Trending NowArsenal Players Respond Literally to Mean Fan Tweets
People in general can be quite relentless on Twitter. But the mass of users hiding behind the veil of their timeline becomes more evident during a sporting event. And as fanatical as some enthusiasts in the States can be, the passion for soccer teams overseas is on a completely different level.
Recognizing this, European sports betting site Paddy Power decided to key in fans that tweet about the Arsenal Football Club franchise. The website took three tweets directed at players Lukas Podolski, Per Mertesacker and Mikel Arteta and had the players read and then respond to them. Literally.
For example, Mitchel Cooper posted, "I reckon milk turns quicker than Per Mertesacker." After the player read the tweet out loud, a referee placed a container of milk in a fridge on the field and blew his whistle. Mertesacker ran from the sideline and back, turning around a cone.
The milk did not go bad, and Cooper's opinion was disproved — at least in the literal sense.
Sam Kaye also took a shot at an Arsenal player, tweeting, "Pedolski couldn't hit a barn door!" The Arsenal forward looked disappointed that Kaye spelled his name wrong, but regardless, set out to prove him wrong. A barn door was set up on the field, and Podolski actually missed it on his first try. It took another four shots before he hit the door flush.
Finally, Joe Wilson wrote, "My nan can take a better penalty than Arteta."
Out comes a lady who portrays "Nana Wilson." When Arteta goes to shake her hand, she refuses.
"Ooh, mind games from Nana Wilson. Look at that," observes the English commentator, who offers a continuous play-by-play throughout the piece.
Arteta converts his penalty kick and Nana Wilson is unable to. But the two leave the pitch arm in arm as the narrator says, "Wayne Rooney, eat your heart out."
The video is part of Paddy Power's "#BallofShame" campaign, which also highlighted some of soccer's not-so-great moments with the first #BallofShame Awards in April.
