@ArianFoster
As a Football Fan and an Avid Fantasy Football player the news that Arian Foster tweeted the actually MRI film taken of his injured hamstring is a big one.  For one, it confirms yet again what we already knew the way in which information is consumed and disseminated has been flipped on its head as a result of social media.

Social Media, specifically Tweeting has I feel posed a threat to professional sports leagues.  Where in the past, the leagues and their teams held the power and were effective in controlling the release of information about player news, transactions and in this case injuries.  But in this new age we live in, we as fans never have to be the last to know (unless we chose to be.)  The athletes can now bypass the press conference and go straight to their mobile devices to release information and once its out there, there’s no taking it back.

ArianFoster Arian Foster

@ArianFoster: This is an MRI of my hamstring, The white stuff surrounding the muscle is known in the medical world as anti-awesom

@ArianFoster: If I had a “significant injury” why post it? I’ll be fine, it was jus meant to make fun of the whole situation. Humor is lost nowadays.

Now most of the time what’s tweeted is either silly or stupid.  In fact, many people are calling Foster’s actions such but I’m not so quick to judge.  Many of us will never be privy to the inner sanctums of the NFL or any other league.  We DON’T know what his team and their doctors were telling him about the injury.  The sports media has been killing him saying he’s essentially showing the opposition exactly how to beat him.

However, if you read more into it, because of the twipic, medical experts have had the opportunity to analyze the film and way in on thier professional opinion.  The consensus is that given a hamstring in such condition that Foster should be out up to a month.  However, everything we were hearing prior to the tweet indicated he might play in week one.

Lets get something straight.  Foster is not slouch.  He was my teams #1 haus last year, leading me to my Fantasy league ‘ship.  So for him to be out not only damages the Houston Texans chances to do well this year but also makes his injury front and center.  What if the Texans were planning to put him out there despite his injury.  We’re coming off the heels of a new collective bargaining agreement in which the players clearly lost ground.  Whose to say the Texans were trying to push Foster out there before he was ready?  Would not this Tweet foil that plan and prevent the team from seeking retribution against him?  I know its diabolical but I’m not just going to write Foster off as just another “Dumb Athlete”.

At the end of the day this only scratches the surface of a much larger issue.  One of the things we treasure most in this country is medical records.  The thought that one’s entire Medical Confidentiality could be compromised at with the send of a tweet is kind of scary.  Now in this case the leak was self inflicted it does draw your attention to much larger issue.  Imagine lets say a disgruntled employee releasing important medical records via twitpic without being identified?  It could happen….