Rashard Mendenhall Retires from the NFL

Retirements of non-superstar players are rarely interesting news. Arizona Cardinals running back Rashard Mendenhall (career - 4,236 yds., 37 rush TD, 3.9 avg.) was a quality player during his six NFL seasons, but will not have a bust in Canton, Ohio with his name on it in 2019 or beyond.

However, through the magic of Twitter, Mendenhall, whether you like him or not, has demonstrated deeper and more thought provoking expression that most professional athletes. His retirement statement was no different. If you expected the tired, washed-up cliches, don't. The following are Mendenhall's words, published in USA Today. I thought the readers may find them interesting. 

Rashard Mendenhall:

“I decided not to hold a press conference because I didn’t want to have to say things that were cliché. I’ve done enough of that since I’ve been playing football. I actually didn’t really plan on saying anything about my retirement at all. I just kind of wanted to disappear.

I feel like I’ve done it all. I’ve been to two Super Bowls; made a bunch of money; had a lot of success; traveled all over the country and overseas; met some really cool people; made lasting relationships; had the opportunity to give back to causes close to my heart; and have been able to share my experiences and wisdom with friends, family and people all over the world.

Imagine having a job where you’re always on duty, and can never fully relax or you just may drown.Having to fight through waves and currents of praise and criticism, but mostly hate. I can’t even count how many times I’ve been called a ‘dumb n—–’. There is a bold coarseness you receive from non-supporters that seems to only exist on the Internet. …Over my career, I would learn that everything people say behind these computer and smartphones actually shape the perception of you — the brand, the athlete and the person.

Over my career, because of my interests in dance, art and literature, my very calm demeanor, and my apparent lack of interest in sporting events on my Twitter page, people in the sporting world have sometimes questioned whether or not I love the game of football. I do. I always have. I am an athlete and a competitor. The only people who question that are the people who do not see how hard I work and how diligently I prepare to be great — week after week, season after season. I take those things very seriously. I’ve always been a professional. But I am not an entertainer. I never have been. Playing that role was never easy for me.

So when they ask me why I want to leave the NFL at the age of 26, I tell them that I’ve greatly enjoyed my time, but I no longer wish to put my body at risk for the sake of entertainment. I think about the rest of my life and I want to live it with much quality. And physically, I am grateful that I can walk away feeling as good as I did when I stepped into it.”


Best Wishes

I personally wish him the best of luck. Few professional athletes are as openly cerebral and diverse in thought and interests during their playing careers as Mendenhall has been. He is an example that others should not be reluctant to follow. 

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Free Speech Epic Fail

In the age of Twitter, the public seldom has to wait long to get a newsworthy quote from a newsworthy person. Often, newsworthy Tweets have lead to controversy. Recently, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison made his inflammatory comments about NFL commissioner Roger Goodell the old fashioned way: in a magazine interview.

Harrison's incendiary rant on the league commissioner included vitriol and bodily functions. It was the first truly juicy NFL soundbite/quote available to the public since Steelers running back and Harrison teammate Rashard Mendenhall made controversial remarks about the 9/11 attacks following the death of Osama bin Laden.

Today, we are going to take a look at some more memorable quotes that have thrusted sports figures into the spotlight, even if they wanted to pull the plug on the spotlight, right away.


James Harrison, on Roger Goodell (2011)

Quote: "If that man was on fire and I had to piss to put him out, I wouldn't do it. I hate him and will never respect him."

Result: Time will tell, but Roger Goodell's best move, possibly his only move, is to do nothing. Any action Goodell takes against Harrison for remarks made during a lockout on his own time about Goodell will not go over well among players or in the court of public opinion.

James Harrison will not play fireman with Roger Goodell. 1

Rashard Mendenhall, on Osama bin Laden and 9/11 (2011)

Quote: "What kind of person celebrates death? It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side.... We'll never know what really happened. I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style."

Result: Free speech is not always free. Sporting apparel maker Champion cut ties with Mendenhall shortly after the controversial remarks. This cost Mendenhall an endorsement and a source of supplemental cash.


