What’s bugging me about sports this week – Texas Twitterers

Anyone who knows me knows my feelings about Twitter. I’m obsessed with it and have been pretty much since a friend convinced me to join the social networking site.

As an athlete, I’ve used Twitter to talk about practices, injuries, games and other things related to sports. However, unlike Texas Tech linebacker Marlon Williams, I’ve never used Twitter to talk about my coach’s tardiness to a meeting.

Other players on Texas Tech used Twitter to talk about their feelings of their season so far and all the 140 characters got them was a team-wide ban on the Web site.

I’m annoyed about this for a few reasons. First, I’m angry that head coach Mike Leach decided that just because he was embarrassed about being called out for being late to a meeting, he would ban Twitter from the entire team. I’m also angry at the team because they should known better.

As athletes, we know what we put on social networking sites could get us in trouble. Even in Division III programs, a racy picture, off-color comment or a wide variety of things can get you a suspension, community service or expulsion.

That being said, college and professional athletes never had to deal with sites like Twitter, Flickr and Facebook until the past few years. Therefore, coaches and institutions probably don’t have the right policies in place yet and won’t until everyone gets more acquainted with how the athlete’s use of the sites effect their athletic programs.

Overall, this is a lose-lose situation. Coach Leach has to deal with the fact that he suspended certain players – ahem captain offensive lineman Brandon Carter – and may have alienated some of his team’s fans by showing up late to practice the day after a huge loss. As for the Texas Tech Red Raiders? Well, they are just going to have to find out about trending topics and hashtags from somebody else.