LSU’s women’s gymnastics team finished in second place behind the Oklahoma Sooners at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships on Saturday night. The team posted its second-best-ever score in a national final, so all in all the Tigers had themselves one heck of a good season.
As such, the university wanted to congratulate the women on their tremendous success in 2019 with an electronic billboard message expressing its appreciation for their accomplishment.
Thank You, Baton Rouge! pic.twitter.com/WUYlt18kP9
— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 21, 2019
In and of itself, this isn’t really much a story. That is, until noted internet troll, former ESPN reporter Darren Rovell, decided to chime in on Twitter with another one of his patented horrible takes.
No, you can’t put up a billboard for coming in second. https://t.co/wxDPqBNzNr
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 21, 2019
“No, you can’t put up a billboard for coming in second,” Rovell wrote on Twitter.
Then when people on Twitter took issue with Rovell’s stupid complaint he decided to double down by saying, “It’s a societal problem.”
It’s a societal problem.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 21, 2019
Just don’t say he’s doubling down…
I’m not doubling down. I’m asserting my original position.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 22, 2019
Not doubling down. My opinion never changed.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 22, 2019
Discouraging participation trophies isn’t a bad take.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 21, 2019
So finishing second in the entire nation and getting a billboard congratulating someone for it is the same as a participation trophy? Wow. This is bad even by Darren Rovell standards.
Naturally, because it’s what he does, Rovell ended up getting ratio’d for his poor tweet and even heard from members of the LSU gymnastics team.
https://twitter.com/jetpack/status/1120008420453752834Sounds 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
You want a billboard for that Darrel? https://t.co/kI2glteRqf
— Ruby Harrold (@RubyHarrold) April 21, 2019
We’re just here for the replies...
🍿🍿🍿 https://t.co/ZTMsBmMFdC— LSU Gymnastics (@LSUgym) April 21, 2019
Others also made some very salient points which, of course, Rovell completely dismissed.
Apples and oranges. Not close.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 21, 2019
You can’t be this dense. Final Four billboards and signage go up as soon as they make it. This went up after they lost.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 21, 2019
Of course this tweet is when he stopped responding, haha. #SoftAssRovell
— Thom (@CycleThom) April 21, 2019
Come on, @darrenrovell You engaged, so at least see this debate out. Explain it, or eat crow.
— Thom (@CycleThom) April 22, 2019
They are in the arena. Not advertising it to the community. Huge difference.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/LaurenHopkins96/status/1120040000576532482
And then there were just the replies calling him an idiot.
— Ryan Phillips (@RumorsandRants) April 21, 2019
Quite unsure who anointed you the societal billboard police. It costs $0 to stay in your lane.
Thank u, next.
— M. Quinlan Duhon (@LSUQuinlanDuhon) April 21, 2019
No, you nerd, you screenshotted it and put it on Twitter, though.
— Alexandra Sizemore (@aesizemo) April 21, 2019
Can you point out on the doll where the big scary billboard hurt you?
— Spanny Lee Tampson (@SpannyTampson) April 21, 2019
https://twitter.com/alanduda/status/1120096985292271616
https://twitter.com/mckennamckelley/status/1120331854186536962