Dan Orlovsky Publicly Apologizes to Damian Lillard
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Dan Orlovsky has apologized publicly to Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard for his cringeworthy comments made on Wednesday's edition of "Get Up" on ESPN.
Lillard expressed to Yahoo Sports, "If we come back and I don't have an opportunity to make the playoffs, I will show up to work, I'll be at practice and I'll be with my team. I'm going to do all that and then I'm going to be sitting right on that bench during the games."
Orlovsky compared Lillard to supermarket and front line workers, and explained on national television that Lillard should be "thrilled" about returning to work.
Sports Illustrated writer Jimmy Traina provided advice for the ex-Detroit quarterback in his latest column.
"Here's a rule I know fans (and hot takers) won't like, but it's really a good one to follow: Don't compare an athlete's job to other people's jobs. It makes no sense and one person's job has nothing to do with another person's job," Traina wrote.
The comment Orlovsky made that infuriated Lillard was the following:
"I struggle sitting here and going, 'you don't come off as, in some way spoiled and entitled brat by saying I'm not gonna play.'"
Lillard then went online, and expressed his frustrations via Twitter.
Orlovsky tried apologizing after receiving a significant amount of criticism. He tweeted, "No you’re right I was wrong to use that phrase at the end. That’s my bad. My comment started with saying I hope we all realize nothing is meaningless anymore. And if it’s about protecting loved ones-100%. I shouldn’t have said entitled or brat and that’s on me and my bad."
Traina concluded his column by crediting Orlovsky for at least making the attempt to apologize.
"Like I said at the top, when you're on live TV several days a week, this is going to happen. It's inevitable. Orlovsky's apology seems sincere, though, and he genuinely seems like he regrets using the words he did. That's more than most people will give you after they screw up on TV," Traina said.
To read Traina's SI Extra Mustard column, click here.
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