One of the great things about being a sports fan in this day and age is the access we have to the players we follow. Through social media and real-time online coverage, our collective insatiable hunger for the latest news (and non-news) is getting fed around the clock.
For example, Mike Green has 2,309 followers on Twitter, some of whom, no doubt are minors. Earlier today, all of them got to see this:
No, it’s not the most offensive thing an athlete has tweeted this week. Frankly, I’m more concerned that the Norris finalist might not be feeling well.
But it gets right to the heart of the conflict sports leagues and teams are facing as they try to figure out how best to handle their employees’ new-found voices. Part of the beauty of some of the increase in coverage referenced above is that it’s coming from the athletes themselves – unfiltered, warts and all. So do we, as fans, want more of “Mike Green being Mike Green,” or do we want a censored, PG-rated version? My guess is that what we want and what the team (@WashCaps) and League (@NHL) want are not one in the same.