LSU defeated Iowa on Sunday to win the NCAA women’s college basketball championship. As is customary, LSU will be invited to the White House. But first lady Jill Biden, who was in attendance for the game, wants Iowa to attend as well because they played a good game. What in the participation trophy h*** are we doing here?
“I know we’ll have the champions come to the White House, we always do. So, we hope LSU will come,” Biden said. “But, you know, I’m going to tell Joe I think Iowa should come, too, because they played such a good game.”
Biden’s comments were not viewed favorably by many people on social media.
LSU’s Angel Reese, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, quote tweeted an article referencing Biden’s wishes with the caption “A Joke” and laughing crying emojis.
All of this comes in the wake of discourse surrounding race, decorum, and sportsmanship in the championship game.
The First Lady Wasn’t Intentionally Trying To Steal LSU’s Moment
This likely wasn’t some premeditated plan by the first lady. She, like many others, got caught up in a very compelling and dramatic championship game and her first reaction was probably to celebrate both teams on a great tournament.
“It was so exciting, wasn’t it?” Biden said. “It was such a great game. I’m old enough that I remember when we got Title IX. We fought so hard, right? We fought so hard. And look at where women’s sports have come today.”
In fact, on Tuesday, Press Secretary to the First Lady Vanessa Valdivia tried to soften the negative social media reaction.
“The First Lady loved watching the NCAA women’s basketball championship game alongside young student-athletes and admires how far women have advanced in sports since the passing of Title IX. Her comments in Colorado were intended to applaud the historic game and all women athletes. She looks forward to celebrating the LSU Tigers on their championship win at the White House.”
But given the larger conversation following the game it’s still hitting Black basketball fans in a different way.
There is no way around the optics of the championship game. A practically All-white Iowa team led by the superstar of the moment, Caitlin Clark. On the other side, an All-Black basketball team led by Reese.
Race Is Omnipresent
This is America. Given our racial past and present and the complications of sport, people felt some kind of way during this game. Either consciously, subconsciously, or both.
Add in the much talked about and dissected taunt by Reese towards Clark and you have a powder keg in American racial discourse.
According to ESPN and HBO’s Bomani Jones there is a protectionism that occurs for the white basketball player. He discussed the title game and the Reese and Clark situation on Monday’s episode of “The Right Time with Bomani Jones.”
When the first lady suggests that she wants Iowa to come too because they played hard, it is a part of this protectionism.
Poor Iowa and Caitlin Clark. They got beat by those mean, physical Black girls on LSU.
The first lady did not say that. But that’s the sentiment felt by many Black fans and likely the Black LSU players.
Reese talked about the “double standard” as it relates to her taunt of Clark.
“All year, I was critiqued for who I was. I don’t fit the narrative,” Reese said after the game. “I don’t fit the box that y’all want me to be in. I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto. Y’all told me that all year. When other people do it, and y’all don’t say nothing.
“So this is for the girls that look like me. For those that want to speak up for what they believe in. It’s unapologetically you. And that’s what I [did] before tonight. It was bigger than me tonight. And Twitter is going to go into a rage every time.”
It’s unclear if the first lady will convince the president to invite Iowa and unclear if Iowa would accept.
For Reese and her teammates you could understand why hey feel their moment is being overshadowed. That the reason for being overshadowed is about a white player from a white team hits different.
This isn’t about Clark, Iowa or any specific white player. It’s about a system, country, and society that places white above Black at every turn.
No matter what happens though, Reese and LSU won the title. They can’t take that away.
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