If the Giants win another Super Bowl in Victor Cruz's career, the wide receiver suggested he might skip one of the most traditional perks of a championship: the visit to the White House.
"We'll see," he said of that possibility. "I'm gonna petition not to go, but we'll see if that works. Maybe we could find Hillary (Clinton) and go see her somewhere."
Cruz has been a supporter of Barack Obama and campaigned for Clinton in this election. He did not comment on Thursday on the victory this week by President-elect Donald Trump _ "My mom told me one time that if I don't have anything nice to say don't say it at all," he said. "I'm sticking to that one for this topic" _ but he did express his disappointment in a handful of social media posts since the election.
"Protect your children. It's up to us now," he wrote in one on an Instagram post.
Cruz had been outspoken about Trump's proposed policies toward immigrants and minorities, as well as his supporters.
"Obviously, you think about how they view life to support someone who feels like someone of Mexican decent, of Hispanic descent, shouldn't be allowed in this country," Cruz told Newsday this summer. "It's difficult. You don't want someone that close-minded leading your country. The people who follow him? Well it's tough to think about his morals and values and now I have to look at them and in a way and wonder what are your morals and values."
Cruz said he spoke with childhood friend J.R. Smith of the Cavaliers on Thursday morning. The Cavs visited the White House on Thursday to celebrate their NBA title.
"They figured it out," Cruz said. "I was talking to J.R. and I was like, 'Boy, you guys got lucky going in today.' "
Cruz also offered some advice to Smith, who has made a habit of appearing shirtless in public such as at the Cavaliers' victory parade and at a recent Indians-Cubs World Series game.
"I think he was trying to give President Obama one of his shirts," Cruz said. "I was like: 'JR, just take it one day at a time. Please. Go in there, be nice, and take it one day at a time.' "
The Giants' two most recent visits to the White House were hosted by George W. Bush after the 2007 season and Obama after 2011. If the Giants win another Super Bowl with Cruz on the team _ a big if _ and Cruz boycotts the trip, he'll at least have gotten the experience after Super Bowl XLVI.
"I got to see (Obama) in 2012," he said. "That was a good moment for sure."
