Starting Sunday
said he was not one of the so-called rats.
The Daily News asked Apple how he combats the perception that this means he was one of the players who ripped McAdoo, and he answered: “I mean, (with) facts. I mean, that’s all I’m gonna say. Yeah.”
Apple also said that while the report said he basically had been benched/suspended for Week 12, he wasn’t thinking of it that way.
“I mean Coach McAdoo didn’t say that, so I’m going off what he’s saying,” Apple said. “He didn’t say it was a benching, so.”
In general, though, Apple admitted this has been a trying year.
“I love them anonymous sources, man,” he said with a wry smile when asked about the report that he’d threatened to walk out of the facility. “But the way I take it and the way I take this whole year is it’s just been a humbling experience, and I’ve definitely learned a lot about the game, about myself, about how things work, just in New York in general. And with that, I’m just not gonna really kind of respond to it.
“There’s no really point to add anything to it,” Apple added. “I know who I am. People here know what kind of guy I am, what kind of player I am, and what they expect from me. So I’m just happy to be back. It’s been a long time coming. And these last five games I just want to do my best to help contribute to the team and win.”