Internet Thugs vs The Professional Athlete

In this day and age the professional athlete is more accessible compared to years past. With Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook professional athletes reach out to their fans. I think that it is cool to follow your favorite athlete on Twitter or Instagram, but some people tend to go overboard. Internet thugs are at an all-time high.

I am on social networks a lot and I often see how people talk to the athletes. Recently the wife of Steve Blake with the Los Angeles Lakers received death threats after Blake had missed the potential game winning shot in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Families of athletes have to suffer enough from fans so it sucks to see someone have direct contact with them in a negative manner.

Incidents like this are b.s. I feel that even though that these people are celebrities and millionaires respect is something that should be for all people no matter what their net worth is.

Athletes such as Lebron James, Chad Ochocinco, and Steve Nash are on social networks often and they interact with the fans. Fans can go overboard and it is a shame how some people talk to these athletes. I know for a fact if Charles Oakley was around this day and age people would not be harassing @Oak34NYK( Not a real twitter page). Keyboard courage is the worst it is something that needs to be stopped, but it will only become worse the more the athletes are accessible to their fan bases.

From the athlete’s perspective social networks helps to build a brand to gain popularity, endorsements, groupies (hey you never know), or etc. It sucks that they have to deal with idiotic fans.

Memo to the Internet Thugs: Would you say what you would tweet to the athlete to their face? Let me answer that for you! No, I know you wouldn’t! Internet Thugs you all need hugs!