Australia’s batsman Phillip Hughes, left, plays a shot as South Africa’s fielder Jacques Kallis, right, follows play during the third day of the second test match at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, Sunday March 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Just before the Bodyline Series, the Australian Board of Control didn’t like the fact that Sir Donald Bradman had signed a two-year deal to write a column for the Sydney Sun. Something had to give and Bradman threatened to walk away from the game for two years in order to honor the contract.
All was settled, though, when the Sun released Bradman from the contract.
What then would they make of Phillip Hughes announcing his axing from the Third Test via Twitter, before the side was officially announced?
Through the likes of Facebook, Twitter and blogs, it is a brave new world. Anyone who has got something to say can tell the whole world. And invariably when it is a celebrity who is doing the talking, it makes the news.
Athletes such as Shaquille O’Neal, Lote Tuqiri and Lance Armstrong love the fans and interacting with them as much as they dislike the media and journalists.
Twitter allows them to kill two birds with one stone: cut out the middlemen and get straight to the people who count.
Of course, communications and media managers are freaking out.
They like to control, manage and maintain all dialogue between athletes and the rest of the world, which is why a ghosted column of fluff by Ricky Ponting is acceptable. Through the internet, the dog is let off the leash with the potential to run amok.
The whole definition of news is blurry. Often journalists are given the story hours, if not days, beforehand, with the information embargoed until a time in the future.
The AFL teams are sent out on Thursday afternoon, but it is only hours later that they start to trickle out.
Will Hughes be censured by Cricket Australia for this?
They could do it privately and we would never know about it. If they do it publicly, it will only blow up in their faces. The Australian ran the story before Hughes Tweeted, so why would an inside scoop to a journalist be okay but a Tweet not?
Probably because they can’t control it. And it is the lack of control which freaks out sporting organizations.
The Wallabies have RugbyTV and the cricketers have Cricket Australia TV, so there is as minimal interaction with the press as possible. When they do, you get Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey playing a straighter bat with the press than they do while in the middle.
It would be news if Clarke or Hussey ever said anything newsworthy while speaking at a press conference as opposed to the clichés they trot out.
The whole reason why people like Twitter is because it is the athlete doing the speaking and not someone pretending to be him.
As soon as it reverts to the latter, it loses all currency.
Viva La Revolution! Viva La Twitter!
Dave
Guest
Selectors leak selections all the time to the media. It'd be interesting to find out the their motivations for doing that. Also can they pick the team earlier, some people have got fantasy teams to finalise
Dave
Guest
Selectors leak selections all the time to the media. It'd be interesting to find out their motivations for doing that. Also, can they pick the team earlier, some people have got fantasy teams to finalise
Dave
Guest
Selectors leak selections all the time to the media. It's be interesting to find out their motivations for doing that. Also can they pick the team earlier, some people have got fantasy teams to finalise
David Wiseman
Roar Guru
If you are interested in hearing what a person has to say than there would be an appeal in following them.
David Wiseman
Roar Guru
Thanks for the list. Many of them are dormant which also defeats the purpose.
David Wiseman
Roar Guru
I believe Hughes knew at least a day before hand he wouldn't be playing so the timing wasn't an issue.
Dave
Guest
I'm sorry but I don't get it. What on Earth is the big deal??? Sure, if he's told he shouldn't divulge team info before it's officially announced then he should follow that edict. But in this case did it really make a difference? Is England likely to change their tactics so dramatically because of this information? Would Australia be at such a disadvantage? Would England have even known about the tweet? No, no, no and no. Ponting was reportedly furious. If so he's so much more faith than I over the efficient collation of information through the vastness that is the Internet. Dean Jones has piped up saying "it's just plain wrong". Get off it. Team management simply needs to have a word to him about not doing it again. Anything other than that and you're all taking yourselves far too seriously.
Colin N
Guest
"Just read a bit of Swann’s feed. What a load of drivel!" He was right though, the Aussie guy on Mock the Week was rubbish. And, Stephen Fry on Never Mind the Buzzcocks was classic.
MyGeneration
Roar Guru
Just read a bit of Swann's feed. What a load of drivel! Could someone explain to me the appeal of Twitter? Did you know I had Weet Bix for breakfast this morning? Am I getting old? Should I check my pension entitlements? Someone tell those kids to get off the grass!
The In Dipper
Guest
Hi there, I think any sort of twitter policy will completely defeat the beauty of twitter. Namely making it a bland and sterile medium. The Hughes situ was an administrative error, nothing more. Incidentally, England seem to be more keen “twitterers” than the Australians and include Jimmy Anderson, KP and Ian Bell as well as Graeme Swann in their ranks. Check out Swann's feed for the ultimate in recklessness. Make's Hughes look like a teacher's pet. If you’re interested, a full list of cricket twits and links is at http://www.theindipper.wordpress.com Cheers, The In Dipper
Spiro Zavos
Expert
Two points: Who told Peter Lalor of The Australian. His story was very definite with Shane Watson opening and so on. Second, I believe mobile phones are banned in the dressing room, to prevent any Shanings. So how was the Twittering done by Hughes? Or was it done, as claimed, by his manager?
David Wiseman
Roar Guru
Thanks Derryn. According to The Australian, it wasn't Hughes who actually tweeted but his manager, Neil D'Costa. Apparently it was meant to be taken down, but the first day's play finished some three hours ago and it is still up. Does this affect what I thought? No - as it still came from the Hughes camp as opposed to coming via the CA system. As a result of this, some sort of Twitter policy is probably going to be drawn up that all Tweets have to be approved which will be a shame.
Derryn
Guest
I agree. Good on him. As you say, it was already reported before that in The Australian anyway. What he wrote wasn't having a go at the selectors and he even wished the team the best of luck. Hope this doesn't mean one good innings from Watson will keep him out of the team for years. The selectors have their favourites so it wouldn't surprise.