Most of us were taught that lesson before kindergarten, but it escaped some people who hide behind screen names and spew mean-spirited comments on social media pages. Among those frequently targeted are public personalities including professional athletes and media.

While the majorities mind their manners, others who post to social media sites, as sports radio host Dan Patrick says, flex their “digital beer muscles.” You’ve seen (or been) that person. Someone has a couple of cocktails and the ensuing buzz induces liquid courage to say something you regret a day later. People who wish harm to others on social media can’t take it back. It’s online forever. Some, I’m sadly to say, don’t care.

Public trash talk isn’t new

Have we become a more cynical society? I don’t think so (although San Francisco 49ers’ Kyle Williams, who after miscues during a game that could propel his team to the Super Bowl, received Twitter death threats after his team lost to the Giants, might disagree). People have long lashed out, with horrifying and sometimes threatening words. They just did it differently. Personal attacks were unleashed via snail mail, phone calls and lest we forget what still fuels many rants: talk radio. Today, all it takes is the click of a computer key and vitriol is spread among thousands, even millions. It wasn’t right in the past, and it certainly isn’t acceptable to those of us who appreciate others’ thoughts and opinions, now.

Social media is still a great communications tool

If social media users behave so badly, you might think that I steer clients away from using the likes of Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube and the rest. Not a chance! I maintain that social media, when used productively and purposefully, is the best way to communicate with audiences, build and enhance brands, establish and reengage with like-minded professionals and read quick takes from others, than anything we’ve had in the past.

I’m pleased to report that most people online post deferential comments. Do they agree with everything we write and say? No, and we don’t expect them to. As with any forum, we only hope that social media fans and followers respect our work and remember that we are living, breathing people with families, friends and yes, feelings.

Freedom is yours, respect is encouraged

To the haters, I hope you will consider and take my advice: If you don’t like what someone posts, say so respectfully and offer an alternative idea, or simply unfollow (and don’t waste your time saying that you’re unfollowing…it’s cowardly). Don’t like what you hear on broadcasts? You’re free to change the station, medium or jump to another website. Don’t like a specific player or game? Get over it! It’s certainly not something over which to threaten or wish harm.

Keep at it!

To those who professionally use social media and wonder why you should stick with it when there are people who seek .5 seconds of fame, I offer the following:

• Be in the conversation. Act accordingly, and control your reputation so that others don’t do it for you. Did you screw up in public? Own it! Don’t let others presume.

• People appreciate you. There are thousands, sometimes millions of people that appreciate what you offer in information, entertainment and insight. The public tends to believe what they read and hear, so don’t leave your livelihood to speculation. Be in those conversations.

• It’s simple. Few tools help to build reputations better than the quick clicks of social media engagement.

• Social media posts allow you to weigh in on current events as they happen. Be sure you have someone to keep you in-the-know via text in case news breaks while you’re on assignment and away from your social networks.

• Traditional media is watching. Traditional media outlets watch industry social media pages and may broadcast your posts, or request interviews so that you may elaborate. If your question is whether traditional media pays attention to social media posts, all you have to do is turn on your favorite news or sportscast and see that they daily reference tweets and Facebook posts (and several times an hour when big stories break). It’s their way to connect with their own readers, viewers and listeners as well as find story ideas for their outlets. Traditional media outlets are expected to check multiple sources, but they can and do break news on social media much more quickly than in their own newspapers or broadcasts.

• Separate yourself from the masses. Your social media analysis and conviction further establish you as an individual voice among many in your industry.

• Respond quickly. If someone questions a comment that you made, you can quickly and concisely respond to fans and followers. Again, you control YOUR reputation not only with your actions, but by being in the discussion.

• Takes just a few minutes. Engaging on social media doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Post and answer questions a few minutes each day so that you’re in the conversation — or creating it — with your name attached.

• It can be a great experience! You might even have fun while you catch up on others’ posts and get fan feedback.

