There are certain things that will stick with you, no matter what you do to try and repair your image in the aftermath.
For the last nine months, Philadelphia wide receiver Riley Cooper has been a model citizen and teammate. He's kept his mouth shut, worked hard, and even went and turned himself into a capable NFL wide receiver. A rich one, too, inking a five year, $25 million extension this off-season.
Still, to many, Cooper is, was, and always will be the pony tailed, flannel shirt wearing red neck who said that he would "fight every [n-word] in here" at a Kenny Chesney concert. Such is life when racism is exposed.
It's part of the unwritten part of the punishment -- a fine, some anger management counseling, and a lifetime of Twitter ridicule anytime race becomes a front burner topic.
So when Clippers' owner Donald Sterling's 15 minute diatribe about his disdain for black people patronizing his NBA basketball team becomes public, the social media realm wants to get Riley Cooper involved, by any means necessary.
So with that in mind, here are Twitter's Greatest Hits, the volume where Riley Cooper gets crop-dusted by the stench of Donald Sterling's discriminatory Gettysburg Address:
Some people went all passive aggressive, disguising their jabs as actual questions looking for Cooper's thoughts...
.@RileyCooper_14 Your thoughts on Donald Sterling?
— Nate Ellman (@DailyAntagonist) April 26, 2014
Others were a little less subtle, basically reporting that Riley Cooper wanted to switch sports and play for Sterling...
BREAKING NEWS: @RileyCooper_14 ask to switch sports and says he want to play for the @LAClippers
— Karan Suryakant (@KaranS_94) April 26, 2014
There were Sixers fans trying to poach the Clippers roster. This one actually kind of takes up for Riley Cooper, albeit via horrific spelling ("other THEN @RileyCooper_14 he was a little TO drink")....
Blake Griffin should come to the 76ers philly has no racist's other then @RileyCooper_14 & he was a little to drunk #76ers
— Jake Sarson (@sarson5) April 26, 2014
There was this one that essentially said Riley Cooper is Donald Sterling, Jr....
Hey @RileyCooper_14 I didn't know your dad owned the Clippers?
— alǝx dalǝ (@AlexDalex111) April 26, 2014
And if not relatives, then they are best friends....
Donald Sterling and @RileyCooper_14 would be best friends
— Big_Chocolate_Dave (@DayvidField) April 26, 2014
There was a reminder that Cooper got a five year extension while DeSean Jackson was cut for having friends who are gang members....
Send #DonaldSterling to classes like @RileyCooper_14 & all is forgiven not like he's gang affiliated like @DeSeanJackson11 #EaglePromblems
— Big Chorizo (@chilemasgrande) April 26, 2014
Jokes of rehabilitation....
I guess #DonaldSterling will enter the same "rehab" as @RileyCooper_14. Two days off and a "sincere" apology should do it. @espn@NBAonTNT
— Big6domino (@Big6domino) April 26, 2014
And Riley Cooper bobbleheads....
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Tomorrow's #Clippers game will feature free honorary guest @RileyCooper_14 bobbleheads for the first 1000 attendees.
— TheWolfOfAllTweets (@__illMATTic_) April 26, 2014
Yeah, Riley Cooper, you might be a local hero in Philadelphia again. But most everyone else still remembers this....
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