Roddy White apologizes over Twitter to start 2011 NFL season
Twitter took another big step toward becoming the must-have tool for NFL fans on Sept. 11, as it compiled and redirect tweets from like-minded fans, players and announcers in historic numbers. The service also figured in several NFL news stories in the opening weekend of the NFL.
The momentum started Sept. 7 when Twitter posted directions for maximizing the NFL experience on smart phones, iPads and tablet devices. Every NFL team and half of all NFL players tweet, Twitter pointed up. The company is emphasizing that following NFL on twitter gives a “richer, 360-degree view of the game.” It is more obvious than ever that Twitter sees the NFL as a killer application of its technology, as it looks for ways to turn the communication service into a real business. And Twitter is right: if you are a true NFL fan, you should be Twitter savvy because too much of the NFL experience is missed without it, at this point.
Formal feeds for your favorite team
Key to Twitter’s 2011 plans are accounts that automatically find the best tweets from local media, owners, players, coaches and teams with a standard format. Here’s that standard format: @YourTeamNicknameTweets. So, for example, Green Bay Packers fans can lock in to the Twitter channel via @PackerTweets. A complete list of team handles can be found on Mobile Sports Report.
Official info for NFL Twitter Newbies
Twitter provided the following pointers for NFL fans:
- Join over 2.3 million people who follow the NFL’s tweets.
- Look for fantasy sports advantages by following such mainstream media and fantasy media sites as ESPN Fantasy Sports, Yahoo! Sports and CBS Fantasy News.
- Twitter SMS instructions for using the FOLLOW command to get updates of your favorite team.
- Links to Twitter search to find teams and players.
Beyond Twitter’s formal plan to capitalize on the NFL with how-to instructions on the blog, several NFL news stories had Twitter central to their story lines. It started Saturday with Steelers’ Troy Polamalu announcing that he’d extended his contract with Pittsburgh via Twitter, and additional stories took shape on Saunday. Here are three key examples:
Twitter central in NFL news stories:
- Dallas Cowboy tight end Jason Witten, a seven time all-pro, and the Cowboys second all-time reception leader behind only Michael Irvin, posted on Twitter on Sunday that he reached a five-year contract extension with Dallas. Witten tweeted, “I am blessed to say that I will retire a cowboy!Thx to the jones family, and all the cowboy staff! True honor to put on the star!! #gameday,” he wrote.
- Atlanta Falcons WR Roddy White, who caught eight passes for 61 yards but had no touchdowns, apologized to fans who drafted him with the following post: “Sorry fantasy owners tht drafted me got to make it up to u this Sunday.” White has continually been involved in Twitter controversy over the years, and 2011’s tweet signals that nothing is different as Matt Ryan and Co. look to convert a highly suspect offense into a Super Bowl championship over the next 15 games. White is a Mobile Sports Report must-follow athlete, regardless of how you feel about the Falcons.
- San Diego linebacker Takeo Spikes used Twitter to emphasize that Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson’s trash talking was a motivating factor in shutting down the star halfback in the Chargers 24-17 win over the Vikings, according to NBC San Diego.
