Joakim Noah: 5 Ways Chicago Bulls Star Can Repair His Damaged Reputation
Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls found himself in a heap of trouble with the NBA on Monday, after television cameras caught him launching a homophobic slur in the direction of a fan during Sunday's Game 3 loss to the Miami Heat.
With 6:29 remaining in the second quarter, Noah picked up his second foul on an over the back call, forcing Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau to bench his starting forward. Visibly frustrated, Noah got into a verbal altercation with a fan, dropping several expletives as well as the homophobic slur.
Now, Noah's been fined $50,000 for his potty mouth, and his reputation has taken a major hit over the incident. After all, using that kind of language toward a fan is frowned upon by pretty much everyone.
But, that's not to say that Noah's reputation isn't salvageable; in fact, he can save himself from the PR faux pas rather easily, by taking these five steps.
Apologize
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Noah's already taken this step, but we'll break it down anyway.
In order to start the rebuilding process, Joakim has to show that he knows he made a mistake. That means apologizing to the fan he said it to, his teammates and the league for behaving in such an immature fashion. It means admitting that he knew better than to say the word or to use the expletives he dropped in the altercation as well.
By showing remorse, Noah managed to help lower his fine from the Kobe Bryant $100,000 lever, to a much more reasonable $50,000. He managed to get out in front of the controversy and minimize its impact simply by apologizing as soon as the game ended.
Don't Appeal Your Fine
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Look, I get that every player, coach and trainer feels the need to appeal any suspension, fine or other punishment the league levies against them, as a sign of solidarity with the player's union or something ridiculous like that.
But, if you really want to save your reputation, then don't bother keeping up appearances. Just take your punishment, pay the fine and let everyone start to move on from your mistake. It shows that you know what you did was wrong, and even if you think the punishment was harsh, you're willing to accept the consequences for your actions.
Play Better
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I call this the Ben Roethlisberger theory (although Michael Vick and Kobe Bryant can be substituted, as well): when you do something that causes a PR nightmare, the best way to move on from it is to play better and start winning games. When you do, it gives people a reason to move on, something new to talk about rather than letting them focus on your faux pas.
Obviously, the examples I used to name the theory are much more serious transgressions than Noah's, but the theory still applies here. If Noah wants to get people to stop talking about his brain fart, he needs to come out and play exceptionally well in Game 4 and give people something else to talk about.
Plus, given the way he's played in this series thus far, the Bulls could sure use some stronger play from him moving forward.
Stop Using the Word
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This one's not hard to figure out at all. Want to prove you've actually learned from your mistakes? Stop using the homophobic slurs that got you in trouble. Show people that you've changed from all the controversy, the criticism and the trouble you put yourself in. Show that your apology was more than just talk and that you're actually making an effort to change.
It doesn't have to be perfect; no one expects you to erase a word you've used for years from your lexicon overnight. But starting by making a concerted effort not to use it on camera or in the locker room would be more than enough to convince people that you're trying.
Partner with a GLBT Rights Group
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This one's not necessarily about joining the fight for gay rights (although, if Noah's in favor of the cause, joining it would certainly help); instead, it's simply as a champion for putting an end to the use of slurs in the sports world.
By partnering with a group like GLAAD or Human Rights Coalition, Noah would show people that he's committed to helping to eradicate the use of that slur from sports. Shooting a public service announcement speaking out against bigotry and hatred in sports would go a long way toward erasing whatever bad feelings remained about his choice of language.
In the end, this would be the biggest and best way Noah can help erase the memory of his faux pas. Joining forces with a GLBT rights group would help show that he's learned from his mistakes and would help him to turn the moment into one people can learn from, rather than simply a black mark on his reputation.
