Catfishing with Sidney Ackerman: The Begining

So, the story broke about the Redskins Catfish this week. (For those of you who do not know, "Catfish" is a term for people online pretending to be someone they are not) I had 3 years worth of Sidney Ackerman stories, and I felt the need to share them. I ended up typing over 4000 words on her, so I deceided to split up the stories year by year, otherwise no one is going to read my ramblings.

August/September 2009 - Found Sidney's profile (RedheadedSlut) on twitter and started following cause I was still new to twitter and she was a local skins fan. We talked but she didn't follow back.

October 2, 2009 - I'm at home just on twitter, I see her tweets about being at a bar and I half jokingly say that we should drink together and she direct messages me and says she is at some DC club and says I should come out. It was late, I had to work in the morning, and I didnt have a car, so I say no, and don't come out.

October 3, 2009 - Sidney follows me back and she DMs me and asks if I want to go to the Redskins game the next day. I was having my fantasy hockey draft the next day but she says I should let her know if I ever want to go to a Redskins game because someone who was on the 2009 Redskins but no longer in the league can get her extra tickets if needed. (I don't know the legality/etiquette of naming the players involved in the catfishing, but because the legitimate press didn't, I won't but will give vague clues) I see that Sidney and the Redskins player she is talking about actually talk to each other and follow each other on twitter, so I have no reason to think she is lying. She tells me that she lives on Hackamore Lane in the River Falls neighborhood of Potomac. She also gives me her phone number and says to text her, cause it is easier. All of this is unsolicited. I never asked for tickets or asked for her number or address but I give her my number and am pretty stoked that I might be going to a Redskins game soon.

The week of October 5, 2009 - I text her Monday, saying that I want to go to the Redskins v Chiefs game on October 18th. She agrees. We text/tweet back and forth between those 2 weeks.

October 16, 2009 - Maryland is having some bad weather, so Sidney goes to Atlantic City for the weekend but says she will be back for the game.

Ocotber 18, 2009 - Due to daydrinking on the 17th, I blacked out and was too hungover to go to the game. Good news! Sidney stayed in Atlantic City because I wasn't answering texts so no harm no foul. We agree to meet up for the Redskins v Broncos game on November 15th.

October 31, 2009 - I see Cypress Hill in concert. I tweeted about it prior because I was pumped because this was the first concert I ever attended. I do not believe I specifically told Sidney about it . But when I'm at the concert, before Cypress Hill took the stage, Sidney tells me that she is backstage with B-real smoking weed with him. She knew him from a paintball tournament and they have the same birthday. (My friend Rob, who is more knowledgeable about Cypress Hill than I am is able to confirm that B-real loves paintball) Since we both happened to be at the same concert, we text back and forth, I'm trying to get her to at least come out and say hi or even try to get backstage myself. I have a good time at the concert, without seeing her, but we are still on for the Denver game. (Rob is suspicious but sometime later on, I look at some of Sidney's favorited tweets and I see that there is a tweet from B-real wishing her a happy birthday so I figure she was legitamely there.

November 11, 2009 - Sidney changes her twitter username from Redheadedslut to Red_Ridn_Hood

November 14, 2009 - Sidney's mother dies from an aneurysm. I dont have the tickets and she has to go to North Carolina for the funeral. Somehow, through StubHub, she leaves the tickets at Stubhub Willcall, all I had to give her was my email address and name.

 November 15, 2009 - Everything goes fine without a hitch, I get the tickets at Willcall. I enjoy the seats with my friend Arun. The seats were about 8 rows up from the field, and behind the Redskins bench. The last time I sat that close to a football game was when I watched high school football. She calls me afterwards to see if I had a fun time and see how everything worked out.

December 6, 2009 - During the Redskins v Saints game, the Redskins have a lead and she tweets something about having a party if the Redskins win. I let her know I am interested but no party because the Redskins lose. During the game, she texts me a pic of the 2 guys behind her and asks if they were at the game in November. I had a crappy phone so I was not able to view the pic but I remember that a woman sat directly behind me so I know it is not them.

December 9, 2009 - Through casual twitter conversation, she tells me she has a website. (It is no longer active now, but it was backed up using Wayback Machine.)Here , here and here. She tells me to sign up and become a member so I do. No payment necessary, didn't have to enter a credit card. Site was a bunch of pictures and some blogs. I don't think I visited often.

December 19-20, 2009 - There was a snowstorm in the DC area, Sidney lets me know that she might have an extra ticket for the Monday Night Football game vs the Giants.

December 21, 2009 - I am able to get the extra ticket. Again it is at StubHub Willcall, but it is no problem. I go to the game, sitting by myself but we agree to meet up after halftime. I had a problem getting texts because there was so much data in the air at FedEx Field so I ended up getting texts about 10+ minutes after they were sent. We did our best to text back and forth. The Redskins were getting blown out, it was cold, so she left early. She texts me that she's coming by my section, but with my text delay, I got the text after she left. Again, I fail to meet Sidney.