LOCKER ROOM UNITY: How John Harbaugh’s HANDLING of Malik Nabers’ Comments IMPACTS New York Giants

0:00It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. What's up everybody? This is Ross Jackson, one of the hosts of the Lockdown Podcast Network, and if you haven't heard yet, we started a club and we would love for you to join. It's called the Everydayer Club, and one of the things that you get as a member is an ad-free version of the podcast that you're listening to right now. It works with whatever podcast app you already used, same episodes every day, just no ad. There's also a member's only group chat for fans of your team, plus a lot more. You can check it out by tapping the Everydayer Club link in the show notes. On today's Lockdown Giants Podcast, why John Harbaugh's response to Malik neighbors' quote-unquote criticism of the team's first round pick will go a long way with the players in the locker room.

1:01You are Lockdown Giants, your daily New York Giants Podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello New York Giants fans, and welcome to another edition of the Lockdown Giants Podcast, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. Now the number one sports podcast network in America, I'm your host Patricia Traina, a credential member of the Giants media for Lockdown, this was for New York Giants on SI, which is where you can find all of my written work. On today's mini episode, John Harbaugh continues to prove without question that he's not only the adult in the room, but the guy knows what he's doing. What I'm referring to is how Harbaugh responded to some perceived criticism issued by Giants star receiver Malik neighbors on the first night of the draft. And I'm going to tell you why the way Harbaugh handled it is going to go over big time

2:07in the locker room in a positive way. So let me get into it. All right, for those who maybe didn't hear this story, Malik neighbors was doing a podcast, a live stream, Thursday night, which is the first night of the draft. He was doing that for Bleacher Report. And when the Giants were on the clock at number five and they took Arvel Reese, neighbors had some questions about it. He basically was like, why did we pass on Caleb Downs, a guy that I had played against in college, a guy that's really smart, we need playmakers up the middle, why are you taking a guy like Arvel Reese, when we have a guy, Abdul Carter, that we just drafted last year, who can basically play the same thing. Now those comments were not necessarily meant to be a slam on the organization or their draft strategy. It was, the way I took it was that Malik was just basically asking the questions that

3:10a lot of people maybe had. How did the Giants plan to use Arvel Reese, especially since they didn't really think that they were going to get him. So now all of a sudden, he falls to them and they get him and it's like, okay, so how are they going to use them? So anyway, mostly short, the story caught fire. It was reported, but you had some people that took it a little further saying that, look at Malik neighbors, he's a problem, he's a prematana, what's going on? How's Harvard going to handle it? The Giants don't need this distraction. How dare Malik neighbors ruin it for Arvel Reese? How dare he ruin it for the Giants? Okay, let's take a deep breath here. Malik neighbors, in my opinion, did not mean to be malicious. He did not mean to ruin it for anybody. And he even came out on social media to say, hey, I wasn't trying to take anything away from Arvel Reese, you know, let him have this moment. So naturally, you had this whole big thing and you just knew that the next opportunity

4:12that Joe Shane and John Harbana spoke to reporters during the draft, you knew the topic was going to come up and it did, right? It actually came up on, I believe it was Saturday, the last day of the draft, the last time that boat Shane and Harbana together spoke to the media before we get to training camp. So the question was asked, and I am going to play for you exactly what Harbana said so that you can get the full context of what was said in response to the question. The question basically was, you know, what response do you have to Malik neighbors' opinion about Arvel Reese, all right? So here is what John Harbana had to say. Oh, yeah, that's a good question. We had a great conversation with that. Malik came in the next morning, you know, and sat up there, we were talking about, you know, he made himself clear, it's like even said, if you go back and you watch it, you know, I appreciate it kind of where he's coming from. I mean, you know, it's, you're in a podcast, you're talking ball, and he's just like, well,

5:16how do they got to use the guy? You know, how's he going to play? You know, I like, don't get me wrong, he said, don't get me wrong, and I think maybe we got him wrong, you know, stop there a little bit because that's what we do in our world. We look at one thing and we say, well, he must be mad about it. And it's like he said, man, I was curious about how you're going to use him and I showed him how we're going to use him. You know, he's fired up about it, but I appreciate it. You know, one thing that you'll kind of probably see as we go here, you know, we don't get too worried about stuff, you know, it's like, it's always, it's always the person's hearts in the right place, as long as the person really cares, a player or coach or anybody, and you really, you really want what's best for everybody. You're coming from a good, he's got a good heart and a good place. You know, say what you think, you know, put it out there. We talk all the time about confronting everything he has to do with our football. And so Malika wants to know how we're going to use our first round pick. I want to show him. I want to explain it to him, you know, and the fact that he says it publicly, who cares? You know, I know the fans are probably thinking the same thing. So it was the same question that everybody's going to have and we knew that, you know, because we knew that, you know, how kind of our values perceived.

