NFL

Athletes need to understand the power of social media

Athletes need to understand the power of social media

Crowell hides behind apology, learns about free speech blowback

Isaiah Crowell is doing what most athletes do when they get in hot water by sharing their thoughts on controversial news items. The Cleveland Browns running back is backpedaling.

And doing so faster than he ever thought about running the 40-yard dash.

Crowell has never been accused of being the most enlightened of football players. The kid had such a hard time staying in between the lines at UGA that the super talented kid was forced to take his talents to a Division I school.

After three years in the NFL, you would think the young man had matured to some degree. But when Crowell went to Instagram to post a photo of a police officer having his throat slashed, it was clear he’s just as reckless as ever.

isaiah crowell policeman image throat getting cut 2016 images

Crowell blamed his “mistake” on being upset at the recent police shootings in Minnesota and Louisiana.

“I posted an image to Instagram in the midst of that emotion that I shouldn’t have and immediately removed it. It was an extremely poor decision, and I apologize for that mistake and for offending people. My values and beliefs do not match that image,” Crowell wrote on .

So for any folks out there who do think it’s OK to slaughter guys with badges as a whole, Isaiah Crowell is not a guy you can count on to do any of the dirty work. This privileged pro football player, who signed a $1.5 million dollar contract in 2014, is just a keyboard gangster.

crowell apology on twitter

He does his tough talking on social media, and the second his bosses, who scratch his big game checks, told him to say he’s sorry, he did just that.

If he really believed it was righteous to kill police officers as a whole for the actions of the few, then he should have stood firm on what he posted.

Isaiah Crowell didn’t do that because his paychecks mean more to him than his stance on police violence. Without football, he goes back to being a nobody.

So now he gets to enjoy the worst of both worlds. He was applauded by those who agree with using violence against cops but now is seen as weak by that crowd after his apology.

And those made angry by his social media stupidity don’t  care that he apologized after being told to do so.

Clearly, Mr. Crowell would have been better off keeping his thoughts to himself and maybe a few friends.

Taking a stand, however ill-advised, then slinking back from it with an empty apology just makes everyone lose respect for him.

As social media becomes even more prominent in the coming years, it’s clearer than ever that athletes have no business playing in that world.

There’s no upside for 95 percent of pro athletes to share their feelings with the press of a button. And with guys like Isaiah Crowell, who were lucky to get a shot at the League at all, social media is a good way to derail their career altogether.

Some people do not need a pipeline from their tiny brains directly to the public.


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