Skiles, CV31 and Twitter-gate

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - I'm usually safely behind the curve in the technological revolution.

I text, and am fairly well versed in the world of computers, but I still struggle with my DVR and can't figure out how to sync up Rhapsody to my cell phone.

If it were up to me, I would still be tucking a newspaper under my arm when the mood struck, and buying CDs at Sam Goody.

I could care less about My Space and Facebook and I have never been, nor do I have any desire to be, "tweeted."

In fact, when I think "tweet," I picture a young Michael Jackson singing "Rockin Robin," or Sylvester the Cat chasing around Tweety Bird.

So, for the rest of the technically-challenged, Twitter is the latest in thing in the social networking world, a micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users' updates known as "tweets."

According to the good folks at Twitter.com, "Tweets" are text-based posts of up to 140 bytes in length. Updates are displayed on the user's profile page and delivered to other users who have signed up to receive them.

Charlie Villanueva didn't think his "tweet" would cause such a stir.

Evidently plenty of people love getting updates on the grocery-shopping skills of their favorite celebrities, politicians and sports stars.

Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva is one of a handful of NBA players that has embraced the Twitter phenomenon and has cultivated more than 1,600 "followers" subscribing to his feed.

On Sunday, Villanueva took things a little too far.

Instead of updating his fans on his latest cereal purchase or the BLT he had for lunch, the rising star posted a message to his Twitter feed from his mobile phone during halftime of the team's win over the Boston Celtics.

Using the screen name "CV31," Villanueva wrote: "In da locker room, snuck to post my twitt. We're playing the Celtics, tie ball game at da half. Coach wants more toughness. I gotta step up."

Certainly nothing earth-shattering but the no-nonsense coach who wanted that toughness, Scott Skiles, wasn't amused when he found out.

"We made a point to Charlie and the team that it's nothing we ever want to happen again," Skiles said after practice Tuesday. "We don't want to blow it out of proportion. But anything that gives the impression that we're not serious and focused at all times is not the correct way to go about our business."

Probably a legitimate point by Skiles but Villanueva did finish the contest with a team-high 19 points as the Bucks, who are fighting for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, topped the C's 86-77.

Skiles gave Villanueva the benefit of the doubt but made sure the former UConn star understood other people could view things very differently.

"I think a reasonable person could look at that either way," Skiles said. "I know from the comments I've gotten from some people in the game that there could be people who think it's a sign (showing lack of focus). We just want to distance ourselves, that's all."

For his part, Villanueva didn't think his "tweet" would cause such a stir but did understand that some people could jump to the conclusion that he wasn't all that focused on the task at hand.

"That wasn't the case at all, because I was very into the game," Villanueva told The Associated Press. "But you can interpret it two different ways. You can look at it like, 'OK, he's definitely going to step up' versus, 'Oh, he's really not into the game, he's not paying attention.'"

Skiles elected not to fine Villanueva for his indiscretion but called it a "no-brainer" that players shouldn't be doing such things from the locker room.

"My personal opinion is, it doesn't have any place in the locker room," Skiles said.