Mother of Giants player criticizes owner John Mara for comments on Josh Brown
Annie Apple, the mother of cornerback Eli Apple, was one of the darlings of the run-up to this year’s NFL Draft for her way of keeping it real: she wouldn’t let her son accept an offer of a pricey Rolex before the draft because, as she said, he was an “unemployed college dropout” at the time.
Eli Apple wasn’t unemployed for long. The New York Giants made him the 10th overall pick, and he’s played in four of the Giants’ games this season, with one start. Annie Apple has remained in the public eye, not just through her funny and informative Twitter feed, but also was hired as a contributor to ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown.
And on Thursday night, as the Giants continued to show us that despite their own previous words on the subject the powers that be simply don’t care about domestic violence, at least not if it’s committed by a standout player, Annie Apple took to Twitter to speak out.
Appearing on WFAN on Thursday after the Brown situation, well, hit the fan, owner John Mara inexplicably said, “(Brown) admitted to us he’d abused his wife in the past. What’s a little unclear is the extent of that.”
Keep in mind, by now Mara and New York know that Molly Brown required the help of NFL Security at the Pro Bowl earlier this year because he was drunk and pounding on her hotel room door; Molly and her children were moved to a new hotel. They also know that Molly alleged to a police detective and court officer that Josh was physically abusive to her at least 20 times.
The breathtakingly tone-deaf quote was not well-received by Apple, who revealed herself as a survivor of domestic violence during her series of tweets.
Don't know why it's difficult 4 folks to realize there's nothing remotely acceptable bout violence against women. No excuse no justification
— Annie Apple (@SurvivinAmerica) October 20, 2016
As a domestic violence survivor, reading these Mara comments makes me sad, angry and completely baffled. He just doesn't get it. This is sad
— Annie Apple (@SurvivinAmerica) October 20, 2016
I'm more sad than embarrassed. My heart breaks for a woman who had to live in fear for her life& daily safety. That makes me sad. Been there https://t.co/q3DR4ETzgv
— Annie Apple (@SurvivinAmerica) October 20, 2016
It's one thing to like someone or even a team. It's a whole other thing to cosign the bullsh*t. Don't cosign the bull.
— Annie Apple (@SurvivinAmerica) October 20, 2016
By the first time a domestic violence victim calls police, there are dozens of times b4 that she didn't. Takes courage to seek help, justice
— Annie Apple (@SurvivinAmerica) October 20, 2016
It didn’t take long for some to try to silence Apple by pointing out that Mara is signs her son’s paychecks. And she, rightfully, was not having it.
I'm not just a mother. I'm a domestic violence survivor. I won't shut up but you can always hit that unfollow button. #BeWell https://t.co/XH0ZxrTHvD
— Annie Apple (@SurvivinAmerica) October 20, 2016
Because someone signs your check, doesn't mean he or she owns your soul. The day you put that up for sale, your humanity ceases to exist.
— Annie Apple (@SurvivinAmerica) October 21, 2016
Apple offered a little more as a survivor, writing, “Abuse at the hands of man who’s supposed to love you is not something victims like to talk about; (you’re) embarrassed, hard to process emotionally” and that her own past isn’t something she likes to talk about or relive, but felt it was important to speak up for other women who can’t.
