Whether the Giants and Eli Manning defrauded memorabilia collectors will be determined in a court of law. But the governor of the state the Giants play in thinks they did it.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie ripped Manning and the Giants today on WFAN, calling Manning a “liar” after an email surfaced that seemed to suggest Manning asked the Giants’ equipment manager for two helmets that could be passed off as game-worn, even though they weren’t.
“He got caught,” Christie said of Manning, via NJ.com.
Christie compared Eli unfavorably to his big brother.
“Could you ever imagine Peyton being involved in this?” Christie asked. “No, definitely not. Peyton’s smarter.”
Christie, a former prosecutor, said he doesn’t think Manning will face criminal charges. But he does think Manning and the Giants need to be ready to lose the civil lawsuit that is scheduled to begin in September.
“The Giants participated in this as well, so John Mara’s going to have to open the checkbook,” Christie said. “Now there’s all kinds of ramifications for the Giants as a brand. Are they a lying cheating franchise?”
Christie has only nine months remaining in his second and final term as governor. He is reportedly considering going into sports talk radio after his political career ends, and he has already figured out how to make comments that turn into headlines.