top bloggers fact check and face peer scrutiny.Even on talk radio, callers are screened by producers.
With all coaches have to worry about, do they really want to have to worry about putting this mechanism in the hands of their student-athletes. In our communications training, we deal heavily with the issues raced by social websites, principally Facebook, instructing them their posts and pictures not only represent themselves but are an open window for potential job employers and potential recruits. Facebook and similar sites do allow for some positive interaction among college students and a growing number of adults (and companies) to talk about their thoughts, plans and prospects without being limited to 140 characters or banal chatter. We teach the audience goes way beyond the "friends" on your facebook page or in Twitter-talk the number of "followers". These messages can potentially be read by anyone with an internet connection. We tell them not to be taken in by claims of privacy and safeguards in a world of hackers and geeks who easily find their way into any site.
Tweeter is fine for Ashton Kutcher (1 million followers? big deal!) , Shaq (will anyone really care what he eats for breakfast after a month of postings) Larry King (I am interviewing Dr. Phil and Jesse Ventura exclusively and I luv it!) and reporters looking for something new to write about (one White House cable correspondent tweeted about what he had for breakfast and snacks covering the President. Woodward and Bernstein this ain't. The Pulitzer Committee will pass on this blurb).
Once this fad has passed one can hope the next new media idea will require more thought, accountability and eloquence to reach out to fans, recruits, alumns and each other. FYI, the above paragraph wouldn't have made it on Twitter: it's more than 140 characters.
Posted by Randy Minkoff at 5/13/2009 7:14 AM 
Categories: New Media Sports
Tags: Like so many things fad will fade
Categories: New Media Sports
Tags: Like so many things fad will fade
Comments