Former Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo joined the New York Giants this year when the team selected him in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Along with first round pick Jaxson Dart*, Skattebo emerged as a source of hope for fans of the downtrodden-but-still-legendary franchise.
Then he went down to a gnarly-looking injury against the rival Philadelphia Eagles last month. It turned out to be an ankle dislocation that ended Skattebo’s rookie campaign, and broke the hearts of a lot of Giants
fans. Dart’s continued to show promise, but was sidelined by a concussion himself. Former NFL Coach of the Year Brian Daboll was fired, the team’s lost five games in a row, and has one of the worst records in the League.
In wrestling parlance, it’s hard times for fans of Big Blue, daddy. And that meant a lot of people were ready to be mad when Skattebo showed up with some teammates to WWE Raw at Madison Square Garden on Monday night in Manhattan. And when the Skattebo and his fellow G-Men squared up to The Judgment Day with comedian Andrew Schultz, some of them were outright pissed.
As football fans, New Yorkers, Americans, and internet users, those pissed off people believe it’s their right — nay, their duty — to direct digital messages Skattebo’s way to make sure he knows they want him home rehabbing and not making a scene for WWE. And radio and television talking heads and hot take artists were more than happy to jump on that bandwagon.
Skattebo, who this time last week was telling his followers not to be submissive to tacos, posted a defiant response:
Honestly if you don’t like that I’m having a good time while dealing with a tough time, then just go ahead and unfollow and casually move on. I’m not able to play football and have the fun I’ve been having my whole life so I am doing things outside the box trying to find stuff to keep me happy. Enjoy the rest of y’all’s week and just don’t talk about me if you ain’t got nothing nice to say.
He’s got the support of his teammates, his interim coach, and even got an offer of support from another New York athlete with a WWE appearance on his Wikipedia page…
And that cycle of outrage has generated more coverage, including on the (in)famous back page of one of New York City’s biggest tabloids:
No wonder WWE was pleased with how it turned out. We’ll see when Skattebo is back… and something tells me he will be back, if just as a metaphorical stiffarm to his critics.
* Both names worthy of the old “All-Names Team” lists Inside Lacrosse does… or did, anyway.
