Wizards 101: Where can I find the Wizards on Twitter?

July 29, 8:19 AMWashington Wizards ExaminerGeorge Panagakos

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Wizards in-game host Autria Godfrey (right) stands by with
mascot G-Wiz.  Of the two of them, guess who is on Twitter?
(George V. Panagakos)

What do Oprah Winfrey, Martha Stewart, and JaVale McGee have in common?  They all blog on the massively-popular networking website called "Twitter."  Here's a look at how you can follow McGee and several other Washington Wizards players as well as a brief rundown on what Twitter is all about.

Twitter was founded in 2006 as a "micro-blogging" platform in which users type up to 140 words per a "status update."  These updates are kept in vertical stacks of 20 quite similar to any blog you might have encountered on the 'Net, and each update, or "Tweet," has its own direct address as well.

Made popular by such personalities as daytime talk show hosts Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres, 2009 has been the year of Twitter.  The NBA decided to join the "Tweeple" (people who use Twitter) on February 3rd, 2009, and the NBA D-League and WNBA would soon follow (pun intended; actually, the D-League and the WNBA first Tweeted in the fall of 2008, but the popularity of the NBA has far exceeded both by number of followers).  The NBA's first Tweet?  A "Where Amazing Happens" campaign teaser.

The NBA became the first professional sports league in the world to hit one million followers, and achieved this feat in mid-July.  Not bad for four months.  Shaquille O'Neal had a lot to do with the hits, including a Tweet he made to Oprah "dissing" her caps lock.

The Washington Wizards joined Twitter on June 3rd, 2008, with a rather honest Tweet.  Between #FFs (Follow Friday; promoting the "Tweeps") and #RTs (A "retweet"; reposting a message already posted on Twitter by another user), there sure is a lot to absorb at first.  I still get lost sometimes myself.  Here's a look at everyone-Wizards on Twitter, from the league, to the team, to the mascots, to the players, to the ex-players:

Current Players
Randy Foye (@randyfoye) | Randy Foye Foundation
Latest Tweet: "My foundation gala 'Night for Newark' is this Saturday in NJ it's gonna be a great time thanks to everyone who's supporting!" (July 15th)
JaVale McGee (@bigdaddywookie) | JaVale McGee's Official Website | MySpace
Latest Tweet: "Way to a mans heart- thru his stomach....another way...pay for his food....trust me it works" (Yesterday, early in the morning)
Mike Miller (@m33m) | Mike Miller's Website (offline?)
Latest Tweet: "Got shots up at sanford... Going to Gateway Bar at 4:00 for dinner and then the Canaries game" (June 10th)
Mike James (@mikejames7) | Official Website of Mike James
Latest Tweet: "Thank u for all the support everyone gave me this weekend. GODS presence was in amityville. I felt it" (July 26th)
JaVaris Crittenton (@JayCrittDT)
Latest Tweet: While his account still seems to be around, Twitter says it does not exist.  Not sure what happened.
DeShawn Stevenson (@DsteveBitch)
Latest Tweet: Like J Critt, D Steve's Twitter seems to be extinct.  When active, it was private.
Fabricio Oberto (@obricio7) | Fabricio Oberto's Website
Latest Tweet: "gracias a todos, recien llego del gimnasio" (July 24th; "thanks to all, I just came back from the gym")

Former and Retired Players
Roger Mason, Jr. (@MoneyMase)
Latest Tweet: "Some of the responses I got about Tony were hilarious. He texted me last night and said he's ok, just sore" (Yesterday afternoon, regarding Tony Parker I believe)
Chris Webber (@NBATVChris)
Latest Tweet: "Sheed+K.G. =problem for the rest of the leauge" (July 15th)
Tyronn Lue (@TyronnLue)
Latest Tweet: N/A; I'd almost file him as "Questionable," but is anyone really going to pretend to be Tyronn Lue?

