Latest news with #LouieConn
News.com.au
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Minnesota Vikings male cheerleaders hit back on social media
Two male Vikings cheerleaders don't seem to be taking any of the backlash that they've gotten from some football fans to heart since the team announced their inclusion in the 2025 squad in a post on social media. Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn will be members of the Vikings cheer team, which sparked criticism and even some fans threatening to not be fans of the team anymore. However, Shiek seemed to address the controversy by poking fun at all of the people discussing him. 'Wait … did someone say our name?' Shiek wrote in a post on Instagram that included a photo of himself and Conn in their cheer uniforms. The Vikings also responded to the controversy in a statement last week, defending Shiek and Conn. 'While many fans may be seeing male cheerleaders for the first time at Vikings games, male cheerleaders have been part of previous Vikings teams and have long been associated with collegiate and professional cheerleading,' the team said in a statement. 'In 2025, approximately one-third of NFL teams have male cheerleaders. Every member of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders program has an impressive dance background and went through the same rigorous audition process. Individuals were selected because of their talent, passion for dance and dedication to elevating the game day experience. We support all our cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as ambassadors of the organisation.' The Rams are said to have been the first NFL team to include men on their cheerleading squad back in 2018. Conn had been a member of the Iowa State Cyclones dance team before making the Vikings squad, according to Fox News. While some fans have threatened to cancel their season tickets because of Shiek and Conn's inclusion on the cheer team, the Vikings told NBC News that no fans have done so.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Minnesota Vikings male cheerleaders respond to critics
Two male cheerleaders for the Minnesota Vikings, Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn, have received extensive homophobic online abuse from right-wing commentators. The online backlash, which included criticism from figures like Kevin Sorbo, Jesse Kelly and Antonio Brown, intensified last week over the presence of male cheerleaders in the NFL. The Minnesota Vikings organization has publicly supported Shiek and Conn, affirming that all cheerleaders undergo the same rigorous audition process and are valued ambassadors for the team. Male cheerleaders have been part of NFL teams since 2018, with approximately one-third of clubs now including them, and have a long history in collegiate and high school sports. This controversy is indicative of a wider conservative push to reinforce traditional gender norms within professional and amateur sports.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
NFL male cheerleader claps back after MAGA hand-wringing: ‘Did someone say our name'
A pair of men on the Minnesota Vikings cheerleading squad who have been deluged with often homophobic hate online from the right have come back with a tongue-in-cheek response to their critics. 'Wait…did someone say our name?' the Vikings' Blaize Shiek posted on Instagram on Saturday, standing with cheer teammate Louie Conn. The pair, whose season with the Vikings began in April, became the objects of a right-wing online pile-on last week, with conservative commentators and former athletes raging against the presence of male cheerleaders in the NFL. 'I've been a Vikings fan all my life… sigh,' actor Kevin Sorbo wrote on X last week in response to a video featuring the cheer team. 'I need a new team now.' 'Don't think for a second the enemy is defeated. We have finally begun to fight back,' commentator Jesse Kelly wrote on X in response to another video. 'We are finally engaged. Smile about that. But we have much, much work to do.' Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown also joined in, using a homophobic slur on X on Sunday in response to a video of Conn performing. The Vikings organization has rallied behind Shiek and Conn in the face of the outrage. 'Every member of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders program has an impressive dance background and went through the same rigorous audition process,' the team said in a statement last week, adding, 'We support all our cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as ambassadors of the organization.' Shiek has said he's long been a fan of the Minnesota team. 'I went to a lot of Vikings games with my family, mainly my dad,' he told NBC News. 'I was definitely watching the cheerleaders thinking, 'I wish I could do that,' being that role model for other little kids who don't know that this is an option.' About one-third of NFL clubs have male dancers on their cheer teams, a practice which began in the 2018 season, with the Los Angeles Rams. In 2022, the Carolina Panthers became the first squad with an openly transgender cheerleader. Male cheerleaders have long been part of the sport at the collegiate and high school level, and former Republican presidents George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Dwight Eisenhower were once cheerleaders. The fierce reaction to the Vikings cheer team comes as conservatives push to reinforce traditional gender norms throughout professional and amateur sports. In February, the Trump administration signed an executive order aimed at forcing schools and athletic organizations to bar transgender girls and women from playing in women's sports. The NCAA and NAIA colleges athletics conferences have banned trans women from competing in women's sports. The NFL has struggled in recent years to balance calls for progressive messaging and practices with the more conservative ideals of large parts of its fanbase and ownership class. The league was involved in a highly publicized controversy throughout the 2016 season after then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and fellow Black players knelt during the national anthem to protest systemic racism. Kaepernick has said he believes the protest cost him his spot in the league.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
