Tag Archives: New York Giants History

Longtime Giants’ beat writer Ernie Palladino has written a book about the two Giants assistant coaches from the 1950′s who would go on to become NFL icons: Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry.

A MUST READ for Giant fans and historians.

From Bill Huus of the Staten Island Advance:

If you’re a New York Giant football fan, you’ll enjoy reading “Lombardi and Landry,” the new book authored by Staten Island sports writer Ernie Palladino, because it brings to life famous names in Giants history during a time when the team was instrumental in moving pro football into the modern era.

If you’re a Baby Boomer who is simply a pro football fan, you’ll enjoy the book because it provides a detailed look at the totally different yet equally successful strategies and standards these two legends used to change the game forever.

Tagged New York Giants History, Tom Landry, Vince Lombardi |

1978 will always be remembered as the last year the Giants would operate as a clueless organization. After the “Fumble” game in November, Giant fans would revolt, burning tickets, bashing the team and even calling for the Maras to sell the club.

That is when NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle stepped in an mediated the cold war between team’s two owners: Wellington Mara and his nephew, Tim.

The result was the hiring of George Young as GM and the rest, as they say, is history. Young’s first three drafts would change the team forever. In 1979, his top selection was QB Phil Simms. In 1980, took CB Mark Haynes in the first round. In ’81, Young has Lawrwence Taylor fall into his lap when New Orleans chose RB George Rogers first overall instead of Taylor.

But before all of that, it was not all doom and gloom. 1978 was the first year of the 16-game schedule era. The Giants, who had been doormats for better part of past fifteen seasons, were 5-3 after eight games. The fans, who had little to root for, were brimming with optimism. The defense had always been solid, but they needed an offense to match.

In the first half of 1978, it appeared that offense had finally arrived. With Joe Pisarcik (pictured) at the helm at QB, the Giants’ offense had the leader they had lacked since they foolishly traded Fran Tarkenton back to Minnesota several seasons before.

Pisarcik’s numbers were nothing to brag about, but the offense scored when they needed to. They were winning games that in years past, they would have lost. As we would find out later on, Pisarcik was going rogue on his head coach John McVay and his OC Bob Gibson by frequently changing the plays that were being sent in. As the season went on, McVay threatened to bench Pisarcik if he continued this practice. Ironically, he did not change the play vs Eagles in which he famously fumbled, in fear of losing his job.

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Tagged Joe Pisarcik, New York Giants, New York Giants History |

Giants’ Hall of Fame linebacker Harry Carson was as tough as nails. He was the heart of the defense on the franchise’s greatest team – the 1986 Super Bowl Champions – and no one has ever questioned his dedication and integrity. He is a class act all the way.

In his new book, Captain for Life: My Story as a Hall of Fame Linebacker, Carson gives us the peaks and valleys of his illustrious career and the struggles he and others have had to endure in their post-football lives.

From Mike Golic of ESPN Radio: “Captain for Life is an incredible book that shows readers what it’s really like to play football in the NFL. This is a tough, gritty true story about what it takes to succeed in the NFL by one of the best middle linebackers to ever play the game–and the price he paid for giving the sport everything he had. Football fans: this book will entertain you and show you a side of football you’ve never seen.”

Carson himself sums up the book best:

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Tagged Harry Carson, New York Giants History, NFL Concussions |

It is widely believed the 1986 Giants originated the tradition of dousing the head coach with Gatorade on the sidelines after a victory. As it turns out, although they perfected the ritual, they were not the first team to do it….

But where did the tradition start? In his excellent book, First in Thirst: How Gatorade Turned the Science of Sweat Into a Cultural Phenomenon, Darren Rovell wrote about how the Giants first began doing the celebration in a section titled “The Inaugural Dunk.” Amazingly enough, it began as somewhat of an act of aggression!

