The NHL's Stanley Cup is among the most venerable and revered championship trophies in all of sports. Justin Bieber is, well, Justin Bieber.
Worlds collided on Tuesday evening when Bieber, a Canadian known for his bandwagon-hopping brand of sports fandom, got up close and personal with the cup in the locker room of the NHL champ Chicago Blackhawks. Blackhawks marketing guy Peter Hassen then shared this photo of the historic meeting on Twitter:
The Biebs meets THE CUP!!! pic.twitter.com/oh4AvDbYbT— Peter Hassen (@PJHASSEN) July 10, 2013
How did sports fans respond? With rage.
We're not sure whether it's Bieber's indoor sunglasses, the cup's historical significance or the Blackhawks jersey reading "Bieber" in the background, but something definitely rubbed folks the wrong way. Here's just a small sampling of the Twitter backlash the photo provoked:
Justin bieber touched the stanley cup... I'm gonna go jump off a cliff now— JoJo Durrbeck (@jdurrbs35) July 10, 2013
Aaaand now the Stanley Cup isn't cool anymore...thanks Bieber (via @PJHASSEN) pic.twitter.com/2ynkk2afoQ— SportsNation (@SportsNation) July 10, 2013
Who the hell let Bieber touch the Stanley Cup? #whyyyy #contaminated— Daniella Amato (@daniinicole16) July 10, 2013
Justin Bieber taking a pic next to the Stanley Cup with a Blackhawks jersey that says his name on it is the biggest joke I've ever seen— Kiley O'Donnell (@kileyodonnell) July 10, 2013
Justin Bieber got to touch the Stanley Cup. Disgrace to the game, to Chicago, and to humanity in general— Ryan Gentry (@ryangentry4) July 10, 2013
The picture of bieber with the Stanley cup makes me a true hawks fan very sad/mad #wtf— Vinny Cartina (@Vinsanity68) July 10, 2013
Judging from everyone's reaction to the Bieber Stanley Cup photos you'd think he was humping it.— Pat Flynn (@pjflynn23) July 10, 2013
But hey, haters gonna hate, right? You do you, Biebs. You do you.