Communication Breakdown

The first time I used the internet, it was 1994, and like a lot of the world, the only portal into this exciting new medium for me was through America Online, and a couple of other ISPs that were all about controlling the way you used the internet. They were very important in that they got everyone started. But eventually people started to realize that they were being held back by the restrictions, structures, and especially the subscription fees. That led to the demise of AOL as THE internet.

This week I actually took time to contemplate on how differently people use the technology that was always there, but now completely re-packaged, and more noticeably, a million times more acceptable by society-standards. If you had told me back in 1994 that I would be able to communicate with TV and movie stars and professional athletes alike, people I stacked in my own private 'celebrities I actually care about' pile, I wouldn't have believed you. I didn't see Twitter coming. I totally missed the MySpace blow-up. I'm often lost on Facebook.

But I am able to function on the internet at least 50% of the time, and that's what leads to gems like NFL Network's Rich Eisen joking around with me via Twitter or the occasional passing remark from a player for the Miami Dolphins. It also allows me to discuss subjects I'm interested in with other interested parties I would normally never have come into contact with. This site is of no exception, and I want to applaud the regular commenters for consistently providing civil conversation about that which we hold dear, the Miami Dolphins (and the occasional brownie recipe).

So, I thought I would share with you something that I never saw coming in 1994 or in 2009 to be honest. I had the pleasure of actually being in on a discussion with an ACTUAL Miami Dolphin. I will not name him, for obvious reasons (it was in my opinion 'off the record' but rather than calling him a source, I thought it prudent to mention it was a player) but this is what he said:

Pat White will play some receiver, they have been practicing screens with him.

Sean Smith will start. He later said that it would be between Smith and Green. Later again he said it would be Smith.

Jason Allen is much-improved and will be on the roster.

Channing Crowder has been very impressive and commanding in OTAs.

He expects Patrick Turner to start.

He says Vontae Davis is coming along slowly, and that his youth makes it easy to get into his head.

He said neither Sparano, or his position coach really ever 'dig into him' but couldn't say if it wasn't their style or just that he hasn't garnered their wrath yet.

He refused to answer my question of who would make the roster Anthony Armstrong or Brandon London. Guess I can't blame him.

It's interesting to communicate with pro-athletes and/or celebs, but there's also a double-edged sword in that you forget how these people are REAL PEOPLE and that the image you see on TV may not match up with what you get in person. This can sometimes be a jarring exeperience. Sometimes you actually like the person more than the celeb and sometimes (more often than not) you find you don't like this person the way you thought you would if you ever met.

Do you guys have any experiences like that? We already discussed my run-in with Jimmy Buffet when I was a teenager, but he's not the only musician I ever had an enlightening run in with.