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Shutdown Corner

Tue Jun 23, 2009 1:57 pm EDT

World's saddest man pretends to be Tim Rattay on Twitter

By MJD

A dude in Pittsburgh once pretended to be Ben Roethlisberger and third-string QB Brian St. Pierre in order to score dates with gullible Pittsburgh gals. As disgusting and reprehensible as that might be, you can at least see why an otherwise down-and-out guy might do it. A motive is at least identifiable.

Pretending to be former Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers quarterback Tim Rattay(notes) on Twitter, though ... that one, I can't explain. I know there are some lonely fellows out there, but how being a fake Tim Rattay would enhance anyone's life in any way, I just couldn't tell you.

Here are the last two tweets on the Twitter page of "Tim Rattay".

I'm not the real Tim Rattay. I'm sorry to those who I fooled. Tim is a great QB who has posted good numbers and he deserves a chance to make

it in the football world. I never thought the media would pick up my tweets like they did. I apologize to Tim, the UFL and the fans.

I just wonder if making that admission was a difficult, tearful moment for the fake Tim Rattay. The emotional roller-coaster ride finally came to an end. Saying goodbye to the lifestyle couldn't have been easy.

And something like this has to be really discouraging for the people at Twitter in charge of weeding out celebrity imposters. If people are going to pretend to be Tim Rattay, I'm just not sure that's a battle you can win. Who's next, the nerdy daughter from "Just the Ten of Us"? The woman who did the voice work for the bear in the Snuggle fabric softener commercials?

Best of luck to the real Tim Rattay, and to the fake Tim Rattay, too, as he tries to pick up the pieces of his broken life. I hope he can find the strength to refrain from setting up a Twitter account in the name of Moses Moreno.

Gracias, Niners Nation.

Related: NFL Oddness, NFL Mysteries

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41 Comments

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  1. Christopher P
    1. Posted by Christopher P Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:18 pm EDT

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    Some would argue that the fake Tim Rattay has no had more publicity and success then the real one after this whole Twitter business hah
  2. J B
    2. Posted by J B Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:44 pm EDT

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    MJD, stop pretending to be Tim Rattay on Twitter.
  3. Jon
    3. Posted by Jon Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:26 pm EDT

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    MJD-
    Is there really nothing else to write about other then some jackass pretending to be someone? The "saddest man" wants attention and you give it to him. Way to go! I guess you have alot in common with him since you pretend to be an actual sports writer.
  4. cbj
    4. Posted by cbj Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:47 pm EDT

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    MJD is such a sad pathetic excuse for a sports writer. He should get a job as a garbage collector or some other position he is more qualified for than writing. He is absolutely the worst, constantly trying to make a name for himself by writing poorly, very poorly, about others. He is not just a pathetic writer; he’s a pathetic human being.
  5. steve r
    5. Posted by steve r Tue Jun 23, 2009 4:02 pm EDT

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    Wow...lotta hate here.
  6. Rob D
    6. Posted by Rob D Tue Jun 23, 2009 4:15 pm EDT

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    omg now i just have to wonder if that myspace (and yes , that's sooooooo 2007 ) is really tim rattay and the twitter too!!!!!!!!!!!! omg !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol
  7. Rob D
    7. Posted by Rob D Tue Jun 23, 2009 4:16 pm EDT

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    heck , my life would be better if i were tim rattay !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  8. NFLRULZ
    8. Posted by NFLRULZ Tue Jun 23, 2009 4:18 pm EDT

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    sounds like me
  9. Bwa ha ha
    9. Posted by Bwa ha ha Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:17 pm EDT

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    If he tried to pretend to be someone that anyone could recognize, he couldn't get away with it.
    Tim Rattay is perfect.
  10. Eddie N
    10. Posted by Eddie N Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:23 pm EDT

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    I like Pizza
  11. eaglesfan691
    11. Posted by eaglesfan691 Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:25 pm EDT

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    This story is another example of how more $hit comes out of MJDs mouth than it does his butt. Terrible story from a terrible author.
  12. Tony S
    12. Posted by Tony S Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:42 pm EDT

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    I'm creating an MJD account as we speak. I'm never going to get laid again!!!
  13. edward67milkman
    13. Posted by edward67milkman Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:47 pm EDT

