Noah latest enemy for Cavs fans

CLEVELAND - Cleveland already had plenty of enemies. For years the Cavaliers have flashed images on the videoboard to prompt fans to boo during opposing free throws.

They'll throw up the Michigan logo, the Steelers logo, John Elway, Yankees, Red Sox, Craig Ehlo (just kidding about that last one).

So Bulls center Joakim Noah fits right in. When Noah opened Monday's Game 2 by drawing a foul on Shaquille O'Neal, the videoboard showed a picture of Noah with his anti-Cleveland comments from Sunday written out.

It hardly mattered. Fans at Quicken Loans Arena already were booing Noah at maximum efficiency. The fans drowned out the public-address announcer when Noah was introduced before the game.

At Monday's shootaround, there practically was a cameraman stampede when Noah stopped shooting baskets and walked toward the tunnel. He ended up not talking to the masses.

A couple of Cavaliers did speak out about Noah's claim that there's nothing to do in Cleveland.

"Sorry if he doesn't appreciate Cleveland. My family's enjoyed it," said guard Anthony Parker, a Naperville native and first-year Cavalier. "We don't want Noah to enjoy the city too much. I think we're doing our job in Cleveland if he's not enjoying his time here."

Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who has been with the Cavs for more than a decade, was asked Monday if he'd like to show Noah around town.

"I'm busy," Ilgauskas said. "Maybe in the summer."

Then Ilgauskas compared Cleveland to his hometown of Kaunas, Lithuania.

"A lot of factories; blue-collar, simple people," he said. "The weather's the same, food's the same."

No one wanted to argue that there actually are plenty of things for visitors to do in Cleveland. Well, suitable for 25-year-old millionaires, anyway.

"I don't think he's made himself a fan favorite here," Parker added. "But that's how it's supposed to be. We don't expect to get a great welcome in Chicago."