04 April 2023 , 13:13
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Jill Biden has been slammed for inviting NCAA champions LSU Tigers AND runners-up Iowa Hawkeyes to the White House for a visit.
LSU beat Iowa 102-85 in the final of the national championship at the weekend in a victory marred by bad blood between the main protagonists Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark - which spilt into a wider discussion about hypocrisy and racism. So when United States' First Lady Jill Biden extended her invitation to both teams it was met with fury.
Jill Biden, who attended the game in Dallas, said: “I know we’ll have the champions come to the White House, we always do. So, we hope LSU will come. But, you know, I’m going to tell Joe I think Iowa should come, too, because they played such a good game.”
She added at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver: "It was so exciting, wasn't it? "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."
It is unclear whether Joe Biden agreed with his wife and has formally invited both finalists, or whether the meeting would be a joint visit or they would come individually. Following the victory, Tigers coach Kim Mulkey said she would go to the White House if the team was invited.
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Reese, who scored 15 points in the final and was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player, was less than impressed with the joint offer and took to Twitter to claim it was "A JOKE" which was accompanied by three crying-laughing emojis.
ESPN pundit, and highly respected voice in US sport, Stephen A Smith backed Reese up by replying: "I mean absolutely zero disrespect to the First Lady, but you are 1000% correct.
"That is a bad suggestion. Runner-ups don't get invited to the White House. Why are we trying to change it now? I completely agree with you, Angel."
LSU' Alexis Morris jokingly tweeted for a former First Lady to step up for an alternative gathering: "Michelle OBAMA can we (LSU NATIONAL CHAMPS) come celebrate our win at your house?"
LSU Tigers star Angel Reese taunted NCAA Championship rival Caitlin Clark (Getty)Reese has been at the centre of another social media storm this week after taunting Clark during the final. The Tigers superstar pulled out a "You can't see my" celebration - made famous by WWE wrestler John Cena - in the face of Clark.
Clark has often taunted opposition players herself, and did not respond to Reese's provocation, but fans were furious at Reese's supposed lack of respect - which then lead to further accusations of hypocrisy between the reaction to the two players of different races.
“All year, I was critiqued about who I was,” Reese said. “I don’t fit in a box that y’all want me to be in. I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto. But when other people do it, y’all say nothing. So this was for the girls that look like me, that’s going to speak up on what they believe in. It’s unapologetically you.”