LSU’s Angel Reese displayed her emotions during the postgame press conference following the loss to Iowa in the Elite Eight Monday night, sparking criticism from a Fox Sports analyst for her tearful reaction.
Emmanuel Acho, a former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker, drew backlash after suggesting on Fox Sports 1 that Reese deserved criticism for not maintaining her usual confidence in the moment.
Acho prefaced his commentary by acknowledging the marginalized status of Black women in America but proceeded to critique Reese’s response regardless. He likened her tearful display to the character Courage the Cowardly Dog, implying that she failed to live up to the tough persona she and her teammates had adopted leading into the game.
According to Acho, Reese, who had previously embraced a villainous role, should have accepted the defeat stoically, akin to a villain in a narrative. He emphasized that no sympathy is typically extended to villains and asserted that Reese, as a self-proclaimed antagonist, should not expect sympathy in defeat.
Despite acknowledging Reese’s impressive performance on the court, Acho emphasized the importance of accepting defeat gracefully, particularly for someone who has embraced a confrontational persona.