Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Larry Johnson’s Nightmare

Jeff Newton:

“Think bout a clever diss then that with your fag pic.” Former Chiefs running back Larry Johnson uttered this grammatically challenged sentence a few weeks ago. These eleven words ultimately cost him his job. His homophobic slur sent local fans over the edge and their 30,000 signature petition to remove the embattled bruiser sent a clear message to GM Scott Pioli. So far, Johnson hasn’t caught on with another team; no other organization claimed him off waivers. His NFL tenure is likely over.

Johnson’s meltdown unfolded under peculiar circumstances. He didn’t drop the slur in the locker room, in front of beat writers and television reporters. He didn’t lash out on a local radio show or broadcast. He wasn’t even in the public eye when the extremely poor word choice landed him in hot water. No, Johnson was actually at home, on his laptop, when he essentially committed career suicide. The running back was going at it, with a fan, on his Twitter account. That’s right; a former pro bowler ruined his professional prospects on a social networking site. Larry, already on thin ice thanks to previous behavioral issues and run ins with the law, has essentially become the first premier athlete to seriously damage his career on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LiveJournal, Classmates or any of the plethora of social sites on the web. At a time when college students and young professionals occasionally lose job interviews or entry level salaries due to inappropriate content on their personal pages, Johnson proved that even football stars aren’t immune to the downside of web disclosed information and feelings. The issue raises questions about the man and the manner in which his saga unfolded.

Twitter has revolutionized the way fans follow their athletes. In its brief period as a socially and culturally relevant tool, many pros have taken to the stream of consciousness forum that the site provides. While the players benefit from the emotional release, fans gain a more personal perspective on their favorite players. Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco, for his part, has set the “tweeting” standard for notable sports figures. His 10,959 tweets, and counting, deal with a wide range of topics from trash talking opponents, to clothing selection and even Call of Duty 2 analysis. Other athletes like UFC fighter Rashad Evans, Titans running back Chris Johnson and Chargers outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, are also heavily involved with their Twitter accounts. At its best, celebrities offer unique descriptions of their day to day life, unplugged and outside of the constant media attention. However, as Larry’s situation demonstrates, heavy repercussions exist for those who aren’t considerate or careful. Anyone can view a personal Twitter page, which isn’t always a good thing.

Johnson, on his feed, comes off as a pro bowl jackass. On the night in question, he chastised several fans, and Chiefs head coach Todd Haley, on his homepage. In his tweets, Larry degraded the critical K.C. loyalists, and frequently boasted about his fat bank account. According to Johnson, the haters were either broke or, worse yet, in school. For those who might forget, the Penn State alum reminded that he’s “cakn patna” and casual followers don’t know football “cuz u don’t play”. The ball carrier’s supporters and P.R. people couldn’t possibly spin this in a positive direction. It’s a linear progression really: arrogant player makes millions of dollars, arrogant player mocks fans of his who don’t make millions of dollars, arrogant player is totally screwed. Johnson’s counter argument was dead on arrival; he already possessed a bad guy rep. But maybe, just maybe, the words sounded harsher than their intended meaning. Maybe Johnson had a relationship with some of the followers he bashed. Maybe he thought both sides were just joking and busting balls. He obviously thought no one would analyze or judge those back and forth “tweet” battles. Again, though, any web surfer could view LJ’s page. And most of those surfers raised an eyebrow when a big time football player casually said “fag” in conversation. While Facebook and MySpace provide privacy applications, other sports figures have come under fire due to their content on those sites.

Last November, Patriots cheerleader Caitlin Davis was fired after a sports blog discovered some questionable pictures on her Facebook page. Davis drew swastikas on a passed out friend, took photos of the event and then posted those images in her profile. Team owner Robert Kraft, a strong supporter of the Anti-Defamation League, didn’t see the humor in her sophomoric prank. Whether fair or not Davis, only 19, will always be known for the initially harmless sharpie fest gone horribly wrong. Google her name; links to the swastika story fill the entire first page. Racy photos of Sacramento Kings cheerleaders, taken from one of the dancer’s MySpace page last year, showed some of the members downing large amounts of alcohol in a hotel room. The photos drew attention to the organization for all the wrong reasons.

Many Facebook and MySpace users, at least in some small capacity, understand this dilemma. Photos depicting bong rips, out of control parties or lengthy keg stands have landed plenty of Facebook’s 325 million users in a bind with angry girlfriends, ashamed parents or, worst of all, disapproving administrators. At UCSB, Greek organizations must constantly monitor what makes their social network pages. “It’s mostly Facebook,” says Addison Smith, a third year undergrad and the current president of the school’s Inter Fraternity Council. “The Greek Conduct Board, they sometimes make profiles using fake names so they can look at people’s pages.” And what happens if they find photos or information that is either deceiving, vulgar or fails to meet the board’s standards? “These pictures can put houses on social probation, where they can’t hold events at their fraternity houses. In some situations, if the house is already in enough trouble, it can contribute to a house losing their charter.” Neighborhood police officers have also used networking sites to gain information about events such as underage house parties.

Andrew Rosen, a fourth year undergrad, knows the drawbacks all too well. One weekend, during his senior year of his school and with his parents out of down, Rosen did what most logical teenagers with an open house would do. He planned a kegger. Unfortunately, word of the upcoming event spread through the school and some students posted key information on their MySpace pages. “I didn’t even advertise it,” says Rosen. “Some other kids just started talking about it on their page.” On the night of the party, Andrew knew something was wrong. “I came home at 5 o’clock and there were like three police Expeditions just sitting in my cul-de-sac.” The party went ahead as planned, but officers entered the house shortly after 8:30 p.m. “They said they saw alcohol in the house and they threatened me saying, ‘You won’t get your license ’til your 21’ and stuff like that. I called my parents. It was pretty bad.” The optimistic party thrower endured a tough Friday night and a severe tongue lashing from his unenthused parents. Still, there’s a world of difference between a harsh grounding and a life shattering stigma.

Larry Johnson should have known better. As a public figure, in an era where nine to fivers constantly want the details about big time ballers, movie stars and whatever you want to call the Kardashian sisters, the twenty nine year old needed to stop and think for a second. He shouldn’t have used the slur to begin with and, as one of the bigger names in the NFL, such off the cuff remarks would always draw Commissioner Goodell’s undivided attention. People slip up; it’s part of human nature. In the Facebook age, though, some of these slips ups can circulate until the hard evidence becomes public knowledge. Social networks, at their core, bring people together. Sometimes, however, these sites cause individuals to stand out for all the wrong reasons. There’s a lot going on with these sites. It’s definitely something to tweet about.

For More of the Detrimental Effects of Technology, Check Out: Size Matters

For Another Article By Jeff Newton, Check Out: A Small Piece of the NFL Butterfly Effect