Twitter, Brett Favre, Huntsville TV, and Milwaukee newspapers

A couple of weeks ago, in response to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel post by Rick Klauer entitled Follow us on Twitter, someone named Netter asked the following question:

Netter
Does Brett Favre have twitter?

July 6, 2008 5:20 AM

Klauer never answered the question, but I can. Yes and no. Or no and yes. Or yes and yes. Or no and no.

I can't remember exactly when or exactly why, but I began following Brett Favre on Twitter some time ago.

Or at least someone who says that he's Brett Favre. I really have no way of knowing, and when I started following him I vaguely remembered the Nick Nolte blog story. But I figured it would be fun to see what the account said.

Then, a few days ago, I was followed by Brett Favre. A different Brett Favre (this one is brett_favre, while the other one is brettfavre).

So now I'm following that Brett Favre also.

For the record, the Official Brett Favre site (you know it's official; it sells stuff) doesn't include any Twitter account on its links page.

So, barring some future research on my part, I have no idea which is the real Brett Favre. Considering his legendary indecision, perhaps both of them are Brett.

Here's a comparison, including bios and follower numbers.

http://twitter.com/brettfavre

Name brettfavre
Location Green Bay and Kiln
Web http://www.offici...
Bio What I'm thinking when I'm not saying it.
Stats
Following 9
Followers 75
Favorites 0
Updates 149

http://twitter.com/brett_favre

Name Brett Favre
Location Hattiesburg, Miss
Bio Retired NFL QB. I think I'm still retired. Well pretty sure anyway.
Actions
message brett_favre
nudge brett_favre
Stats
Following 826
Followers 151
Favorites 0
Updates 18

But perhaps it's appropriate to compare the recent tweets.

First, brettfavre:

So I guess I'm now a QB of the packers. 7 days ago from web

brettfavre I want out of Green Bay. Mort's got the details: http://tinyurl.com/55cqdl 03:16 PM July 11, 2008 from web

brettfavre @racerrick ha, that's a good one. The glazers actually sent me one but I don't actually mow my lawn, that's just a myth. 01:37 PM July 07, 2008 from web in reply to racerrick

brettfavre So CC Sabaitha seems to be the big news. I may have to do something to get my name back in the WI headlines. Any suggestions? 01:20 PM July 07, 2008 from web

brettfavre @winetweets strawberry boones. Couple more bottles and I'm won't be comin back home, let alone to Green Bay. 05:21 PM July 05, 2008 from web in reply to winetweets

brettfavre I feel like I need a good heart to heart with Al Jones. 07:05 PM July 03, 2008 from web

brettfavre No call from Ted Thompson, that bastard. I gave him that executive of the year award and does he thank me? Nope. 07:04 PM July 03, 2008 from web

brettfavre I just got off the phone with Bus. He talked to Danny snyder and the glazers today. It's nice to feel wanted again. 07:03 PM July 03, 2008 from web

brettfavre One more thing... Run out to your local Simplicity dealer and check out the newfavre signature model with zero turn radius 04:52 PM July 02, 2008 from web

brettfavre But if he really doesn't want me? Well then I think tampa would be a nice place to play. No pressure to win there - the way I like it. 04:49 PM July 02, 2008 from web

brettfavre So, I talked to Mccarthy and he said no, but he's really just doesn't want to hurt Aaron's feelings. 04:47 PM July 02, 2008 from web

brettfavre I don't really want to play. But Deanna and Britney want to see one more season. 04:46 PM July 02, 2008 from web

brettfavre That "source" is actually me. 04:40 PM July 02, 2008 from web

brettfavre In case you haven't heard, my buddy mort is reporting that "a source" says I'm itching to ay in 08 04:22 PM July 02, 2008 from web

brettfavre So my guys inform me that my locker is installed at home in my shrine. http://web.wireimage.com/im... 11:35 AM June 13, 2008 from web

brettfavre Dm racerrick is it done? 11:20 AM June 13, 2008 from web

brettfavre It's BS that the Packers released Koren. For them to insinuate that he had a relapse is appalling. 09:57 AM May 12, 2008 from web

brettfavre Decided to throw the ball around the other day after that Al Jones story (http://tinyurl.com/4blooc). I must say, it felt pretty darn good! 04:02 PM April 10, 2008 from twhirl

brettfavre Bus wanted me to mention that this LA Times story article is a big pile of BS. But the Jags or Bucs are still welcome to give Bus a call. 03:01 PM April 03, 2008 from web

brettfavre I've got the Cubs/Brewers game here on WGN. I'm also watching @nedyost's notes. 02:57 PM April 03, 2008 from web

