LOOK: Darren Rovell tweets horrible take about LSU gymnastics billboard, gets ripped by gymnast and fans
This weekend, Oklahoma finished off an undefeated season to take home the NCAA women’s gymnastics championship.
Coming in second place were the LSU Tigers, a talented squad that turned in the best finish in school history. To celebrate that impressive accomplishment, the Tigers put up a billboard and tweeted a message thanking local fans.
If you thought the Grinch was only a Christmas villain, you’ve probably never met sports business reporter Darren Rovell, who started off his Easter Sunday by ripping the Tigers for celebrating second place:
No, you can’t put up a billboard for coming in second. https://t.co/wxDPqBNzNr
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 21, 2019
In a world where silver medals (and even, gasp, bronze medals) are handed out at the Olympics, Final Four banners are hung by teams that didn’t win the title and Holiday Bowl victories are celebrated in college football, this is a strange hill for Rovell to die on.
LSU gymnast Ashlyn Kirby had a great response to Rovell, adding insult to injury by calling him “Dave” instead of Darren:
Sounds like someone was runner up in their Easter egg hunt. There’s always next year, Dave. https://t.co/QfVqsvkIv2
— Ashlyn (@Ashlynkirby98) April 21, 2019
Kirby was hardly the only one to rip Rovell’s asinine take, as you can see below. And Rovell wasn’t backing down from defending his bad take, either:
Apples and oranges. Not close.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 21, 2019
There’s a difference between earning it and celebrating it.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 21, 2019
It’s a societal problem.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 21, 2019
It is. But a billboard?
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 21, 2019
So say that.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 21, 2019
They are in the arena. Not advertising it to the community. Huge difference.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 21, 2019
I didn’t for the sake of my children.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 21, 2019
No, the Tigers didn’t win it all, but it was a special season in Baton Rouge and deserves to be celebrated.