Author Archives: Dan Orlando

About Dan Orlando

Dan Orlando is a graduate of Syracuse University where he majored in Communications&Rhetorical Studies. He worked for Howard Stern On Demand and iN DEMAND as a public relations intern from May 2009- August 2010. Dan served as a long time contributor to the Morris County Daily Record, the flagship news publication of Morris County, New Jersey. He was also a staff writer at one of the premier college papers in the country, The Daily Orange. Dan enjoyed a successful stint as a member of the Nygiantscast team alongside ESPN radio's own Kyle Bonn (host of the Bonnfire) and Kevin Brown. This informative podcast has been featured on Giants beat writer Ralph Vacchiano's Blue Screen. Dan is currently the Giants Correspondent for Brent Axe's Chopping Block which airs weekdays on TheScore1260 FM/TheScore1260.com. Dan can be reached at (201) 572-1157 or @ Dorlando44@gmail.com

By now, you’ve probably read every breakdown possible of Sunday’s win. If you’re like me, you basked in the glow Sunday night and let the party continue through the parade/rally and possibly through the rest of the work week.

It was a thing of beauty in my eyes, to be present at MetLife stadium on Tuesday with thousands of other Giants fanatics that played grownup hooky to be a part of Big Blue’s 4TH Super Bowl Title. But for a brief moment, my attention was diverted from the glory of the present and redirected to a cold Saturday night 6 years ago.

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Tagged Bear Pascoe, Chase Blackburn, Eli Manning, Jake Ballard, Jermichael Finley, super bowl 46, Travis Beckum |

Millions of people around the world have identical plans for Sunday evening. While the majority of them settle in for just another annual viewing of The Super Bowl, Giants fans will have the special privilege of actually watching their own team compete in the legendary contest.

Missing a drive to go on a beer run will not be an option this year for those that read this blog. But as I did last week, I once again ask: Why? What makes Giants Football so enthralling? What makes this 2nd Super Bowl appearance in 4 years so special?

In my view, you are only 1/2 a fan if you don’t understand how your team got to the point it did. The successes and failures of the past seasons weave the story that makes every down, every play, and every minute of Big Blue action unmissable.  So for the next 3 days, I will be breaking down the Giants millennium thus far in 4 year installments. Enjoy.

2000: The Giants started the first season of the new millennium with a revival of the throwback uniforms worn before the modern era.  The new look, which featured a solid blue home jersey and a lower case “ny” logo instead of “GIANTS” spelled out on the helmet, was accompanied by the removal of the neon green astro turf that coated the Meadowlands field.  Giants Stadium was once again home to natural grass turf.

 

But the old school vibe was designed to help inspire a new attitude and direction for the storied organization.  After wading through a purgatory of mediocrity throughout the majority of the 1990’s, the Giants front office was determined to restore a winning tradition to one of the league’s most iconic franchises.

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Tagged Eli Manning, Osi Umenyiora |

The past year has put sports, especially football, on trial. Recruiting scandals in major college programs, a savage beating over the outcome of a hockey game, and the fall out from a heinous pedophilia cover up left the nation wondering how games could establish such a powerful hold on America’s culture.

After the firing of now deceased Joe Paterno, the country watched in shock and awe as Penn State faithful rioted in the streets. A man that at one time was the very face of all that was good about football was now a villain to those that did not bleed Blue and White. Was the success of an athletic program truly so crucial that human beings could look past the startling allegations that will now forever mar an otherwise perfect legacy?

On Sunday, following Paterno’s abrupt death, both of the conference title games were decided by only 3 points. Never before had both games been decided by so close a margin in the same year.

Both contests came down to the final moments, and both hinged on head-scratching mistakes that may haunt the guilty for years to come. Both games were theater in its truest form; Unscripted, yet perfectly presented.

And as the stomachs of the Baltimore faithful leaped then abruptly plummeted as Lee Evans caught/dropped the winning TD catch, football was far more than Sunday afternoon entertainment. It was more than a past time as San Francisco and New York turned the last 15 minutes of their contest into a round of Russian roulette with countless punts and a tied score.

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So what has me agitated this evening? For a while my biggest issue with this matchup was knowing that Aaron Ross was once again going to opt to wear those ugly white cleats that make him look like an extra on Saved By The Bell.

I thought about getting desperate, reaching down into my soul, and ranting about how game time beer commercials have gone from hilarious to ridiculous. At no point have I ever turned to a male friend and lectured him on the quality of his light beer choice.

When your buddy buys a VW Beetle because he likes how Katy Perry sounds on the stereo system, then you say something. When your buddy is late to the bar because he’s still in line at a Snooki book signing you douse him in lighter fluid, light a match, and then you sure as Hell say something. Priorities, people.

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Tagged Ahmad Bradshaw, Alex Smith, Brandon Jacobs, Eli Manning, Frank Gore, Hakeem Nicks, Vernon Davis, Victor Cruz |

Hakeem Nicks (88) hauls in the Hail Mary pass from Eli Manning to give the Giants a 10 point lead with no time left in the 1st half. Photo Courtesy: Nydailynews.com

Tebow forgive me, but I haven’t said an overwhelming number of Hail Marys as of late. Luckily yesterday, Eli Manning said/threw one for me. The Giants are headed to their 2nd NFC Championship game in 4 years. I should be overjoyed right? Slow your roll a bit. We’ll get to that in good time.

You should all be thankful for the National Football League referees that valiantly attempted to botch yesterday’s historic game. In the first ever playoff meeting between 2 Super Bowl MVP QBs, Eli Manning walked away victorious. Thus, without the horrible officiating, I would have very little to be agitated about. Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue following two mild editions of this column?

