It feels like it happened years ago, what with Kevin Durant demanding a trade, Jalen Brunson signing with the Knicks and the Big Ten adding UCLA and USC. But this fine Thursday began with a WFAN caller alleging he almost brawled with Eagles coach Nick Sirianni on a South Jersey tennis court.
The revelation to Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti has been the talk of the town in Philadelphia. So much so that Peter in Maple Shade — the guy whose Giants cap supposedly irked Sirianni so much — called in to WIP’s afternoon drive show for a somewhat-combative audience with Jon Marks and Ike Reese.
The highlights:
• The caller identified himself as Peter Perrotta, a journalist who currently writes an automotive column for CentralJersey.com.
• Perrotta stuck with his story. And he held his ground as Marks and Reese hammered him with cross-examination, accused him of lying on multiple occasions and repeatedly defended “good guy” Sirianni’s honor.
• Perrotta said he spoke to AP football reporter Rob Maaddi. He said Maaddi said the Eagles had spoken to him and characterized the situation as Sirianni just joking around. Which, of course, confirms the incident in question actually did happen. The details have just become a he-said, he-said debate.
• Also: NBC Sports Philadelphia reporter John Clark reported he was told Perrotta’s version was “grossly exaggerated” and that Sirianni was “just busting chops … in a friendly and joking way.”
• For what it’s worth: Sirianni and Giants coach Brian Daboll have a documented friendship. So the fact Perrotta says Sirianni said Daboll “sucks” several times could play into claims it was all in jest.
Bottom line: Perrotta was playing tennis at Centennial Park in Haddonfield. So were Sirianni and his wife. Sirianni said something about Perrotta’s Giants hat. Perrotta said something back. That’s when each side’s story begins to differ. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. Onward.
James Kratch can be reached at james.kratch@xlmedia.com
