Introducing Ryan Jones…140 Characters At A Time
Ryan Jones Twitter Stream - @jonesry28
Did you know that Ryan Jones enjoys hunting? That he has an ongoing joke about not getting a Head and Shoulders contract for his long hair? Or that he has an indestructable dog named Bailey? No? Well, you must not be following the Chatham native, and Edmonton Oilers forward on Twitter.
Twitter is one of the world’s largest and most popular social networks, and recently it’s been flooded by professional athletes, including Ryan Jones (@jonesry28) and fellow Chatham pro athlete Andy Fantuz (@andyfantuz). For athletes, Twitter is a way for them to voice their opinion, connect with fans, and joke around with other NHL players; for the fans, it’s an opportunity to learn more about their favourite athletes, albeit 140 characters at a time, and sometimes, even exchange a few messages with them.
“It’s been fun (using Twitter). I think it’s important for fans to realize that we are just average dudes who have been blessed with the opportunity to play hockey for a living,” said Jones, “It has been pretty cool to show the fans a side of me that they might not otherwise see.”
Ryan Jones' Twitter Bio
Fans truly can get an opportunity to see a players’ personality away from the cliche quotes of postgame interviews. Jones regularly converses with fans, shares what’s going on in his off-ice life, and jokes with other players in the NHL. Just as it has in the NHL ranks, Ryan Jones’ Twitter identity is often found revolving around his long hockey hair, including an ongoing joke that he’s waiting for an endorsement from Head and Shoulders, a position currently held by long haired Pittsburgh Steelers star Troy Palmalu. According to Jones, he’s still waiting for the call from Head and Shoulders,
“Well my flow has kind of become my trademark around Edmonton and some of the league so I am just embracing it. I am not sure why they (Head and Shoulders) haven’t called yet, maybe because I haven’t scored enough goals.”
It’s this sense of humour that has Ryan Jones sitting very close to 20,000 followers on Twitter. Jones, along with other athletes however, aren’t just joking around on the social network, or using it to connect with fans, they’re also using it for good. When Jones hits 20,000 followers on Twitter, he plans to give back to his Edmonton community,
“When I hit 20 thousand followers I am going to donate $5000 to a local Edmonton charity or organization. It just seemed like a fun way to get some followers and give back to a community that has given so much to me.”
Twitter isn’t all fun and games either, as many professional athletes have recently found out. With the open platform and thousands of eyes watching and reading your every “Tweet,” athletes often go a little too far with what they say. Recently, a number of athletes have been fined for criticizing officials, coaches, and other players over Twitter. Although Jones has never been fined, he has felt the wrath of fans after a Tweet,
“I did get myself in a little trouble when I referred to Edmonton as “the Arctic,” said Jones, “The voting for place you would least like to play (in the NHL) had just came out and fans were a little sensitive at the time. I mean it gets to -40 and colder so I wasn’t too far off if you ask me.”
Recently, Jones’ online following has grown comical with the addition of @JonesyFacts and the trend of fans to post these “fake” facts about Jones such as, “The NHL has a new rule stating that Ryan Jones isn’t allowed to fight in California because his fists might set off an earthquake.”
Professional sporting leagues are working to regulate when and what athletes do and don’t say online, but in the meantime, social networks like Twitter, are providing fans and athletes, such as Ryan Jones, with a unique way to reach out to each other, connect, and converse, that wasn’t available only a few short years ago.