There’s no question that if you’re in the public eye, you must develop thick skin. There will always be naysayers. That said, there’s no reason why people who make their livings in front of millions must endure hate that some spew. To the latter, I say, be nice to others; you’ll make the world a much nicer place. To those in the public eye, realize that you can’t please everybody, but you’ll engage and entertain those who appreciate you when you take charge of your social space. Remember, as a public figure, you also have a responsibility to be civil and respectful no matter how much you want to lash out. That “cooler heads will prevail” thing…trust in that. You’ll be glad that you did.

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One such character in our own backyard made us particularly curious since it was created to measure stuff that Wisconsin hasn’t seen a whole lot of this season: snow. 

Following is the transcript from a sit-down we recently had with what some Milwaukeeans know as the SnowStick, others, FOX6′s “Brrrt.”

PUBLISIDE • Do you have a real name, or should people just call you “Stick,” “Snow” or “The RULER” (get it… a ruler?!?)

Brrrt • “I came to FOX6 without a name, but a viewer helped change that last year. Now they call me ‘Brrrt.’ Next to me on the deck is ‘Fahren Ernie’ who gives us the temperature. Even though our names are very similar to another duo, we have yet to hear about any lawsuits from PBS.

PUBLISIDE • How tall are you?

Brrrt • “I have trouble measuring myself without any arms, but I am marked off three inches at a time. The last mark has me at 20 inches. Add on a few more for my cap, and I’m a hair past two feet. Of course if I had hair I might be even taller.”

PUBLISIDE • How do you make an impact as a member of the FOX6 meteorology team?

Brrrt • “Vince, Rob, Justin and Brittney are great. They know a ton about weather but they do most of their work on computers inside. It’s my job to face the elements outside. I can take anything Mother Nature dishes out. But of course, I specialize in snow totals, giving live reports on the web at www.fox6now.com.

“Even on the coldest day I’m out here doing my job. One of the guys from the office might stick their head out the door to check on me and get a report.”

PUBLISIDE • Do you have a meteorology degree? If not, what qualifies you to take on such an important task at a Wisconsin-based media outlet?

Brrt • “You know it was a serendipitous journey into meteorology. I started out pre-law at Yale but had difficulty taking the exams, again, no arms or hands. I later heard that many who come from the same mold as me go on to a career in plumbing. Then one day I was rolling down the street and it starting snowing — I just knew this was my calling!

“I never obtained an official degree but then again, I’m not making forecasts. I have a special skill set that allows me to face Wisconsin’s harshest winter storms and report on the conditions, just by standing up straight.”

PUBLISIDE • Are you qualified to measure precipitation other than snow?

Brrrt • “We have a special rain gauge on the roof that takes care of the rain. One time in summer I tried putting a bowl around my base to catch the rain and that worked for a night. But then the rain just sat there and attracted mosquitoes. From then on I vowed to stick to snow. I can measure ice too, but if we ever have an ice storm so bad that it reaches my bottom marker, then we’ve got BIG PROBLEMS!”

PUBLISIDE • Some people are grateful for each day that snow doesn’t fall. This must trouble you. What do you do in the “off-season” or during extended periods when the white stuff doesn’t fall?

Brrrt, the snowstick at FOX6 in Milwaukee, hasn't had a lot of work to do, lately.

Brrrt • “I don’t spend summers in Wisconsin, I’m kind of a reverse ‘snow bird.’ I spent this past summer in northern Canada. I did some freelance work with the show ‘Ice Road Truckers,’ but my clips were left on the cutting room floor. As for this latest stretch of weather, what can I say…I can’t work because there’s no snow, but I’m still getting paid. As Charles Barkley says, it’s a great scam — as in, this is a super gig!)”

PUBLISIDE • Are you prepared for the inevitable when the Milwaukee area is hit with several inches of snow at one time? (Can you come up for air?)

