Tony Barbee says that controversial tweet wasn’t directed toward Auburn Tigers

Years ago, if people had an issue with another person, they usually went to that person and had a conversation.

If it was a person in another place, a mean phone call or a strongly worded letter would suffice.

In today’s world, people use social media to send emojis to convey their emotions.

With that in mind, UK assistant coach Tony Barbee has been under some controversy recently for a tweet sent during Auburn’s loss to Clemson in the NCAA Tournament.

During the game, Barbee sent a crying laughing emoji out on social media. Immediately, it was viewed as meant for Auburn as they were enduring a 89-51 loss to the Clemson Tigers.

Auburn fired Barbee after he went 49-75 in four seasons down on the plains (2010-2014). Many reporters and Auburn fans felt like the tweet was meant toward the Tigers.

Not so fast, Barbee says.

“I wasn’t watching games right then,” Barbee told the Courier-Journal, “It had nothing to do with basketball or any university, so why people took it that way I don’t know.”

Barbee, however, did not give a reason for the post and what it meant. In doing so he left the door open for people to question his motives.

Barbee insists there’s nothing there to read in to.

“I think people need to move on. I’ve moved on, so everyone else needs to move on because it had nothing to do with that place or that basketball game.”

Could that little tweet come back to haunt Barbee?

Better yet, don’t you miss the times of a strongly worded letter?