Twitter Idiots

[QUOTE=jefff;42448]yes...seriously. his point was about the morality of humanity, much like the Vatican. the point is, why muzzle someone who may have an opinion on something. it may be unpopular (I personally have mixed feelings about the whole topic but I'm certainly glad bin laden is dead) but it also gives some people pause to think. and he's certainly not the only one to think it. it's no different than Barkley throwing up some opinion that gets people worked up. maybe if you read his blog it would become clearer what point he initially tried to make in 170 characters [url]https://r34mendenhall.blogspot.com/[/url] i find it comical to see people call him "dumb as hell" when they dont even know the guy. he certainly seems able to piece together coherent thoughts. Or do we just assume athletes are dumb by default?[/QUOTE] Jefff, With all due respect I think you are missing the point of my post. The guy may be a thought provoking intellectual savant for all I care but he still should put a muzzle on it. When I said "seriously?" I was primarily referring to comparing a pro athlete (I dont care which one) to the Vatican. The Church for those that follow it HAS a responsibility to those people to try to guide them. A pro athlete is an entertainer who performs for the fans and has NONE. Why risk alienating even some of the people that pay your bills by speaking out?? Again, he has a RIGHT to say it but I think he is an IDIOT to excerise it. Sometimes discretion is warranted.

[QUOTE=jefff;42451]how about some of his other tweets? or his blog post. is that dumb as hell too? you just pick out 1 or 2 and suddenly he's dumb as hell. i'm sure we could pick out 1 or 2 things you've posted here and say the same thing. people are really quick to judge....[/QUOTE] Actually ive never said anything dumb as hell. only kidding, but big difference.... He is the franchise RB and has >40K followers. I'm some anonymous tool on a messageboard. and FYI, the part in which I am saying he is "dumb as hell" refers to his posts on the subject at hand. I've read parts of this twitter and he sounds like he's trying too hard to be smart & sophisticated. I don't care about that. He's dumb as hell if he thinks those planes didn't bring down the towers.... or if USA attacked ourselves on 9/11.

"While we respect Mr. Mendenhall's right to express sincere thoughts regarding potentially controversial topics, we no longer believe that Mr. Mendenhall can appropriately represent Champion and we have notified Mr. Mendenhall that we are ending our business relationship. Champion has appreciated its association with Mr. Mendenhall during his early professional football career and found him to be a dedicated and conscientious young athlete. We sincerely wish him all the best." Anyone still think its a good idea to EXERCISE your right of free speech when you are a pro athlete. AGAIN, I do not care what the comments were or who the player was. Keep your mouth shut when you are a paid entertainer.

[QUOTE=bkeiller;42529]"While we respect Mr. Mendenhall's right to express sincere thoughts regarding potentially controversial topics, we no longer believe that Mr. Mendenhall can appropriately represent Champion and we have notified Mr. Mendenhall that we are ending our business relationship. Champion has appreciated its association with Mr. Mendenhall during his early professional football career and found him to be a dedicated and conscientious young athlete. We sincerely wish him all the best." Anyone still think its a good idea to EXERCISE your right of free speech when you are a pro athlete. AGAIN, I do not care what the comments were or who the player was. Keep your mouth shut when you are a paid entertainer.[/QUOTE] You can't make a more powerful point than quoting Champion's statement. Just because you [I]can[/I] do something (speak your mind) doesn't mean you [I]should[/I] do it. Also, for what it's worth, the right to free speech only applies vis a vis the individual and government. Private employers have the absolute right to regulate employees' speech because we have no fundamental right in this country to work. Subject to whatever is in Mendenhall's contract, PIT could probably cut or release him outright because of his comments ("conduct detrimental to the team", etc). Bottom line, if Mendenhall wants to speak his mind on controversial topics, he has to understand that he's going to have to make a choice about whether he wants to continue working for PIT, or any other NFL team for that matter. Hey, maybe he'll decide to go into business for himself - then he can TWEET all he wants. That's his right too.

[QUOTE=jefff;42436]he basically said the same thing the Vatican said. why rejoice in someone's death? "VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican said the killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, a man who sowed division and hatred and who caused "innumerable" deaths, should prompt serious reflection about one's responsibility before God, not rejoicing." [/QUOTE] Please tell me you are kidding. That was far and away the least objectionable thing he said. "We'll never know what really happened. I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style." Did the Vatican ever say anything remotely resembling that? “It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side...” Wut? Does he not even have a TV? I have heard him speak ad nausea. Of course I had to have it interpreted. What planet is he on? Did the Vatican ever say anything remotely resembling that? This on the heels of comparing a teammate, who hold a job most of us fantasized about to slavery. Have you ever fantasized about being a slave? Did the Vatican ever say anything remotely resembling that? Is he stupid? I don’t know, but I can tell you he is a twit who tweeted some of the dumbest statements I have ever heard anywhere by anyone. The awkwardness of celebrating death has been discussed by many, yours truly included. Luckily, I don’t know anyone who would interpret everything he said as anything but fringe.

[QUOTE=jefff;42448] i find it comical to see people call him "dumb as hell" when they dont even know the guy. he certainly seems able to piece together coherent thoughts. Or do we just assume athletes are dumb by default?[/QUOTE] As can David Duke, John Rocker, Jeremiah Wright, Jerry Falwell (at least before he died), David Koresh, and at times Marge Schott. He's probably as smart as a few of them.

[QUOTE=bkeiller;42385]When will these MORONIC athletes learn to stop twittering their politically incorrect dribble. Even if you believe it sometimes you need to shut the hell up. Mendenhall of the Steelers was reportedly on Twitter ridiculing those who were celebrating Bin Laden's death and asking how they could do that if they had never even met him and saying we only heard one side of the story. He also expressed disbelief that a plane could bring down a building alluding to a possible hoax about 9/11.[/QUOTE] I hate when people blame twitter, or call for someone to stop tweeting when they read something "stupid." You may not agree with many of these "politically incorrect" comments but at least we are getting some real comments and reactions on twitter. Is there anything worse than the normal athlete interview or cliched response? Keep tweeting, tell us something interesting!

[QUOTE=mofobes;42698]I hate when people blame twitter, or call for someone to stop tweeting when they read something "stupid." You may not agree with many of these "politically incorrect" comments but at least we are getting some real comments and reactions on twitter. Is there anything worse than the normal athlete interview or cliched response? Keep tweeting, tell us something interesting![/QUOTE] Just curious if you read all of this thread before posting this or just misinterpreted the original post. At the risk of repearting myself for the tenth time the point of the post is that he is a paid entertainer who needs to keep potentially offensive comments to himself if he wants to keep his family fed. As evidence look no further than the fact that Champion FIRED his ass. It does not matter who it is or what he said he needs to keep his mouth shut. From a personal selfish standpoint I think it is great when these guys cause controversy, but my point was it is MORONIC for him or any professional athlete to do it. I did not call for him to stop tweeting or even comment on the substance I just said he was stupid for doing it and I certainly did not blame twitter for anything.

I read the post, and certianly don't agree with most of what Mendenhall said. I just find it refreshing whenever an athlete actually speaks his mind, even if I don't agree with the opinion.

[QUOTE=mofobes;42703]I read the post, and certianly don't agree with most of what Mendenhall said. I just find it refreshing whenever an athlete actually speaks his mind, even if I don't agree with the opinion.[/QUOTE] Refreshing is never a word that came to mind to describe John Rocker. Until now. But he sure does speak his mind.