Hog Calls

Tweets return to haunt older Portis

Chicago Bulls Head Coach, Fred Hoilberg, right, stands with the Chicago Bulls first round draft pick, Bobby Portis, from the University of Arkansas, as Portis holds his Bulls jersey after being introduced as the Bulls’ top pick during an NBA basketball news conference Monday, June 29, 2015, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Christian K. Lee)
Chicago Bulls Head Coach, Fred Hoilberg, right, stands with the Chicago Bulls first round draft pick, Bobby Portis, from the University of Arkansas, as Portis holds his Bulls jersey after being introduced as the Bulls’ top pick during an NBA basketball news conference Monday, June 29, 2015, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Christian K. Lee)

FAYETTEVILLE -- The "gotcha" aspect of social media has snagged some of the best of us, Bobby Portis among the latest.

Given all the hype he's received starting back in high school at Little Rock Hall, Portis, the University of Arkansas sophomore All-American and SEC Player of the Year who led the Razorbacks to a 27-9 season and is departing for the NBA, is an amazingly down-to-earth, humble, solid young man.

However, while still a lad back in 2011, Portis tweeted some juvenile criticism about Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose and then Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol, who is now with the Bulls.

About Rose: "F*** Derrick Rose and tha Bulls, #teamHeat over here."

About Gasol: "Pau Gasol not as good as everybody think/say."

The Bulls made Portis the 22nd pick of the first round in last week's NBA draft.

Oops!

So Portis joined the legions apologizing for off-the-cuff social media inanities, sometimes posted years back, that should be forgotten yet linger like red wine stains on a white carpet for the "gotcha" police to spot and exploit.

Given that they make millions, or in Portis' case will make millions, and given they know they must work together if they are to succeed as a team to win an NBA championship, expect Portis and the Bulls stars he insulted to make amends.

Many others who feel like twits after ill-advised tweets haven't been so lucky.

Ask various politicians, entertainers and celebrities, their careers crashing as they apologize for relaying a crude joke or insult that seemed such a hoot when posted at midnight but not so funny when exposed to the sobering light of day.

We leave it to the various "ologists" to debate the marvels of social media's instant freedom of expression vs. the consequences of its perhaps needless narcissism. But for certain, what once would be carelessly uttered over the phone, in the coffee shop, at the bar or by the office water cooler now tarries forever once tweeted or otherwise posted on social media.

College coaches are learning, sometimes from their own mistakes, the importance of stressing social media responsibility to their athletes.

Portis' problem emphasizes that social media education needs to begin long before college and that it potentially impacts almost everyone in all endeavors.

Perhaps Social Media 101 should be a mandatory standard basic course in junior high school or even earlier.

For in these "gotcha" days, no "cyber mistake" can outlast a social media system in which the statute of limitations never expires.

Sports on 07/01/2015

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