Social Media Mayhem: Most Infamous Sports Posts Ever
The sports universe is a fascinating amalgam of entertainment, humanity and market economics. It may share real estate with Hollywood and Wall Street, but nothing is quite like the space it occupies. The sum total of these parts is responsible for the sports industry’s ever-growing popularity and the business opportunities therein.
But the same ingredients that create the successful sports formula are each volatile in their own right and in conflict as often as in harmony. At the center of this universe are athletes, coaches, fans, media and others involved in one way or another; in other words, the fundamental elements that make the sports industry tick are the people who are directly a part of it.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
When people from all walks of life come together in this chaotic cauldron of emotion, money and perpetual news cycles, something’s gotta give. And one of the best examples of give is when an athlete, or someone in the sports media, posts something ill-advised on social media. Twitter and Instagram are the great enablers of regrettable words and images, and no part of the sports industry seems capable of resisting—despite an ever-growing catalog of posts that have damaged careers and sullied reputations.
And it’s not like anyone has learned anything—social media snafus seem to be happening now more than ever. We aren’t even a full calendar year removed from most of the incidents cited on this list.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most infamous social media moments in sports—we couldn't possibly get them all in one list.
Joseph Fauria
"Seahawks' Russell Wilson sleeping with girlfriend of Lions' Joseph Fauria? http://t.co/zcOIhAUYXx pic.twitter.com/6Kh6QUsBtl
— ProFootballZone (@ProFootballZone) December 8, 2014"
In December 2014, Lions tight end Joseph Fauria stayed up until the bad decision-making hours (anything between midnight and 5:45 a.m.) and made a bad decision, as one does. In a tweet directed at Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and his own girlfriend, Ericka Hammond, Fauria seemed to allude something along the lines of infidelity.
"I apologize for what I said last night. I make mistakes. I didn't have all the facts & emotions got the best of me.
— Joseph Fauria (@BigJoeFauria) December 8, 2014"
"Where's Herm Edwards when ya need em? #neverpresssend
— Joseph Fauria (@BigJoeFauria) December 8, 2014"
Fauria apologized the next afternoon, expertly joking the whole thing off with a Herm Edwards reference. Nothing says "just screwing around" like Herm Edwards. While he never elaborated on the subject and quickly deleted the tweet, three months later photos of Wilson and Hammond hanging out together did surface, though nothing was ever confirmed regarding the nature of their relationship.
New York Yankees
"GRAND SLAM! #BAEROD pic.twitter.com/SU2wAF84ex
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 19, 2015"
The resurgence of Alex Rodriguez, who missed the entire 2014 season for his latest steroids entanglement, is one of the more unlikely events in recent sports history.
From an article in the Week titled, “A brief history of why everyone hates Alex Rodriguez” in August 2013 to a Fox Sports article titled “13 reasons why you should like Alex Rodriguez” in April 2015—not exactly the trajectory one would expect for a guy who was receiving threats from other players while promising to sue his own union in January 2014. It’s been a stunning story of redemption for A-Rod, whose comeback season has been, according to former manager Joe Torre, nothing short of “remarkable.”
Even more remarkable is the complete 180, not necessarily from the Yankees faithful, but from the Yankees themselves. Throughout the suspension drama and subsequent appeals process, no one was harsher on Rodriguez than the team’s general manager, Brian Cashman. Dismissive, condescending and downright rude at times, Cashman has not been shy about his disdain for Rodriguez.
Which is exactly why the Yankees’ recent #BAEROD tweet was met with such consternation. Putting up with Rodriguez because they're contractually obligated is one thing, but going gaga over him (and officially killing "bae" in the process) is something else altogether.
