Ric Bucher tried his best, attempting to meld sports reporting and music observing into one tweet that quickly was exposed as oblivious. See if you can figure out why, because soon after his tweet was sent, Bleacher Report’s senior NBA writer predictably found himself roasted on Twitter.
Warriors practicing right now with Vanilla Ice's "Under Pressure" blaring. The kind of subtle joke that has come to define them.
— Ric Bucher (@RicBucher) May 20, 2016
For those old enough to remember, Vanilla Ice (Rob Van Winkle) was a popular (overexposed and overrated) early 90s rapper, who’s multi-platinum megahit “Ice Ice Baby” liberally borrows from Queen and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure,” while simultaneously annoying anyone with even somewhat discerning ears.
See if you can spot the difference between Vanilla Ice and Queen/David Bowie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoDh_gHDvkk
It somehow seems that Bucher missed out on one song or the other, and his peers were quick to let him know.
Next Beck-Bucher debate: Vanilla Ice vs. Bowie/Queen. You get Ice.
— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) May 20, 2016
a music debate, you say? #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/y73ivgEe7N
— Stephen Nelson (@StephenNelson) May 20, 2016
At first, Ice might have appreciated Bucher’s analysis, since initially, here fused to admit the blatant obviousness of the track’s origins.
Ice later took back these statements when he discovered that other human beings were also blessed with the gift of hearing.
Bucher’s take, however, is curious, given that he was about 30 years old at the time of the song’s release and subsequent heyday. Unless he was purposefully ignoring the catchy, oft-drunkenly recited lyrics, there’s zero chance you could call “Ice Ice Baby” a “cover” of any sort, just as Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This” clearly isn’t a cover of Rick James’ “Superfreak.”
Bucher tried to justify his ignorance:
My bad: hearing it through a wall. Sounded like Ice. Assumed he did a cover. Again, glad I gave you all reason to crow. Good for the soul.
— Ric Bucher (@RicBucher) May 20, 2016
But then, he later confirmed that he was, in fact, hearing the original. He actually asked the Warriors for confirmation.
Confirmation from Ws: they played the original "Under Pressure." No cover/theft/whatevs. Point of original tweet stands. Thanks for playing.
— Ric Bucher (@RicBucher) May 20, 2016
And then he owned up to his mistake, if passive-aggressively:
Those suggesting I delete the original tweet: nah. I own my mistakes. I made one. Based on the reaction, most never have. Cool.
— Ric Bucher (@RicBucher) May 20, 2016
But, it was all too late. All of this had happened.
https://twitter.com/theshrillest/status/733737150043185152
i mean if that were the deal then okay
— Jane Coaston 🏔️ (@janecoaston) May 20, 2016
https://twitter.com/theshrillest/status/733737634623709188
And this, too.
https://twitter.com/InfraRen/status/733736978131255296
do you mean every breath you take
— Jimmy Riggins (@XUCC9822) May 20, 2016
And so on.
.@RicBucher So close. pic.twitter.com/qt4nq2SenY
— Alex Dowd (@dowd_alex) May 20, 2016
The Warriors and Thunder are currently tied at one game apiece, as they transition from the Bay to Oklahoma City. Game 3 is Sunday at 7pm ET. Hopefully, Smash Mouth (and its own clunky cover of “Under Pressure”) is nowhere nearby.