Following LSU’s win over Iowa within the NCAA girls’s event championship recreation, the web has been buzzing about Angel Reese, who’s going through backlash for her John Cena “you can’t see me” taunt at Hawkeyes phenom Caitlin Clark.
The New York Post experiences Dave Portnoy, the founding father of Barstool Sports, referred to as Reese “a classless piece of s – t,” on Twitter, and included a video of her on-court gesture.
Jemele Hill — a contributor for The Atlantic – had no downside choosing a battle with Portnoy over the Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark drama.
Watch a mean of 9 LIVE NBA Regular Season video games per week on ESPN on Kayo Sports on ESPN on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Hill, who departed ESPN in 2018 — quote-tweeted Portnoy’s publish on Monday, writing: “So I’m going to pick this fight. F – k you.”
Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal additionally replied to Portnoy with: “and so is your mother.”
The Barstool character didn’t again down from his remarks.
“I’m in a pretty big full-fledged internet war,” Portnoy mentioned, including that he wager on Iowa to win.
“That bet is a major part of probably what transpired and I can explain,” Portnoy mentioned.
“ … I call her ‘a classless piece of s – t’ and off we go … It is classless by the way … If someone does something that I don’t like in a game I’m watching, I tweet.”
Portnoy defined that it wasn’t Reese’s trash speak that he had a difficulty with.
“I think you’re basically lying if you’re saying what Caitlin Clark did and Angel Reese did are the same thing — they’re not,” Portnoy mentioned.
“I like trash talking. If you hit a big shot in the moment or you’re talking s – t in the moment, back and forth … I don’t care. That is not what Angel Reese did.”
Portnoy’s argument was that Reese “followed” Clark after the sport was over to taunt her.
“Find me one example in any sport, of anybody, after somebody wins a championship, confetti coming down, not in a close game — and find me a player stalking the best player on the other team,” Portnoy mentioned.
“It is not sexist. It does not happen. If a man did that, he would be called ‘classless’ and nobody would be saying anything.”
In a separate tweet, Portnoy denied that the problem, at its core, is about race.
O’Neal has been vocal in his defence of Reese, telling former ESPN anchor Keith Olberman to “leave Angel Reese alone”, after Olberman referred to as Reese a “f***ing idiot” for her behaviour.
“Shut your dumb a– up, leave Angel Reese alone,” Shaq wrote in a tweet.
Olberman later apologised, calling his remarks “uninformed”.
On Monday, Stephen A. Smith mentioned on ESPN’s “First Take” that he believes there’s a racial part to the scenario.
Reese’s “you can’t see me” celebration was the identical gesture Clark made in Iowa’s Elite Eight win over Louisville.
Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey mentioned throughout an look on the “Today” present Monday that Reese is just not going to apologise — and that trash-talk is a part of who she is as a participant.
“[Reese] was upset because they [the public] attack her and they didn’t attack Caitlin and things like that,” Mulkey mentioned.
“Listen, that child is a beast on the boards rebounding. That child just won a national championship. She’s not afraid of social media. That is who Angel is.”
After the win, Reese mentioned she obtained extra criticism than different gamers as a result of she didn’t match a “narrative”.
“All year, I was critiqued about who I was. The narrative — I don’t fit the narrative. I don’t fit the box you all want me to be in. I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto. You told me that all year,” Reese mentioned.
“But when other people do it — you all don’t say nothing. So, this is for the girls that look like me. That’s going to speak up for what they believe in.
“It’s unapologetically you, and that’s what I did it for tonight. It was bigger than me tonight. It was bigger than me. Twitter is going to go in a rage every time.
“And, I mean, I’m happy. I feel like I helped grow women’s basketball this year. I’m super happy and excited. I’m looking forward to celebrating and then next season.”
This article initially appeared within the New York Post and was reproduced with permission.
Source: www.news.com.au
