New York Daily News

ROTTEN APPLE

‘CANCER’ CORNERBACK SUSPENDED BY GIANTS

- PAT LEONARD

A day after he’s called a ‘cancer’ by teammate Landon Collins, things get even worse for Eli Apple, who may be through as a Giant.

The s--t has hit the fan. Eli Apple crudely and loudly told reporters “I gotta take a s--t” in Wednesday’s locker room and hopefully he brought some reading material, because in just two hours the Giants had suspended Apple for the rest of the season.

Apple’s suspension also was related to his refusal to take the field with the scout team during Wednesday’s practice, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, which led to an argument between Apple and coaches, including defensive backs coach Tim Walton, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. So maybe Apple crapped out publicly because he knew repercussi­ons were coming anyway. “We have suspended Eli for a pattern of behavior that is conduct detrimenta­l to the team,” interim GM Kevin Abrams said in a statement after he and interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo had informed Apple, 22, of his suspension. And with that, it’s time for one big courtesy flush on this 2017 Giants season. What a stinking mess.

Apple, who appropriat­ely began the season as the Giants’ No. 2 corner, had a full day to consider how to respond to teammate Landon Collins calling him a “cancer” on ESPN radio Tuesday. And Apple’s decision on Wednesday was to act out at practice and then offer a disgusting no-comment to reporters at his locker. And so the 2017 Giants will be remembered as the team that officially took a full bathroom break on an NFL season: starting with Odell Beckham Jr. lifting his leg and pretending to go No. 1 like a dog in Philadelph­ia in Week 3, and ending with Apple taking the New York area’s most infamous No. 2 on Wednesday. There is no more perfect a metaphor for how this Giants season has gone, either, at 2-13 with a head coach and GM fired, and one meaningles­s finale to go at MetLife Stadium against Washington on Sunday, New Year’s Eve. And you can bet the Giants will find a way to drop the ball one more time before the ball drops. Poor leadership in the Giants organizati­on, from co-owner John Mara on down, has created the culture of enabling and a leadership void that allowed Apple to help ruin a season and stain a franchise. Mara, GM Jerry Reese and Ben McAdoo combined just the past two years to poorly handle domestic violence, scandals, drafts, signings, benchings and firings, just to name a few of their flaws. But Wednesday was more about the shortcomin­gs of one young man, Apple, and his immature decision to flush accountabi­lity and make one fatal — and likely final — mistake as a Giant. That’s right: the Giants likely won’t stop at suspending Apple. Even with hiring a new GM, all indication­s are the Giants likely will release their 10th overall pick from the 2016 draft after the season. “He will not be in an NYG uniform next year. Dude is done with NYG. Done,” one team source told ESPN’s Josina Anderson. The key enabling factor is that the Giants, per language of Apple’s contract, are allowed to void Apple’s guaranteed money from 2017 through 2019 in the event that “Player is suspended by the NFL or by the Club” or “Player engages in conduct reasonably judged by the Club to adversely affect or reflect on Club, in Club’s sole discretion,” per ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

So the Giants should be able to release Apple and argue that they no longer owe his guaranteed salaries of $1.8 million in 2018 and $2.5 million in 2019. And releasing a former 10th overall pick will be embarrassi­ng, but hey, the Giants can’t fire Reese twice.

I do wonder how Apple’s vocal mother, Annie, will react if the Giants release her son.

Last season, Mara admitted on WFAN of re-signing kicker Josh Brown: “He admitted to us that he’s abused his wife in the past. And I think what’s a little unclear is the extent of that.” And Annie Apple, a survivor of domestic abuse, called Mara’s comments “insensitiv­e, dismissive and callous” in a column for SI.com and later said: “I was disappoint­ed in the organizati­on because I felt they were leaning heavily on a 21-year-old kid in an effort to control what his mother says.”

The point is, cutting ties with Apple might not end the fight.

And yet, while Annie Apple’s brain surgery this Nov. 16 and Apple’s falling out with his stepfather, per NJ.com, appeared to be genuine excuses for Apple’s struggles in his second season, behind the scenes teammates grew tired of Apple’s repeated transgress­ions.

There was his yelling at a coach in practice in Week 5, getting benched for three series against the Chargers, and then saying the “culture” needs a “fix;” quitting on Robert Woods’ 3rd-and-33 touchdown for the Rams in Week 9 and again on a few plays in Week 10 at San Francisco; threatenin­g to leave the team on Nov. 15 after being called out, and drawing four straight scratches.

Apple then lost Collins for good on Dec. 14. Collins, in an attempt to show support for Apple, told the media on Dec. 13 that he and other Giants had organized a “sit-down” with Apple to “tell him that you got his back and we are here for you” because he has “a lot of personal things going on.” Apple the next day said the sit-down never happened, basically calling Collins a liar.

Collins then took his next shot at Apple on Tuesday on ESPN Radio, calling Apple a “cancer” who “needs to grow up.” And while Collins tweeted Wednesday morning that he had “apologized” to Apple in a meeting with Spagnuolo, the fact is Collins isn’t the only Giants player tired of Apple’s act — other Giants have questioned Apple’s commitment off the record.

And then Wednesday, Apple confirmed his teammates’ frustratio­ns with one final day of insanity at 1925 Giants Drive.

What a s--t show.

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 ?? AP ?? Eli Apple’s potty mouth may have him in hot water for the final time in a Giants uniform, as the crass cornerback says ‘I have to take a s--t’ instead of confrontin­g Landon Collins’ comments, a fitting end to a season rife with dumpy moments.
AP Eli Apple’s potty mouth may have him in hot water for the final time in a Giants uniform, as the crass cornerback says ‘I have to take a s--t’ instead of confrontin­g Landon Collins’ comments, a fitting end to a season rife with dumpy moments.

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