Suns Twitter roasts ESPN broadcasting crew
Hell hath no fury like Phoenix Suns fans tweeting about Jeff Van Gundy.
The Los Angeles Clippers smothered the Suns Monday, 116-102, which means not only did the Suns not close out the Western Conference Finals, but the series heads back to LA for Game 6 on Wednesday.
Naturally Suns Twitter, defensive and unable or unwilling to find fault with their team in the best of times, was angry.
So who was the big villain?
Paul George, for burning the Suns with 41 points?
Patrick Beverley, for stomping around like an arrogant jerk after fouling Chris Paul?
Nope.
Van Gundy.
“I really hope Jeff Van Gundy gets a Head Coach job next year so nobody has to hear him on a TV ever again,” one person tweeted.
“I wish I could poke Jeff van gundy in the eye,” tweeted another, an apparent reference to the Suns’ Jae Crowder poking George in the eye.
Ouch.
Van Gundy’s ‘sissification’ remark did him no favors
Granted, Van Gundy did himself no favors when, disagreeing with a flagrant foul call, said, “I am sick of the sissification of the game.”
This didn’t go over well with everyone.
“Words matter and deeming something as ‘sissy’ like is misogynistic and homophobic,” one person tweeted. “We all know the term sissy is demeaning and to use such language especially during #Pride month is not okay. Do better Jeff #espn.”
Some people, on the other hand, thought it was hilarious, believing the game has gotten too soft.
“‘I AM SICK OF THE SISSIFICATION OF THE GAME!’” another person tweeted. “Lmaaaoooo thank you Jeff Van Gundy. We are tired!!!”
Some context: Van Gundy and his analyst partner Mark Jackson are known for their bickering act. Van Gundy in particular has the reputation as a complainer.
Twitter didn’t spare Jackson, either. “Mark Jackson always seems like it’s his first time watching a basketball game,” one person tweeted.
In fact, Jackson played and coached in the NBA before moving into broadcasting.
But often he does sound like he’s kind of annoyed that someone asked him to say something.
Suns Twitter can never find fault with its favorite team
The other big complaint was that the ESPN crew — which also includes playby-play announcer Mike Breen, who generally escapes social media critiques unscathed — favored the Clippers.
(In a nice moment, ESPN showed longtime Suns play-by-play announcer Al McCoy, whom Breen said was one of his heroes.)
“When did ESPN become the Clippers home announcers?” read one tweet.
“Hey @espn your announcers should try to hide their LA Clippers bias just slightly eh? #PHXvsLAC #NBAPlayoffs,” read another.
Keep in mind that following Suns Twitter during a game is like listening in on a meeting of the Phoenix chapter of the Basketball Justification Society. The Suns can do no wrong, no matter how much wrong they do. The (insert name of whatever team they’re playing) can do nothing right, the officiating is onesided and, I don’t know, the beer is warm.
It’s not exactly an objective bunch. If announcers dare to call the Suns out on a sloppy play, woe be unto them, as they say.
There’s really no justification for the “sissification” remark. But the homers’ complaints are just business as usual.
Suns fans like winning or complaining. Monday night left them with only one option.