Former Atlanta Braves relief pitcher John Rocker on the possibility of playing in New York (2000)

Quote: "I'd retire first. It's the most hectic, nerve-racking city. Imagine having to take the 7 train to the ballpark looking like you're riding through Beirut next to some kid with purple hair, next to some queer with AIDS, right next to some dude who just got out of jail for the fourth time, right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It's depressing... The biggest thing I don't like about New York are the foreigners. You can walk an entire block in Times Square and not hear anybody speaking English. Asians and Koreans and Vietnamese and Indians and Russians and Spanish people and everything up there. How the hell did they get in this country?"

Result: Rocker became public enemy #1 in New York. In spite of issuing an apology soon after the incident, his appearance in the Mets' Shea Stadium necessitated more than ten times the normal level of police protection and special protective devices for the Braves' dugout and bullpen.

Free speech was not free for Rocker, either. Rocker was suspended for the first 14 games of the 2000 season.

Rocker didn't exactly take great pains to bridge the divide between himself and the fans of New York. 2

Former CBS football commentator Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder (1988)

Quote: "The black is a better athlete to begin with because he's been bred to be that way — because of his high thighs and big thighs that goes up into his back, and they can jump higher and run faster because of their bigger thighs. This goes back all the way to the Civil War when during the slave trading, the owner — the slave owner would breed his big black to his big woman so that he could have a big black kid."

Result: Wow! You know, for something that this country was founded upon as being "free", speech ain't cheap! Snyder was fired very shortly after the controversial remarks. I, personally, have always had sympathy for Snyder since this incident. He was a fixture on CBS' "NFL Today" show. The man was a sports commentator, not a keynote speaker. Had he simply used phrasing like, "I think the breeding of slaves may have had an impact on the disproportionately high number of blacks succeeding in sports," as opposed to the sweeping statement he made, I doubt that he would have been fired, or even disciplined. By all accounts I have read, Snyder was a decent man, not a racist, and appears to have quickly and sincerely regretted what he said.

It isn't like this is the scene at the line of scrimmage. 4

Golfer Fuzzy Zoeller, following Tiger Woods first, ever, major win at The Masters (1997)

Quote: "He's doing quite well, pretty impressive. That little boy is driving well and he's putting well. He's doing everything it takes to win. So, you know what you guys do when he gets in here? You pat him on the back and say congratulations and enjoy it and tell him not to serve fried chicken next year. Got it? Or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve...."

Result: The cost of free speech is a little more than pocket change. K-Mart and Dunlop Tires dropped Zoeller for the racially tinged remarks. The marginally relevant golfer became a punchline as a person making racist comments, but soon faded into oblivion, where the PGA would agree he belongs.

I'll bet Fuzzy would have a stroke if the brothers started repping his Vodka like "Gin and Juice". What a stupid jackass.... 3

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Never Leave the Pad Without Packing a Tweet

1

I firmly believe that nearly everyone who produces anything creative in nature, draws (or has drawn) upon some source of real life inspiration, usually a person with success in a similar area of creativity. We witness such inspiration often in music and literature. Athletes, often, discuss former players whose styles inspired their drive to be a professional. Indeed, practicing any skill that brings enjoyment to the craftsman is often accompanied by a senior practitioner.

In bringing you the Hat Trick for most of the last year, I, too, had some sources of inspiration for the Pulitzer-worthy writing you get to consume five days per week. The two most significant inspirations for me were Josh Innes, a radio talk show host in Houston and a close, personal friend of mine, and Jim Rome, possibly the Godfather of sports talk radio.

Today’s edition is inspired by something Rome says frequently on his show. Whenever an athlete posts something to his Twitter page that causes controversy (and often a sense of regret in the athlete Tweeting) Rome says that, “Twitter is like a gun, a loaded gun without a safety.” Lately, athletes have been firing into the air, irresponsibly and with reckless abandon.


TWEET!

Today is about Twitter. In the Old West, outlaws and law abiding citizens, alike, toted shooting irons. The images we see in movies depict a time when men would leave their homes without a hat and a gun as soon as men today would leave without their wallets. Most only used their weapons in self defense. Some fired first and regretted the decision later. A few were simply trigger happy and did not care what the consequences were. I think that athletes today have fallen into an Old West mentality on Twitter and it is time to leave the guns at home.