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    All you writers and reporters are sad, because you no longer do any reporting...you following the gayest invention ever, twitter, and then regurgitate it onto your website, for an "article."
    Frankly, I think it's kinda of funny that this "sad" man duped all of you pathetic "writers"
  14. Luke
    14. Posted by Luke Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:52 pm EDT

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    I was with my dad one time a few years ago and some Lady thought he was Steve Young. LOL
  15. Tony S
    15. Posted by Tony S Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:58 pm EDT

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    Is that lady your mom now, Luke?
  16. Mike
    16. Posted by Mike Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:01 pm EDT

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    Man, I'm looking for employment right now. I thought you had to have a degree or at least a brain to be a sports writer. Well I have half of that! MJD, where do I apply?
    Oh.......just found it on Yahoo HotJobs.....heres the listing:
    Wanted: Sportswriter for yahoo! sports. No experience necessary. Be prepared to write about worthless topics that have little to any meaning to the typical sports fan. Best time to write worthless stories will be right in the middle of free-agent signings, draft signings and monumental trades or cuts season. Salary negotiable.
  17. Tony S
    17. Posted by Tony S Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:08 pm EDT

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    Would you rather hear about what the players are eating at training camp there Mike B?
    THERE IS NO NEWS TO REPORT!!!
    No offense, but I'm guessing a lot of you jackaloons just have an addictive personality.
  18. Irish Bastard
    18. Posted by Irish Bastard Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:19 pm EDT

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    HEARD THAT YOUTUBE AND TWITTER AND FACE BOOK WHERE COMBING ......THIER CALLING IT
    YOU TWIT FACE !
    NOT MY JOKE HEARD IT.
    Where will the internet stop ,When will the diffrent facebook,mydate on line, holler if U like it ...ect........
    ENOUGH WITH THESE LOSERS OR YOU MIGHT BE ON DATELINE SOME DAY !....LOL
  19. Mike
    19. Posted by Mike Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:20 pm EDT

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    Guess you havent been reading many of his columns have you there Tony S? Got to hear all about their diets and eating habits a while back. There is news to report, maybe MJD should watch NFL Network or ESPN for some clues! And by the way I googled jackaloon and it returned "What the hell?"
  20. Tony S
    20. Posted by Tony S Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:38 pm EDT

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    Ha, you got me there, Mike. I missed the diet edition. My point is that there is not enough news to go around right now.
    You have to realize MJD is a blogger man.
    I've watched this guy take a lot of shizz off people who seem to think he's supposed to be a beat writer, columnist, or investigative reporter. He doesn't get paid for that, so I have no beef with him...
    I'm not even defending him, technically. This is just how it is.
    Plus, do you have any idea how much sports writers make?
    Honestly, could you come up with better material while having to work another job?
    I know people are freaking out because the only real sport going on right now is baseball, but relax...
    P.S.
    I adopted jackaloon from the movie Step Brothers...
  21. Kevin A
    21. Posted by Kevin A Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:38 pm EDT

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    i believe there is now a 3-way tie between saddest man on the planet - guy who pretends to be tim ratay, the writer who was assigned to write this story, and me for taking time out of my life to read it.
  22. Mike
    22. Posted by Mike Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:49 pm EDT

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    Good movie and to be honest I remember hearing jackaloon but couldnt put my finger on where. To be even more honest I think I may have called my son that and I got the same "what the hell" response from him so I cant really say much.
  23. Christopher N
    23. Posted by Christopher N Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:50 pm EDT

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    Hey MJD, the nerdy daughter from Just The Ten Of Us was Heather Langenkamp, who also played Nancy in Nightmare on Elm Street 1 and 3...and would it have been better if he had been impersonating, say...Bubby Brister?
  24. IlgausKAZ
    24. Posted by IlgausKAZ Tue Jun 23, 2009 7:00 pm EDT

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    its not football season, give the man a break.
  25. Noneofyour Business
    25. Posted by Noneofyour Business Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:43 pm EDT

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    Sounds like somebody's just upset that they got exposed for being an incompetent journalist by a witty twitterer. The profile was obviously done all in good fun...it's quite humerus.
    On the other hand, the fact that members of the mass media (including yourself) took it as gospel and didn't bother to run any checks on it is not.
    So in essence, you're the sad one.

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