Brrrt • “Oh I am ready and I can’t wait! So far I haven’t been completely buried. I came close during the Groundhog’s Day Blizzard last year, but Rob and Justin were at the station early to make sure I was OK and still broadcasting. That was my shining moment from last year. I knew that with no school and businesses cancelled, a lot of people would be watching.”

PUBLISIDE • It’s been brought to our attention that you live outdoors. How do you stay warm?

Brrrt • “Cold never really bothered me. My doctor says it’s because I have no internal organs. Which brings up the question, why do I go to the doctor in the first place?

PUBLISIDE • What do you hope to accomplish this winter (educate, inform, provide travel hints)?

Brrrt • “I hope to measure a lot of snow. I’m in the same boat as snowplow drivers, snowmobilers and skiiers. My goal is to provide live reports day and night when the snow is falling. It’s easy to look outside your own window and tell when it’s snowing, but can you tell if it’s 3 inches or 6 inches? Check me out online and I’ll tell you exactly how much (at least in Brown Deer, Wis.).”

PUBLISIDE • I don’t know if you realize it, but there seem to be some viewers who have already developed a crush on you. Are you married or available? Can people find SnowSticks like you at area retailers?

Brrrt • “I am pretty rare although all my parts can be found at a typical hardware store. Most of my life I’ve been single. I tried Match.com once but I may have thrown off a few females when I used a photo of Brad Pitt as my profile picture. (Hey, I’m not the first to do that!) Just recently I was introduced via Facebook to Suzy Snowstick and she is just my type. She’s not shallow at all, she’s over 2 feet tall!”

PUBLISIDE • How can viewers communicate with you (social media, website, etc.)?

Brrt • “I post on Facebook and Twitter a few times per day. Otherwise I’m always giving live reports at www.fox6now.com”

PUBLISIDE • Do you consider yourself old-school in our era of daily evolving technology?

Brrrt • “I’m definitely more old school than new school. I don’t know much about computer models or high tech weather gadgets. I tried storm chasing one time, but when it was my turn to drive I couldn’t see over the steering wheel. I stand by time-tested techniques of measuring snow while my buddy Fahren Ernie takes the temperature.”

PUBLISIDE • If we promise to keep it between you and our readers, who’s your favorite FOX6 meteorologist?

Brrrt • “Oh I’m not falling for that one! All four are great. I spend the most time with Rob in the morning and Vince in the evening. Justin keeps me company in the afternoon. The other day, he brought me some Hostess ‘Sno Balls’ to cheer me up. Brittney has been a big help in giving me advice with Suzy Snowstick. They say men are from Mars and women are from Venus, but in the snowstick world men are from Menards and women are from Home Depot.”

PUBLISIDE • Thank you for talking with us, Brrrt. Good luck this season. But, with all due respect, many of us have enjoyed the spring-like temperatures of late.

Brrrt • “You’re welcome. Ms. PUBLISIDE. It’s ok that you feel the way you do. At least I have that dish on the roof to admire while I wait for the snow ”

Editor’s Note: If you have any questions for Brrt, follow his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/snowstick. As the meteorologists at FOX6 Milwaukee say, he’ll keep you prepared, not scared…unless you’re afraid of snowmen.

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Former Penn State football Joe Paterno was fired, Wednesday.

world. This week, the wicked face that stared us from our computer and television screens came from the world of sports.

As a sports fan, I hoped what I read wasn’t true. As someone who respects the history and the legacy Joe Paterno established at Penn State University and its football program, I looked for the smallest nugget of proof he didn’t harbor a child molester. A child rapist. For the sake of children everywhere, I hoped the story was a horrible rumor.

This post isn’t to rehash what has ruled our media waves this week, however. You can do that with a glance at a timeline and simple googles of  ”Jerry Sandusky” (the perpetrator), “Joe Paterno” (the now former legendary Nittany Lions’ head coach) or “Penn State” (the university at which the scandal began and was likely the place where many of the alleged heinous acts took place). This is to outline the most embarrassing public relations effort I’ve ever seen and how much of it could have been prevented. Penn State’s PR effort ranks right up, er, down there, with BP Oil, inaction to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and in what seems so unimportant, now, Tiger Woods’ fall from grace.