Twitter and the Old West: "Go ahead! Make my day! (tweet)" 2

On Tuesday, the Hat Trick ran a piece about other athletes who have exercised their rights to free speech but would regret it. Many of you are aware of Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall’s Tweet regarding Osama bin Laden. If you read The Daily Hat Trick regularly, you’ve read several accounts of my take on Mendenhall’s remarks. You may be tired of hearing it.


Here are a few examples of athletes firing their Twitter guns only to have it backfire at them:


Rashard Mendenhall:

What was said: “What kind of person celebrates death? It’s amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We’ve only heard one side…” … “I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style.”

What I think was meant: Two things: 1) I think he was uncomfortable with the outpouring of joy in response to news of a death. Hey, I whooped and hollered like anyone else and even I felt a little cognitive dissonance from rejoicing in response to a news of a death. It just so happens that THIS death unequivocally equaled “justice”, which is from where my source (and I believe many sources) of euphoria came. 2) I think he was trying to stir conversation. If you look at his Twitter history, it is consistent with that theme.

Mendenhall? 8

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? Not only “no”, but “hell no”. Everyone has a right to say or think what they want. But when those thoughts are put in a public forum, they are subject to the free speech and thoughts of others in REACTION to those thoughts. Even if you disagree, you’d have to be an ostrich with his head in the ground to not see that the masses were elated because the man that the masses held responsible for killing 3,000 Americans, and forever altering our lives forever, met his end. You HAVE to expect backlash from those types of remarks at that time.

You believe your eyes, don't you Mr. Mendenhall? 3

Reggie Bush:

What was said: "Everybody complaining about the lockout! Shoot I'm making the most of it! Vacation, rest, relaxing, appearances here and there! I'm good!" he wrote. "Right about now we would be slaving in 100 degree heat, practicing twice a day, while putting our bodies at risk for nothing."…"FYI last tweet was a joke! Relax people damn it's called sense of humor! Cry me a river why don't you..."

What I think was meant: I think he was trying to make a tongue-in-cheek, humorous remark in light of the lockout. Frankly, I got the “joke” on the first go round and I think this is evidence that people take Tweets WAY too seriously.

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? NO! Just because I don’t have a problem with what Bush said doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t anticipate a problem from making remarks, essentially, about getting over on my employer. He’ll either be released, traded, or paid, like every other NFL player under contract, without having to do the work that most players do right now. Some people are incapable of seeing the humor in that and since Bush is more of a “mainstream” celebrity athlete (as opposed to a “lightning rod” type like Terrell Owens), not all press is good press.

Okay, this picture is a little dated, but if you were Reggie, would you rather be "relaxing" like in the photo, or ramming yourself and being brought to the ground by big, stong, men when it won't help your career, long term? 4

Hockey Agent Todd Reynolds:

What was said: "Very sad to read Sean Avery's misguided support of same-gender 'marriage.' Legal or not, it will always be wrong,"… "To clarify. This is not hatred or bigotry towards gays. It is not intolerance in any way shape or form. I believe we are all equal."

What I think was meant: “WTF is wrong with Sean Avery? F___ them F(pejorative)S! God created Adam and EVE, not Adam and STEVE!”

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

First of all, for those of you not familiar with the National Hockey League, Sean Avery is the most infamous goon of his time. This is the same man who referred to ex-girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert as “sloppy seconds”. That Avery is taking a controversial, not necessarily popular, moral high ground on behalf of a demographic – gay people – that he is not a part of, is absolutely shocking to me.

That said, even if I held every homophobic view under the sun, I should have the sense to know that the world will perceive remarks, like those of Mr. Reynolds, to be bigoted and no normal person expecting to do business with and sell (in part) his reputation to others wants to be associated with bigotry in any way. Reynolds was very foolish in posting those comments.

Reynolds? 5

Tennessee Titans Running Back Chris Johnson:

What was said: "Y did the police just walk into my condo saying they think it's drug activity because it's alot of traffic but it was the MTV camera crew."… "Hard being young, black, and rich."

What I think was meant: The Orlando Police Department dispatched officers to and searched Chris Johnson’s home because a neighbor saw a number of high-end vehicles entering the area and reported possible drug activity. I think Chris Johnson was PISSED that he was minding his own business in his home, doing nothing wrong, and some nosy, pot-stirring neighbor called the police, assuming the worst, with absolutely no reasonable cause to think so. I think he was angry and, let’s face facts, Chris Johnson is young, black, has gold teeth, dreds, and does have an unusual amount of money for a guy fitting his profile. I’m going to scrap political correctness and just say it: if Johnson is a clean-cut, middle-aged white guy, nobody calls anybody.

