NY Giants Flack Congratulates ‘Washington Team’ on Winning NFC East

The Associated Press
The Associated Press

Sour grapes? An inside joke? Political statement? A rival’s Tweet tweak?

New York Giants vice president for communications Pat Hanlon congratulated the Redskins on winning the NFC East after Washington thumped the Philadelphia Eagles 38-24 on Saturday night. Only Hanlon did not complement the good work of the Redskins. He congratulated the “Washington team.”

Big Blue split their season series with the Skins. Despite playing the Patriots, Panthers, and almost every other opponent tightly, the Giants find themselves out of the playoffs for the fourth straight year. It’s frustrating to see the perennial cellar-dwelling Skins go from worst to first. Maybe that explains the passive-aggressive insult-of-a-congratulations.

Hanlon was not the only one watching Saturday night’s game that gets tongue-tied when the Redskins name comes up. Mike Carey, a retired NFL referee, provided analysis for the NFL Network on replay reviews and the calls of the officials. When he served as an official, Carey privately called on the NFL to relieve him of the obligation to referee any Redskins game. The NFL granted his wish.

“Human beings take social stances,” Carey told the Washington Post last year. “And if you’re respectful of all human beings, you have to decide what you’re going to do and why you’re going to do it.”

Pat Hanlon decided to take his social stance on social media. Why he did so remains a mystery to all but a few toiling off of Exit 16W.

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