The selfie generation and the future of football

[RyanChristiansen]

Follow up. Adam Thielen complains publicly he’s not getting the ball. Stefon Diggs does the same. Kirk Cousins then publicly apologizes for not getting them the ball. Thielen and Diggs then publicly apologize for complaining.

Where are the men in this picture?

[Rupert Patrick]

Follow up. Adam Thielen complains publicly he’s not getting the ball. Stefon Diggs does the same. Kirk Cousins then publicly apologizes for not getting them the ball. Thielen and Diggs then publicly apologize for complaining.

Where are the men in this picture?

I don't understand social media. I have an email address, and I'm on this forum, but I've never been on Facebook or Twitter or any of those things, and I never will. I've never had any desire to own a smartphone (as one of my goals is to get thru life without developing an addiction), I do a flip cell phone and if it wasn't for the fact I don't drive and I occasionally have to call taxis and it's damn near impossible to find a pay phone these days, I wouldn't have a cell phone if given the option. I have a website address that will go up with the release of the book, but I've already got a professional who will build the site. The ironic part is, I've owned a computer since 1983, and am on my eighth computer and have been online since 1991. I was in college computer labs in the early-mid 80's when the internet (it was called ArpaNet back then) essentially consisted of people at other college computer labs sending information back and forth amongst themselves, and it took a long time to send a photo or from one college to another.

All sports teams these days have social media coordinators, and players, I believe, are contractually required to use Twitter and Facebook. Players, I would imagine, are fined for NOT using Twitter and Facebook to share their look-at-me-ism with the world. Are there NFL players who don't use Twitter? Would Dick Butkus or Jack Lambert use Twitter to apologize? I think not.

[JWL]

Follow up. Adam Thielen complains publicly he’s not getting the ball. Stefon Diggs does the same. Kirk Cousins then publicly apologizes for not getting them the ball. Thielen and Diggs then publicly apologize for complaining.

Where are the men in this picture?

I "love" hearing about how the Patriots may trade for Stefon Diggs.

[JWL]

All sports teams these days have social media coordinators, and players, I believe, are contractually required to use Twitter and Facebook. Players, I would imagine, are fined for NOT using Twitter and Facebook to share their look-at-me-ism with the world. Are there NFL players who don't use Twitter? Would Dick Butkus or Jack Lambert use Twitter to apologize? I think not.

I do not see why they would be contractually obligated to use social media. I use Twitter but do not follow too many players. I follow mostly Mets players, a few NBA players, Richard Sherman (who I once tremendously disliked but now like), Larry Fitzgerald, and several former players (Louis Riddick, Bill Madlock, Howard Johnson, Cris Collinsworth, Keith Hernandez) due to them being media members or announcers now. I'd have to check but it is possible Sherman and Fitzgerald are the only active NFL players I follow.

Most active players are exceedingly boring. It is rare when one goes off the rails like Antonio Brown. Madlock and Johnson use Twitter mostly to chat with their fans from what I can tell. I also follow NFL Network's Tiffany Blackmon. She once made a comment and laughed about the West Virginia University taxi cab gas passing incident involving my friend. If you use Twitter for this kind of stuff and breaking sports news, then it is pretty good.

Facebook? I don't like that.

[conace21]

Follow up. Adam Thielen complains publicly he’s not getting the ball. Stefon Diggs does the same. Kirk Cousins then publicly apologizes for not getting them the ball. Thielen and Diggs then publicly apologize for complaining.

Where are the men in this picture?

I don't understand social media. I have an email address, and I'm on this forum, but I've never been on Facebook or Twitter or any of those things, and I never will. I've never had any desire to own a smartphone (as one of my goals is to get thru life without developing an addiction), I do a flip cell phone and if it wasn't for the fact I don't drive and I occasionally have to call taxis and it's damn near impossible to find a pay phone these days, I wouldn't have a cell phone if given the option. I have a website address that will go up with the release of the book, but I've already got a professional who will build the site. The ironic part is, I've owned a computer since 1983, and am on my eighth computer and have been online since 1991. I was in college computer labs in the early-mid 80's when the internet (it was called ArpaNet back then) essentially consisted of people at other college computer labs sending information back and forth amongst themselves, and it took a long time to send a photo or from one college to another.

All sports teams these days have social media coordinators, and players, I believe, are contractually required to use Twitter and Facebook. Players, I would imagine, are fined for NOT using Twitter and Facebook to share their look-at-me-ism with the world. Are there NFL players who don't use Twitter? Would Dick Butkus or Jack Lambert use Twitter to apologize? I think not.

Social media for players is a way to enhance their brand, connect with fans, all while maintaining more control over it. If they want to announce information, they can do so without fear that the media will try and spin it and distort the message (intentionally or not.)

[Rupert Patrick]

If they had social media back in the '60's and '70's and dozens of cameras showing the games you would have seen those guys acting like idiots as well. People havn't changed all that much. We just now have the technology to capture immature moments more than we did back in the day.

I'm not so sure about that. It was a different generation and people have changed in a lot of ways. Life has never been easier than it's been for the generations beginning with us Baby Boomers. The mostly soft life that we in North America have been living for the past 70 years has certainly changed people gradually.

That is most certainly true. You can see it in the photos of football (and baseball) players from the 1940's, and from the faces of the US soldiers from World War II. Those guys were what they call the "Greatest Generation", they selflessly registered to fight for their country, and unless you were in some sort of key employment position, or a severe family situation precluded you from serving or you were disabled, it was looked down upon for an adult male of age who was stateside during WWII to not be serving in the military in some capacity. They survived a Great Depression that lasted a decade or so, they actually ate lard sandwiches because there was nothing else to eat. These guys were hard as nails; these were guys like Art Donovan and Chuck Bednarik.

[BD Sullivan]

It was pointed that many/most/all of the social media platforms were created by people who grew up in the era where every kid was deemed special, they didn't keep score in game because the kids' fragile little egos would be devastated to lose, etc. In short, a generation that thought they should always be praised or that every musing they had was important. Now get off my lawn, you crazy kids!!!

[sheajets]

Follow up. Adam Thielen complains publicly he’s not getting the ball. Stefon Diggs does the same. Kirk Cousins then publicly apologizes for not getting them the ball. Thielen and Diggs then publicly apologize for complaining.

Where are the men in this picture?

Just asking this question could get you in a lot of trouble these days. Those who own the media doesn't take kindly to people thinking like you do. Or independent thinking in general