Tag: sportsmanship

Since the end of the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament, there’s been a lot of talk from fans and pundits alike. Not because it was an exciting game, but because of a gesture, or more precisely two gestures.

On one side, we have University of Iowa player Caitlin Clark, who used John Cena’s “U Can’t C Me” gesture during the tournament. Then, in the waning moments of the title game, LSU player Angel Reese did the same gesture (among others) back to Clark. When criticism of the latter started coming out, Leftists and their minions went right to playing the race card. Some even went so far as to say Clark’s post-game reaction (which was more gracious than anything said about her from the aforementioned Leftists) was a rejection of MAGA culture.

And, not surprisingly, they’re missing the point. Several points, in fact.

Remember when Leftists were pushing for more civility waaaaaaaaay back in 2020? Yeah, well, they’re fucking liars, but you already knew that. In this case, civility was thrown out the window because…Clark did it first. Yes, they went there, just like a four year old might. And just like a four year old’s argument, it doesn’t make it right. Whether you believe Clark’s gesture was inappropriate shouldn’t make a similar gesture by another player right, either.

But, I guess when you’re white, you always have to say you’re sorry.

To her credit, Clark has defended Reese and tried to put the controversy behind her. Which, of course, the Left can’t do because racism! To them, calling out Reese was tantamount to a double standard (which are the only standards Leftists have), instead of recognizing the lack of sportsmanship. If anything, Reese’s actions were dismissed as “trash talk” that only offended anyone who never did anything competitive in their lives.

Yeah, about that…

Without going too much into my less-than-illustrious basketball career, I’ve set foot on a basketball court and have felt the joy of victory and the agony of doing champions after a defeat. What Reese did was the height of disrespect and poor sportsmanship at a time when a lot more people had their eyes on the game than in previous years.

Because of Caitlin Clark.

Clark’s story is one of hard work, humility (for the most part), and being the best player on the court throughout the season. While that didn’t necessarily help her cut down the net after the finals, it’s something to be emulated. And what’s more, she recognizes who is watching her. While Reese has the championship, Clark has a self-made legacy.

But Clark and Reese aren’t the only people who deserve the spotlight here. Instead, let’s turn our attentions to two other players who truly elevated the sport I love, South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston and LSU’s Jasmine Carson.

I watched the press conference after Iowa beat South Carolina to get into the championship game, and to say I was impressed by Boston’s maturity, composure, and attitude would be an understatement. To showcase this, here is a link to that press conference because I truly lack the words to do it justice. I don’t know where Ms. Boston is going to end up, but I do know she has the right attitude and mindset to succeed.

Then, there’s Carson, whose 21 points off the bench in the first half for LSU was a difference maker. Reese might have been the star of the team, but Carson was the heart, and she seemingly could not miss in that first half, even sinking a shot to end the first half. And each time I saw her hit a 3 pointer, I saw absolute joy on her face. She was having the game of her life and the time of her life at the same time.

Two examples of players who showed more maturity and self-awareness than one of the focal points of the controversy. But who are we continuing to talk about? Angel Reese. Who is continually being defended for being a piss-poor winner? Angel Reese.

And who is ignoring the better angels in lieu of the more visible and outspoken “star”? A whole fucking lot of us.

To gin up a racial component when the real issue is a lack of sportsmanship is cynical and unnecessary. But when all you have to work with is race, everything becomes racial. Meanwhile, some of us are still content with the whole “content of one’s character” bit Martin Luther King, Jr. talked about extensively.

And for anyone who thinks I’m holding Reese to a higher standard than Clark, think again. I’m holding them both to the same standard: be gracious in victory and defeat. And yet, some people can’t help but find a way to limbo under than standard without even bending over 1 degree. Caitlin Clark may still have a ways to go, but I think she’ll be just fine as long as she doesn’t forget who she is and where she came from.

For Reese, I can’t help but pity her. She has the spotlight now and her talent will take her as far as she wants to go, but only if her attitude lets her. Fame, or infamy as the case may be, is fleeting. Without a good head space to go along with it, that fame will disappear as quickly as it appeared. I hope she learns this sooner rather than later because sports history is full of “Whatever happened to X” stories.

As far as the Left and the media (a redundancy, I know) are concerned, stop trying to make bad behavior justifiable because of race. A shitty person is a shitty person, no matter what their skin color is. Get your heads out of your own asses and call balls and strikes for once!

And now we return you to your regularly scheduled insane and somewhat humorous ranting already in progress.