A few days ago, Antrel Rolle told WFAN that Giants fans were wrong to boo the team at halftime last Sunday, and that, actually, they should never boo the home team, ever, under any circumstances. It’s the kind of belief, of course, that’s sure to prove unpopular with the very fan base you’re criticizing, and so Rolle tried to defend his comments to reporters yesterday. It did not go well.
Here’s Rolle, via ESPN New York:
“I used a very poor, inappropriate example earlier today to demonstrate how seriously I take my job. Obviously there is no comparison between the men and women of our military putting their life on the line defending our country and what I do,” Rolle said in the statement. “They risk their lives and that gives me the opportunity to play a game for a living.”
It didn’t take Rolle long to realize the absurdity of his comparison and clarify his comments before even being asked about them. Then later in the day, he’d release a statement admitting the mistake:
“I used a very poor, inappropriate example earlier today to demonstrate how seriously I take my job. Obviously there is no comparison between the men and women of our military putting their life on the line defending our country and what I do,” Rolle said in the statement. “They risk their lives and that gives me the opportunity to play a game for a living.”
On the bright side, Rolle didn’t try to defend his defense by saying something even crazier still, so he’s learning, at least.