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Giants Wish All a Happy Fourth

Joe Tufaro — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 16:22:08 +0000

I just got a (taped) phone call from Chris Canty wishing all Giants fans a Happy Fourth of July. The Giants and GMenHQ want to wish you a your family a Happy and Safe 4th of July! Go Giants!

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Giants Punch Ticket to Super Bowl: 25 Years Ago This Week

Joe Tufaro — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:21:57 +0000

The New York Football Giants of 1986 hosted the NFC Championship game at Giants Stadium 25 years ago this week. It was a familiar match-up with the Division rival Washington Redskins. It was also a contest against mother nature.

With winds whipping upwards of 30 miles an hour, the Giants and Redskins battled the elements all day. Harry Carson, as the lone captain for the coin toss, called tails as always and wins the toss. The words “We’ll take the wind” are now a part of Giants lore. The Giants scored 10 first quarter points, and held Washington to just 2 first downs. The Redskins punted three times in the first quarter and netted 23, 27, and 24 yards. Behind 10-0, the Redskins mounted a drive in the 2nd quarter, only to have a botched snap on a field goal try of 51 yards. The Redskins were doomed. Jay Schroeder was forced to pass 50 times in this game, many of them futilely into the strong and gusting winds. He finished the game 20-50 with a 3.8 yard average per pass.

After the 17-0 halftime lead, the Giants defense took over and made that the final score. At the conclusion of the game, John Madden remarked “Last year, I thought the Bears had the best defense I had ever seen. But in the last two weeks, I feel these Giants have as good a defense as has ever played in this league.” He was right. They had now given up a total of 3 points in two playoff games.

The Giants, and their faithful fans, now started planning their trip to sunny Pasadena for a re-match with the John Elway led Denver Broncos. Those of you who have been following this series of stories know that we already had plane tickets in hand, purchased the day after the Giants defeated the Broncos back in November. It was quite a trip…stay tuned

Pre-Season or Super Bowl?

Joe Tufaro — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:10:51 +0000

With all the hype about this weeks game between the New York Football Giants and jets at Giants Stadium you would think it actually counted for something. While the game is a key proving ground, and maybe even a last effort at making the roster, it is still a pre-season contest. The Giants are at a huge disadvantage having played Monday night, practiced for three days, with a Union Break in between, and now are scheduled for an early afternoon contest. What makes it worse is the team on the other side thinks it’s February and that winning this game gives them some sort of crown. Again I invite them all across the parking lot to the Timex Center to see what Three Super Bowl Trophies look like. Although Rex Ryan has guaranteed victory in the last two years, and of course again this year, these are actual Super Bowl Trophies given out by the league. The Jets will blitz all night, they will throw many, many passes to their fragile wideout Plaxico Burress, and they will do anything to secure a victory in this pre-season meaningless game. But worry not Jets fans, if you don’t win, like last year, you can find some reason to celebrate. You always do.

For the Giants this is a good place to practice the running game, work on blitz pick-up, and look at some options for nickel back, and third down receiver. With all the blitzing the Jets will do, the receivers will need to know their reads, and the backs will need to know their protection along with the Offensive line. It really will be a good test on that front considering the Cowboys, Redskins, and Eagles will seek to employ the same tactics on defense once the season begins. The key here is to get some work in, see some players for the past time, and as always get out healthy.

The game has been moved to 2p.m. as previously published here at http://gmenhq.com, and now will be aired live on the NFL Network. Enjoy the game!

J.T.’s TAKE

Joe Tufaro — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:12:56 +0000

On Wednesday the GIANTS held another of their fan conference calls for season ticket holders. It was one of three that I have participated in, and was by far the best yet. Coach Bill Parcells and Hall of Fame Linebacker Harry Carson were on the call separately and took questions from the fans. They spoke of the 1986 Super Bowl season, a season being celebrated this weekend at GIANTS Stadium with the return of players and coaches alike. It will surely be a magnificent Giant event filled with great stories and wonderful memories.
They both spoke of what a tough and inspired team they were. A caller asked if Mark Bavaro was the toughest player Coach Parcells had ever been around, he answered that Mark was probably the toughest guy any coach had ever seen, but that that team was filled with tough guys. Guys like Jim Burt, Maurice Carthon, and the Offensive Line of Benson, Ard, Oates, Godfrey and Nelson. Coach also offered up the nugget that Phil Simms was the “perfect quarterback” for a Parcells team. He was tough, smart, accurate, and wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. Parcells stated that most of their famous sideline discussions were Parcells trying to get Simms to be even more aggressive, to trust the play more. Like Davey Johnson and the METS that same year, Parcells challenged this team from day one to dominate the league, and gain what was rightfully theirs….a Championship.
Harry Carson was his normal passionate self. I still believe the players union missed a great opportunity to have him as their representative. He spoke about how this team inspired each other with their play, and how even in practice they loved to be around each other and feed off each others energy. I remember meeting Mark Collins a few years back and he stated at the time that playing with the greats on that defense as a rookie was difficult for one reason. He had to stop watching those guys make plays. He said he would get excited when he knew L.T. was blitzing, and would find himself watching the play instead of concentrating solely on his task. Harry takes great pride in having been this teams Captain, and was the organizing force behind this reunion. He stated that this is the “first time we have all been back together, and it will probably be the last time we are all together”. To his credit 51 of the 53 players will be present this weekend, a true testimony to the man that many Giants call their “Life Captain”. Harry is writing a book that will be out this summer and will certainly be a must read for all Giants and NFL fans.
Of course the subject of the Gatorade bath came up in the conversation. As all Giants fans knew, Bill Parcells was a very superstitious man. Harry Carson said they did the Gatorade dousing once to get Bill back for a particularly brutal week of practice…but once it coincided with a win….they were basically forced to repeat it, until it grew into the legend it is today.
All in all these conference calls the Giants do are very enjoyable, they do turn into talk radio with people wanting to make a point rather than ask a question, but Bob Papa moderates the call and does a superb professional job. It really was a nice way to spend 45 minutes or so during a slow Wednesday afternoon.