WATERGATE
H2 Odell says hydration woes due to hatred of the liquid
IF ODELL Beckham is sincere, if he’s true to his words and his professed mantra that all he wants to do it win, then he absolutely, positively must eliminate the extracurricular nonsense he has a habit of getting himself into and make it all about football.
That means no more bizarre interviews with Lil Wayne sitting by his side, nodding approval while Beckham shreds members of his own team; no more publicized trips to South Beach to hang with the Biebs on a yacht days before a playoff game; and, while he’s at it, maybe telling his dad to clam up with the anti-Giants Instagram posts like that one that tweaked team owner John Mara the other day.
Perhaps Odell Beckham Jr. should remind Odell Beckham Sr. that the man he poked fun at on Instagram is the same man who signed off on the $95 million contract that has given the entire Beckham family security for life.
If Beckham is going to be the leader he professes to be and one the 1-5 Giants so desperately need as they try Monday night in Atlanta to resuscitate their season from its current state of life support, he has to eliminate the distractions and be the dynamic and dominant football player that got him that massive contract in the first place.
To his credit, Beckham — speaking publicly for the first time since Mara demanded more play and less talk from the star receiver — comported himself professionally and, for the most part, said the right things.
“I respect and value his opinion, obviously, so that’s what we’re going to do … focus on Atlanta right now and that’s really it,’’ Beckham said Friday. “I haven’t talked to him yet, but I’m sure we’ll talk.’’
When asked if he recognizes the importance of eliminating the extracurricular stuff and making it all about football, Beckham said, “I think the extracurricular comes with losing.’’
The problem for Beckham is that, in his five seasons as a supposed game-changing receiver, losing is pretty much all he has known. In the 54 games he has played, including one playoff loss in Green Bay, the Giants are 22-32. Dating back to last season, when Beckham played only four games (all losses), the Giants are 1-9.
This, of course, cannot all be pinned on
Beckham, who doesn’t throw the ball, block for the quarterback or play defense. But the record is the record and Beckham’s incredible skills haven’t been difference-making.
“It’s time for me to do better,’’ Beckham said. “I can’t say that I’ve done enough to help this team win and I need to do more. Everybody’s got to pitch in, you got to do more, put more on your plate and we got to eat.’’
And, in Beckham’s’ case, drink, too.
In two games this season, including right before the end of the first half in last Thursday’s loss to the Eagles, Beckham has, according to his head coach, had dehydration issues and had to have an IV. The timing of his first-half exit Thursday, with two seconds remaining before the break in a game in which he had two catches for 12 yards at the time, was curious.
“I’ve always cramped,’’ Beckham explained. “I really don’t like water. I just really don’t like when you get that stomach feeling, it’s all slushy, like I’m trying to stay hydrated. Sometimes I just got to get an IV, it’s just necessary.’’
In the you-can’t-make-this-up department, as Beckham said this, he was sipping a bottle of water.
In the wake of Mara’s comments, Beckham didn’t apologize for creating this latest non-football storm from the ESPN interview. Apparently he doesn’t do apologies. Regrets? “Never,’’ Beckham said. “I never have any regrets. At one point in time, it was exactly what you wanted to say.’’
Asked if he has grown in these past 10 days or so since the ESPN interview, the blowout loss to the Eagles and the biting words from his owner, Beckham said: “I feel like I’ve grown since last year, but there’s still times where I find myself in this situation, so only time can tell. Enough about talking, words, any of that. It’s all about action.’’
Beckham said those words and every Giants fan, right down to the team owner, wants to believe them — as long as that “action’’ takes place on the football field and not to promote his brand, Odell Beckham Jr. Inc. ‘