Hacked and sacked: A rough day on Twitter for Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson
Denard Robinson.
Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com
It's not always fun being the best-known student at the University of Michigan.
Denard Robinson, the Michigan quarterback who has rushed for 603 yards and six touchdowns in the Wolverines' 5-0 start, joined Twitter on Sept. 12. He was a hot topic on the social media platform Thursday when his account — @DenardX — apparently was hacked by somebody claiming to be an angry ex-girlfriend.
The first rogue post showed up at 11:43 a.m., quickly followed by eight more. Within 15 minutes the account disappeared, then reappeared with the day's posts removed and another person claiming to have "recovered" the account. By 12:53 p.m., the account was suspended.
Michigan football coach Brady Hoke was asked recently about Robinson's Twitter account, and noted that he is "not a big believer" in social media sites. "I only care if it's not representing this team in a correct manner," he said.
Robinson had nearly 10,000 followers after his first day on Twitter and has had as many as 27,600 in recent days. Amazing, considering he provided just 14 updates since he joined.
Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon talked about Michigan athletes using Facebook and Twitter in August.
“We spend a lot of time training our student-athletes on both the uses and abuses of social media, because in many cases these young people get caught up, as so many of their peer-group members do, in the use of this and trying to be cool and trying to be a little bit outrageous, because that’s how you get noticed.
“Before you know it, your tweet, or your post, or your blog is circulating on the crawl of ESPN.”
Robinson's hacked account naturally drew a speedy reaction on Twitter, with one person noting, "Thinks what's going on today @DenardX clearly constitutes roughing the passer."
Comments
bobbyhackett
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 8:26 p.m.
Sadly in this electronic era anyone can post anything they want about someone with little or no recriminations. Cyber defamation is all too easy to conduct while sitting in the safety of ones home. Ignore this petty jerk, Denard, and go out and kick NW's butts! We support you!!!!! Go Blue!!!!!!
MRunner73
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 7:23 p.m.
What we do without twitter? Coach Hoke needs to lower the boom and suspend all twitter accounts by U of M football players until the season including the Bowl game is over. What would Bo do? Obvious answer...
XTR
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 1:33 p.m.
No public social networking sites during on season. Those Twitter feeds are dangerous if hacked because those followers will believe that it came from Denard for real until proven otherwise hehe. Any hacker could invent scenarios to distract fans and the team or make fun of the players like an angry ex girlfriend as an example. hehe
DonAZ
Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 2:30 a.m.
"Amazing, considering he provided just 14 updates since he joined." Another sign that current coaching messages are taking root. Hoke and staff are no doubt hammering home the point that one element of being a man of character and integrity is to use fewer words rather than more, and to remain quiet unless asked a question. That Denard has tweeted only 14 times is a good sign. And I'll bet the majority of those 14 came early, and the rate of tweeting now is low. I *love* this new coaching staff. They inspire me to believe there is hope for the future. Not just for football wins, but for young people in general.
1st Down
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 10:32 p.m.
Well...like it or not, Denard is a public figure and ultimately he is responsible for what comes out of his official twitter feed. Annarbor.com tied in this story with Coach Hoke's and Brandon's comments about educating student athletes on the pitfalls of using social media... and that is the angle that this story takes...its not about making fun of Denard's romantic plights, but more a commentary about the status quo of being a top college athlete in this day and age. I have no problem with this story being posted, and actually the did a good job in being classy in the way it is written.
javajolt1
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 10:27 p.m.
The answer is simple, Macabre..... Because the normal page one fodder......movie stars on Main Street.....seems to have dried up with the end of the tax credit. Thank God....Annarbor.com chased them around on a daily basis with hourly Breaking page 1 alerts.
smokeblwr
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 7:19 p.m.
With this recent news take NW to cover the Vegas line.
Macabre Sunset
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 6:15 p.m.
Great. Now A2com has morphed into Perez Hilton. Can someone on this illustrious staff please explain why this is page-1 news?
bigblue
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 10:55 p.m.
its news because shoelace is the starting QB at MICHIGAN!
applehazar
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 7:10 p.m.
Its news because this is all the teen staff writers can come up with