I've had some complaints from some followers that I tweet way too much. My response? Hit that little "unfollow" button under my name. I could care less if I had one, 100, or 1,000,000 followers. It's my little place to vent and express my opinion.
Currently, there are two issues that I'm very passionate about and I've not hesitated to tweet those passions to my followers. I figured, instead of trying to express my feelings in 140-characters, I'd write a blog, and then tweet that out so people can read it. Maybe that will give them more insight into my thoughts.
Issue #1: The Detroit Tigers
I love Detroit sports. I don't care what team it is, how good they are, or how bad they are. I will be a fan of the Tigers, Lions, Pistons, Red Wings and Michigan Wolverines until the day that I no longer grace this earth with my presence. For me, being a fan involves investing my emotions. Sometimes that can be a good thing, and other times that can be a bad thing.
The Tigers are currently under my radar and scrutiny because, well, there is nothing else to bother me in the Detroit sports world (Thanks a lot NFL).
Do I sometimes overreact to situations? Yes. Should I sometimes think about what I'm tweeting before I send it out? Yes. However, I'm not dumb. I know when a line is crossed and I try very hard not to do so. But, some people don't see it that way and think I'm negative, so I want to clear some of that up for fellow Tigers fans.
I don't hate Ryan Raburn. I only hate him as an everyday player. I said it all off-season, and have continued to say it all season, he is NOT an everyday player in this league. He never has been, so why at this stage would he become one? The past couple of weeks, Leyland has put him into the role he has succeeded in in the past, a utility bench player. Ironically enough, Raburn's numbers have improved in that time.
The Tigers will need him in able to secure a division title, but he has to be used properly by Leyland. Don't run him out there too much when he's hitting the ball well, and don't play him too little if he's scuffling a bit. There's a fine-line with Raburn that Leyland has found in the past. He MUST find that again this year.
As for my tweets about this team not being consistent or good enough through the first 99 games of the season so far. I'm not lying about those. I truly believe that if this team wants to win a division, they must improve on consistency, and fix a couple of glaring issues.
Dave Dombrowski did a great job this week of trading for Wilson Betemit to take over at third base. However, that can't be the only addition this team makes. A starting pitcher and relief pitcher are both needed.
The reliever does not have to be all-star caliber, but good enough to fill in when Al Alburquerque, Joaquin Benoit, or Jose Valverde need a day off.
The starting pitcher though, in my opinion, has to come in and be a #3 starter for this team. I trust Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer to do their job every fifth day. But, can we count on Rick Porcello, Brad Penny and a TBA fifth starter to do their jobs and get this team to the playoffs? I have my doubts. That's why I'm not sold on this team that I love yet.
Issue #2: Terry Richardson
If you aren't a Michigan football fan, or follow high school football in the area, you probably don't know who Terry Richardson is.
Quick summary -- Richardson is a four-star CB recruit from Detroit Cass Tech High School. He's the #10 ranked CB in the country and committed to Michigan in May.
You might wonder, why the hell would you have any issue with a top talent committing to Michigan? So, no, I'm not going insane. That's not what it is.
The issue is that in the last few weeks, Richardson has been posting on Twitter that he's still verbally committed to Michigan, but he's going to take his visits to Alabama, Florida, USC and other schools to see what they have to offer.
He's in high school, I have no issue with wanting to see the country and visit all of these phenomenal schools and programs. But, the way he talks about every trip and himself? Yes, that's what I have an issue with.
Here are a few tweets of his about other colleges or teams, since he "committed" to Michigan --
"Florida is that deal i could definitely go to college or live down there!!!"
"Yea im taking a visit to oregon and florida in july #cantwait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
If you are going to "commit" to a school and then later have a want, or feel it's necessary to take visits, then decommit. Nobody is holding you to a verbal, but don't waste everybody's time and commit, then hype Michigan, but at the same time talk out of the other side of your mouth about how great all these other schools are.
Michigan isn't going to be mad if you tell them you want to wait a few weeks, or even a few months until National Signing Day to pick what school you want to go to. However, don't act immature after YOU made the decision to commit to a school, and then get upset when fans question your actions that you make public.
Yesterday, I finally got sick and tired of reading tweets from Richardson about these other schools and how great he is, so I decided to tweet him. Here is a transcript of what was said --
Me: "Alright, I'm going to say it @terry_rich, if you don't want Michigan then decommit. You think Bo would put up with your BS? No! Grow up! (Richardson) is a SUPERB talent, but be mature about the process. You think @BGraham54 (Brandon Graham) or @officialbraylon (Braylon Edwards) would've pulled that? Hell no."
Richardson: "Dude fans need to stop commenting on my tweets or athletes tweets negatively know your place your just a fan!!'
Me: "What's your place? You have done NOTHING but commit. Fans make the game. Better learn. You wanna be the man? Go tell Hoke what you say on Twitter. Oh wait, you ain't the man no more. You wouldn't dare."
Was the last part a little harsh? Maybe. But guess what? You are a top recruit in an age where social media rules and everything you say or do will be public knowledge instantly. If you don't like what fans have to say, what are you going to do when you have a bad game, the team loses, and national media is ripping you to the world?
I'm not kidding either when I say, if you're going to act like a big man, then go tell Hoke what you spout off on Twitter. Problem is, Richardson doesn't have the balls to do that, nor would he ever consider that. If Hoke, or anyone in the Michigan program knew what he was tweeting, they'd probably have a few words for him as well.
Lastly, don't tell me we are "just fans". No buddy, we make the game. Without us, there is no football, there is no 110,000+ screaming fans filling the Big House. There's nothing. So, before you go out and bash the fans, you better check yourself. Last time I checked, you're "just" a high school senior who is one hit away from never stepping onto a football field again.
Terry, you're a great talent. You will be a very good college football player. Don't ruin your legacy at Michigan, or any other school, before you get there, by not being able to handle criticism. You should look at your teammate, Royce Jenkins-Stone, to see how to handle the pressure and show the maturity to be where you're at.
Richardson tweeted that him and Jenkins-Stone were both going to take visits across the country and keep their recruitment open. While Jenkins-Stone originally agreed, he quickly said he was not going to do that anymore and expressed how excited he is to be a Michigan football player. That is the humble attitude and maturity needed by somebody who has God-given talent that only few are blessed with. Now, Richardson needs to find that inside him. Whether he stays a Michigan recruit, or decommits, without those personality traits, he'll never be more than a kid with immense talent who fails to make it.
