As if Sunday's game needed any more drama...
It began with some unprovoked comments by New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin mid-week -- basically clamoring to be the underdog. That was then followed up by an accusing offensive coordinator in Kevin Gilbride. Gilbride thought it would be cute to call out of the league's most professional and elite players in defensive lineman Justin Smith.
Gilbride, without breaking sweat, said Smith is "getting away with murder" with the way he holds offensive lineman. Not only using a pretty extreme analogy but just drawing at straws with such a comment.
This eventually caught ire of San Francisco head coach Jim Harbaugh, who addressed Gilbride's comments in a statement:
Kevin Gilbride's outrageous, irrational statement regarding Justin Smith's play is, first, an absurd analogy. Second, it is an incendiary comment targeting one of the truly exemplary players in this league. It's obvious that the Giants coaching staff's sole purpose is to use their high visibility to both criticize and influence officiating.
On Friday, lineman Justin Smith finally caught wind of Gilbride's comments and responded as only a small-town cowboy would.
On Harbaugh statement, Justin Smith: "I really don’t know what there is to support or not to support. Sumbitches are holding me. " #49ers
— Kyle Bonagura (@KyleBonagura) October 12, 2012