The Most Interesting Man in Soccer has finally joined the Twitterverse. That’s right. Mario Balotelli, the guy who leaves us scratching our heads on and off the field is bringing his act to social media.
This is going to be fun. I give him two weeks before he says something completely inappropriate, claims it was taken out of context (by himself), cancels his Twitter account before reactivating it two days later. This is going to happen. You watch.
Uhh … what just happened, exactly?
Hope Solo tweeted out her phone number, which appeared to be an accident (but with Hope you just never know), and then when every creep in the Twitterverse came out to play she quickly claimed it was a joke and an old phone number, which, come to think of it doesn’t really make sense. But neither does any of this, really.
She deleted her original tweet but followed up with this one:
You fools fall 4anything!Wanted to see how easy it was! Uhad my number but for a second! But say hello to my new phone & u ain’t got that
— Hope Solo (@hopesolo) April 24, 2013
I think I speak for everyone when I say: (SHRUG?)
Before a recent game against Bolton, Ipswich defender Tyrone Mings showed what it means to be a star professional. The story starts with a good luck tweet from a fan wishing Mings good luck, and mentioning that he wished he could afford to buy a ticket. Mings asked him if he could make it to the stadium – as a true Ispwich fan, of course he could! – and told him that he would leave two tickets for him there, and that no one should miss a game because they can’t afford it.
Now, that is the kind of character every soccer player should show. It’s also another great example of how social media can be used to integrate players and fans. You can check out the Mings-fan Twitter exchange HERE.
In what seems to me to be one of the oddest things I’ve ever seen or heard about in sports, Manchester United fans have taken to Twitter in an attempt to raise enough money to buy back their former beloved winger – Cristiano Ronaldo.
Using the hash tag, #PoundforCR7, fans are urged to donate one pound (England’s currency) to help raise one billion pounds required to pay for Cristiano’s buyout clause.
“Hi Real Madrid. We’ve got … £54.73 and a chocolate button. No, hang on, I ate the button. What’s your Paypal plz?” #PoundforCR7
— Andrew Thomas (@Twisted_Blood) February 25, 2013
Although Man U is one of the world’s richest clubs and Cristiano only has two years left on his contract, fans are taking a grassroots approach to bring him back this summer.
After delivering the final blow to Man U’s Champions League dreams this year, knocking them out of the tournament, I bet the fans are wishing they had thought of this idea last year.
The world is ever-changing, and so is soccer. Back in the 1970s, the players would go to work during the day and than practice at night because the salary they gained from soccer was not enough for them to live on. The shorts were smaller and the hairstyles were longer. In modern soccer, the layout is very much different – the shorts, and the money, are much bigger.
And one of the best new ways to generate more money, interest, and loyalty for a club is through social media. Think about it: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have more than 1,5 billion users combined. That is more than 500 times the highest attendance of an MLS game. Social media is a unique way to reach an audience, and the ways to use it are unlimited. Clubs are now taking advantage in i variety of ingenious ways. Let’s take a look at a few:
The Spanish team Sevilla gave their fans a chance to have their Facebook profile picture in the number of their favorite player’s shirt for the prize of 24.90 Euro (below).
See how Valencia and Mexico’s Jaguares used Twitter after the jump.
You want to know what Lionel Messi thinks about diving?
Messi: “I never deliberately go to ground? Been that way my whole life. Always tried to keep hold of ball and keep going, whatever happens.”
— barcastuff (@barcastuff) January 16, 2013
Now that right there is about as close as we’ll ever get to hearing Messi call someone out. What can we say, he’s not exactly a direct player off the field. Fittingly, the comment itself was relayed and didn’t even come directly from him. Oh, well. We’ll take what we can get.
That Gerard Pique, he’s such a kidder.
Gerard pulled a fast one on his Twitter followers recently when he announced that he and Shakira had delivered their magical celebri-baby. The tweet read (in Spanish) “Our son has been born! We’re very happy! Thank you all for your messages!
Of course, December 28 is Dia de Los Santos Inocentes in Spain and parts of Latin America, a holiday that’s pretty much April Fools’ Day. So Pique let his fans hyperventilate for 10 hours before following up with this message: “He has a name! His name is Innocence!” he Tweeted. “Happy Day of the Innocents to everyone!”
Ice cold, Gerard. I’d already mailed two gifts for the golden child – a soccer ball and hula hoop. From now on, whenever Gerard makes an announcement I’m going to look directly at Shakira’s hips – at least we know they don’t lie.
I guess Gerard is just a Beautiful Liar … after the jump.
ALSO: See Top 5 Worst Mascot Names in Pro Sports
This was my reaction to the New Orleans Hornets NBA franchise announcing it will change its name to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2014 … the New Orleans Pellet Guns? WHAT?! … Oh, the New Orleans PELICANS, I see … the New Orleans PELICANS?? WHAT?!
Pretty much. Twitter had a similar reaction:
“Hahaha New Orleans Pelicans,” – signed Anaheim Ducks
— Dustin Nielson (@nielson1260) December 5, 2012
The New Orleans Pelicans have unveiled their new slogan: “The outlook is beak!” — Matt Goldich (@MattGoldich) December 5, 2012
The New Orleans Pelicans? I prefer Swamp Lizards.
— George Schroeder (@GeorgeSchroeder) December 4, 2012
The Hornets are changing their name to the New Orleans Pelicans because Anthony Davis’s eyebrows look like spread out pelican wings — Ibn Mo7taram (@metaworldtweet) December 4, 2012
See the only guy actually excited about ‘Pelicans’ after the jump.
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I know when I’m being played. Like when my girlfriend constantly refers to me as her ‘friend’ in public then explains that she only does it because she has trouble pronouncing ‘boy’ … and she’s an English major, btw.
Some things just don’t add up. Take the Campbell men, for example. They upset No. 25 NC State Tuesday for the second year in a row. Just outright beat them 2-0 then tried to convince us there was nothing to it. Oh, I’m being played alright. The 91st Minute put its investigative hat on and spoke with Campbell goalkeeper Ethan Hall. Here’s what we learned:
1. NC State sophomore Jonathan Ray played for Campbell last season. Hmm … Could the Fighting Camels have planted him as a mole? Want to know something else that’s fishy? NC State baller Nazmi Albadawi (THIS Nazmi) sat out of the match with injury. Nazmi and Hall are good friends who went to the same high school. Coincidence? If you’re the rational type then … yeah, probably. But still. Hmm …
Hear how NC State fans used Facebook to heckle Hall after the jump.
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