Noah Apologizes For Anti-Gay Slur

[Hurricane Season]

CONTEXT

Calling a fan a "fucking faggot" in that particular situation was no different than calling him a "jackass"...for example. It was stupid of him to insult a fan, I am not arguing that, but the word that he chose to use is being severely overblown by everyone... People are too goddamn sensitive. Everyone is getting caught up in the literal meaning without realizing the situation.

 

[MR.ballin]

He got fined 50k lol.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

Lmao yes you can. Cause really, what could this fan of said? I highly doubt the dude threatened Noah's life. He probably called him a little bitch, or an ugly fuck. Which happens frequently in the NBA, I heckle whenever I go to games as well. But instead of being a jackass and calling the fan a name, why don't you quit playing like a moron and show the fan via your game, instead of calling him a name.

Really, I don't see how you can defend that he is not a jackass after using a gay slur on a fan. Really just read that over a few times...

It was a heat of the moment thing, I could really care less. I'm not gonna judge Noah's character and label him as a "jackass" because of one thing. Was it wrong? Sure it was wrong, but gimme a history of doing this to fans or a history of being a douche and then I'll label somebody as a "jackass."

And no, you can't say whatever you want because you bought a ticket. If you ever been to a game on time, you would see the message played before every game (well at least at the UC, who knows what they do at the Palace) that that stuff will not be accepted and fans will be removed form the arena.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

CONTEXT

Calling a fan a "fucking faggot" in that particular situation was no different than calling him a "jackass"...for example. It was stupid of him to insult a fan, I am not arguing that, but the word that he chose to use is being severely overblown by everyone... People are too goddamn sensitive. Everyone is getting caught up in the literal meaning without realizing the situation.

Exactly. Heat of the moment thing. People act like they've never said <Censored> as an insult before. I guess I'm a big jackass. Matter of fact, I guess the majority of the people under 30 are a bunch of jackasses.

 

[RipCity32]

I really don't care if it was a heat of the moment thing or not. Obviously I know it was a heat of the moment thing. But unless you are some complete moron, you can stop yourself from saying whatever you are thinking.

He didn't stop what he was thinking, he is a jackass. End of story.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

I really don't care if it was a heat of the moment thing or not. Obviously I know it was a heat of the moment thing. But unless you are some complete moron, you can stop yourself from saying whatever you are thinking.

He didn't stop what he was thinking, he is a jackass. End of story.

LOL I know plenty of people that say the first thing that comes to their mind. Matter of fact, I'm pretty sure that's exactly what happens in the heat of the moment...

But like you said, Noah is a jackass, the rest of the NBA is filled with saints.

 

[RipCity32]

Rest of the NBA isn't saints, but Noah is a jackass.

 

[Lake Louise]

It's been said before, but it's what I thought when I read this. People need to stop being so damn sensitive. No, he shouldn't of said it, but i'm sure Kobe and Noah aren't the only two who have said such a thing, or worse. To fans, officials, opposing players, or even teammates. It doesn't make it right to say it. I don't use it as a replacement word for stupid, dumb, etc. but a lot worse could of been said. People just need to let things go and move on.

 

[RipCity32]

I am moving on, Noah is just a jackass lol.

 

[cruzg24]

CONTEXT

Calling a fan a "fucking faggot" in that particular situation was no different than calling him a "jackass"...for example. It was stupid of him to insult a fan, I am not arguing that, but the word that he chose to use is being severely overblown by everyone... People are too goddamn sensitive. Everyone is getting caught up in the literal meaning without realizing the situation.

x2. Thats the realist shit youve ever said.

 

[The Guid]

Should he keep his composure? Probably. But, w/e, he didn't attack the fan. Don't talk shit if you can't take it when it's coming back.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

Noah's Chicago teammates, who shared the same bench in the same vicinity of the same heckler, saw their guy's side of things.

"It [the fan's harangue] was really over the line," Bulls forward Taj Gibson said. "It was going on for the entire time Joakim walked back to our bench until he sat down. ... I know the crowd looked at the guy, too, like, 'Come on,' leave him alone, it's over.'

"He was really loud. He was a big guy, too. He was intoxicated. When I saw him, I was just surprised, because he kept going and going."

Bulls forward Luol Deng said: "What Jo said is something out of frustration -- he has to do a better job of controlling his emotion. But that fan should have been out of the game. ... Honestly I [felt] like jumping in the crowd and hitting him. We're humans. And the camera is not on that fan at all."

