"Shut your tweets!"
That's what the U.S. Open Tennis suits told its athletes last week.
Signs are being posted in player lounges, locker rooms and referee offices.
Why can't you read about how Serena Williams or Andy Roddick are feeling/doing/etc.? Or even taunting each other in 140 characters or less?
Seems the court meisters fear loose tweets will uncontrollably unlock secrets like a Pandora's Box. The dark side of sports -- betting, will use the insider info on how a player's feeling to alter odds and potentially gain an unfair advantage.
To quote Mr. Roddick on said Twitter-land: "i think its lame the US Open is trying to regulate our tweeting.. i understand the on-court issue but not sure they can tell us if we can."
Think insider info isn't showing up? Cincy Bengal Chad Ochocinco filled everybody in on whether Patriot Tom Brady was bruised or broken on his Twitter. He beat New England PR in getting out the word: Tom will be just terrific.
Let's do a reality check. Athletes on Twitter do not always work out the way they think. Just blurting out things into the web for any and all to see has its upsides and downsides. There's great suspicion that Miami Heat forward Michael Beasley landed himself in rehab after doing his own personal expose on the social network.
There's an auto wreck coming up here somewhere. Maybe not tennis, but some athlete's going to mention their injury, a teammate's hangover, lack of chemistry between players.
The secret will be out. The money will be rolling in.
And league officials from Guts Frisbee to Beach Volleyball will be trying to figure out how to jam everyone's 3G connections around their playing field airspace.
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