The New York Giants held their 2019 Town Hall event for season ticket holders on Tuesday night at the Beacon Theatre, and while much of the evening was light and filled with laughs, there were some tense moments.
General manager Dave Gettleman arrived to a mixed reaction of cheers and boos before attempting to lighten the mood by asking, “does anyone here want to be traded?”
While the line drew a few chuckles, there were some in attendance who clearly questioned the team’s direction and Gettleman’s decisions, including the trade of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Gettleman handled his own, but then team co-owner John Mara, who arrived to some unexpected cheers, explained just how nasty some interactions with Giants fans have become, specifically pointing out a recent e-mail that he had received.
The New York Daily News detailed Mara’s story:
He said one fan ended a nasty email by writing: “Let’s face it: you’re nothing more than James Dolan minus 50 pounds in a better looking suit.”
Mara wrote back and said he “appreciated the fashion compliment.”
Although Mara took the e-mail in stride, there’s no denying its savage nature. Dolan, of course, is widely considered the worst owner in New York sports (and with that, I’m probably banned from MSG), so the comparison is both disrespectful and ruthless. It also details just how frustrated Giants fans have become with the losing, which is the norm for the Knicks.
But Mara didn’t stop there. He also took a moment to address the media, which he bluntly stated knows far less than they think they do.
“You can’t get affected by what the media has to say. The media most of the time doesn’t have any idea what they’re talking about,” Mara said.
Frustration remains in East Rutherford, both at the level of the fans and at the level of ownership. The only thing that’s going to resolve it is a winning season, which the Giants haven’t had since 2016.
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