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Rams Draft Giants Fan With #1 Pick, Yasiel Puig Gives Him Warm Welcome
Jared Goff with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being picked #1 overall by the Los Angeles Rams during the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images)
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On Thursday, the Los Angeles Rams—it still feels weird typing that—had the #1 pick in the NFL Draft and took quarterback Jared Goff. Goff, however, is a Bay Area native, so his team allegiance in the Giants-Dodgers rivalry has already come under intense scrutiny."I have gotten a lot of grief about that already, don't worry," Goff said after he was drafted, reports ESPN. The quarterback, who was projected by most pundits to be the top pick, is an unabashed Giants fan, having grown up in Novato, a city in the North Bay.
When asked whether he would consider ditching the orange-and-black for some Dodger Blue, Goff responded: "We'll see... It's going to be kind of a growing process, we'll see what happens. I'm open. I'm not going to shut it down."
Come ON, Jared. You can't just switch your allegiance just because you're moving to a new city. I sure haven't. This is more than just a simple sports rivalry. Blood has been shed on the field between these century-old rivals. This is Montague and Capulets. Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. Hatfields and McCoys. Have a little backbone.
After all, a simple search shows your Giants fandom is well-documented on Twitter. And as we all know, anything on the internet stays there forever:
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At the giants game #bleachers pic.twitter.com/dAv3ufsg
— Jared Goff (@JaredGoff16) May 5, 2012
Great night to be a Giants fan! First perfect game in Giants history. Way to go Matt Cain. Youre the man! #perfection
— Jared Goff (@JaredGoff16) June 14, 2012
this is surreal...cant believe the giants just won the World Series AGAIN!!!
— Jared Goff (@JaredGoff16) October 29, 2012
I can't wait to get to some giants games soon
— Jared Goff (@JaredGoff16) March 17, 2014
He even had some choice thoughts on a certain star Dodger outfielder:
I really hope Yasiel Puig gets a fastball in his ribs tomorrow
— Jared Goff (@JaredGoff16) July 29, 2013
(Based on the timestamp, the tweet seems to be in response to Puig's first walk-off home run, where the Cuban outfielder slid into home plate to celebrate)
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On Friday, Puig took to Twitter to welcome Goff to the city he will soon call home:
@JaredGoff16 Big hug, Welcome to LA, I show you around, be my guest to @Dodgers game #PuigYourFriend #PuigNotLate https://t.co/85B1djlAGM
— Yasiel Puig (@YasielPuig) April 29, 2016
Congrats @RamsNFL, good player, and thank you for bringing us the new @Dodgers fan #Dodgerblue
— Yasiel Puig (@YasielPuig) April 29, 2016
#PuigYourFriend
The Rams really wanted Goff. The team traded six draft picks to the Tennessee Titans in order to move up to the top pick to get their man. While the trade was made on April 13, the team held off announcing the move until the next day to not steal the thunder from #KobeDay.
Welcome to L.A., Jared.
The new @RamsNFL quarterback, @JaredGoff16 looks familiar...#NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/EeRJEqsq0u
— NFL UK (@NFLUK) April 29, 2016
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Update [4:25]: Jared Goff says he likes Yasiel Puig now (sure you do, buddy) and will take up Puig's offer to take him around town:
"It was a really cool move for him to tweet me like that, I will catch a game with him this summer" - Goff on the Yasiel Puig welcome tweet
— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) April 29, 2016
I asked @Rams QB Jared Goff about being a @Giants fan in @Dodgers Country. He said he now likes Puig! pic.twitter.com/JnejPFIz1p
— Curt Sandoval (@abc7curt) April 29, 2016
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