Welcome To South Florida, Joakim Noah

Written by Ashley Burns / 05.09.13

Well, friends. We’re not going to get a better image from the NBA Playoffs than this one, Tweeted by CBS Sports’ Matt Moore last night. Hell, if I were picking the best overall sports photo from 2013, this beauty would already have a giant blue ribbon slapped on it, as it dined for free at Red Lobster this evening.

It doesn’t need much of a recap, obviously, as the Miami Heat absolutely demolished the Chicago Bulls in Game 2 last night – as I and probably everyone outside of Chicago predicted – and Joakim Noah didn’t bottle his emotions very well. Noah was ejected in the 4th quarter after sharing some choice words with official Scott Foster after the refs missed a goaltending call, and as you can see he was greeted by this woman on his way to the locker room.

But there’s more to this woman and her husband – the Heat Bro and Babe, if you will – than just this image, as the video of Noah’s ejection reveals.

UPDATE: This is apparently the woman, according to the Sportress of Blogitude. Wow.

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One Auburn Fan Really Loved Those Toomer’s Corner Oak Trees… A Lot

Written by Ashley Burns / 04.18.13

Back in March, an Alabama Crimson Tide fan named Harvey Updyke Jr. was sentenced to at least six months in jail for admitting that he poisoned the famed trees at Auburn’s Toomer’s Corner, and I’m sure that Tigers fans everywhere were none too pleased about that light verdict. After all, those trees are so-called miracles, as they’ve grown and thrived for so long despite the fact that they can be harmed by the slightest changes in weather. They’re like nature’s Jose Reyes.

But what was so unique about their survival was that the surrounding environment of the Auburn campus actually kept them alive. That is, until Updyke dropped some Spike 80DF on them and pitifully ended their amazing legacy. To best understand what the loss of these trees has meant to Auburn and its surrounding community, ESPN.com recently re-ran Wright Thompson’s essay on the trees as a parallel for our own lives and the struggles that Auburn faces as a school in the SEC, but is that poetry enough?

Not for Giancarlo Guida, an Auburn alum and diehard fan who had Toomer’s Corner tattooed on his back. And I suppose the first question is, “Why?”

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The Indiana Pacers Are Enjoying Their Stay In Orlando

Written by Ashley Burns / 05.04.12

The Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers have one of the more understated and heated rivalries building in the NBA, but nobody really talks about it because it’s the Magic and the Pacers. Yawwwwwwwwn, amiright? Speaking of yawns, Danny Granger and a few of his Pacers teammates are probably a little tired this morning since they were out partying in Orlando until 2:45 a.m. Big deal, because I’ll bet Chris Duhon is still out drinking right now.

But it is a bit of a big deal, because while leaving Club 23, Pacers backup center Kyrylo Kesenko was confronted by some Orlando “fans” – and I use quotes because at 2:45 a.m. they’re really just random assh*les looking for a fight – and one even pushed the 7-footer. Then all heck broke loose. Heck, I say!

More from TMZ, “As Kyrylo tried to walk away from the situation … the mob grew in numbers and the taunts became louder.

That’s when Kyrylo’s teammate Danny Granger charged towards the clubgoer … only to be restrained by some of his friends.” (Via TMZ and their ridiculous love for ellipses.)

I’ve included the poor quality cell phone cam video of the altercation after the jump, and I think TMZ is making Granger out to be a bit more badass than he actually he is. Either way, I’m not one to preach about grown men knowing better than to go out partying, but if you’re as recognizable as Granger or, better yet, you’re a 7-foot European dude, people are probably going to talk sh*t.

I know I would. But from like two blocks away, because I’m not stupid.

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LeBron James’ Nike Shoe Designer Is Super Sorry You Guys

Written by Ashley Burns / 05.01.12

LeBron James with Jason Petrie (R) making Kenan Thompson seem awesome.

On Saturday, Chicago Bulls fans watched in horror as Derrick Rose’s struggles to remain healthy this season came to the worst case scenario conclusion, when his knee buckled on a play late in the 4th quarter, resulting in a torn ACL. A lot of people asked the question: “Why the hell was he still in with a 12-point lead and very little time left?” But mostly the answer just came in tears. Even I couldn’t help but feel bad and try to cheer Rose up a little.

Alas, this is competitive sports – a world of us-against-them, heroes and villains and people who just don’t have much common sense. For instance, Nike shoe designer and #TeamLeBron yes-man Jason Petrie watched Rose’s injury take place and his reaction was that Tweet you see above. In this case, Pooh is Rose and Petrie is somehow insinuating that the brand that you rep determines whether or not you’ll suffer a serious injury.

Petrie, though, as most people in certain jobs that could be affected by asinine comments like this often do, later apologized in the most sincere way imaginable.

Adding: “Yo, but 4 reelz y’all, D-Rose need-a comeback in dem new Nikes, cuz Adidas gon giv him MLS.”

Petrie obviously apologized once half the Internet wrote about his insult yesterday, and it was probably after he received a memo from Nike on showing a little more tact on social media. His Tweets are sent from a personal account, which he chooses to use to promote the Nike brand, and most notably plant his lips on James’ billionaire butt, though we can’t really blame him for being a feeder fish with a sweet gig.

As far as James, none of this should really fall on him, but hopefully the remarkable PR effort he’s made this season has taught him to shove one of Petrie’s own fresh designs up his ass for this one.

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