At the conclusion of Cleveland’s 118-110 victory over the Pelicans on Monday, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love engaged in a complicated victory handshake that appeared to end with an homage to toking on a spliff. The Cavs have issued a statement on the cannabinoid *high*-five, and it’s as ridiculous as you’d think.
Perhaps you’ve noticed the Clippers are rocking some porn ‘staches these days. Our prognosis: Blake Griffin and J.J. Redick should not have mustaches; however, Stan Van Gundy absolutely has to have a mustache. This is because it’s Movember, and the growing of a mustache in November is to promote men’s health (check your kibbles and bits every time you shower fellas).
Maybe that’s why the Cavs thought they could get away with this absurd explanation for the Love-Irving handshake.
Per Chris Haynes at the Northeast Ohio Media Group, comes the droll response after the media caught on to the exchange:
At the conclusion of their choreographed handshake, each placed his right hand near the corner of his mouth with his thumb and index finger together. It was interpreted by many as symbolizing smoking a marijuana joint.
The video made the rounds. On Tuesday night, the Cavaliers released a statement in an attempt to clarify what the end of that handshake represented.
“To clarify, they are quickly sharpening the end of an imaginary mustache at the end of their exchange with each other. It has nothing to do with smoking a joint as some blogs (and even some mainstream folks now) are suggesting/reporting.”
Here’s the handshake again, in case you forgot.
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They are not sharpening imaginary mustaches, they’re so obviously mimicking the ubiquitous smoke a joint sign that to say otherwise is insane.
After the recent mid-term elections, it’s now legal to smoke cannabis in Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Colorado. A bevy of other states also offer it up as a form of medication and have decriminalized small amounts.
We’re not hucksters for High Times, but two things about this are worth noting:
One, the fact the Cavs felt the need to issue a statement for something so innocuous is telling about our current mainstream culture as regards a plant. The Cannabis plant encases your fatty brain cells with THC, which can often make you hungry and giggly.
Two, the rationalization the Cavs came up with is an insult to Movember, and handshakes everywhere. Nobody takes this seriously, just like we don’t really take the Kevin Love-to-Lakers story very seriously.
What do you think?
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