Doug Gottlieb
"RT @famblog: Doug Gottlieb of CBS deletes Kobe #icantbreathe tweet http://t.co/yqgUzMisG8 #tcot #tlot #tgdn pic.twitter.com/jvxRLcw5fi
— ┌П┐(•_•) (@exposeliberals) December 10, 2014"
"CBS Sports analyst Doug Gottlieb trolled Kobe for wearing a #ICantBreathe shirt last night: http://t.co/jzBXeAMGpO pic.twitter.com/tZLvw5YBsq
— Complex Sports (@Complex_Sports) December 10, 2014"
In December 2014, CBS Sports analyst Doug Gottlieb veered into some treacherously choppy waters when he mocked Kobe Bryant’s “I Can’t Breathe” shirt, worn by a number of NBA players after a Staten Island grand jury failed to indict a police officer in the death of Eric Garner.
"wrong topic to joke about.. my bad
— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) December 10, 2014"
Gottlieb’s joke didn’t go over well, eventually yielding to the growing Twitter mob and deleting the offending tweet. A few hours later he provided a dispassionate apology that satisfied his employer, if nobody else.
NFL
"The #NFL trolls @tonyromo on Twitter after canceling his #fantasyfootball event.#HotRoutes #MitchandPritch Tune in! pic.twitter.com/zmRNyZUV2D
— ESPN 1100/100.9 FM (@ESPNLasVegas) June 10, 2015"
Considering the ballooning perception problem the NFL is facing, particularly among players, logically one would think that a concerted effort would be made to not needlessly…needle…its high-profile stars. Yet that’s exactly what it did to Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in June 2015.
Romo was scheduled to headline a Las Vegas fantasy football convention in July but was forced to back out because the NFL was concerned the venue’s casino-adjacent location would reflect poorly on the league’s pristine reputation. Understandably frustrated, Romo expressed his disappointment on an ESPN radio show (h/t the Dallas News).
Instead of quietly walking away with yet another win in its ongoing battle to alienate literally everyone, someone, somewhere decided to troll Romo using the NFL’s official Twitter account. And Tony Romo was disappointed all over again. Nine minutes after its “Hi Tony! [emoji wave, emoji wave]” shout-out, the tweet was deleted.
Dwight Howard
". @DwightHoward #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/fkJzcOhHBq
— Jondre Webb (@Jonstradamus) March 29, 2015"
Once among the most likable athletes in professional sports, in recent years Rockets big man Dwight Howard has developed an uncanny knack for ruffling feathers. He took it to a new level in July 2014, when he decided to take sides in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
"Dwight Howard tweets #FreePalestine and then immediately deletes it, posting series of apology tweets. ↬ @48Refugeepic.twitter.com/H3zX7ncHkl
— Mukhtar Ibrahim (@mukhtaryare) July 12, 2014"
With tensions rising and violence escalating at the time, it was certainly an odd time for Howard to make his first foray into the world of geopolitics in the Middle East. But to his credit, at least he recognized the misstep and promised never again to speak of such matters.
Mike Missanelli
"Anoche, Mike Missanelli (insider de los Eagles para ESPN) se mofó de la lesión de Victor Cruz #NFLesp pic.twitter.com/11AZbYdK7I
— Marcos Jiménez Fdez. (@Marcos_RM17) October 13, 2014"
An already hostile relationship between New York and Philadelphia deteriorated even further in October 2014, when shots were fired by Philly’s own Mike Missanelli after Giants' wide receiver Victor Cruz went down with a season-ending knee injury during a game against the Eagles.
"I apologize for the Cruz tweet. I didn't see that he got hurt on the play. Was outside the stadium and saw he dropped it walking to my car
— Mike Missanelli (@MikeMiss975) October 13, 2014"
"Again, I only saw him drop the ball on a big screen from the parking lot on my way to subway. I didn't see that he got hurt on the play.
— Mike Missanelli (@MikeMiss975) October 13, 2014"
"I would never have tweeted that had I known he got injured. Please know that.
— Mike Missanelli (@MikeMiss975) October 13, 2014"
Missanelli offered up a relatively reasonable defense of himself—at least he didn't say he was hacked!—first deleting the tweet and then insisting he'd left the game without realizing the severity Cruz’s injury at the time.
