Associated Press – Cedar Falls, IA
November 12th, 2009
by beat writer Mike Staebell
In a year filled with law troubles, shut-out victories, embarrassing interviews, and an undefeated record, you could say this past year was a bumpy one for Hub pitcher Anthony “Twan” King. Through the ups and downs, he’s always been known as a fighter, one that doesn’t rattle easily.
But recent developments may finally crack the young fireballer’s already bruised ego. According to recent reports – aka Facebook wall posts – photos have surfaced from 2001 which depict a barely legal Twan exhibiting himself in several provocative poses. The specific photo in question features Twan posing for his senior pictures, lying on a hammock, wearing nothing more than a gray T-shirt with the word “Wassssssssuuuuuup??” printed on the front.
“That picture was taken in the year 2001, roughly 5 years AFTER those ‘wassssssup’ commercials came out,” Commissioner John Crews announced this week to a crowd of thousands at the Cedar Falls Recreation Division Monday Night Men’s Minor League, Division II award ceremonies. “At that point in time, Twan had become an adult, yet made a childish decision to bring back the mildly amusing, outdated phrase. And as we all know, according to the CFRDMNMMLD II Collective Bargaining Agreement of 1998, Section 89, clause 146, no player:
‘shall display any form of corny outdated joke on one’s shirt, especially while lying on a hammock, with a giant necklace dangling from one’s neck. This includes, but is not limited to, Bud Light Commercials, Big Johnson shirts, and all Coed Naked clothing.’
“For this reason, I am stripping him of his Silver Slugger Award, and awarding the trophy to the runner up, Eric Gronowski.”
Interestingly enough, Eric Gronowski, the new 2009 Silver Slugger Award recipient, is rumored to have leaked these provocative photos on his Facebook page. Coincidence?
When he was called up to the podium to receive his trophy, “Gro”, with light bulbs flashing and sports writers gasping, simply lowered his head, reached into his pocket, and pulled out the two infamous senior pictures, holding them high in the air. With a wry smile he held up his new trophy for the whole world to see.
Everyone laughed and cheered. Well, almost everyone. A somewhat jolted Twan turned bright red and stormed out, ashamed with his behavior.
“I was young. Young and stupid,” Twan later told reporters. “But that’s no reason to strip me of my crown. I mean, this is America, right? If I feel the need to wear a ridiculous shirt in my senior pictures, well then, aren’t I ENTITLED to that? I mean, I thought we had free speech in this country! I’m being persecuted for my beliefs! This time, the liberal media has gone too far! They’ve taken away my right to free speech. I feel like I’m in Communist Russia!!”
The liberal media encouraged Twan to continue.
“Look in the Constitution, man! It says I am entitled to free speech! Well, not anymore!!! What a bunch of BULLCRAP!! Some friends THEY are!! Buncha pricks if you ask me! My freedom of speech has been lost!!”
“Anything you’d like to add, Mr. King?” a reporter cautiously offered.
“No. I think that about wraps it up.”
Twan has since fought back, by yelling “Waaaasssssuuuuuuuuuuuup” to everyone he sees. He’s written a series of books, appeared on over 18 talk shows, and started his own “Waaaaassssssssuuuuuuuup” blog. Yet he still maintains that his freedom of speech has been stripped, along with his Silver Slugger trophy.
Kind of ironic that the man that claims to have lost his freedom of speech, refuses to shut up about it.