Trash Tweeting

[joejlitz]

Most of you probably heard about Garnett's alleged cancer comment to Villanueva the other day. Here's an interesting take from Van Gundy, saying this never should have gotten out.

Van Gundy: Don't tweet your trash

Daily News Wire Services

Stan Van Gundy believes what is said on the court should stay on the court.
The Orlando Magic coach voiced strong opposition yesterday to Detroit's Charlie Villanueva tweeting alleged trash-talking comments that Boston's Kevin Garnett made during a game. Van Gundy said that it "doesn't seem like the adult way to handle it," and that Villanueva needs to act more like a "grown man" and respond privately to Garnett.

"There's a lot of things said out on the court, and I'm sure in all sports in a very competitive environment, that if people knew all of it they would find a lot of it inappropriate," Van Gundy said.

Villanueva posted on his Twitter site earlier this week that Garnett called him a cancer patient during the Celtics' 109-86 road win. Villanueva suffers from alopecia universalis, a medical condition that results in hair loss; he does not have hair on his head.

Garnett denied the accusation and later released a statement that said his comment to Villanueva was, "You are cancerous to your team and our league."

Van Gundy didn't defend Garnett's alleged comments but felt it was inappropriate for Villanueva to tweet them; Van Gundy does not use Twitter.

"Tweeting it? I don't get that," Van Gundy said. "I'm from a different generation, I guess, but I don't get it. I don't know why anybody would want to know, 'Hey, I'm heading out to the movies.' So I don't get it, period."

Source: [url=http://www.philly.com/dailynews/sports/20101106_Van_Gundy__Don_t_tweet_your_trash.html[Phila. Daily News[/url]

[dgan]

As a Bucks "fan" (not really into the NBA, but I'll catch a game now and then), Villanueva played for us and was pretty much an attention-starved idiot. You may remember he was one of the first to get all the major sports talking about how to police their players' tweeting habits because he tweeted during halftime of a game in progress.

So I'm of a mind to believe KG based on his classy reputation. However, even if he did say that, I don't find it offensive because Villanueva doesn't have cancer. That's like telling Jeff Van Gundy he looks like a stroke victim. Sure, that would be offensive to stroke victims, but not to him if he isn't one.

Crossing the line is taking a TRUE personal tragedy and using it as a psychological weapon. Fans that jeered Derek Fisher about his sick kid crossed the line. If you are going through a divorce and someone wisecracks about that, I think that crosses the line. But if you are happily married (to my knowledge) and I tell you your wife is a two-bit whore, man up and take me to the hoop. Heck, it's on a frickin' Snickers commercial ("You're playing like Betty White out there." "That's not what your girlfriend said.")

Even if he called you a cancer patient, you don't have cancer - why is that offensive to you other than it hurts your fragile feelings. Don't whine about it on twitter. "Maybe we should head on over to Mamby Pamby Land and find some self-confidence for you, you jack wagon!"