The believability of his explanation varied wildly, however, mainly outside Philadelphia's geographical boundaries. While the local sports media was kind to Missanelli, he was eviscerated in New York.
Larry Nance Jr.
"Larry Nance Jr. was "terrified" what Kobe might say about his "rapist" tweet. http://t.co/9TM8bKQphH pic.twitter.com/R7DYGJQcN5
— Sporting News (@sportingnews) June 29, 2015"
In May 2012, Wyoming freshman basketball player Jim Nance Jr. tweeted a not especially clever joke referencing the rape allegations that have dogged Lakers’ great Kobe Bryant since 2003. Three years after the fact, Nance’s knock on Bryant probably would have been long forgotten, had the Lakers not decided to draft him No. 27 overall in 2015.
After the selection, Nance was understandably “terrified” about a possible reaction from Bryant, who isn’t known for being a remarkably welcoming teammate and has admittedly made at least one guy cry in the past. Nance's move to delete the three-year-old tweet did not go unnoticed by the media. But it all turned out to be much ado about nothing, as Bryant was surprisingly forgiving.
Jameis Winston
"@Text_N_Tweet RT @TMZ: Did Jameis Winston already make his first NFL blunder?!? #NFLDraft http://t.co/caBrlJ2ZMx pic.twitter.com/2j45dhi9m9
— Nitaaaa! (@iNeeduhh) May 1, 2015"
It’s probably fair to say that former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston is one of the most controversial and polarizing NFL players to ever be drafted No. 1 overall. The many scandals during his time in Tallahassee, some far uglier than others, have been well-documented.
Despite his history, the Buccaneers decided to take a chance on Winston, drafting in the top spot in 2015. True to form, hours later Winston rewarded Tampa Bay for their faith in him by posting a photo with some crab legs to Instagram, a flippant reference to his 2014 citation for shoplifting crab legs.
While Winston’s post certainly showcased his poor decision-making at its finest, the avalanche of generalized rage it generated was disproportionately excessive. Feeling the pressure of being buried in bad publicity, Winston soon removed the photo at the request of the Bucs.
D.J. Fluker
"OK... RT@ChatSports Alabama All-American lineman DJ Fluker admits to takin money from agents in college pic.twitter.com/jxdLnSVpLk
— Ray Santiago (@RaySanti) April 23, 2013"
Chargers’ offensive lineman D.J. Fluker made a mountain of headlines in April 2013, when he tweeted out a ‘sorry not sorry!’ confession about accepting money from agents while playing college ball at Alabama. And just as quickly as it blinked into the Twitterverse, the tweet was deleted.
Fluker’s agent, Deryk Gilmore, immediately went into damage-control mode, taking to Twitter to announce his client had been hacked. Can’t blame Gilmore for the uninspired defense—Fluker’s admission would’ve been controversial under any circumstances, but it was particularly noteworthy just days ahead of the NFL draft.
Given the minute amount of time between the initial tweet and when it disappeared, Gilmore’s claim of a hack was dubious as best. But Fluker stuck to that story, denying he ever took money in Tuscaloosa, and ended up going No. 11 overall in the draft.
Los Angeles Kings
".@LAKings apologize for tweeting suicide joke. http://t.co/EPktNLsycg pic.twitter.com/fJQYoGtZuj
— Toronto Sun (@TheTorontoSun) January 14, 2015"
The Kings proved themselves a force to be reckoned with on the ice when they won their franchise's first Stanley Cup in 2012. Their Twitter account did the same thing off the ice during the same playoffs, emerging as a budding superstar on social media. They’ve kept the momentum on both fronts over the last three years, but not without stepping on a few landmines along the way.
