My, what a difference 6 months makes! Swaggerville has gone to Stressedville. Winnipeg Blue Bomber players Jonathan Hefney and Deon Beasley turned to Twitter to express their disappointment in General Manager Joe Mack’s effort to improve the football team.
The players used explicit language, complaining the Bombers have not signed any new team mates since free agency started on Wednesday, while other teams are stock-piling. They also are upset former Bombers Brandon LaBatte and Greg Carr signed as free agents with the Roughriders and Eskimos respectively. Both are concerned the team will not be able to make a second consecutive Grey Cup appearance if additional effort is not made to improve the roster.
Joe Mack responded in a media conference stating his disappointment with both players choice to vent their anger in a public forum like Twitter. He wished they would have done so to him in private. Mack also stated one of the players already has apologized to him and they are looking to fine both of them for their comments.
How will this affect the Winnipeg Blue Bombers going forward? Will this be an issue that carries into the 2012 CFL season and affects the team’s on-field performance? What will their teammates think of their actions? Will both of these players be sent packing off the squad because of their comments? Do they both face additional fines from the Canadian Football League? I’m sure the answers to these questions will be revealed in due time.
Canadian Football League players have been in hot water with Twitter before. Two seasons ago, Argo lineman Rob Murphy tweeted an offensive comment insulting French Canadians while with his team on a train entering the Province of Quebec to play the Montreal Alouettes. Murphy was fined by the CFL for his comments.
This is a big issue in 2012 that not only does the CFL have to deal with, but all professional sports leagues and teams must address. I believe social media protocols and rules have to be established that all athletes are expected to follow when referring to their respective league or team, or when they are at a sanctioned team activity. Not only do these negative issues reflect poorly on the involved player(s), it also looks bad on the team too.
The issue also embarrasses the Winnipeg Blue Bomber organization. Perhaps if their Head Coach, Paul LaPolice, lead by example and treated others they way he wanted to be treated (the elementary “Golden Rule” applies to adults, too), instead of running up game scores like in the 2011 Eastern Final, the team would not have these issues. Just remember, LaPolice still can’t count.
What do you think?
…and that is the last word.
