Should Twitter be banned during sports games

Welcome Tyler Lambert as the first guest writer in The Corner. Tyler is a high school senior, aspiring sports writer, and unashamed Duke Blue Devil fan


Bleep Tweet: Should Twitter Be Banned In Pro Sports During Games?
by Tyler Lambert

The Lakers-Cavs game has two seconds left until halftime: Shaq gets hurt and is escorted off the court while they're down by 20.
Cavalier fans everywhere are upset because their team is down big and Shaq could be out for awhile.
But if you want to know how serious the injury is, don't look to the sideline report or team trainer for an answer; just check out Shaq's latest Tweet:
"Guys, I'm down and out four the rest of this game n maybe longer. Hurt my foot, pain is killing me. Likely sprained my ankle, but could be worse. Oh yeah, you better watch out Bynum, no one messes with the Big Diesel."
As we all know, Twitter is one of the fastest-growing websites on the planet and has become even more popular in the sports world.
Follow your favorite player, check your profile every so often, and see what's going on in that athlete's life. It's too bad, however, that some athletes have abused the privilege of sending feedback out to fans by sending "Tweets" during games.
This selfish action takes away from the game itself, distracting players and giving them less time to prepare for the challenges that lie ahead. Thus, I say that Twitter should be banned during games.
Why?
Because sports are not all about the athletes; they are also about the game itself.
Tell me, would you rather read Kobe Bryant's Twitter feed or watch the final minutes of a Lakers' game?
How about check up on Serena Williams' "Tweets" during a changeover instead of watching the entire match itself?
The answer is simple: "The athletes don't make the sport; the sport makes the athlete."
Would Tiger Woods have ever been successful in golf had he never picked up a golf club? What about Alex Rodriguez—would he be able to hit a home run without ever lifting a baseball bat? Probably not.
What I am trying to say is that each athletes respected sport is sacred—it has history and the athletes have its honor to uphold. If an athlete uses Twitter during a game, do you think that would uphold the standards of that respected sport? I think not.
Could you ever see Michael Jordan "Tweet" during games?
"Haha, I dropped 50 on tha Celtics tonight. Someone needs to teach them boys how two play defense. I'm unstoppable baby, UNSTOPPABLE!"
Don't get me wrong, Twitter is an outstanding site for athletes to interact with fans, express their true feelings, and let their voice be heard outside of the interviews and press conferences.
The time and place, however, are two crucial thoughts to keep in mind when you decide to "tweet."
Twitter is not made for expressing thoughts during games, but after.
Remember that piece of advice and I'm sure you won't be fined by David Stern for using Twitter to criticize the referees during a Mavericks' game (cough-cough—Mark Cuban).