Pawngo Butterfingers: Classless Stunt That Patriots' Wes Welker Doesn't Deserve

After the Super Bowl, Wes Welker could have sneaked out a side door, like some of his teammates did.

He showed his class, and how big a man he is, by facing the media and acknowledging that he should have caught a crucial fourth quarter pass that might have iced a victory for the New England Patriots.

He showed how human he is, almost breaking down as he tearfully described the pass. “I’ve made that play 1,000 times. … It hit me right in the hands. I mean, it’s a play I never drop. Most critical situation and I let the team down.”

To be fair, he was wide open, and had Tom Brady thrown a more accurate ball, we wouldn't be having this discussion. There are also a number of other gaffes committed by his teammates—including Tom Brady, who took a stupid safety on his first offensive snap of the game—but Welker passed no bucks, and blamed no one but himself.

So, what does he get for "manning up," as the saying goes?

Enter Smaller Than Life and Classless Todd Hills

Hills, CEO of a Denver-based glorified internet pawn shop, saw a great opportunity to put himself and his little business on the map at the expense of Wes Welker.

According to Rick Chandler of NBC Sports, Hillis arranged to have 900 pounds of Butterfinger candy bars dumped in the middle of Boston's Copley Square, along with a sign saying, "Thank you, Wes Welker!"

He then rubbed it in with a sarcastic tweet: "Pawngo thought Boston fans deserved a little something in return for their heartbreaking loss the other night..."

Ironically, the company's Twitter bio ends with, “Stay classy!”

Meaningless words, obviously.

Chris Barth of Forbes reports that Hills sent him an email saying, "We thought Boston fans deserved a little something that would make them smile.”

Smile? This guy is nuttier than a Butterfinger if he thinks this crass stunt would make Boston fans smile.

Then again, maybe he's just not the sharpest tool in the drawer. On his LinkedIn page, he lists his education as "University of Hard Knocks." He also claims a "Masters in Life: Business-Mariage-Parenthood," with "marriage" misspelled. Under interests he includes "Fittness," also misspelled.

According to an interview published on MO.com, a vanity promotion website, Todd Hills got his first job at a pawn shop in 1985 before opening his own shop in 1990. Today, in addition to his Internet business, he's also the CEO of "Jumping Jack Cash," which operates six pawnshops in the Salt Lake City, Utah area.

Hills and his company showed how much class they lack with this cruel mockery. He showed how small a man he is by adding naively, "We hope that the majority of people will see the prank as the light-hearted joke we intended.”

Mr. Hills, how do you think Wes Welker will react to your prank? Had Wes Welker been your son, or even some one you knew who looked up to you, would you have done such a crass thing?

Athletes are human, just like you and me…and presumably Mr. Hills. They make errors, they miss free throws, they strike out, they miss the empty net. Do they deserve additional public humiliation, designed to do nothing more than promote a commercial service?

I think not.

And golfers like you, Mr. Hills (according to your Internet profile) hit the ball in the water and miss putts. Maybe we should take out billboards pointing a finger at you every time you screw up from now on.

Starting now.

After the initial surge of publicity (which certainly increased his company's visibility), the backlash began. Butterfingers hastened to distance themselves from the stunt, tweeting "BTW Butterfinger had NOTHING to do w/ Boston stunt after the big game. A company bought our bars (like 7,200) & used 'em w/out our knowledge."

Outrage began to fill comment sections on websites and blogs throughout New England. Linda Greaney wrote on weei.com: 

I believe EVERY Patriot fan should boycott PAWNGO AND ALL AFFILIATES.... THAT INCLUDES DAYLIGHT PARTNERS, GROUPON, ACCESS VENTURE PARTNERS AND LIGHTBANK.  Your stunt was mean and NO ONE should want to do business with you.  How about your resignation Todd Hills???

In the same comment section, Jeff S added, "So, if I have a truckload of cow manure dropped at Pawngo, Todd Hills will take it as a light-hearted gesture. He should be familiar with the smell, give the place where his head seems to be."

According to Penny Parker of The Denver Post, Hills began to backpedal on Wednesday, issuing a statement on his company blog that called the candy dump, "a misguided and misdirected stunt." The post went on to say, "To Wes Welker and the rest of the Patriots organization, we at Pawngo apologize for any hard feelings caused by what was only meant to be a light-hearted gesture following Sunday's hard-fought game..."

However, his halfhearted apology fanned the flames even further because he used the opportunity to continue to promote his business.  And I'm intentionally not going to repeat that here.

But now that the crass stunt has backfired, Hills has reinforced his lack of class, and how small a man he is compared to Welker, by hiding from critics. According to Ben Haber of racetalkblog.com on February 8,

Pawngo closed the comment section of the blog, erasing 60+ negative comments. Since dumping the pile of Butterfingers, they have also disallowed posting on the company Facebook page and taken down Todd Hills’ phone number from their website.

In his MO interview Hills fawns, "Our biggest goal is to build a quality rapport with our customers that simultaneously creates trust and dismantles the stigma of pawning."

This stunt really moves you above the sleazy corner pawnshop image, eh?

The comment that takes the cake, however, is when Hills says, "Our Pawngo customers don’t deal with someone wearing gold chains that specializes in negotiating.They are personally assigned to a young, compassionate adult who truly wants to create ease and relief for our clients during potentially stressful life events."

I added the emphasis.

Nice job, Mr. Hills, creating ease and relief for Wes Welker during one of the most stressful periods of his life.

Now, a reminder about Wes Welker and what he has done for Patriot Nation

Just before the Super Bowl, Michael Whitmer of the Boston Globe reminded us all:

Welker’s numbers as a Patriot are staggering. Over five seasons and 83 games, Welker has 600 receptions, an average of more than seven per contest. Included in that are 46 catches in six playoff games, never fewer than six. To say that Welker is an important part of the Patriots offense probably wouldn’t be fair, because it wouldn’t be giving him enough credit.

No one is sicker about that incomplete pass than Welker himself.

Remember, this is the same guy who was in tears because he couldn't play in the playoffs in 2009 due to a gruesome knee injury at the end of the season, and the same guy who worked his butt off to get on the field for the 2010 opener when everyone (including his doctors) did not think that was possible.

Despite being held back that year, he still caught 86 passes for 848 yards. Every other season since he has been with the Pats he has caught at least 100 passes good for 1,000 yards or more.

Welker, generously listed as 5'9'' and 185 pounds, has learned to play big, and has earned the league's respect for his toughness and dependability.

He came up the hard way, attending Texas Tech because it was the only Division 1 school that offered him a scholarship.

He was an undrafted free agent who made the Chargers roster, then was released after appearing in one 2004 game. He moved on to the Dolphins, who gave up on him and traded him to New England.

“He’s an unbelievable worker," receivers coach Chad O’Shea told Whitmer.

He’s got outstanding intangibles, does a great job of preparation, understands when to get down and not take unnecessary hits. He’s too hard of a worker, and he’s matched that with a lot of talent as far as route-running and overall quickness. I think the difference for him is the investment that he’s made off the field, which he’s always done, but I really think he’s done a great job this season and it’s helped him endure.

The Bottom Line

Mr. Hills, if you truly want to apologize, do it with actions, not words. As a start, how about a significant donation to the Wes Welker Foundation that benefits at-risk youths in his hometown of Oklahoma City?

The goal of his foundation is to help level the playing field for underprivileged and at-risk youth. In the four years he has awarded more than $200,000 to "do everything from refurbish gym floors to purchase new bleachers at schools…and an untold number of kids have been impacted."