NFL Team Refuses To Back Down After Facing Backlash For Hiring 2 Male Cheerleaders
Some football fans are flipping out over cheerleaders. The Minnesota Vikings received an onslaught of backlash on social media after it hired two male cheerleaders, Louie Conn and Blaize Shiek. Earlier this month, the NFL team softly announced on Instagram that its cheer squad had a few new additions. 'The next generation of cheer has arrived!' a caption read alongside a video that prominently featured Conn doing a backflip. Numerous fans immediately called foul on the team's decision to hire two men who appear to be highlyqualified for the job. 'I just lost all of my respect for the Vikings,' one Instagram user said in response to the team's post that included Conn. 'I'm not a Viking fan no more,' another echoed. 'Just trying to piss off fans with this one huh?' another user complained. The Vikings' post isn't the only one getting heat. A TikTok video of Shiekdancing with a female colleague has been making the rounds on Elon Musk's now highly conservative platform, X. Amid the countless homophobic comments aimed at Shiek on X, one user plainly stated: 'I don't have a problem with male cheerleaders, but I do have a problem with male cheerleaders acting like women.' Related: Yet it seems that the Vikings are standing firm in their decision to hire Conn and Shiek. 'Male cheerleaders have been part of previous Vikings teams and have long been associated with collegiate and professional cheerleading,' the team said in a statement to NBC News last week. 'We support all of our cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as ambassadors of the organization.' The team told NBC that no fans have canceled their season tickets because of the decision. And since the backlash seems to be coming from more conservative corners of the internet, it should also be noted that former Republican presidents George W. Bush, Ronald Regan and Dwight Eisenhower were also cheerleaders in their youth. Conn and Shiek have responded to the hullabaloo on social media as well. Conn simply pinned a selfie of himself and Shiek decked out in their Viking uniforms to his Instagram account. The caption reads: 'wait…did someone say our name?' Shiek pinned the same post to his Instagram account, but has upped the ante a bit more than Conn. On Monday, Shiek posted an Instagram story that shows musician Lizzo singing the lyric, 'New man on the Minnesota Vikings' from her 2019 hit, 'Truth Hurts' on one side, and on the other, Conn and Shiek shaking their pompoms alongside two female cheerleaders. Shiek published another TikTok over the weekend that features him and Conn acting goofy as audio of Nicki Minaj saying, 'Um, if you don't like me, that's fine. But, you know, watch your mouth,' plays in the background. Sophie Turner Had A 'Vile' Experience With Kit Harington On The Set Of Their New Movie A Hollywood Star Rejected Trump's Invitation To Receive Kennedy Center Honor 'Superman' Star Terence Stamp Dead At 87
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Minnesota Vikings male cheerleaders silence doubters with powerful Instagram message after first game
Minnesota Vikings male cheerleaders silence doubters with powerful Instagram message after first game (Image Via Google) Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn were able to make their NFL cheerleading debuts with the Minnesota Vikings earlier this month, during the team's preseason opener against the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Saturday, August 9, 2025. However, a short time after their debut, the two male cheerleaders had to face a considerable amount of backlash from some NFL fans online, with some Minnesota Vikings fans even stating they were going to cancel their season tickets. In response to the backlash, Blaize Shiek took it a step further and addressed the backlash head-on with a provocative Instagram post. Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn clap back at critics after debut Blaize Shiek posted a smiling photo of himself and Louie Conn on Instagram shortly after the Houston Texans game. In the picture, both cheerleaders can be seen wearing their purple uniforms and holding golden pom-poms. The post was shared on Sunday, August 10, 2025. In the caption, Blaize Shiek wrote, 'Wait… did someone say our name?' Clearly aimed at the critics, the comment quickly went viral and received positive reactions from many supporters. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Jolie-Pitt Family Shows Support For Shiloh's Change Drivepedia Undo The two cheerleaders, who are rookies for the 2025 season, chose to focus on their love for dance and team spirit instead of the negative comments. Some fans even praised Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn for staying confident. On Tuesday, August 12, 2025, Blaize Shiek reposted another message from a supportive fan and added a short note saying, 'We are just doing what we love.' Also Read: John Metchie III Traded To Philadelphia Eagles In Surprise Move As Canadian Star Joins Loaded Super Bowl Offense Minnesota Vikings and others show support during growing controversy The Minnesota Vikings released an official statement on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, defending Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn. The team said, 'Every member of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders program went through the same audition process. Individuals were selected because of their talent and dedication to elevating the game day experience.' The statement also reminded fans that male cheerleaders have been present in the NFL since 2018 and were also part of past Vikings teams. Other NFL teams are also including male cheerleaders in the 2025 season. The New Orleans Saints recently announced that 13 men will be on their 2025 Cheer Krewe roster after conducting tryouts in New Orleans, Louisiana, earlier this month. The Los Angeles Rams made history in 2018 when Napoleon Jinnies and Quinton Peron joined their dance team. Many experts, including former Fox Sports announcer Joy Taylor, have defended the male cheerleaders and termed the criticism unfair, even if some supporters keep rejecting the idea, stating, 'Cheerleading is about performance and spirit, not about gender.' Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