6:17So I think we, I know we've got a great vision for him and I think we saw him. It's just a, it's, he's a player that fits our structure, our defense very uniquely. And maybe that's hard for people to see, but you'll see it soon enough, you know, and, and Malika was fired up about in half. He was the first guy that met him coming in the building when they, when they got in here. He couldn't wait to get out there and just make sure they knew, you know, that our Velonu and his family knew where he was at with it. All right. That was head coach John Harbaugh responding to the question about Malika neighbors' comments. Let me just say one thing, folks, Bravo coach. Good answer, all right. Why is that a good answer? Not just because it threw water on a simmering controversy that was trying to be created, but because it's going to go a long way in the locker room. I'll explain why that is right after this. The NFL draft is here and that's where preparation meets opportunity.

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9:25Again, we are part of the locked on podcast network, the number one sports podcast network in America. And we're talking about John Harbaugh and just how this man just doesn't that in I when you know, some coaches maybe with less experience would be like, oh my gosh, you know, I've got to put out the fire because my star player has spoken up and he's questioned why we are doing what we're doing. And there are coaches in the NFL who don't like to be questioned and you would think, you know, John Harbaugh having the resume that he has, you would think he would be one of them. Certainly, you know, no one would blame him. Guys, one of Super Bowies had a winning record just about it, you know, all of his career. Nobody would blame him if he basically, you know, verbally slapped down Malik neighbors. But here's why the response that I played for you, what Harbaugh had to say in response to the question about Malik neighbors, well, that's going to go a long way in the locker room. Number one, transparency, none of this, you know, just shut up and do your job show up

10:28and let me worry about, you know, the other side of the ball. Harbaugh is taking the time to explain to a key player, a guy that he respects, how he's going to use a newcomer, right? He didn't have to explain it to Malik neighbors. He could have said, hey, Malik, you worry about the offense. Let me worry about the defense. But the fact that he did that, that he was transparent, you don't think the players in the locker room are going to take note of that, that the coach was transparent. Number two, none of this, that's a conversation between Malik and I and we're keeping it in house. Because now that breeds the possibility of, okay, did Malik get his hand slapped, did he get fine, what exactly happened? No, Harbaugh is putting it out there. Without going into the detail, he's saying, look, we sat down like men, we discussed it, I explained it to him, I gave him a seat at the table and he appreciated that and he understands now. All right? So number three, at least the number three, no question is stupid, no opinion is stupid

11:33as far as Harbaugh is concerned. You have a question about how the football team is going to do stuff? Come to us, the doors open, come to us and we'll discuss it, we'll explain it to you. Some coaches don't do that, they just say, again, just show up through your job and don't worry about it, all right? So you have all that and let me take it a step further. In addition to Harbaugh generating some goodwill in the locker room with the veterans who probably saw this, he's also generating some goodwill with the fan base. How many times, I mean, I can count on two hands plus, the number of times where a controversy has popped up and previous coaches have said, we're keeping that in house, we're not going to reveal what we talked about or what we did or if we find anybody. And then, of course, now there's a scramble for the media to find out what was said, who said what, what was the, you know, what were the repercussions in the fallout. And it just creates a degree of, I think, a degree of lack trust, if you will.

12:37Harbaugh's keeping it open. And what's wrong with that? I mean, as paying customers, don't the fans deserve to know what is going on with their football team? Sure they do, absolutely. And by the way, by Harbaugh handling it, the way he did, it's now a non-story. It's dead. There's no need to go behind anybody's back and ask players or bring it up with Malik. So Harbaugh's attitude is like, who cares, the guy had an opinion. How does it vary from any of the other opinions that were put out there? If you don't love how Harbaugh handled it, I mean, I don't know what to tell you. Being squashed a controversy before could become a controversy. And I don't have to tell you guys and gals that in this market, the slightest thing can become a controversy really quickly. And oh, by the way, nothing destroys a team that is looking to rebound from basically being at rock bottom for the last several years.

13:40Nothing can destroy it faster than when you suddenly create that us versus them, the coaches versus the players. Harbaugh handled this beautifully, absolutely beautifully. He basically brushed it off, no big deal. We're going to keep the focus on what's important here. And again, I said it before of the break, I'm going to say it again. Bravo coach, definitely nice to have somebody in the room who is an adult who can handle the slightest little missteps and who has the best interest overall of the team and of the players in mind to be transparent with them and just give them a seat at the table. All right, Jay Fanz, that's going to do it for this edition of the Lockdown Trends Podcast. Make sure you keep it here all week long. Plenty more coming up here on the podcast. I'm going to have a special guest on tomorrow's program.

14:40We're going to talk Francis, Mama Noah. So that should be a lot of fun. And I'll see what else I could dig up for you guys and gals. And don't forget, this week we've got the squad show. We're going back to our regular time Tuesday and Thursday, one o'clock, myself, Jay Berman, Mark Collins. We're going to have a lot to talk about on the squad shows, a live stream. So hopefully you will be able to join us for at least one or both, and all our part. All right, Jay Fanz, I will see you next time. Thanks for joining. Thanks for joining us for at least one or both, and I'll see you next time.