If you were anywhere near Twitter on Thursday, you probably heard about Brad Evans stepping into the political arena with a response to this almost-impossible-to-believe tweet from presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump:
Happy #CincoDeMayo! The best taco bowls are made in Trump Tower Grill. I love Hispanics! https://t.co/ufoTeQd8yA pic.twitter.com/k01Mc6CuDI
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 5, 2016
This was Evans' response:
I'll play soccer for free if I can smash your face in that bowl. https://t.co/57e2Ehei0n
— Brad Evans (@brad_evans3) May 5, 2016
As you might imagine, a professional athlete making such a pointed remark toward an actual presidential candidate got the attention of a lot of people. Such outlets as Sports Illustrated, USA Today and CBS Sports all picked up on the story.
Predictably, Evans' Tweet drew a variety of responses. Here are some of the more entertaining ones:
.@brad_evans3 got me like pic.twitter.com/mQDah7ljBz
— E (@eschmitz7) May 5, 2016
@brad_evans3 pic.twitter.com/796wnlqnWj
— Mike B (@Mike_SoB3704) May 5, 2016
. LRT I will never say anything bad about you even again. @brad_evans3
— UVIJ8 (@BigBrain61) May 5, 2016
@brad_evans3 @sidlowe @realDonaldTrump
— Joe Krois (@joek1228) May 5, 2016
Why waste a decent taco bowl?
@brad_evans3 @realDonaldTrump Brad Evans - Making Century Link Field great again.
— Ronaldo Simons (@RealRnldoSimons) May 5, 2016
Even fans of opposing teams took notice:
@brad_evans3 respect for that.
— Mike Pacific (@mpacific) May 5, 2016
I dislike @SoundersFC but I think we're all @brad_evans3 fans now.
— Tommy - NYCF (@NYCFirm) May 5, 2016
He's getting a round of applause next time he plays against #NYCFC here!
@brad_evans3 Ok, now I'm a Sounders fan because of that tweet! #magical
— J. Gause (@JGauseOfficial) May 5, 2016
@brad_evans3 @realDonaldTrump dude. I'd wear your kit all season. And I'm a timber.
— Michael Ferguson (@zippyfergu) May 5, 2016
Of course, not everyone was as impressed:
@brad_evans3 @JaredBedekovich @realDonaldTrump They pay people to play soccer now?
— Talmadge (@taleast) May 5, 2016
@brad_evans3 come on bro, you play soccer.
— Tony DiIorio (@TD_Junior) May 5, 2016
@brad_evans3 I want to shove Hillary Clinton into a vat of tapioca pudding
— Dalton Rayce Fowler (@DaltonRayce) May 5, 2016
@brad_evans3 you sound angry. They say when you can't be intelligent, make threats of violence. You are a neanderthals.
— Jessica (@Scribeek) May 6, 2016
@brad_evans3 No H8! No violence!
— James Leer (@LeerPopper) May 5, 2016
@brad_evans3 nice violence pseudo athlete. Move to Europe there are socialists all over Europe.
— David Stagg (@StaggDave) May 6, 2016
@brad_evans3 @realDonaldTrump Evans, focus on tweeting about not having any money. Stay in your lane.
— The Realist Mike (@BroughtTheNoise) May 6, 2016
@brad_evans3 @realDonaldTrump you do realize that if he becomes president you won't most likely be called up to the USMNT anymore right?
— Jonathan Bautista (@45jonnyboy) May 6, 2016
@brad_evans3 So @SoundersFC your employees don't want Trump voters buying tickets. Physically threatening a candidate.
— Athletic Investor (@Sterling91692) May 5, 2016
@brad_evans3 @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/W1bWSO4LDi
— Orange and Black (@kitchentable28) May 5, 2016
And the hands down winner.
@brad_evans3 @realDonaldTrump called football buddy
— Anton Pearson (@AntonPearson91) May 5, 2016
Editor's Note:
We avoided discussing the Evans tweet until it became a national phenomenon
After much consideration we determined that discussion about the tweet and reaction fit within our general rule of "no politics" because of how we approached this story as a demonstration of Evans’ use of social media, not that it was a political target.