Times-Picayune ethical dilemma: Paying NFL players to tweet

http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2011/10/times-picayune_parent_contract.html

Don't like this on so many levels. Some thoughts from the story:

1. If the business end of the Times-Pic thinks the paper's web site is so fuckin' great, why do they need to pay players to tweet about it?

2. Wonder what Drew Brees will put on twitter if he throws four picks in a playoff game and gets ripped in the paper/web site?

3. Somehow believing this is okay because you're upfront about the players getting paid doesn't mitigate the ethical problems. Does this mean if a guy wears a sign that says, "I'm a bank robber," it's okay to rob the bank?

 

That's good.

 

Has anyone here seen any of the tweets from the players? I'm curious as to what the players are tweeting. Wouldn't surprise me if the boneheads from the paper's marketing department are writing the tweets themselves.

 

And it happens all too often.

 

A few of Drew Brees' tweets:

Who Dats! If you didn't join the NOLA Saints community this morning at http://taps/oYlykS join now! #spon

Join me and @jonvilma51 @lancemoore16 @T_Porter22 @Pierre_Thomas in the NOLA Saints community: http://taps.la/qloOxR

Hey, Who Dat nation! Get the latest #Saints news at http://nola.com/saints: http://taps.la/oYlykS #endorser

 

The 10-day promotion ended Oct. 27, yes? Or was it renewed?