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? No. The cops came, quickly realized there was nothing inappropriate happening, apologized, and left. No harm…no foul. I would have been PISSED, too and may have echoed Johnson’s sentiments to the other people in the room, friends, and family, but race is the ultimate lightning rod in America. Unless I was treated like a King (Rodney King, Martin Luther King, etc.) I don’t think I would have made a public statement involving race. I would not have done as Johnson did, but I UNDERSTAND.

I would probably agree with the decision to Tweet if THIS happened to Chris Johnson. 6

LeBron James:

What was said: “Crazy. Karma is a b****. Gets you every time. It’s not good to wish bad on anybody. God sees everything!” – LeBron James’ Twitter after the L.A. Lakers’ 112-57 demolition of James’ former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

What I think was meant: “In your face Cleveland!”

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? No. Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert sank to a low level, last summer, in his inflammatory and angry response to LeBron James' decision to take his talents to South Beach. I understand why James would want to return fire. Still, the Cavs became a competitively worthless franchise after James’ departure. LeBron’s Tweet could be perceived as laughing at or kicking others while they are down. Again, I may have made similar remarks in private, with glee. But that type of remark, for a public-brand sensitive individual like James, was not the best for his image.


Maurice Jones-Drew:

What was said: “All I’m saying is that he can finish the game on a hurt knee ... I played the whole season on one.” - In reaction to Jay Cutler leaving the 2010 NFC Championship game in the 3rd quarter and standing on the sideline during the second half.

What I think was meant: "Jay Cutler was a punk."

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? No. Questioning another NFL player’s toughness, as I understand, is tantamount to a verbal declaration of war from another player. I pick my battles and that one seems unnecessary. It also comes across as ignorant, in my view, to question how hurt another player is without knowing all of the facts. It turned out that Cutler had a ligament tear in his knee.


Carmelo Anthony:

What was said: “I got 5k for whoever see @ihatekatstacks and slap the shit out her pigeon face ass. Real talk. U fucked with the right one now."

What I think was meant: This needs to be put in context. Kat Stacks is a small time Internet sensation who is famous for sleeping with (mostly) underground or emerging rappers then blabbing about it on the web. Allegedly, she claimed to have slept with (the married) Anthony. Understandably, Anthony was furious and that fury is reflected in his words.

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? Offer a bounty for battering a woman (no matter how despicable)? Um…NO.

Kat Stacks (left) and Carmelo Anthony's wfie, Lala Vasquez (right). If Melo did tap that behind his wife's back, HE MESSED UP! 7

Chicago White Sox General Manager Ken Williams:

What was said: "No comment ... and make sure you write that it is a no comment with a head shake from side to side," Williams said.

What I think was meant: This isn’t even a Tweet. This was Williams response to the news that outspoken, colorful, and sometimes controversial White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen activated a Twitter account. What I think was meant was, “Oh no! Ozzie has a Twitter page. God help us all!”

Would you ever find the same remarks in The Daily Hat Trick if I were in their positions? I think Williams made the only comment he could have made. Fortunately, to date, there have been some media-friendly Tweets, but no melt downs from Ozzie on Twitter…YET. He embarrasses his superiors in front of the camera: the old fashioned way!


What We've Learned Today

Note that in every instance of whether I would post the same remarks to Twitter as the athletes in question, the answer is always, “No.” We live in a much smaller world, thanks in large part to the Internet. When people are looking at us to see what we have to say, as is the case with anyone famous, anything that we do say WILL be interpreted. Unless it is your goal, make sure there is no room for MISunderstanding and make sure the message you send is the one you want received.


Don’t forget to vote in the fan polls!


To advertise with The Daily Hat Trick, or to submit a guest column, please contact the editor at eric@thedailyhattrick.info.

