Early in Sunday’s game three against the Heat, Bulls center Joakim Noah was subbed out and proceeded to get into it with a heckling fan from the bench. The fan taunted Noah—apparently saying something about his mother—to which the Bull responded, “Fuck you, faggot.”
Now, in April, Kobe Bryant received a $100,000 fine for directing the same slur at referee Bernie Adams. Noah was only fined $50,000. As Timothy Burke of Mocksession tweeted:
How many jobs can you use a bigoted slur in public TO one of your customers and NOT be fired?
The league suggested that Bryant’s fine was higher because it “included discipline for verbal abuse of a game official.” So basically, they’re saying that it’s worse to use a gay slur toward an official than a fan. If anything, like Burke suggests, shouldn’t it be the other way around? But why even make the distinction, especially in the backward way the NBA made it? Why say one gay slur is worse than another?
Either way, it’s a break in the progress from last week. Especially, when you consider where Noah, who does seem contrite, comes from.
He grew up in a worldly, cultured environment, attending the United Nations International School and living in Soho. If any NBA-er’s up-bringing could have conditioned him to not spout off gay slurs at fans, it would be Noah. Yesterday, Kevin Arnovitz, who is gay, interviewed the Chicago center. Anovitz pulls no punches and really puts Noah on his heels. It makes for an awesome read.
Here’s a clip:
Kevin Arnovitz: I understand. I just wish it hadn’t been you. I mean, that word is hard to hear no matter who says it, but you’re supposed to be one of the enlightened guys. You’re the guy who grew up in Soho and has European parents and friends all over the world. There are a lot of players in the league who, whether because they come from certain backgrounds or maybe choose not to care, don’t surprise me. But you surprised me.
Noah: You know, all my best friends live downtown in New York City. I was made in Soho. Sometimes, when you’re at this level you don’t realize the consequences or how much a word can bother people. My mom’s best friend was gay. We used to call him “Mom.” So I’m disappointed because that’s not me. I didn’t mean any harm to anybody. I don’t want anyone to feel disrespected by what I said, and I understand that’s what’s going to happen.
And last, if you want to understand what it feels like to have an anvil dropped on your brain, listen to ESPN’s trio of Mark Jackson, Mike Breen, and Jeff Van Gundy on Noah’s fine:
—Photo AP