Ohio youth team players allegedly called racially offensive jerseys a 'funny joke'

A boys basketball team has been kicked out of a Cincinnati-area recreational hoops league for wearing uniforms bearing a sexually suggestive team name on the front and racially objectionable names on the back. (Facebook/Tony Rue)
A boys basketball team has been kicked out of a Cincinnati-area recreational hoops league for wearing uniforms bearing a sexually suggestive team name on the front and racially objectionable names on the back. (Facebook/Tony Rue)

When news broke of a youth basketball team being booted from a Cincinnati-area recreational league over sexually and racially offensive language on its jerseys, questions were raised about how the team managed to play four games before someone stepped in, and more details are beginning to surface.

Tony Rue, a parent of a player on an opposing team, finally drew attention to the matter when he posted images to Facebook of players from Kings Mills, Ohio, sporting jerseys for “The Wet Dream Team” with names on the back that included “Knee Grow” and “Coon.” Rue also raised the issue with Cincinnati Premier Youth Basketball League officials who then barred the team from participating.

The Cincinnati Enquirer tracked down one of the offending team’s three previous opposing coaches, Milford coach Jason DiTullio, who said he also took pictures of the jerseys and reported them to the referees, but he could not find a league official and failed to raise the issue during a holiday break.

However, DiTullio did relay details of the conversation he had with members of the offending team:

He walked up to the player with the “Knee Grow” jersey.

“I said that is so provocative and unacceptable,” DiTullio said. “They just laughed. They thought it was a funny joke.”

DiTullio confronted the player wearing the jersey with “Coon” on the back. He got the same laughing reaction to his statement of disapproval.

The coach for the other team said nothing in response, DiTullio said.

DiTullio also said the game was marred by excessive physicality and insults from “The Wet Dream Team” and its fans. The opposing coach estimated most members of the offending team were prep juniors and seniors. The CPYBL features a number of levels for players in grades two through 12.

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