Shut It, Athletes; Just Tweet

Then Frank Deford won't have to listen to crazy guarantees and apologies
By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 27, 2010 10:48 AM CST
Shut It, Athletes; Just Tweet
St. Louis Cardinals hitting coach Mark McGwire speaks to fans at the team's annual Winter Warm-Up during his first public appearance in St. Louis since admitting to using steroids, Sunday, Jan. 17.   (AP Photo)

Frank Deford doesn’t want to hear your outrageous predictions or tearful faux-apologies, athletes, and he doesn’t want to read about them in the papers, either, reporters. “Come on, guys, just because some jock babbles incoherently, you don't have to pass it on,” he admonishes his fellow journos. That’s why Deford is happy players are jumping on the Twitter bandwagon. First off, it’s a good fit “because it doesn’t require an ability to spell correctly or employ grammar.”

Secondly, and more importantly, Deford writes on NPR, “twittering is specifically for those who have signed up for the twittering universe, so those of us who do not wish to be bombarded by aimless, misspelled chatter are a protected species.” And Tiger Woods did the athletes who confine their inanity to Twitter one better: “He had the decency to get lost.” Deford hopes when the disgraced golfer does return, his first statement will be, “Ladies and gentlemen, I tee off at noon tomorrow.” But he’s not hopeful. (More Twitter stories.)

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