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The Toronto Raptors fans are certainly pumped up for their Game 1 playoff matchup with the Brooklyn Nets. How pumped? Well, they had a loud and certainly proud pre-game attendance hours before the start of the game. They also got some pumpin' up from the team's GM Masai Ujiri, who is among one of the young, bright General Managers in the NBA.
However...
Ujiri got a little too pumped up by shouting "F**k Brooklyn!" to get the crowd hyped. (Note: Naturally, language is NSFW)
Does he not own a smartphone? Is he not aware that EVERYTHING we do these days is recorded, photographed and shared on the Internet? Or, does he just not care?
Oh well. It's all in good fun, right?
Ujiri met with the media during halftime of Game 1 and said that he apologizes for his language, but that's just how he feels about Brooklyn.
Masai Ujiri: "I apologize to kids out there and to the Brooklyn guys. Nothing against them, just trying to get the fans going."
— Andrew Keh (@andrewkeh) April 19, 2014
When asked if "F*** Brooklyn reflects his feelings, Masai responds: "You know how I feel. I don't like them. I apologize."
— Andy Vasquez (@andy_vasquez) April 19, 2014
He'll probably dislike his fine, which is a near certainty, too.
After the game, Amir Johnson backed his GM. "He's a very passionate man," he said. "We definitely have his back. I'm with him 100 percent. If he said, '[F***] 'em,' I'll say, '[F***] 'em.' "
Back in New York, the combination of Ujiri's indiscretion and the Nets win inspired the guys who write the backpages of the city's tabloids --the Post and the Daily News-- to exact revenge for Brooklyn.
- Masai Ujiri shouts "F*** BROOKLYN!" before Raptors-Nets - Seth Rosenthal - SB Nation
- SEE IT: Toronto Raptors GM pumps up crowd at fan rally by yelling 'F--- BROOKLYN!' (GRAPHIC LANGUAGE) - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
- Raptors GM Masai Ujiri apologizes for shouting ‘F--- Brooklyn’ at pep rally - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
- Brooklyn Nets Paul Pierce on Toronto Raptors GM Masai Ujiri: Who? - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Raptors GM Yells Expletive (Video) - ESPN
- 2014 NBA Playoffs: Raptors enter playoffs cursing, losing - ESPN
- RECAP: Nets 94, Raptors 87 In Game 1 Playoffs -- Raps GM: "F Brooklyn" - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
- Raptors GM apologizes for ‘F—k Brooklyn’ rant - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
- Raptors back GM on Nets comment: 'If he said, '[Bleep] 'em, I'll say, '[Bleep] 'em!' - Kevin Manahan - Star-Ledger
- Masai Ujiri, Raptors GM, apologizes for cussing out Brooklyn Nets at rally - Neil Best - Newsday
- Raptors GM Masai Ujiri could be fined for F-bomb on Nets - Steve Simmons - Toronto Sun
- Raptors GM sorry for profane Nets taunt, Game 1 shot clock shuts down - CP
- ‘F— Brooklyn’ just another part of Raptors ‘We The North’ rebrand - Eric Koreen - National Post
- Brooklyn borough president responds to Masai Ujiri's "F--- Brooklyn" - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game