Just got this email from Mr. Canzano with regard to this morning's DRC interview.
I'm a big believer in free speech. Even if that speech is used to bag on me, I'll defend it.
Where the cat crossed the line with me is when he created a profile using my name, linking to my website, plagiarizing my columns and blogs and then began posting tweets about child abuse and rape while posing as an imposter of me.
Pretty lame and juvenile. Also the individual stole a copyright and trademark protected logo, which got attorneys involved.
I love a good parody but obviously Twitter decided this crossed the line.
I dish it. I can certainly take it. I'm a columnist. I didn't come here to make friends. I came to write columns. And I have strong opinions. I love being somewhere where people care deeply about the teams.
I'm all in favor of making fun of myself, (I'm a bald-headed writer paid to write about sports) and not taking myself too seriously. I'm a single dad. My 6 year old crushes me in board games. Keeps me in check.
The vast majority of people who read me --- agree or disagree --- are normal, well adjusted people who love their team. I love that they have so much passion. I answer every email. I return every call. Sometimes the responses are staggering, more than 700 daily emails typically.
This is sports. Not life or death. So its always fascinating to me when someone fixates, as this person obviously has, or when they make threats to burn down my house, or throw a brick through a window.
With the account disabled, I don't know of any way to verify Mr. Canzano's claims about its content.
Now that both sides have had their say, I think we can put this one to bed and focus on tonight's Jazz game.
Also, for the record, Mr. Canzano tweeted a point of clarification (and perhaps an olive branch?) earlier today...
"Yo, I'm over 1,000 followers... the 1,000th got a free wedge of cheese. Nobody argues with free cheese. Thanks for following."
Cheese. Bringing together men that argue about sports since the Middle Ages.
-- Ben (benjamin.golliver@gmail.com)