Yes, advertisements for Glee during a football game irk me. Yes, attempting a Lambeau Leap over my couch knowing full well that there was a regulation size 1960’s pinball machine directly behind it stung (Bad Guy has a boo-boo). But nothing bugs me like bad officiating and where would Giants Nation be if I couldn’t be pissed off about something?

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Tagged New York Giants News |

I don’t see any reason to stray from a formula that has been working. Especially when it is extremely appropriate for this particular scenario. So while I don’t intend to be too agitated today, I will be utilizing yet another comparison to the 2007 championship season.

In 2006, Tiki Barber served as the face of an underwhelming Giants franchise. In the fall of 2005 (a season in which he would break off a 95 yard run and accrue 235 rushing yards in a single game), he would accompany Jeremy Shockey to the bedside of a dying Wellington Mara. The two were described as the football patriarch’s favorite current stars.

But after years of serving as the lightening rod for an otherwise underachieving offense, Barber abruptly left pro football. His departure left a significant hole in the Giants roster. The hole was not much unlike the one that Jerry Reese found himself staring at when Steve Smith hobbled out the door and into the Eagles arms.

Between ’06 and ’07, the Giants finally gave up their attempt to mold project slot receiver Tim Carter into a dangerous weapon. Carter, who is the cousin of former MLB Outfielder Gary Sheffield, appeared to be a physical specimen. He was easily one of the fastest players in the league. Unfortunately, he lacked the ability to consistently haul in catches.

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Tagged aaron rodgers, Brandon Jacobs, Eli Manning, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Reuben Droughns, Tiki Barber |

If you had pulled me aside last June, and said to me that the New York Football Giants would be playing in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, I quite possibly would have slapped you.

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Tagged Dr. Oz, ESPN, Oprah, Victor Cruz |

I would like to sincerely thank Mr. Kevin Gilbride. You sir have risen from the ashes of my defeat and given me immeasurable hope. Because of you Giants Nation can rejoice in the knowledge that I, Mr. Bad Guy am not in fact dead.

You may have thought I was getting weak. I wouldn’t blame you. The last post I wrote while watching QVC and hemming your sister’s skirt. I was overflowing with joy; straight up giddy in fact. Sue me.

But I took a long look in the mirror this morning. I wiped the smile from my face. No points allowed on defense? Great, that’s their job isn’t it? Eli throws 3 TDs and the rushing attack combines for over 100 yards? Good to know. But those first couple drives? C’mon KillDrive are you serious?

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Tagged Eli Manning, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, New York Giants, Osi Umenyiora, Rocky Bernard, Victor Cruz |

As the first ever playoff game in MetLife Stadium draws nearer, comparisons are swirling regarding the 2011 squad’s resemblance to the World Champion 2007 Giants team. For the most part, I too can see the resemblance.

Just like in the summer of ‘07, the Giants weren’t expected to make much noise this season. After making quick free agent splashes with top UDFA Mark Herzlich and C David Baas, Big Blue found itself sitting idly by as other teams stole headlines and marquee names.

GM Jerry Reese was under serious fire before a single preseason snap was played. Two of Eli’s top targets, Steve Smith and Kevin Boss, were allowed to quietly walk out the door and in one case into the arms of the franchise’s most hated rival. Ahmad Bradshaw too was almost not retained, but a pay cut taken by Brandon Jacobs led to his return.

After a season staggered with disappointing losses to lesser opponents (including opening day), the Giants appear to have hit their stride in the closing two weeks. In Week 16 of 2007, it was the Bills that the Giants surged past to clinch a playoff berth and in 2011 they would step on the throats of a free falling Gang Green.

I agree there are similarities, but there is also one alarming difference. Earth, Wind, and Fire is no more. In 2008, Brandon Jacobs teamed with Derrick Ward to amass over 2,000 yards on the ground. The pair was so effective that Ahmad Bradshaw barely even saw the field during the entire campaign despite playing a major roll in the previous post-season success of the franchise.

This year, a less effective offensive line and dinged up RBs have hampered Big Blue. The good news, Eli Manning has managed to counter the lack of balance by putting on a passing clinic. He has racked up 4,933 passing yards in 16 games. After publicly claiming that he was in Tom Brady’s class, Manning backed up his words by finishing just 67 yards shy of 5,000. His 15 4th quarter TD’s broke an NFL record that was previously held by big brother Peyton.

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Tagged Eli Manning, Hakeem Nicks, Jake Ballard, Julio Jones, Justin Tuck, Matt Ryan, Osi Umenyiora, Roddy White, Tom Coughlin, Tony Gonzalez, Victor Cruz |

This morning only one NY coach had to stand in front of a podium and outwardly admit defeat. Yesterday, the Jets went through the motions like a mail-order bride on her wedding night and now the brash Rex Ryan will be spending his January watching Tom Coughlin’s Giants make a run at a 4th World Title.

Today’s press conference, which featured a defeated and somewhat less jovial Ryan signaled a shift that was two years in the making. The Giants didn’t recover in 2009 after a wasted 12-4 ‘08 season. Instead, they choked in their first real challenge of the season and slid down the standings for the following weeks. Mark Sanchez and Sexy Rexy proceeded to earn sports page cover stories nationwide.

A season of Hard Knocks, two AFC Title game trips, and the removal of the word “Giants” from the top of their home field, brought us to this past July. The Giants were seemingly stagnant. Their apparent apathy to the departure of Kevin Boss, Steve Smith, and nearly Ahmad Bradshaw did little to quell the rumors that the organization was taking a knee after the lockout. Perhaps Coughlin and Kevin Gilbride had been retained simply because of the uncertainty ahead after the 2010 collapse.

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Tagged Eli Manning, Rex Ryan, Tom Coughlin, Victor Cruz | ← Older posts