If there is one thing you do not want to be perpetuating in sports right now, it is any kind of link to domestic violence.
So what did the Cleveland Cavaliers do in a promotional video? Depict a man throwing his significant other to the ground and causing a head injury for being a Bulls fan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGHAxbSEBZs
I know how we can get our significant others to change their sports allegiances – the use of violent force!
So you know where the team is coming from, the skit is probably some kind of parody of this United commercial. Or maybe even Dirty Dancing. Or maybe even the guy that did the wrestling moves into the pool. Who knows.
Soon after the Cavs posted the video online (that also played in the arena last night) the backlash began immediately. The video was soon pulled down, but not before it was captured by others.
Just watched that Cavs fan video with dude throwing that woman. Let's all just go back to sleep and pretend today didn't happen
— Vann R. Newkirk II (@fivefifths) May 7, 2015
Please tell me this Cavs video where a man throws a woman and causes a head injury is not real.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) May 7, 2015
Well, that didn’t take long. The Cavs took down the throw-your-female-Bulls-fan-to-the-ground video.
— Kami Mattioli (@Kami) May 7, 2015
SWEET MOTHER OF MARK PRICE, @CAVS!
WHAT WERE YOU THINKING WITH THAT VIDEO?!
— The Comeback NBA (@TheComebackNBA) May 7, 2015
There are going to be plenty of voices that will condemn the Cavs front office for even thinking about putting something like this together. The Cavs pulling this video down is telling that they know it missed the mark wildly. Of course, with this being 2015 though, you also know there’s going to be a significant amount of people upset at the “fake outrage” and “PC police” strawmen and wanting everyone to laugh along with a depiction of domestic violence because SPORTZ RIVALRIEZ!
In today’s climate though, and with what this video depicts, it’s just not worth the controversy that will ensue today for a couple cheap laughs. There’s ways you can be funny without a man giving his partner a head injury.
Video H/T @steventurous