Tagged Gatorade, Gatorade Shower, New York Giants History, New York Giants News, Super Bowl XXI |

Super Bowl Monday: The New York Giants, the Buffalo Bills and Super Bowl XXV is a new book by Adam Lazarus that outlines the Giants’ exciting victory with Operation Desert Storm looming large in the backdrop and on everyone’s minds.

from allsportsbooks.blogspot.com:

Balance. It’s an important word in football. Teams like to be balanced between the passing game and the running game, or between offense and defensive, just for openers.

Balance is also important in books, and what makes Adam Lazarus’ book, “Super Bowl Monday” worth reading is that it has that quality. It’s an interesting recap of the 1991 game between the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills.

It would have been very easy to tilt this book in the direction of the Giants. They were the winners, of course, and there are a lot more book-buyers in the New York metropolitan area than there are in Western New York. It’s an easy storyline — 20 years after the fact, the Giants pulled a dramatic Super Bowl upset, etc., etc. etc.

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Tagged Giants Books, New York Giants History, Super Bowl XXV |

Put aside the mock drafts and the rankings for now, Newsday did something that I found real interesting. The paper recently put together a list of the first-round picks that the Giants have made over the last 25 years, and labeled each as hit or miss. Here’s a recap, and take a look for yourself to check Newsday’s analysis. (Note that Michael Strahan and Corey Webster were second-round picks, but were the Giants first picks those years.)

1986: Eric Dorsey, Defensive end, Notre Dame: Miss

1987: Mark Ingram, Wide receiver, Michigan State: Hit

1988: Eric Moore, Tackle, Indiana: Hit

1989: Brian Williams, Center, Minnesota: Hit

1990: Rodney Hampton, Running back, Georgia: Hit

1991: Jarrod Bunch, Running back Michigan: Miss

1992: Derek Brown, Tight end, Notre Dame: Miss

1992: Dave Brown, Quarterback, Duke (supplemental draft): Miss

1993: Michael Strahan, Defensive end, Texas Southern (second round): Hit

1994: Thomas Lewis, Wide receiver, Indiana: Miss

1995: Tyrone Wheatley, Running back, Michigan: Miss

1996: Cedric Jones, Defensive end, Oklahoma: Miss

1997: Ike Hilliard, Wide receiver, Florida: Hit

1998: Shaun Williams, Defensive back, UCLA: Hit

1999: Luke Petitgout, Tackle, Notre Dame: Hit

2000: Ron Dayne, Running back, Wisconsin: Miss

2001: Will Allen, Defensive back, Syracuse: Miss

2002: Jeremy Shockey, Tight end, Miami: Hit

2003: William Joseph, Defensive tackle, Miami: Miss

2004: Eli Manning, Quarterback, Ole Miss (trade with San Diego): Hit

2005: Corey Webster, Defensive back, LSU (second round): Hit

2006: Mathias Kiwanuka, Defensive end, Boston College: Hit

2007: Aaron Ross, Defensive back, Texas: Miss

2008: Kenny Phillips, Defensive back, Miami: Hit

2009: Hakeem Nicks, Wide Receiver, North Carolina: Hit

2010: Jason Pierre-Paul, Defensive end, South Florida: Too early to tell

Agree or disagree with any of the hit-or-miss labels?

Tagged New York Giants, New York Giants Draft, New York Giants History |

Hard to believe it’s been 25 years since the Giants and Bears met on a January afternoon at Soldier Field in a playoff game that was dominated by Chicago. 

ESPN Chicago takes a look back: 

In the long and storied history that is New York Giants football, Jan. 5, 1986 is not a date anyone in the organization cares to remember. 

“It was not,” says former Giants center Bart Oates, “my most pleasant day.” 

“I remember talking to Phil [Simms] some years after that and he said ‘You know, that Bears game we were so close, we could’ve won that game,’ and I looked at him and said ‘Are you smoking crack? I’m not sure which game you were playing in.’ 

