TILL YOU MAC IT
Ben channels Trump to quell Giant drama
Ben McAdoo’s favorite book is “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F--k,” and on Friday he clearly indicated he no longer gave one about anonymous players trashing him by taking a page out of the Donald Trump playbook.
The Giants head coach blamed the latest bout of drama on “fake news” and made it clear the team is ready to move on.
“I think we’re excited to go play, excited to get back on the field,” McAdoo said. “When we have a setback like we had last week and fake news, I guess you can call it, like we had this week — some drama — I think it’s good to go out and play the game you like to play.”
At least two anonymous players claimed McAdoo lost the team earlier this week, criticizing his inability to communicate with them and his Saturday practices that work the team into the ground the day before games.
McAdoo’s assertion that the report is “fake news” casts doubt on the veracity of the story, though the head coach stopped short of saying that when following up.
“No, I’m saying it’s anonymous. No names behind it,” he said.
It has been a whirlwind of a week for the Giants, which began with their worst loss of the season — a 51-17 embarrassment at home to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday — dropping their record to 1-7.
Co-owner John Mara told NJ.com afterward that “the game speaks for itself,” further adding fuel to the speculation that McAdoo may lose his job.
Whether or not Mara and McAdoo have spoken to each other since then was something the Giants head coach refused to discuss.
“I am going to keep my personal conversations personal and private,” he said.
McAdoo remains encouraged and confident that his players are not affected by the “fake news,” lauding the way the locker room publicly responded to the anonymous quotes on Thursday.
“It’s not an issue,” he said. “I’d like to help the players who have issues, but it’s not an issue for the team. We can handle it, we’re strong.”
Defensive end Olivier Vernon attested that the locker room is unified and upbeat.
“Honestly, I feel like all the guys are in high spirits right now,” Vernon said. “Everybody is behind coach McAdoo.”
Most players referred to the anonymous sources, or “rat,” as Jonathan Casillas said, as “cowards” and were clear that they were upset it could not be handled in-house.
Safety Landon Collins even acknowledged they know it was someone from the defensive side of the room, but Vernon said on Friday that if no one is willing to admit who did it, then it is time to move on. “Honestly, if somebody wanted to come forth and say who said anything, then come forth and say it,” Vernon said. “If not, then it doesn’t really mean anything.” The Giants are also in a prime position to alleviate some of the concerns surrounding the team by playing the winless 49ers on the road this Sunday.
A victory will at least reduce some of the chatter of a lost locker room and head coach who is in over his head for another week.
“A win helps take care of a lot of things,” Vernon said. “It’s been a while since we had a win, so it’d be nice to get a win and try to get on a roll.”