The best thing about Twitter is that it allows pro athletes to interact directly with fans.
The worst thing about Twitter is that it allows pro athletes to interact directly with fans.
And while the latter can create plenty of entertainment when a pro athlete says something stupid or inappropriate without thinking through the consequences of his 140-or-less-character message, threats made to athletes by fans don’t seem to be taken as seriously as they should.
In recent days, death threats have been made via Twitter to Jets (for now) quarterback Mark Sanchez and 49ers (for now) kicker David Akers. Earlier this season, an untimely penalty resulted in Twitter threats to Redskins receiver Joshua Morgan. In January 2012, 49ers receiver Kyle Williams received death threats via Twitter after fumbling a pair of punts in the NFC title game.
When death threats are made via any of the various low-tech methods, there’s little question a crime has been committed. So why aren’t death threats made by Twitter viewed any differently?
They shouldn’t be. And if/when someone who makes threats like this against a pro athlete is prosecuted, maybe others will think twice before puffing their chests from the protection of their keyboards or phones.