 Thanks to Loser With Socks via Deadspin |
Rupp Arena was going nuts. The Gators were starting to feel the heat.
Joakim Noah went to the floor, hard, on the defensive end, and found himself face to face with a Kentucky cheerleader. The young brunette did what came naturally; she leaned forward, gave Noah a few choice words, and shook her pom-poms in his face.
Here's what happened next, pictorially. (More after the jump.)
(Picture sequence originally by Rob at http://flickr.com/photos
Fact #1: no cheerleader should be interacting with the players... beyond normal cheers and associated stuff... for any reason. Noah draws a lot of attention; Florida fans consider him passionate, while fans (and cheerleaders, apparently) of other SEC teams find him flat out annoying as hell. Regardless, there is no excuse for goading a player on the floor. This cheerleader should not cheer for Kentucky again.
Fact #2: no player, coach, etc. can afford to let himself be affected by the crowd, cheerleaders, hecklers... even when their actions are extremely annoying. This is part of today's game. Noah, in particular, needs to be sure that he can take it if he wants to dish it out... as dish it he so frequently does.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 53)
2-12-2007 @ 9:23AM
mark stewart said...
Kentucky fans need to check themselves if this is what they,re talking about in Lexington. They need to find out why THEY are not at the level of ball playing they once were. Move over, little dog, the Big ol' Dog is movin' in!
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2-12-2007 @ 10:31AM
Bret Haas said...
So, since you are going to be equitable in your judgment, if the cheerleader "should not cheer for Kentucky again", then should Noah not play for Florida again? I doubt you would make that decision and it seems to me that your judgment of the cheerleader is a rash overreaction. It was an ugly incident and should be dealt with by each University and the NCAA, but let's exercise some common sense and fairness in our rulings.
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2-12-2007 @ 11:24AM
Mike said...
Fact #3: He was actually on offense and had just been whistled for an awful charge call moments before this happened. He was pissed and just trying to swipe the pom-poms out of his face, not actually make contact with the cheerleader.
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2-12-2007 @ 12:07PM
Al said...
She should be suspended for a game as she is the one who instigated the incident. From the stills it also looks like she continued to shake the pompoms at Noah's face even after he brushed them aside. Cheerleaders are representatives of their university and are charged with leading the fans in cheers to support their team, not to taunt the opposition or otherwise show poor sportsmanship. She was out of line, but not so much that she needs to be kicked off the team. Noah's reaction was mild and understandable in context. Instead of sweeping them aside he could just as easily have grabbed the pompoms and then we'd have had a melee.
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2-12-2007 @ 1:01PM
Joe said...
No punishment needs to be "dished out." Lets just let it go and get on with our lives. Who cares if she waved some pom poms and Noah swiped at them? Just let it go!
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2-12-2007 @ 1:02PM
Sean said...
AS a Kentucky cheerleader,she has more National titles than the Gators,so eff u Gator fans.
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2-12-2007 @ 1:05PM
Bob said...
I can't see why she felt the need to cross a line and do that to Noah, but it highlights how far the kentucky basketball program has fallen in recent years.
Florida has now won 5 straight over the kitties
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2-12-2007 @ 1:05PM
ken said...
She should not cheer for Kentucky again? Please get over yourself. Big deal, she got a little to close to Noah and he snapped.
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2-12-2007 @ 1:39PM
C W Hatten said...
Can't we all just get along? Here in WV we had a similar incident with a player and a referee. Just play the game guys, it ain't brain surgery. Yes she should be suspended from one or two future games, but so should he. In hockey it's called the penalty box.
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2-12-2007 @ 1:50PM
Joe Miller said...
No deal at all. With all the nonsense Noah puts up with, pushing a pom-pom away from his face is as gentle as it gets. A Pitt panther fan.
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2-12-2007 @ 1:53PM
Steve said...
No harm, no foul. 2 seconds of overzealous pride and prejudice. Its done. Its not Kentucky's failing or Gator insubordination..just 2 kids that were emotional in the moment. Please dont legislate the passion from the game.
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2-12-2007 @ 1:53PM
Carina said...
that girl is an idiot ... go gators =)
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2-12-2007 @ 1:53PM
josh york said...
i think joakim noah should be suspended for his actions. In the NBA that would have been a fine and a long supencion. there was no excuse for his actions. thaking a swipe at a cheerleader is redicalice.the cheerleader should have to sit out a game.
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2-12-2007 @ 1:53PM
diamond said...
They both are at fault just as a player should hold themselves to better conduct so should the cheerleader.
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2-12-2007 @ 1:53PM
Willie Dodosn said...
Hey guys its just a game. Forget it and move on.
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2-12-2007 @ 1:55PM
josh york said...
kentucky is still far better then gaters. even though they have been betten five times in a row. kentucky has dune that to many teams. the only reason noah swipe at kentckys cheerleader was because he was pissed that kentucky was comming back and was threating to win the game and he couldent handle it. besides you think the cheerleader should be suspended because of her action whill then so should noah he can dish it out but he can't handle it. i think the cheerleader should push charges for assault.
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2-12-2007 @ 1:57PM
Tom Barrett said...
What's the big deal? No contact made. All basketball fans should be away from the action as they are simply too close to the game.
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2-12-2007 @ 1:57PM
Jeff said...
No matter what a cheerleader did a player should not swing at anyone on or off the court. He'll make a great NBA player.
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2-12-2007 @ 1:58PM
Carina is an idiot said...
Comment 12: redicalice = ridiculous!?
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2-12-2007 @ 1:58PM
Butt Head said...
I think he was just trying to swat her nasty crotch smell away before he passed out!
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