It's been a brutal past few days for New York Giants offensive lineman David Diehl, whose life has been one long walk of shame since his arrest on drunken driving charges Sunday night.
Diehl released a statement on Monday apologizing for his actions, which included side-swiping some parked cars following a day of drinking at a Queens bar. He arrived at the Giants' mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, where he apologized to teammates and explained his mindset to the media.
"I can sit here and say and do it all, but most importantly it's about my actions and how I handle myself from here on out," Diehl said, according to the New York Daily News. "I'm a positive role model. I'm going to continue to be one. People are going to see the way that I handle myself and the way that I carry myself and I'm going to show that the people who are behind me, they're not wrong."
Coach Tom Coughlin praised Diehl's character prior to the arrest and said the 10-year veteran was "very remorseful" for his actions.
"He's been an exemplary citizen for this organization," Coughlin said, according to the New York Post. "He recognizes and he's going to be a very, very good spokesperson for trying to help young people understand that his mistake can be avoided in whatever way possible. David will take care of that part of it. He's a guy who we've always been able to count on and he'll learn from this."
Nobody's going to feel sorry for Diehl, but he at least deserves credit for not hiding from the mess he's made. If this is a one-time transgression, he should be able to move on without too much collateral damage.