The biggest of which came in January 2015, when someone behind the keyboard for the Kings flippantly responded to a fan question with a glib suicide joke. Backlash was immediate and ferocious on Twitter, which is basically the social media equivalent of a pack of rabid police dogs, and the tweet was soon deleted—because deleting a tweet always quells outrage.
Eventually the Kings organization was compelled to comment on the incident, issuing an apologetic statement to Yahoo Sports.
Baltimore Ravens
"Sorry @Ravens … but your deleted tweet was the most revealing statement you’ve made so far. pic.twitter.com/v2WKUOfDXa
— John Canzano (@johncanzanobft) September 24, 2014"
During the official press conference that followed the release of footage from the ugly altercation between former Baltimore running back Ray Rice and his wife, Janay, in May 2014, the Ravens made sure to reiterate via Twitter the part in which Janay inexplicably apologized for the role she supposedly played in her own beating.
Instead of responding to the immediate backlash they received online, the Ravens silently weathered the storm and let the controversial tweet stand. Just the latest in a series of bad decisions that was compounded the following September when they finally decided to delete the original tweet after the NFL slapped Rice with an indefinite suspension, amended from the previous two-game punishment.
Curt Schilling
"@gehrig38 @zoowithroy You can't have fossils "between" two species if one didn't descend from the other - e.g., monkeys and humans.
— keithlaw (@keithlaw) November 13, 2014"
No stranger to controversy online or off, retired pitcher Curt Schilling, he of the mythical bloody sock and failed video game empire, has a history of combining two of the most combustible things known to man: conservative rhetoric and Twitter. In November 2014, Schilling, now an analyst for ESPN, made waves when he traded prickly tweets with strangers who questioned him about evolution.
While Schilling’s creationism crusade and atheist-related anger apparently didn’t raise any eyebrows in Bristol, ESPN did suspend MLB writer Keith Law for stepping in and standing up for evolution. That being said, Schilling did earn the ire of the powers that be with his most recent social media scandal.
"@MLB Legend Curt Schilling -- Islam Heading Down Nazi Path http://t.co/DMoZOFACzn pic.twitter.com/wUN0uYVrqY
— TMZ (@TMZ) August 26, 2015"
In a recent tweet, which he also posted to Facebook, Schilling offered up an ominous warning about all 1.57 billion Muslims in the world, likening them to Nazi-era Germans and noting supposed absolute numerical parallels that prove his point.
"@redcarbad needed to actually think a bit before acting on that one, or not acting. On me though
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) August 25, 2015"
Although Schilling initially engaged directly with critics and supporters on Twitter, it didn’t take him long to delete the original posts. ESPN reacted quickly as well, immediately suspending Schilling and yanking him from Little League World Series coverage. It also condemned his statement as “completely unacceptable” and noting it “in no way represents our company’s perspective.”
"I understand and accept my suspension. 100% my fault. Bad choices have bad consequences and this was a bad decision in every way on my part.
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) August 25, 2015"
The full terms of the suspension weren't immediately made clear, but Schilling's uncharacteristic willingness to acquiesce to his punishment and apologize mean that his absence is unlikely to become permanent.
Rashard Mendenhall
"Rashard Mendenhall on Osama Bin Laden: pic.twitter.com/tMyBjfFO0r
— Dan Armelli (@dano708) March 12, 2013"
Following the death of notorious terrorist Osama bin Laden in May 2011, then Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall tweeted out his disgust with the way Americans had taken to the streets to celebrate. While there may have been a discussion-worthy topic somewhere in there, it was largely lost in the 9/11 truther stuff and bin Laden/two sides to every story stuff.
It wasn’t the first time Mendenhall, who has since retired, stirred up controversy on Twitter. A month prior he publicly defended the assertion of Vikings running back Adrian Peterson that the NFL is “modern-day slavery.” All of the controversial tweets were ultimately deleted.
