Professional athletes can't take social media too lightly

Toronto Maple Leafs player Joffrey Lupul, 28, was the main buzz all over Twitter Wednesday morning.
Twitter has really changed the world of professional sports, giving fans direct access to their favorite players. It has also given those players access to their adoring fans.

The 28-year-old Lupul was reportedly a couple key strokes away from being another celebrity/athlete caught in a sticky nude photo situation.

Fans began circulating a screengrab of a conversation he had with a female hockey fan living in Pittsburgh under the Twitter handle @Princesss_Sass.

The fan’s name, according to Twitter, is Taylor Marie.

It should be noted that Taylor Marie (probably not her real name) has previously bragged on Twitter about partying with NHL stars. Based on the pictures she’s posted on Twitter, she attended the NHL Draft last week. She has also been very open about her sexual exploits and preferences and more than willing to post photos of herself in revealing attire.

The pair allegedly sent messages back and forth after the young woman displayed a racy photo stating:
“Hey @JLupul you can't tell me this doesn't peak your interest… #imhot”

Lupul apparently responded, asking for more pictures. She then posted a screenshot of that exchange.

Taylor Marie has already been as Taylor Milligan, an aspiring hockey writer and model. She is a student at Allegheny County Community College who writes a blog entitled "A Womans [sic] Take On All Things Hockey," and posts it on her Twitter account (@princesss_sass).

After being confronted about why she made her conversation with Lupul public, she said she wasn't intending on ruining his career or anything like that. She also said she owes Lupul and the Toronto Maple Leafs organization an apology.

In the end, the simple reality is that this will likely affect Joffrey Lupul very little, and certainly not ruin him. Lupul is not married, and in fact, is not publicly known to be in a romantic relationship of any kind.
He's coming off the best season of his hockey career, played in the 2012 NHL All-Star Game, and was a finalist for the Masterton Trophy after coming back from a pair of back surgeries and a blood infection.

His charity golf tournament in Edmonton – the 6th Annual Joffrey Lupul Charity Golf Classic – is sold out, and will raise thousands of dollars for North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper and Change for Children. If Lupul was, in fact, did partake in this Twitter cyber conversation with Milligan, the damage it will do to his career and reputation is minimal to the point of being insignificant.

It is, however, an instructive lesson on the power of social media, and just how quickly a story can take off these days.

Be sure to check out other great articles at Sports Media 101.