Sunday’s women’s national championship game between the LSU Tigers and Iowa Hawkeyes got a bit testy at times. There were the multiple elbows not called on either team that should’ve been flagrant fouls on both. There was a technical called on Hawkeyes and tourney star Caitlin Clark for just throwing the basketball behind her back following a foul call on one of her teammates.
Then there was the end of the game where LSU’s Angel Reese, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, made it her business to walk over near Clark to give her the “y’all can’t see me” gesture and point to her finger which will sport a championship ring.
Reese’s celebrating drew the ire of many fans watching, including former ESPN host Keith Olbermann who tweeted out this:
“What a f***ing idiot.”
Pretty harsh words from Olbermann, who seemed very peeved at Reese’s gesture. While she could’ve handled it with more class, let’s not act as if Clark didn’t do the “you can’t see me” gesture after nailing numerous deep threes throughout the tourney, and en route to her 30-point and eight assists outing Sunday, albeit in a loss. In the end, no matter what was done, Olbermann’s reaction is way overboard, and he should apologize for calling Reese out of her name.
Trash talk is a part of the game, and when you dish it, you also have to be able to take it. And as of right now, the LSU Tigers are the national champs and have earned the right to talk as much trash as they like to. Some might like to see it done in a different manner. But, as they say, “ain’t no fun when the rabbit got the gun.”
Reese Says Tigers Aren’t About One Player
In what may have been another shot at Clark, in her postgame comments with ESPN’s Holly Rowe, Reese had this to say about her team stepping up as she dealt with foul trouble:
“It’s no one-man show around here. When I go down the next man is up. Every single time.”
As for Clark, her team is so reliant on her scoring and playmaking that when that isn’t happening they usually aren’t successful.
Reese Is A Role Model Regardless Of Actions
Reese and Clark are two of women’s college basketball’s brightest stars, and they showed it all season in leading their teams to the title game.
Reese is a Baltimore native who began her career at Maryland before transferring prior to this season. The 2020 No.2 ranked recruit broke the single-season NCAA record with 34 double-doubles.
Prior to Sunday’s championship game, Reese was asked about being a role model and her response was this.
“I didn’t even realize the impact I made on so many little girls,” Reese said. “I’ll ask them, ‘Why do you love me?’ And they said, Because you are who you are. You’re you.’ And that’s the biggest trait I carry. Be who you are, and never, ever back down to anyone.”
Known as the “Bayou Barbie,” Reese has inspired young girls to embrace who they are and to strive for greatness.
She’s now a national champion the year after leaving her home state.
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