Jalen Ramsey’s ‘glorified’ disrespect for New York Giants Manning

Recently, Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey took gratuitous potshots at several NFL quarterbacks, including the New York Giants Eli Manning. And it’s all part of a larger NFL trend.

For football purists, myself included, I could do without this prepackaged garbage. In its quest to reach every breathing person on Planet Earth, the NFL has clearly abandoned its roots. The league has become increasingly less about football, and more about copying the bravado and swagger of UFC and WWE. True blue New York Giants fans have to understand that this obnoxious phenomenon didn’t occur overnight.

If you hadn’t noticed it before, you certainly are more aware of this trend after Ramsey’s quotes via the just published Gentlemen’s Quarterly article. At face value, some readers likely think Ramsey’s unfettered rant seems rather cool and trendy. In my reading of it, there’s not a single redeeming quality about this article. Truthfully, the article could have been written in crayon.

The writer, Clay Skipper, appears in over his head. From all appearances, he sets down a tape recorder and lets Ramsey say whatever he wants, unchallenged. There isn’t a hint of follow-up, no clarifications to speak of, just the idiotic rant of another immature athlete.

The reality is that by giving Jalen Ramsey a platform, his outrageous behavior will probably be mimicked throughout the copycat league. As for the article in question, I simply ask this question of Ramsey, “Is there a point to your story?”

History Ignored

It’s humorous that Skipper has to inject bits of reality into his article, he does so after the fact and in red ink. Obviously, he joins the long line of journalists who would rather kiss an athlete’s ass than challenge that person intellectually face-to-face. You know, actually refute his responses, like with facts.

Fact: Eli Manning is a two-time Super Bowl MVP. Both times, he won that award, Odell Beckham wasn’t on the team. Yet per Gentleman’s Quarterly, Ramsey had this to say about Manning:

"“Eli [Manning]… It’s not really Eli. I think it’s Odell [Beckham, Jr.]. I won’t say Eli’s good, I’ll say Odell’s good. And their connection is good.”"

When you’re always talking, then it’s hard to listen. In that respect, Ramsey falls into the much larger category of self-absorbed NFL jerks, who think the league didn’t exist before they were drafted.

This isn’t a slam at Beckham, but Manning’s done fine without him. Just ask Amani Toomer, Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and Plaxico Burress. Manning threw for almost 5,000 yards for the New York Giants in 2011, when OBJ was no where in sight.

In fact, over his career, the veteran QB has had to make due with guys like Rueben Randle, Jake Ballard, Larry Donnell and Will Tye. In that vein, don’t expect talking heads like Josina Anderson, Stephen A. Smith or Shannon Sharp to actually set the record straight.

The truth is that Manning’s an easy target, because he won’t get in the gutter. So it’s easier to agree or have no comment about Ramsey’s big mouth than to actually decry his tone and the words he used. Calling any human being “trash” shouldn’t be tolerated in any venue. By saying nothing, or worse legitimizing Ramey’s statements, these journalists can save their place at the cool kids’ lunch table.

Ironically, down the road. some of these same folks will tweet about an important social justice issue. They’ll decry how certain folks are being taken advantage of, and how it has to stop. We all know the old adage: Don’t crap where you eat, so Ramsey’s rant becomes an interesting subtext in that larger debate (i.e. – media double standards).

More from GMEN HQ

• Workout clip of Evan Neal training with former All-Pro OT has Giants fans excited
• NFL Draft Schedule of Events: How to Navigate Draft Weekend
• 4 NY Giants who must step their game up in 2023
• This SEC CB at No. 25 overall for the Giants is gaining steam
• When is the NFL Draft?

Fake News

We could go on all day about the annoying aspects of the article, even outside of the Manning quote. In terms of this interview, Ramsey got to say whatever he wanted. There was never pushback, and there was no fact-checking (until after the piece was published). It soon became several pages of rants through the lens of an ass kissing author. From a journalistic standpoint, Skipper continues fail his profession, including this tidbit:

"“One thing I admire about you is you always say what’s on your mind. You’re honest, 100 percent. Where’d you learn that?”"

Through linear thinking, the writer has concluded for us, that everything bit of trash talk coming out of Ramsey’s mouth is factually accurate. In actuality, the article remains an amalgamation of Ramsey’s unfiltered rants. Nothing more, and nothing less. And let’s not forget that at its core, the article glorifies berating people.  Skipper begins his piece with disrespect, and ends with disrespect.

But congrats on the “honesty”, bruh.

In terms of interviews, it’s a piece of garbage, but the rant clearly provides bulletin board material for the New York Giants. Ironically, Big Blue faces Ramsey and the Jaguars on opening day, Sept. 9th. Maybe I’m old school, but there’s nothing gentlemanly about Ramsey, the author or this article. That may explain, why the publication has morphed into GQ.