Stephen Jackson
"“@NBAVINEZ: TB to when Stephen Jackson came at Serge Ibaka pic.twitter.com/uUg06N9FSm”😳😳😂😂
— B.O.N (@Chauncey_5) August 30, 2014"
In December 2012, Stephen Jackson, who was then with the Spurs and has since retired, got just a little too real about his feelings toward Thunder forward Serge Ibaka. Coming from the man who “definitely enjoyed” hitting a fan during the infamous "Malice at the Palace" brawl, Jackson’s threat didn’t come as much of a surprise.
Jackson ultimately deleted the tweet and issued a public apology via Instagram, though he denied the suggestion his tweet stemmed from an on-court interaction Ibaka had with his former teammate Ron Artest/Metta World Peace. Jackson’s comment was condemned by the Spurs and earned him a $25,000 fine from the NBA.
Brennan Clay
"So Demarco Murray was having an affair with my wife ..I'm done ..@demarcomurray and @gina_edagos0126 ..1 has a baby momma and she has 2 kids
— Brennan Clay (@BrennanClay24) November 30, 2014"
"I'm disgusted ..
— Brennan Clay (@BrennanClay24) November 30, 2014"
In November 2014, former Oklahoma running back Brennan Clay tweeted out a salacious cheating accusation involving his wife, Gina, and (then) Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray, who was his teammate in college.
"People givin me ish for puttin it out there ..if you could read these messages ..YOU would too ..I wanted the truth out there ..
— Brennan Clay (@BrennanClay24) November 30, 2014"
"She saved his number under Spray Tan ..lol
— Brennan Clay (@BrennanClay24) December 5, 2014"
With Murray’s contact disguised under the name “Spray Tan” in his wife’s phone, Clay tweeted out what appeared to be a NSFW conversation (you were warned) in which the pair discussed hooking up at the Clay home.
"Gina and Demarco's exchange Oct. 5th after I kissed her two kids goodbye at the airport I left for my workout to the Chargers ..
— Brennan Clay (@BrennanClay24) December 5, 2014"
Still reeling from the revelation, a day later Clay told TMZ that he planned to file for divorce. But the initial anger didn’t last. Three weeks later the two had reconciled and it looked like they were ready to put whatever happened behind them. Clay apologized for the public meltdown and said he jumped to conclusions without knowing all the facts.
"Everyone deserves a second chance ..including myself ..
— Brennan Clay (@BrennanClay24) December 21, 2014"
Apparently, though, the drama wasn’t entirely behind them. In February 2015, TMZ Sports reported that Clay had been arrested in Dallas for “assault after terrorizing his spouse. … He kicked down her door and proceeded to beat the crap out of her.”
Given the circumstances, it's quite surprising that Clay never went back and deleted anything.
Anthony Johnson
"UFC's Anthony Johnson under fire for misogynistic Facebook rant http://t.co/CXDlItmEUi (Pic: Bloody Elbow) pic.twitter.com/rQkcqtZ9Rr
— Guardian US sports (@GdnUSsports) August 19, 2015"
In early August 2015, UFC fighter Anthony Johnson took to Facebook to vent about a woman who angered him at the gym, simply by stepping into his field of vision. This would’ve been disturbing in a vacuum but was particularly so given Johnson previously pleading no contest to a charge of domestic violence.
"Anthony Johnson has now apologized for that bizarre rant he had the other day: pic.twitter.com/zLr9hSeL6l
— Fury's Fight Picks™ (@FurysFightPicks) August 20, 2015"
Though he initially defended himself on Twitter, the following day Johnson decided he was “man enough” to admit he was “absolutely wrong” and apologized. How it took him 24 hours to realize that verbally degrading a woman for stretching at the gym is wrong, well that’s anybody’s guess. He has since agreed to seek counseling.
