Twitter Wars

Gassage

Yesterday me and Ali caught up with a girlfriend for lunch in Hampton. My friend is a rugby journo and owns a big rugby website.

Anyway, for some reason, 2 other Journo's A and B have had a long standing battle on Twitter. When A's book  came out over Xmas (hilarious read)  B slagged it hugely, saying it was anachronictic etc.

He then became very personal towards A on Twitter, despite the latter not really biting.

I tweeted at B "FFS, can we all show some professional decorum here? We all write for a living."

My girlfriend, through her professional acct, also made a few tweets to same effect....

B responded to me "fuck off you sycophantic cunt' to which A (thankfully replied) "Nope- played against each other- that's where you earn respect".

Anyway, at the Samoa game, i saw B and it became apparent this was overspilling into the real world. He started on me at the top of the East Stand steps outside the press box and I just turned round and summat like said 'Look mate, grow up or do something about it. " Quite frankly, I wanted to slot him one.

Anyway, my girlfriend had texted me to say this had further spilled over the following week (Australia match) and only y'day she told me this- B kept badgering her all day about the tweets. At the end of the PC, he'd had another skinful and started again, and, in front of the entire press corps, got fairly physical towards my friend (prodding and wagging fingers and squaring up). Now I don't care what was said, you DON'T do that a) in the workplace b) to a woman c) in any event.

As luck would have it, as it looked like he was about to hit her, another rugby correspondant, dragged B out and threw him down the stairs of the press conf room, whereupon he wasn't seen again.

I simply am appalled at this. I am also appalled that I reacted to him, but equally I don't regret I stood up to his bullying.

What on earth is the world coming to when this happens?

And, what SHOULD I have done?

57Deluxe

...stayed away from pointless twatter in the first place - you can have immerse yourself in all the abuse you want on here!

Nomad

Does it have single coils or humbuckers?

Antique_Guitars

But when was the orgy? I missed that bit!

mike_l

Antique_Guitars said:

But when was the orgy? I missed that bit!

Tomorrow, didn't you get an invite?

Paul_C

posted this in OT ?

Gassage

Paul_C said:

posted this in OT ?

Ooops- fixed.

Paul_C

as for your question - hard to know how to respond to people when they start behaving irrationally - I'm sure in Brian Moore's day it would have been sorted with a quiet word "outside" but people in the public eye can't afford to get involved now, so that sort of behaviour is probably more likely to occur.

BluesyDave

...The unpleasant byproduct of 'social media' (or is that antisocial?).  Seems to bring out the worst in some people.

Neil

Twitter is load of vapid  nonsense that everybody is better off without unless you are somebody trying to draw attention to  yourself  or simply obsequiously name drop. Stay away is my opinion.

Also it may be worth remembering  that the owners of the FB website are responsible for its public content and any possibly defamatory remarks therein so this would be better off moved to a private area.

I have reported it to the mods.

DamianP

Talking random irrelevant nonsense in inappropriate places would seem to be part of the problem.

Looking beyond that. I wouldn't assume "writing for a living" as any sort of indicator of intelligence.
Furthermore, what exactly do you expect from someone who works for the Daily Mail? Why would you expect anything better from such a low watt mouthpiece of ignorance?

Gassage

Point taken. I shall edit. Although all accurate, all in public domain.

Gassage

DamianP said:

Talking random irrelevant nonsense in inappropriate places would seem to be part of the problem.

Looking beyond that. I wouldn't assume "writing for a living" as any sort of indicator of intelligence.
Furthermore, what exactly do you expect from someone who works for the Daily Mail? Why would you expect anything better from such a low watt mouthpiece of ignorance? Celebrating as it does all that is wrong with life in the UK.

You are (g)utterly right about the Mail

randomhandclaps

Sports editor of the Mail - Nuff said!

Fretwired

@Gassage - sounds like you handled it professionally. I don't have a personal Twitter account but I run a few for clients and this type of abuse is all too common. People think that just because they have an opinion on someone, something or an issue that they need to air it, and if someone disagrees with their view of the world they often take it as a personal insult and enter into a slanging match, often egged on by alcohol and some dumb advice from people close to them.

Gassage

I actually think that the jouro known as B has a drink issue.

Next monday is the Writers dinner and awards. Notwithstanding the fact Katy McClean will win the player of the year, I suspect this might percolate a little on that night....I've got 12 going, so need to pick good brawlers, just in case.

randomhandclaps

You did well not to hit him though.....that fucking face of his....

Gassage

There is a side issue that he, B, is a generalist sports writer, and we are all specialists, and being a minority sport, everyone seems to get on and it's quite tight knit.

RaymondLin

Well, get someone to video it, remember not to say anything and let him do all the yapping, being unprofessional, then tag him on twitter over it.

Let the rest of the world deal with him, it would be career suicide for him. 

Gassage

@raymondlin

If he attends said dinner it would be pure suicide rather than career suicide to start a scene with a female journo with half of the Premiership players there.

randomhandclaps

I say they should settle it the old way -

http://i1284.photobucket.com/albums/a579/imadray/BrianMoore_zps92053d40.jpg