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Football players talk.
I don't just mean that they move their mouths and sounds come out, but they are prone to trash talk.
They play a violent, competitive game and trash talk is part of the psychological aspect of it. Some guys, like Eli Manning, don't do it, but others don't just engage in trash talking, but relish in it. Wide receivers and defensive backs seem to be particularly prone (although guys like Lawrence Taylor and Michael Strahan were hardly quiet).
We might wish they'd just shut up and play the game, but I also wish that I could fly like Superman and that isn't happening either.
But the public feud between New York Giants star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and corner Josh Norman takes it to another level.
The first meeting between the Giants and the Washington Redskins is one of the most highly anticipated games in the first quarter of the season. And the talk isn't even waiting for week two to be over with before getting started.
Victor Cruz and Janoris Jenkins were asked about Norman not covering Antonio Brown when the Giants' players met with the media after practice Wednesday, and they didn't hold back.
A few Giants were asked about Josh Norman not covering Antonio Brown on MNF. They were surprised.
— Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) September 14, 2016
Said Janoris Jenkins: "When you’re paying somebody $70 mil, there shouldn’t be no gameplan. The gameplan should be: You’re on this guy."
— Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) September 14, 2016
Victor Cruz suggested that Norman ducked Brown. "He made his choice." Not the coaches? "It’s always his choice."
— Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) September 14, 2016
Cruz: "He can go to the powers that be & say ‘Hey, I wanna cover this guy.’ If maybe he did & they said no, then I’ll have to eat my words."
— Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) September 14, 2016
Cruz practically dared Norman to ask to cover Odell in Wk3. "I’m sure he doesn’t have to, I’m sure it’s already spoken for in his mind."
— Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) September 14, 2016
Cruz: "Especially if he calls himself ... the best corner in the league, then you have to cover the best receivers on the other team."
— Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) September 14, 2016
Will Norman surprise us and return fire?