Now, brett_favre:

@taterhead No plastic surgery. Everything on Deanna is real and spectacular! 3 days ago from web in reply to taterhead

brett_favre I think Greta Van Susteren is a hotty. 11:39 PM July 15, 2008 from web

brett_favre How did I look on Greta Van Susteren? I was in control right? 11:31 PM July 15, 2008 from web

brett_favre I retired early so I could ride off in the sunset riding my horse. Ya, riding a horse like a cowboy, cowboys, Dallas Cowboys. FFFFootball... 10:42 PM July 14, 2008 from web

brett_favre I am guilty of retiring early and there is a reason for that 07:52 PM July 14, 2008 from web

brett_favre Getting ready for a 10:00am tee time. Beautiful day for golf. 07:48 AM July 13, 2008 from web

brett_favre Man, what a party Chewy through last night. Anyone have a vicodin? 07:24 AM July 13, 2008 from web

brett_favre @webdevgeek Kansas City has an NFL team? 10:35 PM July 12, 2008 from web in reply to webdevgeek

brett_favre Come on now Chewy. Do you really think I would look good in purple? 08:11 PM July 12, 2008 from web

brett_favre @rschwalb Ya, you're telling me! 07:37 PM July 12, 2008 from web in reply to rschwalb

brett_favre I'm off to Mark Chmura's place for a hot tub party. Maybe this retirement stuff isn't so bad! 07:31 PM July 12, 2008 from web

brett_favre It's time for a little TV. Let's see here, American Idle, no. Antiques Roadshow, no. Predator Raw, no. SportsCenter, ya that sounds good! 05:59 PM July 12, 2008 from web

brett_favre If I return as a backup to Aaron, he may have an injury, ya,ya he might break his knee cap. He could get west nile virus or something... 05:41 PM July 12, 2008 from web

brett_favre I am going to cut down a couple of trees this afternoon. A few TALL trees that is, hugh trees, big, giant trees, giant, Giants, NY Gaints... 05:35 PM July 12, 2008 from web

brett_favre The Packers now say they will not honour my request for a release & that I would have to rejoin the team as a backup to Aaron Rodgers. 05:28 PM July 12, 2008 from web

brett_favre I love to go hunting. Deer hunting, turkey hunting, rabbit hunting, bear hunting. Ya ya, Chicago Bear hunting that is. I can do that, right? 05:23 PM July 12, 2008 from web

brett_favre Boy, now that I'm retired i just can't wait to go fishing.......for Miami Dolphins. Ya that's it, I'll come back to football and I'll... 05:11 PM July 12, 2008 from web

brett_favre Today I think I want to retire, no wait! Think I want to play football instead. Ya that's the ticket, I want to mow my lawn! Yep I'm going.. 05:00 PM July 12, 2008 from web

Let's return to Rick Klauer's "Follow us on Twitter" post. (I won't get into the abuse that Klauer got for even mentioning Twitter; that's another topic for another time.) So anyways, Klauer was promoting the Twitter account http://twitter.com/js_packers. I wanted to see if this account said anything on the record (geddit?) about the Twitter account in question. I scanned all of the tweets from the account, and js_packers appears to be a one-way communication, not doing an @ reply to anyone, much less to brettfavre or brett_favre.

Then I had an idea - if the Milwaukee Sentinel Journal is using Twitter, they might also be using Twitter to follow stories. And you'd think that if they wanted to get a scoop, they'd follow the real Brett Favre.

So I excitedly went to check and see who js_packers follows.

JSOnline - Packers follows 5 people.

artcity / Art City

postcollegecook / Alison Fonte

js_brewers / JSOnline - Brewers

js_politics / JSOnline - Politics

js_bucks / JSOnline - Bucks

The first two accounts are Mary Louise Schumacher and Alison Fonte, both associated with the Sentinel Journal. The last three accounts are obviously similar to the js_packers account.

So the Journal Sentinel uses Twitter to follow...itself.

Time to send Dana Franks (ariedana, waaytv) up to Milwaukee to show the Journal Sentinel how a media person SHOULD use Twitter. The waaytv account, for example, follows 69 other Twitter accounts, including twitternews (apparently defunct), uahlibrary, bamaweather, cbs42 (Birmingham), a number of web luminaries, and (last but least) me. The point is that Franks realizes that news is a two-way street, and that you don't just use social media tools to push your information out; you also use them to receive information from potential sources.

I seem to have digressed from my original topic of Brett Favre. If anyone knows whether brettfavre or brett_favre (or both) is Brett Favre, please let me know.

[10:35 PM - MORE ON THE JOURNAL SENTINEL AND ITS READERS.]

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