https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26QqAOrXHes&feature=player_embedded
UPDATE 5/22 10:18 PM: Joakim Noah has told reporters, “I apologize. The fan said something to me that I thought was disrespectful, and I got caught up in the moment, and I responded. I said some things that I shouldn’t have said. I was frustrated and I didn’t mean any disrespect to anybody.” Two wrongs don’t make a right, Mr. Noah. Now just pay up the $100,000 and go make a PSA, why don’t ya.
Chicago Bull’s forward Joakim Noah pulled a Kobe Bryant-lite and told someone “Fuck you, faggot” during Sunday’s televised Eastern Conference Finals against Miami Heat. The only difference between he and Kobe’s slur? Noah’s directed his to someone behind the bench instead of a referee. Sports Illustrated blogger Zach Lowe has told Noah to prepare for a $100,000 NBA fine. But we’re hoping that the oncoming bad publicity will also encourage Noah to create a PSA against such speech (just like Bryant, his teammates, and the Phoenix Suns did) and that the occurrence might even encourage the NBA to start a campaign to end homophobia in basketball. Especially with so many sports figures coming out these days, the time for such organizations is overdue.
Via Towleroad
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Question
Now that we have the basic down..
“F*%K You” and “Faggot” when can we get started?
I’m a bit confused, is this proposition or a declaration or intended future plans?
Count me in Okay Joakim Noah you are a hottie..
I can accommodate ya.
p.s. Joakim..”It Gets Better”
ajfkkillopiytuioofermakolloui
who is this guy??
Armand
And may be Joakim Noah can do a video of It Gets Better with fake tears.
Everybody take out your mandolins and let’s all gather in a pity-party-woe-is-me-we-are-always-victims circle.
Mark
He’s cute I forgive him.
Geoff B
We had the game on in the bar I work at. Didn’t see the incident, but now it seems ironic especially when there were two NBA commercials during the games that were those “don’t use anti gay slurs” ads. Until there are sanctions beyond a fine which is surely pocket change to a lot of these athletes, these apologies are starting to ring hollow.
Geoff B
One other point I’d like to make. While I work in what is a primarily a straight sports bar, we do our best to make everyone feel welcome (as someone who is gay, I take that very seriously) We don’t allow hate speech of any sort and I feel bad that anyone who was in my bar tonight had to see that behavior on tv during a game. Especially by someone on the team everyone was rooting for. Sad.
TheRealAdam
@Geoff B: Oh God, shut up and stop whining you whore.
Daniel
@TheRealAdam: I look forward to the day that we have comment moderation to keep idiotic comments like yours off of here.
TheRealAdam
@Daniel: Don’t you take that tone with me.
timncguy
“I apologize,” Noah told reporters. “The fan said something to me that I thought was disrespectful, and I got caught up in the moment, and I responded. I said some things that I shouldn’t have said. I was frustrated and I didn’t mean any disrespect to anybody.”
He was fine until the last sentence. “I didn’t mean any disrespect to anyone.”???? Really??? Of course he did. That’s exactly what he meant. He admitted that he felt disrespected. Then he responded in kind to show his disrespect to the fan. And, the first thing that came to mind for him to express disrespect to someone he didn’t know was to call that person gay. Most people when looking for a response in this situation would have chosen the word asshole or jerk. Something along those lines to show you didn’t appreciate the comment. But, what automatically flows from this guy’s brain to show a lack of respect is to call someone a faggot. It shows his true feelings. So, he doesn’t get to claim in his apology that he didn’t mean any disrespect. That is EXACTLY what he meant. His whole goal was to show his lack of respect for the fan. And, to him, the way you show a lack of respect for another person is to call them gay.
Mike in Asheville
Lets not pretend that episodes like this one are now opportunities to advance both anti-anti-gay and anti-anti-bullying causes.
Just a year or two ago, and events such as this happened dozens of times at every professional (and collegiate) game. Then, the victim(s) and gay/lesbian fans toughed it out quietly.
Today, the video goes viral on the net, gets covered by major media, forces the organization, this time again the NBA, to make public efforts against homophobia and bullying.
Tomorrow, another sports related figure will come out of the closet. And, another percentage point slice of fence sitters move from supporting anti-gay civil/social positions to pro-gay civil/social positions.
Sure its somewhat backhanded, but publicity about bigotry, homophobia and bullying is making change happen more quickly.
the big one
@timncguy: Right on Tim! He meant what he said he just got caught on TV saying it. Had he didn’t it would have been a locker room joke! I was watching the game and saw the entire thing. they couldn’t edit it but you can clearly see what he said. It’s sad that straight men then by calling another man a faggot is going to hurt there feelings. I hope he pays more than 100,000. set more examples of these jerk offs.
ZT
Thanks a lot, Canada, for inventing basketball.
Jeffree
If penalties in the NBA are supposed to be both punitive & preventive, then they need to have more sting than a fine: How about a one game suspension for the first offense, 3 for the second one, & so on?
Noah’s been on the sidelines with injuries a bunch lately, so he picked a bad time to pull this stunt. Bad press for the Bulls, too.
DarSco
A lot of young guys(those under 35) really think it’s ok to use words like faggot, nigga, cracka. Faggot to a lot of young guys is like calling someone a punk or pussy, I hear whites & latinos call eachother nigga & cracka.
It’s a kinda stupid explanation but it’s a true one. I don’t say i agree with it but I understand why they do it.
and he’s a hottie lol
Kieran
Joakim Noah brings back memories of the girl I took to the High School prom. They both had the same hair-do.
alan brickman
Alot of atheletes get called BREEDER by hateful gays…why isn’t anyone complaining about that too???
Shannon1981
More homophobia from professional sports. Surprise surprise. /snark
Once again, not buying the apology. Homophobes don’t change over night, and they are only apologizing because they have to.
Pay your fines, you bigots, and shut the fuck up.
DJ
Ugh! W/e. He’s not that cute anyway which makes him irrelevant.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
@Jeffree: Hey J, your knowledge of all things NBA impresses me! I didn’t even know who this asshat was prior to his name callin’ tantrum let alone that he had some injuries! :p
I also 100% agree with you. I bet he pulls in a bunch ‘o coin and 100k is not gonna put a hurt on his wallet…Howeva missing a few key games may make one put a muzzzle on it……..
Go Galt. Please.
Joahkim really should have a better grasp of the english language by now. As I explained to a child recently, the F word is what you shout when you’re beating someone to death with a baseball bat.
stuart
He’s got a lot of nerve calling someone a F++++t while he’s wearing his hair up in a french twist.
prohomo
@DJ: You’ve gotta be kidding me.
prohomo
@alan brickman: Sorry, but that’s a false argument since sports thrives off homophobia..from them stupid, ignorant, straight males. No pity here.
alan brickman
well i guess the breeder haters should get fined too…