- Thread starter
- #1
HighTide
Active Member
- 3,666
- 5
- 38
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2011
- Location
- Birmingham
- Hoopla Cash
- $ 1,000.00
- Fav. Team #1
- Fav. Team #2
- Fav. Team #3
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - The Auburn quarterback generating the most Internet chatter so far this summer isn't Barrett Trotter, Clint Moseley or Kiehl Frazier.
The Auburn quarterback who's the talk of the World Wide Web isn't even an Au*burn quarterback, at least not yet.
Zeke Pike has only committed to the Tigers, though he seems as committed as a top pros*pect can be before starting his senior sea*son of high school. He may be the hottest recruit out of northern Kentucky since Shaun Alexander, but it's not his arm that has people buzzing.
It's his mouth.
More to the point, it's his Twitter account.
In mere months of tweeting,@Z_PikeAU has become a prime example of why some of us, despite our love for the First Amendment, believe that high school and college coaches that allow their players to use social networks such as Twitter and Facebook are asking for trouble.
Pike, one of the top quarterback prospects in the Class of 2012, has done quite a job of fanning the flames in the already overheated Iron Bowl rivalry, especially for someone who has yet to participate in it.
Some of his taunts are in response to trash talk from Alabama fans, but that's no excuse. Players have to stay out of the verbal gutter, and since some of them aren't mature enough to make that decision, coaches should do it for them.
Check out some of the more provocative examples from Pike, keeping in mind that tweets, which are limited to 140 characters each, are an English teacher's nightmare of sometimes intentionally bad grammar and poor spelling.
On July 16, Pike wrote, "I can tell you're an Alabama fan cause you have no educational skills. It's FAMILY not fambly . . . Something only AU knows about."
On July 23, Pike wrote, "nothing better than knowing I'm gonna play for the best program in the country. It's better gaining bama haters much love for you! #SIKE"
That same day, Pike wrote, "I assume your speaking about the crimson tide #foldtidefold"
The next day, Pike wrote, "Going to church to pray for all these Bama souls"
Wait. It gets worse.
On July 27, Pike wrote, "I knew I was suppose to be an Auburn Tiger when I stepped on Alabama's campus and hated everything #realtalk"
On July 28, Pike wrote, "have I ever talked trash? I said I hate Alabama. That's a statement just like you hate Auburn #honesty"
On July 30, Pike wrote, "Can I get directions to Ttown menswear? I heard there's some cool stuff there? #Classic"
Pike also has used Twitter to try to persuade fellow recruits to join him in committing to Auburn, but his personal recruiting has gone beyond extolling the virtues of the Tigers.
On July 23, Pike wrote to cornerback recruit Geno Smith, "quit playin games and come where your suppose to be. Don't let bama lie to your just another dog in the pound there #followheart"
On July 27, Pike commented on Gunner Kiel, the consensus No. 1 quarterback prospect in the class of 2012, committing to his home-state Indiana Hoosiers in an upset over Alabama, Ohio State and Notre Dame.
Pike wrote, "I guess Gunner Kiel sees the truth too #bummerbama #Hoosierboy"
Athlon Sports has rated Pike third among 2012 quarterback prospects, behind Kiel at No. 1 and Hueytown's Jameis Winston, who committed to Florida State, at No. 2. High praise, and Pike has used Twitter to demonstrate his self-confidence.
On July 16, in a reply to Baron Flenory Jr., his 7-on-7 coach, Pike wrote, "I'd like to be referred to as a mixture of Tim Tebow and Big Ben"
On July 23, in a reply to quarterback guru George Whitfield Jr., who's tutored Ben Roethlisberger and Cam Newton, Pike wrote, "and tell cam I'll fill his shoes and carry his legacy with respect and heart forever #WDE"
Pike also takes to Twitter in a positive way to talk about his faith and his love for everyone at Auburn from Gus Malzahn to Trooper Taylor, but it's the taunts and boasts that should raise concern among the coaches there.
On last check, Gene Chizik allows his players to use Twitter provided they follow some guidelines. Expressing hate for Alabama, not in the heat of the moment during a game but at your leisure in the summer, should be out of bounds, even for someone who's yet to sign with Auburn, let alone suit up for the Tigers.
On Aug. 5, Pike threatened to pull the plug on himself when he wrote, "Twitter is about to be deleted so many out of control, over the top people who like to take comments and blow them up #takeiteasy"
Trouble is, Pike's been the one handing out lit sticks of dynamite to the general public. He's not the only one, which is why coaches from South Carolina's Steve Spurrier to Boise State's Chris Petersen have banned their players from using Twitter, at least during the season.
How soon before Chizik sees the light and joins the crowd?
By Kevin Scarbinsky, Birmingham News al.com
Welllllllllllllllllllll you know how that goes.... LOL!
