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Bombers defensive backs Jonathan Hefney and Deon Beasley fired an offensive volley Thursday on Twitter, slamming GM Joe Mack for his failure to retain free agents. ( )

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Deon Beasley

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Jonathan Hefney (POSTMEDIA POSTMEDIA NEWS)

One gets the feeling Winnipeg Blue Bombers GM Joe Mack isn't feeling very social these days.

Following a difficult opening 24 hours of CFL free agency Wednesday into Thursday -- a period where three players (including two starters) left Winnipeg for other teams -- Mack was forced to respond to fiery Twitter comments from defensive backs Jonathan Hefney and Deon Beasley regarding how Bombers management is handling the roster.

Hefney (@hefney23), one of the best players on the club, had this gem for Mack:

"Man seems like every team has gotten better except us... I guess our 3 quarterbacks gonna play some receiver get the F outta here man #Sad," he tweeted, before comparing Mack's free-agent decisions to those of Michael Jordan -- the overmatched general manager, not the all-time basketball great.

Beasley (@dbeasley20) offered up this grammatically challenged take:

"Whats the chance someone from the Bombers brass will stick their head out today and reply to this stuff? How did we go to the GREY CUP and still being cheap....I'm heated AF," he tweeted.

So here you have two players questioning front office decisions and calling out the organization for being cheap. Mack responded to the unusual situation as best he could Thursday, trying to express his displeasure while not throwing any more dry wood on the social media embers.

"I would say they are unprofessional and they're uncalled for and it's not acceptable," he said. "You can't be taking a shot... particularly because there are other things. I think it's their responsibility to make sure that they take that into account when they're making comments about the club.

"That's something I will address."

For the record, Beasley and Hefney contacted Mack and apologized for their Twitter commentary Thursday morning. The club helped Beasley out with some personal issues in the past and Mack was front and centre in that aid.

The Bombers say neither player was fined for the comments but the Winnipeg GM was obviously unhappy with the critique of his work from employees. Mack tries to maintain a 'team-first' and 'keep everything in-house' style of management, and when players go public with questions about the direction of the club, it doesn't sit well with him.

It doesn't sit well with former Bombers, either.

Troy Westwood couldn't imagine calling out his employers back when he played. The former kicker wasn't shy when asked for his two cents on the issue.

"For Hefney to go out there beaking off about what's going on and what moves the general manager is making, to me, is completely unthinkable," said Westwood, now a radio personality on TSN 1290's The Big Show. "Absolute idiocy and stupidity.

"You have to know your role as a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. You have no right to comment as a player on the dealings and he movement of personnel. (He should be) fortunate and happy that he's a member of the Bombers and that he's been given the privilege to play in the CFL.

"I just don't understand what the thinking was here."

Mack wouldn't get into how he would deal the situation and told reporters he would try to take the comments with some grains of salt.

Whether he's able to do that remains to be seen, but he did fire off an interesting salvo towards his two opinionated DBs Thursday:

"If you look at our track record over the last two years we can make a strong case (as a successful franchise)," Mack said. "We did get to the Grey Cup last year, we have brought in a fair amount of talent -- and will continue to do so.

"And there will also be a fair amount of talent at defensive back next year."

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca

SOCIAL DISTORTION

Bombers GM Joe Mack on Thursday referenced a team "policy" regarding Twitter and other social media. Problem is, there is no official team policy in place. Not yet, anyway.

While there is a CFL social media policy, the club is said to be drafting a stricter version to present to the league at the CFL congress meetings in Toronto at the end of the month.

Here's a look at the current CFL social media policy:

"Our league permits players to use social media, in keeping with our desire to be accessible to our fans. But we prohibit its use during the game, including 20 minutes prior to kickoff, during halftime and the 20 minutes following the final whistle. Any further restrictions/permissions are at the team's discretion."

"All comments made through social media are treated as 'public comments' and are subject to discipline. If a player uses social media to disparage the league, teams, officials, other players or fans they could face discipline from the Commissioner's Office."

Note the phrases 'restriction/permissions' and 'team's discretion.'

Given the embarrassing events of Thursday morning, the Bombers are sure to be looking at that aspect of the policy and implementing tougher standards within the organization.

-- Wazny

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 17, 2012 C1