 

1) Image from nexus404.com

2) Image from theresasheridan.com

3) Image from 911closeup.com

4) Image from celeb.wohoo.co.uk

5) Image from freewebs.com

6) Image from employees.oneonta.edu

7) Image of Stacks from honeymag.com; image of Vasquez from Sports Illustrated via theprobasketballtalk.com

8) Image from ostrichheadinsand.com

Free Speech Faux Pas

The first amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America guarantees everyone on our soil the right to free speech. It is possibly the most fundamental right that anyone in this country has. It is probably the most cherished, too, capturing the very definition, for many of us, of what it means to be an American and responsible for shaping our very own personalities, morals, values, and beliefs.

The ultimate government permit...maybe it shouldn't be issued to everyone. 2

Just because it is sacred, cherished, and precious, does not mean it is always good, when exercised, 100% of the time. Everyone enjoys this right. This means that when one person says something controversial or offensive to masses of people, a negative response, those masses have the same freedom to verbally return fire. That return fire should be expected to also be a negative response. While I am happy to live in a country in which I am free to express any opinion I have, even if it is a negative one, I personally get no enjoyment from being in a negative climate. It is not pleasant nor is it fun, to me.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall ignited a small storm of controversy when he made remarks via Twitter questioning the chain of events that led to the collapse of the World Trade Center towers and the culpability of Osama bin Laden in that collapse on September 11, 2001. He has since chosen to delete one of the Tweets, issue a statement of clarification on his comments, and lost an endorsement deal. Free speech did not work very well in Mendenhall’s favor in this instance.

Today, the Hat Trick is going to look back at some other instances in sports history in which a little less freedom with one’s speech could have saved the speaker a considerable amount of trouble and negative press. Free speech: great for America…a potential liability for public reputations.


KOBE BRYANT: THE OTHER “F” WORD

April 12, 2011 – Kobe Bryant has a verbal altercation with referee Bennie Adams after being assessed a technical foul. Bryant sat on the bench and his lips could clearly be read, saying “fucking faggot,” to Adams.

If not being allergic to money makes me “the other F word” then just call me a “queen” honey (snapping finger in a circular motion)! Bryant was quickly fined $100,000 by the league the following day. I know what some of you are thinking: “He makes over $20 million per year! So what?”

I have been acquainted with a few millionaires, as I am sure many of you have. Rich people don’t stay rich by throwing their money away. Sure, they will not hesitate to pay the extra 25¢ for cheese on a Whopper. They will hesitate to toss $100,000 into a black hole like a penny into a wishing well. Notice that Kobe didn’t do it again?


LEBRON JAMES TAKES HIS TALENTS TO SOUTH BEACH

July 8, 2010 – There was no bigger offseason sports story in 2010 than where LeBron James planned to play in the upcoming basketball season. James, previously with the Cleveland Cavaliers, coordinated with ESPN to air a prime time special announcing which team he had chosen to sign with. Advertising proceeds would go to the Boys & Girls Club, a non-profit organization serving children.

My first thought: “If he is announcing this on national television, he must be staying in Cleveland. No way would he go on ESPN and drop THAT kind of a bomb on everyone.” Then LeBron announced he was taking his “talents to South Beach”.

I think they took it well. 1

TIGER WOODS RECEIVES A TEXT MESSAGE ON THANKSGIVING

You would think that with all of the means of electronic communication available, and the relative anonymity made possible by the Internet, a billionaire golfer would not get busted for cheating by his wife because she found a text message on his personal cell phone from his mistress. That, in and of itself, is not very interesting nowadays, as the media gets wind of, seemingly, every aspect of a famous man’s personal life. Even amid speculation that Woods’ “traffic accident” was caused by a domestic disturbance, this story appeared to be one that would fade from public consciousness by the end of the year.

You know how there are some questionable websites that, if visited, will produce a pop up box? Then if you try to close that pop up, another pop up appears? Yeah…my readers are pretty smart; I don’t think I need to connect the dots for you on this one.

Don't text and drive. 3

OZZIE GUILLEN CLARIFIES WHO IS BEST IN THE WINDY CITY

May 4, 2008 – Colorful Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen does not pull many punches. After a loss, Guillen shared his true feeling about the cross town Chicago Cubs.

"We won it a couple of years ago, and we're horse shit. The Cubs haven't won in (100) years and they're the fucking best. Fuck it, we're good. Fuck everybody."

I think Ozzie cleared it up nicely.

