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You are what you tweet? Not for some NFL players

Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and others are dealing with a new phenomenon: Impostors who make fake postings in their names on social networking sites.

Peyton Manning is a phony.

His Twitter account is fake, that is, attracting nearly 10,000 followers evidently unaware an impostor has been posting false observations and updates from the Indianapolis Colts quarterback.

While it's true that Steelers quarter Ben Roethlisberger took in Game 5 of the Magic-Cavaliers series in Cleveland, it's not true that he has a Twitter account.

Jay Cutler's account is bogus too, although the comments attributed to the newly minted Chicago Bears star are over-the-top irreverent. (One reads: "Feels emotionally inferior whenever Ron Turner screams during practice. I wish he would use 'I' statements to express his true feelings.")

As dozens of well-known athletes continue to gravitate to the Internet's fastest growing phenomenon in social networking, dozens more are learning they're being impersonated online by dopey doppelgängers.

Recently, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had to refute rumors he was suffering from skin cancer, because someone posted that on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter accounts supposedly belonging to him.

"I had a bunch of people ask me about it. Obviously, it's not true," Roethlisberger told reporters after a recent spring practice. "We had to go on our website and let them know I don't have an account. There's nothing going on."

It isn't always easy to separate a pro from a faux. Reporters in Dallas were fooled this month when someone posing as defensive end DeMarcus Ware tweeted that he and the Cowboys were "close" on a contract extension. After reading that, Ware sent a beat writer a text message to tell him he'd been duped.

Those types of things probably will continue until Twitter and similar sites come up with a reliable way to ensure people are who they say they are.

Mike Florio, editor of the popular ProFootballTalk.com, said he's very careful to check whether a Twitter account is legitimate before he scans it for newsworthy tidbits -- even though those nuggets are few and far between.

"If it's newsworthy it's unintentional for the most part," Florio said. "I don't think any of these players aspire to post something on their Twitter page that's going to create a fuss."

Then, there are those tweets that just seem too goofy to be real.

Terrell Owens -- now playing the familiar but fleeting role of model citizen in Buffalo -- responded on Twitter recently to a follower who wrote: "I was not happy the Cowboys cut you."

That prompted Owens to thumb out: "neither ws i, blame the OC & romo!! but i'm happy 2 b where i am but i miss the other guys tht were & r true teammates!!"

Although Twitter allows only 140 characters, Owens is undeniably No. 141.

Sam Farmer
4:54 PM PDT, May 30, 2009
You are what you tweet? Not for some NFL players - Los Angeles Times