New York Giants rookie cornerback Eli Apple was finishing up his first day of organized team activities last week when ESPN announced that his mother, Annie, would be joining its Sunday NFL Countdown pregame show as a contributor. Though the reaction in East Rutherford was mostly positive, Eli told her there were some skeptics when she popped by the training facility to see him.
"Some people think you're getting where you are because of me," Eli said, "but I know I'm here because of you."
"Yes," said Annie and then added without missing a beat, "And I got the stretch marks to prove it."
Suffice it to say, it is going to take more than a few skeptics to stop Annie Apple.
Annie is a hybrid of Cookie Lyon from Empire and that intrusive mom from Old Spice commercials -- with a little of Dr. Ruth and Billy Graham sprinkled in. She gained a lot of fans when she penned a first-person column on the draft for Sports Illustrated, declaring she would not let Eli wear the free jewelry that had been offered him on draft day. "I told him, 'Dude, you're an unemployed college dropout. You will not be on TV with a Rolex."
Soon after, ESPN brought her in to appear on His and Hers and Seth Markman, the senior coordinating producer for ESPN's NFL studio shows, knew he had to find a regular place for her. "Right away, there was just something there," Markman said this week. "She's so naturally entertaining."
Apple is known to be frank, fiercely loyal to her offspring and not afraid to get into your face. A 30-minute phone interview with her shortly after her hiring showed her funny side, too.
• Annie on her son: "Eli, just to get ready for the combine, trained six days a week for 12 hours a day. I can't even go to the gym for 37 minutes without leaving to get a cheeseburger."
• Annie on God: "My day starts at 5:30. I like to pray. I like to get there first before everyone else gets there with their problems."
• Annie on why she blogs and tweets: "Being a mom, I have so much to talk about that my husband and my kids just don't want to hear."
Return of Hildebrand
J.R. Hildebrand is remembered for one of the most dramatic moments in Indy 500 history -- much to the Californian's chagrin.
The Sausalito native was one corner away from winning the race in 2011 as a rookie when he crashed into the Turn 4 wall, allowing Dan Wheldon to take the checkered flag.
Hildebrand, 28, who turned down an offer to attend the Massachussetts Institute of Technology to pursue racing, keeps trying for redemption.
Hildebrand was seventh-fastest in final practice and starts 15th today in a car prepared by Ed Carpenter Racing.
Having been so close to winning before "gives me a lot of drive and motivation to put myself back in that position," said Hildebrand, who finished eighth in last year's race.
Sports on 05/29/2016