Penn State’s initial public relations stumble occurred Saturday night after news emerged that Sandusky was arrested and arraigned on 40 criminal counts. It was further reported that two other Penn State personnel would turn themselves after a grand jury investigation found they perjured themselves. There was no statement from the university, even to ask the media and public for time to further investigate the cases on its own. With no statement, speculation ran rampant among the social mediums. Was Paterno involved? Did he know? No one talked, so the public started talking for it. Within hours, Penn State began to lose hold of its message and image as a school that always had everything under control.

On Sunday, Paterno released a statement that was reportedly written by his lawyer/political strategist son. It was vague and didn’t provide the media anything more than additional questions. Speculation continued and grew.

As the public emerged from its weekend, shook off the Mondays and saw that Penn State director of athletics, Tim Curley and Vice President for Finance and Business, Gary Schultz stepped down from their positions and turned themselves into police, the only “message” from the administration came from a statement that non-football questions would not be entertained at Paterno’s weekly press conference. Only a matter of hours later, the school took another PR tumble when its president’s office abruptly canceled said presser, with reportedly more than 150 media all ready on hand.

Sports and news media blanketed the story by Tuesday. For reasons that you understand if you read the grand jury report, the topic became an emotional one, not just for Penn State and general football fans, but members of the media. I heard at least three radio hosts within 24 hours express anger, disgust and frustration over a story that we knew little about, because no one within the Penn State administration was talking.

The bottom line is that from a public relations perspective, little can change the alleged findings that continue to be uncovered at this hour. The message, however, could have been stemmed with transparency and communication, both of which were nonexistent from a state university that had an impeccable image nationwide.

I hope that other universities, regardless of size, watch this case carefully and learn from it. There are elements of what I’ll call, PR 101, that if put in place and implemented, could have made the Penn State situation a less contentious one for a university that was about to become the subject of every media report throughout the world within a matter of hours.

PR 101 Crisis Communications Plan

• All universities should have a crisis communications plan. It will be an outline — a parameter for what course of action will be taken in the case of crisis. Can it be implemented as it appears on paper? Likely not. But use it as a guideline to designate spokespeople and gathering places for media. Be prepared to face the best and worst of anything.

I haven’t written in awhile. My focus has been on client projects, but that’s really no excuse. There have been lots of PR and publicity challenges to dissect, but rest assured there are other people out there telling others what to do(!).

In an effort to bring this blog up-to-date, I’ll note a couple of things and how their public actions affect perception:

• Apple CEO and co-founder, Steve Jobs passed away last month. If any of us have ever seen an outpouring of sympathy and appreciation for a businessman and innovator, I haven’t read or heard about it. I can tell you that my life is better for having Steve Jobs’ genius in it. I don’t know that I would have had the patience to happily thrive in a PC world as I have with Apple products. I credit his presentations and product styles with inspiring me to do great things — something on which I continue to work — and allowing me to be creative and productive without having to truly grow up.

• The National Basketball Association is in the midst of a lockout, and in reading fan sentiment, few seem to care, at least compared to those who screamed for a solution to the NFL’s labor situation, then celebrated that league’s return to work, during the summer. Lots of people were already incensed with the NBA; its ticket prices could be exorbitant and player salaries out of control. If the lockout lasts much longer, the NBA may be calling Major League Baseball to find out how to lure a fan base back to its brand.

The people who truly lose in this standoff are those who work for arenas that remain empty, concessionaires, parking attendants, restauranteurs that thrive on game day diners and others.

• On the other side of the NBA lockout is the potential extra time and space that sports journalists have to fill. If you have a colorful, engaging and attention-grabbing sports story, now’s the time to pitch it. (Remember, Tuesday is an off-day for the NFL.)