Not so long ago, the NBA almost embraced a heckler in Washington named Robin Ficker, who harassed Bullets' opponents with wit, repetition, volume and barbs aimed at certain guys' soft spots. Legend has it that Charles Barkley even flew Ficker to Phoenix for a 1993 Finals game and bought him a ticket near the Chicago bench to antagonize the Bulls (Suns security removed him early in the game).

But some of what gets blasted at players now obliterates any lines. The days of "You stink!" are long gone. So is responding without hitting the airwaves and Internet almost immediately.
"No question. It's becoming more and more like that," Noah said. "But hey, it's still a pretty good job, y'know. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Obviously this guy was saying something pretty bad if it got Luol, of all people, that upset. Luol is known as one of the best all-around people in the game, so are we gonna label him a "jackass" now because he wanted to go bunch the fan? Seriously... Yes, Noah should've kept his cool, but shit happens in the heat of the moment. That moment does not define who Joakim is as a person at all.

 

[lakerfan]

My opinion is essentially this-- the NBA made a clear point about the word through the Kobe debacle, and players had to have been fully aware of the negative reaction that followed that clip. Noah simply should have known better, and because of that, the fine was warranted. Regardless of what context the word was used in, or the circumstances in which the word came out, him using it was unacceptable, end of story-- especially 2 weeks after the last infraction.

And as far as the word itself-- do expletives come out on the court? Absolutely. But I mean, honestly, is it really that difficult to use another word? When it really boils down to it, calling someone a f*ggot is essentially degrading someone by likening them to a homosexual. Analyze its literal or figurative meaning all you like, but that's the point of the expletive and its pretty despicable. It literally is using someone's sexual orientation as a means of mockery. At least Noah is now reminded that he can use any other word in the rich book of American cuss words instead of that one.

 

[The Guid]

Stupid is using someone's lack of intelligence (for whatever reason) as a means of mockery..are we getting rid of that word too?

 

[lakerfan]

Stupid is using someone's lack of intelligence (for whatever reason) as a means of mockery..are we getting rid of that word too?

As far as I know, being stupid isn't a title people willingly desire to be associated with, want to feel proud of because it forms a part of their identity, and are segregated because of (at least visibly) in the social spectrum. Homosexuality, on the other hand, is. Just as an aside, I remember Charles Barkley commenting a few weeks ago that he would have no problem with a gay player in a locker room. How does Noah's comment, along with Kobe's prior one, support that statement? The NBA's action is necessary at least to take a mediating step in creating an healthy environment for homosexuals in a sports environment that very obviously holds them as a taboo subject. Hell, sports are among the most heteronormative institutions that still exist today. And like I said earlier, no one is abdicating a ban on expletives-- but the particular use of this word is a slur, no different than racial epithets. If you have a problem with those, you're obligated to be upset at the tone of these comments too.

 

[The Guid]

What I'm saying, though, is that those words are used all the time, in this exact same context, but aren't caught on camera. If we ban ALL of them, then, yes this fine is okay (IDK if you or someone else has made this point. I think I saw it before) but that's not the case.

My problem is that people are getting all bent out of shape over this word being used and all that. I think people are are blurring the between the two contexts of the word. There is a HUGE difference between him saying this word in the heat of the moment, or casually, and him saying this word with malicious intent. It may be just me but I don't find what he did incredibly wrong. Was it offensive? Absolutely. But was it hateful and malicious? Absolutely not. Yes, it was demeaning to homosexuals but, you know what, they aren't the first group of people to be referenced as a form of mockery, and they certainly aren't the last.

All I can think of is the George Carlin routine when he's talking about context and "bad words". If you can find it, it's a good bit but is actually pretty much what I'm saying here.

 

[BwareDWare94]

"Oh, hey..Look what that big guy just said! I'm offended so much, I'm crying. Wah. Wah. Wah."

It's a fucking word. A word, dammit. He should not be fined for what he said. He should be fined for the fact that he reacted to a fan. Kobe should have been fined for the reaction to the official as well, and not for the word.

<Censored>
<Censored>

They're just words. I have no problems with gays at all, but they're JUST WORDS. Who gives a shit? Really? I mean, come on. Let's jack two guys $50,000 and $100,000 for words they said. That's so fair. The NBA might have gained popularity under David Stern, but this idea that they can fine people for words they say and things they say is ridiculous. Coaches should never be fined for publicly criticizing game officials because the NBA has, by far, the worst officiating in all of professional sports. Players should not be fined for things they say either, because they're just words. Noah didn't hit somebody. Kobe didn't attack that offical. These fines are ridiculous and should not occur. Fine people for actions, not words.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

I don't think this is nearly as big of a deal as some want to make it out to be.

 

[$tunna]

Nobody cares as much about Joakim saying it smh