Shaq to Saints: "They are going to try to divide you" (1 Viewer)

[Saintsphere]

2 p.m. The Saints team meeting commenced. In a 100-minute meeting via teleconference, Brees emotionally apologized—that much we know, and we’re pretty sure it included tears from Brees. We don’t know a lot, though, because Payton and the Saints threw a news blackout over what happened in the room. I’m guessing the Saints coach is going to channel his inner Parcells over the next couple of months. Noted tough guy/mental-game-player Bill Parcells is a mentor for Payton, who I’d bet will try to find a way to make this this an us-versus-them thing, us against the divisive forces of all media—including the social-media missives from other NFL players and in other leagues.

The weird part of the story is there was one non-Saint in the Zoom meeting: Shaquille O’Neal. The team has guests speak to some virtual team meetings (Snoop Dogg did the honors on one meeting in May), and Shaq happened to be on the schedule Thursday. So there he was, watching the most emotional and important Zoom meeting in NFL history—it’s not a very long history—and when Shaq spoke up, he had something to say. Something, it turns out, that made him quite a valuable participant in this Zoom meeting. As one ear-witness said, O’Neal told the coaches and players words approximating these: They’re going to try to divide you, just like they divided us with the Lakers! Me and Kobe [Bryant], we had a great thing going, but the media divided our team. We could have won five more championships! Stay strong. Don’t let the media divide you! Don’t let social media divide you!

FMIA: Anger, Apologies And Videos Gone Viral—Inside The Three Days That Sparked Major Shift In The NFL - Peter King, NBC Sports

Peter King's Football Morning In America begins with a tick-tock of a tumultuous time in the NFL, from Drew Brees to two videos from players + the commish.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

The whole article is worth a read. King gets pretty in depth on how last week played out.

 

[Madmarsha]

Social media is a virus.

 

[Misipsaintfan]

Social media is a virus.

I couldnt agree more. They never said the devil had to be human..... i dont think anyway

 

[BELOWSEALEVEL]

Twitter is Latin for Lucifer

 

[RazorOye]

Social media is a virus.

it can be. Absolutely.

but without social media presence and pushback, does Drew Brees have this moment of (and I believe him) growth and consideration?

do we see, for example, the attention paid to police brutality? The phone’s camera has been a game changer, yes, but it needs a platform for the spread of the video.

I have seen kids’ lives harmed, irrevocably in some ways, because of social media. It can be a place to spread hate and violence. It can amplify bigotry. It can be a platform for objectionable people with detestable messages.

But it can also be empowering. It can level the playing field of power. It can bring awareness and funding, like the ice bucket challenge, like the voice that Steve Gleason is able to still have. It can give people with less hope more hope. Protests all over the world, e.g. freedom protests in the Middle East. There’s a reason China seeks to control internet content. It’s a threat to their consolidated state control. Putting cameras in the hands of incarcerated youth, like I did, can produce images and ideas from people who are otherwise silent and marginalized and isolated.

I think of we are going to discuss the perils and dangers of social media we need to also include the positives.

 

[Bill]

it can be. Absolutely.

but without social media presence and pushback, does Drew Brees have this moment of (and I believe him) growth and consideration?

do we see, for example, the attention paid to police brutality? The phone’s camera has been a game changer, yes, but it needs a platform for the spread of the video.

I have seen kids’ lives harmed, irrevocably in some ways, because of social media. It can be a place to spread hate and violence. It can amplify bigotry. It can be a platform for objectionable people with detestable messages.

But it can also be empowering. It can level the playing field of power. It can bring awareness and funding, like the ice bucket challenge, like the voice that Steve Gleason is able to still have. It can give people with less hope more hope. Protests all over the world, e.g. freedom protests in the Middle East. There’s a reason China seeks to control internet content. It’s a threat to their consolidated state control. Putting cameras in the hands of incarcerated youth, like I did, can produce images and ideas from people who are otherwise silent and marginalized and isolated.

I think of we are going to discuss the perils and dangers of social media we need to also include the positives.

So what you're saying is that it depends on the motive behind the 'tweet'.
Thus that puts the potential 'evilness' of social media platforms squarely back on the user.
Sadly there are plenty of devils who have social media accounts.

 

[SaintsBrah]

Going to be hard for me to ever look at Thomas / Jenkins / any of the players the same after they attackBrees on SOCIAL MEDIA instead of talking to him man to man first.

that’s the problem with this generation...everything is about social media. No one talks to each other straight up...they just “call you out” behind a keyboard first.

People claim we need to have a dialogue.

When any is attempted- this happens.

the damage has been done.

 

[No2DC]

I'm surprised you guys still read King. Shaq makes a good point, one that did come true: he left LA and proceeded to mock Kobe for years after.

 

[Swimmer]

Social media is a virus.

Amen Sister. How in the heck are you doing Miss Marsha?

 

[BelowZero]

As mentioned, social media is very much a virus. Reading activist twitter makes me want to gouge my eyes out.

Doesn't matter if you're referring to sports, a boy/girl comparing their body to near impossible standards (influencers, models, etc.), bullying, or anything in between. I think the worst part about it though is that it creates something I like to call a 'deletist culture'. People talk all kinds of crap on social media (looking at you Thomas, Jenkins, among many other.) and when it blows up in their face, they delete the posts/messages without ever having to own it. That goes for everyone, not just athletes/celebrities.

Thomas is a great example, though. He runs his mouth (for better or worse), and deletes it the moment he looks stupid. Whereas someone like Terry Crews, regardless of the blowback on his opinion, owned the tweet and left it up. if people are going to say/do stupid things online, then let it stay there. Might make people think a little harder before hitting "post".

 

[Big Up Bush]

it can be. Absolutely.

but without social media presence and pushback, does Drew Brees have this moment of (and I believe him) growth and consideration?

do we see, for example, the attention paid to police brutality? The phone’s camera has been a game changer, yes, but it needs a platform for the spread of the video.

I have seen kids’ lives harmed, irrevocably in some ways, because of social media. It can be a place to spread hate and violence. It can amplify bigotry. It can be a platform for objectionable people with detestable messages.

But it can also be empowering. It can level the playing field of power. It can bring awareness and funding, like the ice bucket challenge, like the voice that Steve Gleason is able to still have. It can give people with less hope more hope. Protests all over the world, e.g. freedom protests in the Middle East. There’s a reason China seeks to control internet content. It’s a threat to their consolidated state control. Putting cameras in the hands of incarcerated youth, like I did, can produce images and ideas from people who are otherwise silent and marginalized and isolated.

I think of we are going to discuss the perils and dangers of social media we need to also include the positives.

love this.

 

[football]

Going to be hard for me to ever look at Thomas / Jenkins / any of the players the same after they attackBrees on SOCIAL MEDIA instead of talking to him man to man first.

that’s the problem with this generation...everything is about social media. No one talks to each other straight up...they just “call you out” behind a keyboard first.

People claim we need to have a dialogue.

When any is attempted- this happens.

the damage has been done.

Great post. My sentiment exactly. I really can't look at them the same anymore.

 

[dutar76]

Social media is a virus.

It's a strand of the media virus. Both are deadly, but there is a cure. Just press the "off" button.

 

[kennydfresh]

Everyday I wake up wishing this happen to Matt Ryan.

 

[football]

Everyday I wake up wishing this happen to Matt Ryan.

Nah. I don't wish this to anyone.