Ohio State QB Cardale Jones needs to let go of his beef with Chicago Bulls Center Joakim Noah.
Behold the video below:
Cardale Jones is above this. He’s accomplished too much in life to keep the beef going. Also he has way too much going on in his life to continue on with this silliness. It was funny at first; we all enjoy stories involving trash talk between heated rivals.
But it’s gone on long enough now. It’s not cute anymore. Especially when you consider that the Cleveland Cavaliers will inevitably win this series. Joakim Noah hasn’t exactly played at his best, and he hasn’t done much to try and stop the Cavs, but at least he’s been very mature about this situation.
As we would expect, given that Noah has won the 2014-15 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award as selected by the Professional Basketball Writers Association (PBWA). The honor, just formally announced minutes ago, is named after the NBA’s second commissioner, is presented annually by the PBWA to the player, coach or athletic trainer who shows outstanding service and dedication to the community.
Noah, a two-time All-Star center who has spent his entire eight-year career with the Bulls, has dedicated himself to helping children develop a stronger sense of self through his Noah’s Arc Foundation (NAF).
The foundation recently launched the “Rock Your Drop: The Drop of Consciousness” anti-violence initiative, which supports those affected by violence and encourages youth to express themselves through creative outlets like sports and art.
NAF also produced the “You’re Not Alone” anti-violence video featuring first-hand stories from those who have lost loved ones to violence, including Noah’s teammates Taj Gibson, Nazr Mohammed and Derrick Rose. Last summer, in his ongoing efforts to raise awareness of gun violence and promote unity in Chicago, Noah and NAF debuted the #ChicagoStandUp public service announcement and hosted a basketball tournament that brought together young men from the south and west sides of the city.
It’s time for Cardale Jones to congratulate Joakim Noah on this award today. Jones can continue to Twitter trash talk Noah if he wants tonight, but at this point, it’s a very very bad look for him. Cardale Jones should realize that it’s in his best interests for him to take the high road.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. He also appears regularly on numerous sports talk radio stations all across the country.
Follow him on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook