Thursday’s Hot Clicks: Rugby Player Suspended 13 Weeks for Blowing Snot on Opponent
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Gross!
Rugby is a nasty sport. Guys are constantly pulling all sorts of dirty tricks while hidden by the massive swarm of bodies around the ball. But South African player Nico Lee got caught doing something that’s truly disgusting.
Lee’s team, the Cheetahs, was playing Irish side Connacht in the international Pro14 league on Saturday when Lee was seen blowing snot all over Connacht flanker Colby Fainga’a.
Cheetahs player Nico Lee banned for 13 weeks after he "accepted that he had cleared the contents of his nose onto the face of an opposing player." pic.twitter.com/bpXRqT0L6l
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) February 20, 2019
It’s not visible in the video but apparently Lee’s mucus actually ended up on the face of his opponent.
Lee’s snot rocket went unpunished during the game, but he was called in for a disciplinary hearing. In the hearing Lee “accepted that he had cleared the contents of his nose onto the face of an opposing player” and was handed a 13-week suspension.
“It is difficult to imagine how an act of foul play of this sort could be worse, save for repeated acts or where actual injury is caused,” the disciplinary panel said.
Lee issued an apology, but didn’t apologize to the guy he covered in boogers.
Nico Lee apologize
— Toyota Cheetahs (@CheetahsRugby) February 20, 2019
@PRO14Officialhttps://t.co/E4BXi69qZU pic.twitter.com/7bOkiRpsRJ
Unless he wins an appeal, Lee isn’t eligible to return until July 21, long after the season is over.
Zion is too strong for his shoes
Here’s what happened to Zion Williamson on literally the first play of last night’s Duke-UNC game.
Zion's shoe: destroyed 😳 pic.twitter.com/LqQ2te0Jay
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 21, 2019
Have you ever seen that happen before? It’s not like he’s just playing a pickup game down at the Y on some old sneakers he dug out of the bottom of his closet. Those shoes were supposed to be top of the line. Even Barack Obama couldn’t believe it.
“His shoe broke.” pic.twitter.com/FAtpaF5uAt
— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) February 21, 2019
Making matters worse, Williamson was legitimately injured. He was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game with a knee injury. Coach K said after the game that Zion was diagnosed with a mild knee sprain and would have further tests soon.
The former president also extended well wishes to Williamson after the injury.
Zion Williamson seems like an outstanding young man as well as an outstanding basketball player. Wishing him a speedy recovery.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) February 21, 2019
Carlos Boozer, meanwhile, extended well wishes to a national park in Utah.
Thanks! In anticipation of heavy snow, several roads at @ZionNPS have closed. Be careful out there! Visit https://t.co/uL53F1ff1E for updates. ❄️
— National Park Service (@NatlParkService) February 21, 2019
What in the world?
Mississippi State beat Georgia thanks to a late-game technical assessed to UGA for a fan throwing a stuffed animal on the court pic.twitter.com/cmCnOaP9g1
— Highlights on Loop (@LoopedReplay) February 21, 2019
Georgia seriously lost to Mississippi State after a fan threw a stuffed animal on the court in the final seconds. The toss resulted in a technical foul, which gave MSU another foul shot and a chance to take the lead.
Georgia head coach Tom Crean was understandably livid.
Tom Crean on technical called with 0.5 seconds left after object thrown on floor by fan: “I’ve never seen that, not without a warning or an explanation.”
— Marc Weiszer (@marcweiszer) February 21, 2019
The best of SI
Here are the top 100 players in baseball this season. ... Which teams are the most appealing destinations for Zion Williamson? ... Could the Pac-12 only get one team in the NCAA tournament? ... Our newest NFL mock draft is here.
Around the sports world
Zion Williamson did a rare lengthy interview with GQ. ... A Mississippi State fan is suing Barstool Sports for turning him into a “malicious” meme. ... A lion was filmed chasing a leopard off a golf course inside a South African national park. ... I don’t think we can possibly pretend the AAF is a legitimate league when one of its teams has to practice half the time in a different state because of worker’s comp issues. ... Vlad Guerrero Jr. is one of several Blue Jays prospects whose fathers played in the majors.
Obama was in the house for Duke-UNC...
Obama looks like he's leaving a party and telling his friends he'll be right back even though he knows damn well he's going home to sleep pic.twitter.com/iwyoIDlcV7
— SI Media (@SISportsMedia) February 21, 2019
...but the game was in Durham, not Chapel Hill.
When @UNC students hear that @BarackObama is on campus pic.twitter.com/vmK2OQk6N8
— Luke Buxton (@LukeBuxton_) February 20, 2019
Contrary to rumor, @BarackObama is not on @UNC’s campus nor is he in Chapel Hill. He’s not even in the state of NC right now. I have confirmed this with the head of campus security. #UNC
— Brad Ives (@ABIves) February 20, 2019
NFL Network reporter Kimberly Jones opens up about almost dying in a press conference
A NFL reporter's life changed when she experienced a life-threatening aortic dissection— a tear in the wall of the artery carrying blood out of the heart.
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 20, 2019
Now, she's speaking out to help others after her health scare. pic.twitter.com/i6jcjRAPiU
Creative!
Well alrighty then!
— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) February 21, 2019
That's one way to score. #WNH pic.twitter.com/QOjGIXkGP6
Mets 1, Diamondbacks 0
A grounds crew guy just came over and grabbed it by the head, as the rest of us looked on shocked.
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) February 20, 2019
“Who is that man?” @DeeshaThosar asked.
The snake pic.twitter.com/MJELi29bbn
— Matt Ehalt (@MattEhalt) February 20, 2019
You can take the man out of Brooklyn but you can’t take Brooklyn out of the man
Why would Fred Hoiberg ever want to go back to coaching?
Fred Hoiberg is LIVING https://t.co/FcWonfrbIF pic.twitter.com/7AISDLohYz
— Ricky O'Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) February 20, 2019
Cristiano Ronaldo’s shoes were covered in crystals
👟 @cristiano at Wanda Metropolitano wearing his Swarovski Nike Air Max 97 “Metallic Gold”. 😎
— OneFootball HQ (@OneFootballHQ) February 20, 2019
Sauce, anyone? 🔥 pic.twitter.com/rSqEK8sFEl
Not sports
Chris Hemsworth is going to star in a movie about the life of Hulk Hogan. ... Samsung is coming out with a foldable phone that’ll cost nearly $2,000. ... The reason so many fast food items have bacon right now could be because of President Trump’s new tariffs.
Ah, a classic dry rub
i posted this in the group chat and everyone is furious with me pic.twitter.com/E6AQkdE9Cb
— everybody log off (@oldlinds) February 20, 2019
I’ll use whatever influence I have (none) to get sexy Abe Lincoln in the Swimsuit Issue
That’s not how the game works
A good song
Email dan.gartland@simail.com with any feedback or follow me on Twitter for approximately one half-decent baseball joke per week. Bookmark this page to see previous editions of Hot Clicks and find the newest edition every day. By popular request I’ve made a Spotify playlist of the music featured here. Visit our Extra Mustard page throughout each day for more offbeat sports stories.