• It seemed that few collegiate athletics organizations could have a bigger PR problem than the BCS, which gets ripped by fans and media each fall. Never fear, because this year, collegiate conferences are here to take some of the critical slack from the Bowl Championship Series. While treasured athletic teams play out their hearts on the field, league leaders are diverting their conference flight plans for the coming years. I accept that everything changes, but does it really have to be in the midst of an athletic season? Let’s return the attention to the field and courts of play. For the sake of the kids, please…

There are other stories that deserve and will get their due. For now, it’s back to working to make PUBLISIDE clients look great. Please feel free to let me know what publicity and PR issues concern you.

O’Neal did all the right things to position himself as a media darling during his professional basketball career. He’s long been friendly and entertaining, and during his days on the hardwood, was willing to dip into entertainment activities that enhanced his brand. From Icy Hot endorsements to “Shaq Vs” episodes, O’Neal engaged with smiles and brought us along for the fun. Ever since he jumped onto the public’s radar as a dominating force at Louisiana State University, O’Neal has made everything he does in public look like it is, borrowing from a song, another day to celebrate.

Professional athletes in all sports stand to learn from O’Neal’s preparation for life after the athletic limelight. I spoke to a few people who worked with O’Neal the basketball player, and they unanimously praised his cooperation and connection with media and fans.

“Shaq rarely saw the media as an enemy,” said Emmy-Award winning sports television producer, Mike Burks. “He enjoyed the back-and-forth reparte with the press and made his point using witty humor instead of angst and anger. While he was known for his incredible size and skill, he’ll be just as remembered as an athlete who had a good time while winning championships.”

Arthur Triche, Vice President of Media Relations for the Atlanta Hawks, said O’Neal was equally as graceful to fans and NBA staff.

“From a sports PR standpoint, all we ask from our players is for them to be respectful and accommodating as best they can to our fans, the media and to us, the employees, while they deal with the pressures of an ever-growing media world,” said Triche, who worked with O’Neal during NBA All-Star events. “Shaq understood this better than most, and he embraced it as he became one of America’s top athletes on and off the court.”

It didn’t take O’Neal to be exposed to the glitz of big-time hoops to realize his potential as a public influence. He knew what he had to do even when he was in college.

“Shaq recognized very early in his career, even when he was at LSU, that there was value in developing a relationship with the media and a value in communications,” said Herb Vincent, Associate Vice Chancellor for University Relations and Senior Associate Athletic Director at LSU. “He knew the importance of managing his image, but he always did it in a very real manner.

“He was never a created image. Shaq is who he is and he is appreciated for being Shaq.”

The message here is that you don’t have to be a 7-footer to recognize your potential when the glory days on the hardwood or field are past. It’s simple — if you treat people with respect regardless of who they are, embrace adventure and be real, there is opportunity and new experiences for all professionals waiting for when that final horn blows.

On the active roster: Dallas Maverick’s owner, Mark Cuban. Cuban is known to some as an outspoken billionaire who spends more time shouting from his seat behind the Mavericks’ bench than Jerry Jones does on the Cowboys’ sideline (that’s A LOT!). To me, Cuban is the most brilliant marketer and communicator to own an NBA franchise. And no, it didn’t take the Mavs to win their first NBA title for me to think so.

I fell for Cuban’s masterful marketing mind after reading his foreword to Jon Spoeltra’s 2001 book, Marketing Outrageously, where he wrote about his thoughts regarding broadcast.com, a company he sold to Yahoo! for nearly $6 billion: “To me, none of this is outrageous. It’s common sense,” he said, referring to his belief that sports fans would one day use their computers, connect them to the Internet and use them like transistor radios to listen to live games. (An update of the book was released in February of this year.)

This is a guy that in 2000 bought an organization that bled money and fans. He introduced the most people-centric skills to his staff and began to rebuild from the team’s foundation. The Mavericks, at the time, found it challenging to put people in the seats of an aging Reunion Arena. Today, even visiting teams gush about the Mavericks’ home and hospitality.

