Staff Blog
The Times is Trying to Rile Up New York
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In today’s New York Times Dave Caldwell penned an article entitled Philadelphia and Samuel Are Pumping Up the Swagger. If it was written in Philly I’d SKIP it.
Here’s an exerpt:
Samuel, 28, stood shirtless in front of television cameras, a thick silver chain with the letters AS around his neck, his dreadlocks pulled into a ponytail. The top of his black jeans – fly open – sagged about six inches below the waistband of his gray underwear.
It’s an impressive image, but a stupid one to focus one. The chain is standard athlete wear and the fact that he wasn’t wearing a shirt says a lot more about the media hype around this game than Asante himself. Caldwell continues, quoting backup cornerback Lito Sheppard’s answer to a question about the Giants offense: “You can’t just depend on Plaxico to bail you out now,” a message that appears inflamatory until you find out it’s context. The full quote – “The ball might be going to different places, because you can’t just depend on Plaxico to bail you out now. I think it’s more of an efficient game plan.” – shows a different meaning that the ‘no Plax = no offense’ message that Caldwell infers. Sheppard was describing the changes in the Giants offense, not taking a cheap shot.
Look, the Eagles are headed to New York with measured confidence, no one is denying that, but they’re not ‘pumping up their swagger’ or disrespecting the Giants, no matter what the Times says. Still, don’t expect anyone at the Meadowlands to remember any of that.
