Some Reactions Were Worse Than the FIBA Brawl Itself

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve heard of last night’s brawl between the Boomers and Gilas Pilipinas during the FIBA World Cup qualifying match at the Philippine Arena.

While a lot of Gilas fans expressed embarrassment at the team’s conduct, especially given the fact that the game was hosted on Philippine soil, others have posted reactions that are even more cringe-worthy than the fight itself. The meaning of sportsmanship and taking the higher road certainly seems to be lost on these folk.

1. While Basketball Australia has issued an apology for their team’s behavior, Gilas player Terrence Romeo told critics to “convert to Australian." (It's called immigration, Terrence, not conversion. We're not money.)

2. There were those that appealed to a false, and toxic sense of nationalism when they should be remembering how much pride we take in our world-famous hospitality.

3. Some people should really have left our national anthem out of it:

4. This guy can't tell the difference between sportsmen on a playing field and frat brothers in a rumble:

5. Too many people decided to lay the blame on Everybody Else: the referees, the Australian team, everybody.

6. "BUT..." 

7.  Cheap kangaroo jokes were Buy 1, Take 1 on Twitter:

8. Fortunately, there was this one guy who managed to get a real laugh out of all of us. Mabuhay, Noel!