Cuban is more than calculator-business savvy. He obviously knows how to attract and create dynamic experiences for people who have dozens of choices with how they spend their discretionary dollars. Email and social media are his links to the masses, at least when he’s not mingling among them at games and other events. He understands the lessons of Effective Communications 101: listen and courteously respond.

While he’s competitive, and basketball and business seemingly fuel those engines, Cuban remains engaged with those outside sports. He realized the benefit of exposure to a mainstream audience when he participated in “Dancing With the Stars” and had fun with a cameo on “Entourage” before that. Charities cheer him on when he criticizes officials because each time he’s fined by the NBA (he’s racked up more than $1 million in disciplinary fees for officiating-related comments), he matches the dollar amount with donations. He is a passionate cheerleader, and he’s willing to put his hard-earned money where his mouth is.

In an ultimate act of gratitude for fellow Dallas fans, Cuban announced within minutes of the Maverick’s 2011 NBA title win that he would pay for the victory parade so that the city, which is operating at a $32 million deficit, wouldn’t incur an additional monetary hit. His generosity made for prompt planning and what looked to be a party that would last for awhile.

Cuban is not afraid to push traditional boundaries whether it’s his wardrobe (he’s a t-shirt and jeans guy) or how he communicates with fans. He’s tenacious, passionate and creative. We can only hope that there are others with Cuban’s dedicated love for business and life. Without them, we live stagnantly and unimaginatively. The likes of Cuban are original word of mouth marketers and sports publicists and we, on the outside, stand to learn a lot — if we listen, read, learn and break the rules once in awhile.

Then there’s LeBron. He needs no last name. His basketball career has been documented since puberty. And that’s probably why he says and does things at which we can only shake our heads. Did he physically hurt anyone? No. Did he commit a crime? No. Did he make people mad? Yes…a few (million).

LeBron James used to be a well-liked lad. He was heralded the second coming of Michael Jordan. The player who tattooed “King” on his arm and created the Twitter handle @KingJames was to attract millions to events and sell millions of dollars in merchandise. Then there was “The Decision.” A free-agent and hometown hero, James decided to leave Cleveland last summer. He said so on a choreographed television show before he informed Cavaliers’ owner, Dan Gilbert, that he was taking his talents to South Beach. The result: throughout the 2010-2011 season, James was booed during road games, NBA fans reveled in his team’s early-season troubles and his name continued to be associated with arrogance and selfishness.

The fact is, he did nothing wrong…legally. James was a free agent and that meant he was free to play anywhere and with whom he wanted. He chose the Miami Heat to help create a roster of superstars.

The rule he broke was one of modesty-in-celebrity. He didn’t sound humble last summer. He came off as bitter and immature when he and Dwayne Wade made fun of Dirk Nowitski’s virus during the Finals, and again Sunday night during a post-game press conference after the Mavericks won the NBA title on the Heat’s home court.

His play, sans some fourth quarter shortcomings during the Mavericks’ series, isn’t what keeps social media types dissing his play and one-uppance over the world. It’s “The Decision.” It’s the comments made Sunday. It’s his defense that his construed condescending comments Sunday may have been slanted by the media. As CBSSports.com writer Matt Moore wrote, few people will pay attention to James’ comment Tuesday that he was simply disappointed with his performance.

This isn’t just James’ problem. Part of it lies within the Heat organization. USA TODAY columnist Mike Lopresti suggested that James AND his team need to rework their PR plans. I agree. The public can relate to excitement, but organizations must realize that along with big-stage proclamations, there are responsibilities that last more than one night.

As you may have expected, I documented some simple tips that James and the Heat might consider to help repair their brands. The first is from ESPN’s Dick Vitale, who on Twitter, suggested that James remove the “King” tag from his branding and if he is to ever be called that, let fans dish the label. Others include:

• Play ball and be quiet. Winning won’t change everybody’s mind, but if the public sees dedication to improved play on the court and less flash off of it, they’ll be more apt to support to the Heat.

• To LeBron: Engage professional publicity and PR help. You need to start over in the image department.

• Talk with basketball fans, not to or about them. Engage; show humility and humanity.

• Own up to errors. Don’t make excuses or point fingers. Take the blame for statement miscues and people will appreciate the honesty.

• Don’t whine

Of course you must have willing participants for any of these to work successfully.

I’d love to see what others have to add.

Public relations is ongoing, and requires time, effort and truth. In these days of multi-media, if you challenge a crisis, you’ve got show a genuine heart and concerted effort to change. If you don’t, the public will see through phoniness, and image issues will continue.

I don’t know about you, but when I’m that exhausted, there are few things short of an alien peering through my window that would make me look at what’s going on outside an aircraft. Lucky for Gordon, a pilot jostled her awake via loudspeaker and said that there was a chance that passengers might be able to see the Space Shuttle Endeavor, which was scheduled to blast off from Kennedy Space Center which is a pretzel-bag toss away from West Palm.

Gordon, who lives in a picturesque area of Hoboken, says she rarely misses an opportunity to record a beautiful, interesting or fun visual. So, with an iPhone camera at the ready, she caught the Shuttle in still photos and video as it sped through the clouds toward space. Pleased with her “get,” she quickly glanced at what she thought would be great photos to share with friends and family, and when she deplaned, tweeted them to her one thousand-plus followers.

What happened next put Gordon into media booker and expert mode. Outlets of all kinds saw her tweets, thanks to her followers and their followers retweeting and forwarding the incredible Shuttle visuals. They resulted in local and national television interviews, chats with newspaper reporters and calls from dozens of outlets asking for permission to use the photos on their newscasts. Gordon, working on less than four hours of sleep (remember the extra-inning buzz from the night before) blearily tweeted her excitement late into the night about what the photo adventure brought to her that day.

Needless to say, Gordon got a quick lesson in media relations. From ABC to CBS, NBC and its affiliates to the The Washington Post and others, Gordon’s phones and email pinged well into the night and the next day.

“This taught me that media is everywhere and can find anyone if they want to,” Gordon said. “News outlets in South Florida called my parents house. I don’t know why I didn’t ask, but how did they find the number? I’ve never lived there!”

Gordon said within an hour of posting the photos, she received queries from media on Facebook.

“Media fight to be first…but are ok if they’re not, too.”

Gordon knows a bit about media, but said her more-than 15 minutes of fame caught her somewhat off guard.

“I have my bachelor’s degree in communications and I have interviewed for and written articles, so I knew how to answer questions,” said Gordon, who attended the University of South Florida and Florida Atlantic University. “What I didn’t know was how to handle all of the requests. I didn’t think right away about copyrighting my picture or talking to anyone about it until it was too late.

“I would suggest to anyone who finds themselves in my situation to step back for a moment before you do anything or agree to your work being used, and talk to someone that you trust: a PR person, lawyer or a journalist that you trust. I was blindsided by this. I was just tweeting what I saw on the plane, just like I tweet what I see at sporting events or as I walk down the street.”

Not having her extraordinary photo copyrighted came back to cost Gordon. While many outlets were honorable and either paid for the rights or at least gave her credit for her images, others did not.

“I was asked permission by several outlets to use my photo on TV or online and I said, ‘yes, as long as I am given full credit.’ Well, it didn’t always happen that way.”

Sure, she lost a little sleep and could have made a lot of money with her photos, but all said, Gordon is still pretty excited about the experience. It also gave her an entree to promote herself. She happens to be in the market for a job. The experienced meeting planner would love to parlay that and her love for sports. Maybe she’ll even shoot some really good photos, too.

If you find yourself in instant media demand, begin, as Gordon suggested, and take a step back. Here are a few things you can do:

• Consult with a PR or media relations professional.

• Contact an attorney regarding copyright rules to protect what’s yours.

• When media contact you, verify their affiliation before you agree to speak with them. There are a lot of kooks and impostors out there. Asking how they got your contact information will likely disarm the distrustful ones.