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Conspiracy Theories Are BAD! M’kay?

Kids, today we're going to talk about conspiracy theories. Conspiracy theories are bad! M'kay? 1

From JFK to the U.S. landing on the moon to Bush v Gore and all points between, before, and after, conspiracy theorists have presented possible alternate explanations some of the most significant news stories in history. The tragedy of the 9/11 terrorist attacks is no exception. Theories that explosives were used in concert with or in lieu of hijacked airliners to destroy the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon and theories that the Unites States government was somehow complicit in the attacks began circulating around the Internet shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

On Sunday, May 1, 2011, Osama bin Laden, the terrorist mastermind that planned and executed the 9/11 attacks, was brought to justice and killed in a raid by United States forces in Pakistan. The media displayed dozens of images throughout the country, including at the White House and at the New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies baseball game, of joyous citizens reacting to the news of bin Laden’s death.

I personally see celebrations of justice and freedom. 3

On Monday, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall posted on his Twitter page, “What kind of person celebrates death? It's amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side...” Mendenhall continued, about an hour later, “There is not an ignorant bone in my body. I just encourage you to #think.” Now deleted, Mendenhall also tweeted, “We’ll never know what really happened. I just have a hard time believing a plane could take a skyscraper down demolition style.”

That sure looks like an airplane causing the destruction to me. 2

Naturally, these remarks sparked controversy in the sports world. How could anyone make remarks that have so much as a hint of sympathy for a man that many consider the most evil of the third millennium? Of course we have heard bin Laden speak. He wanted to kill as many innocent Americans, and any other people with whom he did not agree, as possible. We have heard his side and it is reprehensible!

Then I reread one of the comments, the one about not believing an airplane could take down a building. And I thought, “Oh no! Not you, too! Not after all of these years…!”

Whenever a person makes remarks that ignite controversy, I always try to ask myself, “What was that person thinking? What was the intent behind the words?” I think that Mendenhall is no more than either a conspiracy theorist or a person, minimally, open to the possibility of conspiracies. I do not think Mendenhall is a terrorist sympathizer. I do not think he is anti-American. I do, however, think his remarks are monumentally insensitive and insulting to all Americans, especially the friends and families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks.

Reading Mendenhall’s Twitter page, it is clear that he is a person who makes comments for the purpose of garnering attention. Many of his other posts contain pithy one-liners about relationships or are reposts of other Twitter members’ philosophical quotes. People have a right to explore alternative theories to conventional wisdom.

I can't help but wonder if Mendenhall has a conspiracy theory about his costly fumble in the Super Bowl. 4

However, what is often overlooked is that any event that is of enough significance for there to be a conspiracy theory has likely had enough impact on the lives of people for the event to be important enough to develop an alternate theory. When that event is a tragedy that results is a massive loss of life, the feelings of the survivors and loves ones of the victims are paramount to the right of another person to publicly peruse alternate possibilities of that event.

When the person doing the exploring in a public manner is, himself, a public figure, such as a professional athlete, that person should understand, beforehand, that, good, bad, right, or wrong, his words are going to receive more scrutiny that those of any member of the general public. The notion that anything happened on 9/11 other than that 19 al-Qaeda (run by Osama bin Laden) backed terrorists hijacked four American airliners and were responsible for crashing them into the two towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, triggering events that resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people on American soil is preposterous. The mechanism that actually caused the towers to fall or the total damage to the Pentagon, if one even fathoms that the airplanes were not the sole explosives involved in the destruction, is irrelevant.

Call me crazy, but it looks like the airplane that hit the Pentagon caused an awful lot of this damage. Then again, perhaps the building simply wasn't up to code. 5

If Mendenhall wanted to promote and explore alternate theories of 9/11, including who was responsible and which additional parties may have been involved, Monday was not the appropriate time and Twitter was not the appropriate venue. I personally believe that Mendenhall should heed the words of a profound retweet from his own Twitter page, “It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument. Solution, DON'T ARGUE. #islam #wisdom #think”

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1) Image from motifake.com; Mr. Mackey is a trademark of Sout Park Studios and Comedy Central
2) Image from xrlq.com
3) Image from islamizationwatch.blogspot.com
4) Image from espn.com
5) Image from september11news.com