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If anyone should know about the danger of making  inappropriate statements on a social media site, it should be Channel 4 anchor-reporter Melissa Holmes.

After all, she is the online expert for the CBS affiliate.

On Tuesday, Holmes even did the story on the reaction on social sites Facebook and Twitter to the press conference by new Buffalo Sabres Owner Terry Pegula (see right).

And Holmes previously did a story on the Twitter comments being made by two of Pegula’s daughters – Jessie and Kellie — before their father took ownership.

So it was surprising and odd that Holmes would send a tweet to Jessica Pegula that appeared to be asking for a job within the organization after the reporter did a soft positive story on his family members.

Holmes tweeted to Jessica Pegula: “Hope you liked my news story about ur Sweet Tweet game. My ? for ur dad – does he need anybody now 4 Sabres media? I’m interested!”

I was interested in why Holmes would do such a thing on a social network read by many media members. And I’m told that many members of the media were stunned by the inappropriateness of the tweet and laughing about it Tuesday.

I was a little stunned, too, and initially wondered if someone had gotten a hold of Holmes’ Twitter account.

After all, she graduated from my alma mater, Syracuse University, and surely was taught that you don’t ask a source or a source’s relative for a job – especially after you write a positive story about the family.

It made you wonder if Holmes – who has impressed as a Channel 4 morning anchor and fill-in anchor at other times — sent the tweet because her Channel 4 contract was running out and her days at Channel 4 were numbered. So I contacted her — through Facebook — and asked her to call me.

“I was being half-sarcastic,” said Holmes in a brief telephone interview Tuesday night. “I’m still under contract at Channel 4 until the end of the year. I’m not looking for anything immediately. I’m always keeping my options open.”

“Would I like to take it back? Maybe. (But) if Jessica Pegula called and said her father wanted me to (work for) the Sabres, I wouldn’t (take it back).”

She laughed as she made that comment, adding “I’m completely loyal to Channel 4.”

She agreed that sending a tweet to the owner’s daughter was an odd way to essentially apply for a job.

“Of course I would try to reach out to him myself and do things the professional way if I really wanted to do that option,” said Holmes, who hadn’t heard back from Jessica when we talked.

But then she added:  “After seeing that press conference, wouldn’t you want to be on the Sabres team?”

Certainly, the TV coverage of Pegula Day was so positive that you might have thought everyone at the stations already worked for him. The comments about Pegula’s performance ranged all the way from spectacular to just merely fantastic.

I didn’t see the press conference live but read a few minutes of a live blog. My favorite comment came from someone who said Pegula went “John Boehner” on fans when he cried looking for Sabres great Gil Perreault in the audience.

I must admit that I also laughed when I watched taped footage of Pegula crying on TV.

I apologize. I also could see why others would have found the tears very moving. But Pegula’s reaction made the reference to the Speaker of the House’s tendency to cry easily even funnier to me.

Full disclosure here: I have something in common with Pegula and hope he pulls off his quest for a Stanley Cup.

You see back in 1975, I often covered the Sabres as a second reporter for the Buffalo News and was a season ticketholder like Pegula. My seats were in the last row of the oranges at center ice.  I’m the guy who had the Sabres announce before every game that the no smoking regulation also applied to those standing behind “the last row in the oranges.”

I always felt like I made a difference to fans who loved watching the games in person and abhorred smoke. However, people smoked behind me on most nights anyway.    

But back to Holmes, who should be more careful on Twitter.

While she picked an odd, inappropriate and risky way ( I can’t imagine Channel 4 officials were too happy about it) to essentially apply for a job, the idea of hiring a woman to join the Sabres media team in a visible role is a good one. They especially could use a woman on camera during the games as some NHL teams do.

Channel 2’s Maria Genero has done some limited feature work for the Sabres in the past.

And it isn’t like Holmes necessarily would have to leave Channel 4 to work part-time for the Sabres.

After all, Sports Director John Murphy essentially works for the Buffalo Bills as their play-by-play man and backup Paul Peck essentially works for the University at Buffalo Bulls as their play-by-play man.

So as strange and as inappropriate as Holmes’ tweet was, it would be a crying shame if Pegula didn’t seriously consider adding a woman to his TV or media team in some visible role.

pergament@msn.com

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