• Think about what you’ll say. Write down three or four talking points on a 3 x 5 card or create a smartphone memo and memorize them.

• Don’t feel pressured to talk or appear on camera immediately. If you need time to gather your thoughts, say so.

• Be accurate. If you don’t know the answer to something, say so. Reporters will appreciate your honesty.

• Be gracious and say thank you to an editor or reporter after they’ve gathered their information.

• Create a Google News Search for your name and the topic. You’ll want to keep track of what media outlets run with your story.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall shot off a media flurry after the killing of Osama bin Laden that ignited another episode of “Athletes Tweeting Badly” during sportscasts, talk shows and blogs throughout the world (or at least the United States). Shows such as Dan Patrick’s and traditional outlets including USA Today asked audiences if in light of social media abuse and controversy, should athletes be banned from social media. I replied with a quick and emphatic “NO!” Athletes, along with anyone who is new to social media, must be learn how to use it responsibly, and know what to expect.

As I’ve written and said many times, social media is a spectacular tool for athletes, coaches and broadcasters to communicate with fans. Genuine voices and feelings are shared much clearer in most cases via 140 characters than in prepared press statements. Athletes don’t have to call press conferences when they want to provide news to the world because today they can tweet it, post it on Facebook or on their own websites.

That doesn’t mean that social media should be an open microphone.

Social media, for some of the most high-profile members of our society, comes with risks, but none that should keep them from using it. It only begs for them to be more aware of what they say and write, which doesn’t make the medium much different than what they might share with traditional newspaper, television and radio reporters. It’s simply faster and often impulsive.

I looked far and wide, but couldn’t find an athletes’ Instruction Manual for social media, so I created one myself. I will post some tips here, not because they’ll flock to read it, but in hopes that organizations and agents will share it as part of their ongoing media training and advisory programs. After all, with education comes power (and hopefully, not a lot of controversy).

Athletes’ Guide to Social Media

• Know how to swim the waters of social media before you jump in.

• Think before you tweet; face facts before you Facebook. If a post suggests a hint of controversy, delete it before you think of hitting “send.”

• Not sure what to post or not? Ask for help. {I beg teams and management organizations to make someone available to your athletes and clients at all times in case they have questions about what’s appropriate to share with millions of people. These same organizations should remind personnel that if they share something internally such as a trade that has not yet been completed, it is to remain in-house…. excitement can create leaks when it comes to social media.)

• Don’t retaliate. You will be fined if you rush a verbally abusive fan in the stands, and you will be badmouthed by the media, penalized by your organization, fans and maybe even your peers if you uncontrollably react to negative social media. Realize that faceless people will be cruel because they’re shrouded by anonymity. Can they be gutless? Yes. You don’t have to stoop to their levels. If you want to reply, catch them off-guard with kindness. It will break their defenses every time.

• You’re emotional about a topic and you want action… you want change! It’s great to be passionate, but consider how your views and the way you share them looks to a company you endorse. Become a controversial voice and you lose business deals present and future. Companies won’t risk their reputations with controversial, immoral or even insincere voices. Your views also reflect on your organization. Set off enough PR fires and you’re likely to be extinguished.

These are just a few of the tips I’ve included in a new Instruction Manual for social media use by sports organizations and athletes. If you’d like to learn more, please contact me. If you have your own tips to share, please do that, too.

Something just occurred to me, however, after friend and media colleague Rick Bozich of the Louisville Courier-Journal posted his thoughts after he purchased an American Rag t-shirt to try to find out why Cincinnati Reds pitcher, Mike Leake, would think the brand is so special that he’d steal several of them from Macy’s.

Will people visit their local department store or search online for American Rag t-shirts to discover the big deal on their own? Why would a professional athlete who makes approximately $425,000 per year and have more than $200 cash on his person reportedly steal these shirts?

In a funky state of affairs, I have a feeling that this company will sell a few more shirts this week as inquiring dressers try to answer those questions.