Those who believe they are entitled to confer the honor of being labeled “classy” will be in full finger-wag mode today.
Darrelle Revis typed mean words back at people who were trying to agitate him on the Internet.
It happened on his Instagram account. Deadspin has the screen grabs in which Revis drops C-bombs and F-bombs at a Patriots fan aggrieved by Revis leaving to play with the Jets. An hour later, Revis tweeted he was hacked.
When the aggrieved fan said Revis had Bill Belichick and Tom Brady to thank for their ring, Revis did what people do when in an argument: tried to win it. “They ain’t win another one until I came so who got who a ring? I didn’t have to go there, I did Bill and Tom a favor, not the other way around.”
This, of course, caused heads to turn and forks to drop in the social media high school cafeteria.
And, instead of taking it for what it is – an ill-fated online argument (aren’t they all) that Revis obviously should have recused himself from – it is framed as smoking gun evidence that the mercenary, money-grubbing Revis has no respect and gratitude for all the Patriots did for him. Worse, he failed to show the proper deference to “Bill and Tom.”
So those who embrace every micro-aggression and live to pass judgment just had the Brinks Truck back up to their door. Where to start? Revis was profane. He was ungrateful. He was mean. He thinks the Super Bowl win was all about him. He doesn’t like Patriots fans. He engaged with “trolls” on social media. And he credits himself for delivering a Super Bowl win to Brady and Belichick.
New England Patriots
That last part is going to be viewed like John the Baptist saying the universe wouldn’t be here if he left the job to God and Jesus.
So where am I on the Offend-O-Meter?
First off, Revis is right when he points out to the donkey on Instagram that the Patriots hadn’t won another until he showed up. Revis should h/t Pete Carroll for that, but still…he’s right. Amused. Not offended.
Secondly, this wasn’t about Brady, Belichick and the Patriots. This was about typing something in the moment that would royally piss off the guy he was trading with. Not offended.
Third, I’m quite sure the comment to Revis is about the 1,436,778th since he left New England which is personally insulting. Not offended.
Revis’ response will only invite more messages, of course. And there’s a chance he’ll have to say to Brady or Belichick, “You know that thing on the internet was just me pissed at a fan, right?” So he probably just created more work for himself.
But even though Revis could have done a lot of other things rather than firing back, I bet that – deep down – he’s not that sorry that he did. Sometimes it feels good.