Team and Venue
Washington Wizards (@WashWizards)
Latest Tweet: "The Wizard Girls just got back from China. Check out the photos http://bit.ly/NPueA" (Yesterday afternoon; for video of the Wiz Girls in China, check this out)
G-Wiz (@the_real_Gwiz)
Latest Tweet: "about to go to the italian festival on 3rd and F. You know I like to eat." (June 28th; yep, even the Wizards mascot has a Twitter)
Washington Mystics (@WashMystics)
Latest Tweet: "@Twackle Indy homecoming for Coach Plank http://tinyurl.com/n85vtl" (Yesterday afternoon)
The Verizon Center (@verizoncenterpr)
Latest Tweet: "http://twitpic.com/by4yi - Baby T-Rex dinosaur is going to surprise mall goers at Potomac Mills this Thurs 7/30. Come check him out! #dinosaurs, #walkingwithdinosaurs" (Yesterday afternoon)
NBAStore.com (@NBASTORE)
Latest Tweet: "NBA.com: #Cavs quiet on #LeBron contract extension (http://bit.ly/4P0jt)" (Yesterday morning)
NBA TV (@NBATV)
Latest Tweet: "Get ready for All-Star with over 24 hours of WNBA shows and games on @NBATV. Check out the schedule here: http://bit.ly/R37ki #wnbaas" (July 21st)
NBA players (@NBAplayers)
Latest Tweet: "think @rickyrubio9 won't play in the @NBA next season, so sorry for all the Wolves fans, looks like he will play in Barça or Madrid" (Yesterday morning; hosted by Social Media Sports, more on them later)

The Questionables
Flip Saunders (@flipsaunders)
Latest Tweet: "@tomelko Tubby has a title. I've got nightmares of McHale never bringing in enough support for KG." (December 8th, 2008; I'd find it strange if this is the real Saunders because of the language the user permits)
Gilbert Arenas (@gilbertarenas0)
Latest Tweet: "so you think you can beat me in a 1 on 1 lol i dont think so unless your michael jordan no lol ..." (July 8th; of all the Gilbert Arenas matches on Twitter, seems like the most legit)
Antawn Jamison (@Wizardforlife)
Latest Tweet: "Letting the front office decide how to make our team better." (July 7th; AJ probably wouldn't name his account "Wizardforlife," but who knows)
Michael Jordan (@michaeljordan)
Latest Tweet: "RT @soobama tell gatorade not to use high fructose corn syrup in their products.:( I agree, I wish they'd ditch it too. Oh well. )" (July 25th; MJ probably wouldn't trash Gatorade)

Local Media/Fans of the Wizards
Craig Stouffer (@craigstouffer) | Washington Examiner
Latest Tweet: "Sunil Gulati's best highlight from #ussoccer conf call: he's happy that the trip to Azteca isn't second half of aggregate goals series." (Last night)
Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It) | Truth About It
Latest Tweet: "New blog post: The Miseducation of Brendan Haywood http://bit.ly/2GJpd9" (Early this morning)
The BF gang (@BulletsForever) | Bullets Forever
Latest Tweet: "Discussion, because I'm conflicted: Is Mike Miller a long-term keeper? http://sbnation.com/e/730402" (Yesterday afternoon)
Wizards Extreme (@WizardsExtreme) | Wizards Extreme
Latest Tweet: "Video JaVale on Blake: welcome to the nba E_A1V8WgCEI http://bit.ly/4fgv9b" (Early this morning)
Chase Hughes (@chasehughes) | Washington Wizards News
Latest Tweet: "The New Look Wizards and What it Means for Their Chances in 09-10 www.washingtonwizardsnews.c..." (July 25th)
Rashad Mobley (@rashad20) | Hoops Addict
Latest Tweet: "RT @OntheDLpodcast @richeisen Can you ask Roger Goodell to conditionally suspend Brett Favre. Seriously, its for his own good at this point." (Last night)
Lindsay Czarniak (@lindsayczarniak) | Washingtonian Q & A
Latest Tweet: "Just bought a fishing pole... Am gonna catch dinner in the chesapeake" (July 17th; Catch Lindsay every week on your local NBC channel, and if you missed her Caron Butler interview, check it out!)

Twitter Tracking Tools
Social Media Sports: Easily track all of the NBA players who blog using Twitter.
Sports in 140: The most complete multi-sport Twitter site on the 'Net.
CelebrityTweet!: Easily find celebrities, from Oprah, to Martha, to Ellen, to Miley to ... Bjork?

Please let me know if you would like to be added or removed from any list, or if I have missed a player, media/fan site, or twitter tool site you think I should add!
 

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