Did your mom ever yell at your for walking through the house without taking your shoes off? Turns out some Illinois high school basketball players have the opposite problem. Per ESPNChicago:
Chicago's Simeon Career Academy coach Robert Smith on Monday suspended nine underclassmen for one game next season after they removed their shoes and placed them on the court following their third straight Class 4A state championship in Peoria, Ill.
After a 50-48 win over Proviso East in the state championship on Saturday, Simeon's players took off their shoes near half court, placed them side by side on the ground and walked away. The shoes were picked up by Illinois High School Association officials and moved elsewhere.
"They were trying to make a statement saying this was our court," Smith, who won a state-record fifth state title, said on Monday. "To take off the shoes was out of character. I don't think it was the time and place for that. We had already made our statement by winning three (state championships) in a row.
"There's just a way of going about doing things. I don't think that was the appropriate way. We have to make sure we're representing the CPS (Chicago Public Schools) and Simeon as best as we can."
The suspended players are Jaylon Tate, Bobby Harris, Myles Harrison, Dennis Williams, Ricky Norris, Kendrick Nunn, Kendall Pollard, John Gardner and Quon Davis. The only underclassman not suspended was Jabari Parker, the nation's No. 1 junior who did not participate. He was being interviewed at the time.
We're pretty sure the Robert Smith in question is not the former Vikings RB or the lead singer of The Cure, but just in case here is a picture of the running back wearing shoes and a link to The Cure's "Friday, I'm in Love," which includes the line, "To see your shoes and your spirits rise."
