Moss Makes Personal Announcement To Millions Through Social Media

Earlier this week, former Minnesota Viking and New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss, used social media to announce is unretirement from the National Football League.

Moss first took to his Twitter account (@DaRealOtisMoss) letting his followers know that he would be making a big announcement on the site Ustream.tv.

Using the screen name Otismoss, the wide receiver told the 500 plus viewers he was unretiring. “I just wanna go to a team and play some football,” Moss said. “Your boy is going to come back here and play some football, so I’m really excited. I had some things to adjust in my life.”

Athletes using social media to make personal announcements are becoming common place in the world of sports.

“Athletes don’t like the current format of journalism.  Sports journalism has gone to bright lights and shinny graphics… social media provides a great outlet for them to be heard.” Says David Gerzof Richard, a professor at Emerson College.

David should know. Back in November, David and his students used Twitter to contact current Patriots wide receiver Chad Ochocinco with the idea of getting him to come teach one of their classes.  Chad has over 3 million followers on his twitter account and has been one of the most active athletes when it comes to social media use.

The students were successful in getting the outspoken NFL athlete to teach their class. Not only did Chad speak to the entire class, but he also took them all out to dinner at the All-star Sandwich Shop in Cambridge, Mass.

From their conversations, David was able to see an athlete’s perspective when it comes to their personal reasons for social media use. “They’re controlled in so much what they can say with the press,” Says David. “It gives him (Chad) is own broadcasting platform.”

Ian Rapoport, Patriots beat reporter of the Boston Herald, echoes similar thoughts. “Athletes are now handling more of their public relations than ever before.” Later adding, “Twitter allows athletes to be themselves and show the public who they are.”

I asked Ian if social media use by athletes would increase in the future, thus making the need for some reporters obsolete. “It actually makes us more important. Reporters are able to filter the athletes,” Ian said. “We provide the why and take people inside the access they can’t get.”

Ian’s points are valid. While the instance of Randy Moss taking to social media to hold his own personal press conversance may seem innocent, there have been cases of athletes posting comments to social media they later wish they could take back.

Athletes currently have more power than they’ve ever had before when it comes to sending a message.  Social media tools give athletes like Randy Moss and Chad Ochocinco the ability to communicate with millions of people whenever they want. Athletes no longer have to hold press conferences or use a publicist to promote what they want the world to hear. This type of connection can be a great tool if used the proper way.

As Ian eluded too, there is no filter when it comes to social media. Once the message is sent, it’s out there, and it’s out there for good.

Regardless of what the message is, it would be wise for athletes to think twice before they tweet. When it comes to social media, someone is always watching.

Bruins Goalie Thomas Pleads the Fifth

AP PHOTO / THE CANADIAN PRESS, FRED CHARTRAND

Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas posted an eye catching quote about his stance on religion on his Facebook account last week.

“I stand with the Catholics in the fight for Religious Freedom," Thomas posted. Thomas continued, quoting Martin Niemöller, a prominent German anti-Nazi theologian and Lutheran pastor. "In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up,"

The posting comes weeks after Thomas caught heat from media, fans and members of the Boston Bruins organization for not attending the team’s celebratory Stanley Cup championship trip to the White House. The Bruins Vezina winning goaltender and 2011 Conn Smythe Trophy recipient sited political reasons for his noticeable absence.

Confronted by the media in the Bruins locker room, Thomas refused to comment on the situation stating that his Facebook account was his “personal life” and that he would no longer answer questions regarding this topic. Thomas eventually walked away from the media after rejecting several more questions about it.

Bruins beat reporter Joe Haggerty of Comcast Sports Net New England tweeted, “Tim Thomas is pitting free speech and the freedom of the press against the right to remain silent in a cage match. This is fascinating.” This was posted after Thomas’s walked out on the media.

In a phone interview with Boston Globe columnist Chad Finn said, “Anything you post on Facebook you are putting out there for the public to read. It’s not a matter of him accepting you as a friend… it’s a little hypocritical to post and not talk about it.”

Chad added, “to avoid it (asking the question) would be a reporter not doing his or her job.”

Not all of the Boston media felt the importance to ask Thomas about his recent Facebook posts When asked about athlete’s use of social media, Brian McGonagle of Barstool Sports said, “They can consider it personal space, but as very public figures, they should anticipate questions when they make comments about religion and/or politics.

Facebook, while public, is where people go to share their more intimate thoughts and, in my opinion, should be off-limits to reporters unless it's truly controversial or they're doing a feature story… As a credentialed media member, it's not something I would ask him about.”

The larger question is should athletes Facebook and Twitter accounts be considered personal formats and be off limits to media scrutiny? As you can see, the Boston media and Thomas have a differing of opinions.