Junior Galette
"Junior Galette - Best Twitter Rant of 2015? | Former #Saints player had a lot on his mind. http://t.co/B2UyPIcDFc pic.twitter.com/fBNCpVyhtn
— Charlie Tritschler (@SnoTap12) July 28, 2015"
In July 2015, the Saints decided to cut linebacker Junior Galette, who signed a four-year, $41 million extension prior to the 2014 season. A call that couldn’t have been easy to make, with $18 million in guaranteed money still due. But the franchise felt its hand was forced, based on a number of reasons outlined in a revealing story recently published by the Times-Picayune.
To say Galette didn’t take the news well would be quite the understatement. After deleting his own Twitter account, he jumped over to his girlfriend’s account to air his grievances, along with all of the Saints’ dirty laundry. The tepid denial that followed was comically unconvincing.
Kasey Kahne
"AND the "dumb bitch" comment is gone. GONE! @kaseykahne. But screen shots remain... pic.twitter.com/8kZz6X7V
— Jessica Luther (@scATX) December 27, 2011"
In December 2011, NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne showed a very ugly side of himself on Twitter, which he used to express his abject disgust over being subjected to the horrifying sight of a woman breastfeeding in public. Poor Kahne, whose appetite was totally ruined, got even nastier when his irrational rage was questioned.
"I understand that my comments regarding breastfeeding posted on Twitter were offensive to some people. For that, I...
Posted by Kasey Kahne on Wednesday, December 28, 2011"
Kahne’s disdain met with a substantial blow-back online, which led to a carefully crafted “heartfelt” mea culpa just 24 hours later. Apparently Twitter is where you say terrible things and Facebook is where you apologize.
Vanderbilt University
"Vanderbilt college football tweeted this while 4 players await trial for rape http://t.co/LGEIZ0Mx5v pic.twitter.com/TdSEcPSsan
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) August 7, 2015"
Of all the potential new taglines for the upcoming college football season, “We Don’t Need Your Permission!” might have been the single worst Vanderbilt could have went with. With two players awaiting a retrial after first being convicted of aggravated rape, and a total of four charged in connection with a high-profile rape case from 2013, the link between the slogan and the charges was obvious to seemingly everyone on earth, outside Vandy’s athletic department.
"We apologize for today’s tweet. It’s not a comment about sexual assault. Sex without permission is always wrong and not accepted. (1/2)
— #DeepWater (@VandyFootball) August 6, 2015"
"Sexual assault is not acceptable at Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt Athletics and Vanderbilt Football. (2/2)
— #DeepWater (@VandyFootball) August 6, 2015"
Within hours of the original tweet, Vanderbilt was forced to apologize for a tweet that never should have happened in the first place. Few things can derail a message of dominance like having to awkwardly explain that it was football related and had nothing to do with sexual assault. As noted astutely by Nathaniel Vinton of the NY Daily News, “Vanderbilt football has started the season with a fumble.”
Chris Mortensen
"ESPN's Chris Mortenson has deleted the tweet that ignited #DeflateGate. pic.twitter.com/ut9qg579SB
— Only In Boston (@OnlyInBOS) August 4, 2015"
Fresh on the heels of the Deflategate eruption in January 2015, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen tweeted out what seemed to be an exceptionally damming piece of information implicating the Patriots in the alleged conspiracy. The accompanying report, which, unlike the original tweet, still stands on ESPN.com, contained some very specific numbers that turned the little bit of smoke generated by some vague rumors into a full-fledged firestorm.
Mortensen received the information directly from “league sources,” supposedly lending credence to the report that 11 of New England’s 12 balls used in the AFC Championship were significantly underinflated. But later it was revealed in the Wells Report, commissioned by the NFL to investigate Deflategate, based on measurements taken by alternate game officials, it was possible that only one, and perhaps even none, of the balls were underinflated.
Despite making the decision to delete a seven-month-old tweet, as of early August, Mortensen was still largely standing behind his story. He made an appearance on The Dan Le Batard Show, not to apologize for erroneous reporting, but rather to dismiss the whole hullaballoo as the result of improper wording and “descriptive tone.”
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