“I didn’t get that feeling at all. It was total confusion. They just dominated. To me, felt like a 42-0 game. I think we could have played another eight quarters and would not score another touchdown against them. Our schemes and personnel just didn’t match up well with them.”

Tagged Bart Oates, Chicago Bears, New York Giants, New York Giants History |

Say It Aint So!

The 1958 NFL Championship game between the Giants and the Baltimore Colts was held up by NBC because the cable transmitting the feed to the millions of Americans watching at home got disconnected.

The network needed the game stopped. Back then they didn’t have the control they do now. Here’s what they did….

NBC sent an employee running on to the field to delay the 1958 NFL title game because they had lost the TV signal. NBC employee Stan Rotkiewicz, standing on the sidelines doing some statistician work (a former college football player, Rotkiewicz worked as a business manager for NBC News, but did stat work on game days), was the sacrificial lamb. After Unitas returned from the sidelines and the timeout, Rotkiewicz ran on to the field, running up and down the length of the field chased by a few police officers. Some more officers joined in from the other side of the field and soon Rotkiewicz was taken down and hauled off of the field (even at the time, when everyone considered him a drunk, most fans and commentators noted how well dressed the young man was). The delay worked well, but NBC still missed the first play out of timeout.

Read More

Tagged New York Giants Blogs, New York Giants History |

Former Giants Radio Announcer Was One Of Game’s Best

Long before the sports media crush of the new millennium lowered the bar on class and loosened its belt on professionalism, there were real journalists and talented announcers covering sports who told it like it is. 

Jim Gordon was one of those people.  Not that his successor, Bob Papa, isn’t a class act also (the Giants always have top-notch people in their throes) but Gordon was in the seat at perhaps the most exciting time in Giants’ history – the Bill Parcells era.

Known mainly for his work as the voice of the New York Rangers’ TV broadcasts, Gordon took over the Giants’ radio play-by-play responsibilities in 1977 from another legend, Marty Glickman.  Glickman was a true giant in the field of radio broadcasting, spinning off proteges such as Marv Albert, Johnny Most, Spencer Ross and Bob Papa. Gordon had some big shoes to fill.

Teamed with ex-Giant defensive back Dick Lynch, the duo became a must-listen on game days.  The Giants of the late -70′s were most times too painful to watch, and fans found solace on the radio as Gordon and Lynch’s commentary helped marginalize the losses. (Gordon and Lynch were notorious “homers”, but hey, somebody had to advocate for this team!).  Giants fans became attached to them, embracing their empathetic tone and candor.

As the Giants’ fortunes began to rise, Gordon was there to document it all, with flair and substance.  His deep, baritone voice would soar rapidly up the scale to match the action he witnessed in front of him.

“Simms…….Bavarooo……(dead silence for 2-3 seconds, then a roar from the crowd)….COMPLETE!”

Gordon was at the helm for two Super Bowls and his call of the Scott Norwood missed FG in Super Bowl XXV is still played frequently.

“Snap, spot, in the air, it’s got the distance, it is….NO GOOD!”

NFL Films consistently chose Gordon’s call over the television commentators’ in their Giant segments (see below).  Why not?  Most times his call was better….

Gordon was replaced in the booth by Bob Papa in 1995 after an 18-year stint.  He passed away after a long battle with cancer in 2003 at age 76.

Courtesy NFL Films

Tagged Jim Gordon, New York Giants History, New York Giants News |

The Most Memorable Games in Giants History: The Oral History of a Legendary Team by Jim Baker and Bernard M. Corbett (Bloomsbury)

Release Date: August 17, 2010

Publishers are constantly sending me advance copies of books about the Giants. That’s because they know I’ll read them and give them a fair shake in my review.

The newest arrival to my library- The Most Memorable Games in Giants History: The Oral History of a Legendary Team by Jim Baker and Bernard M. Corbett – is a most interesting read.

It covers the franchise’s most “memorable” games , not necessarily all the best ones, over an 85-year period.

In some cases the most memorable games are the best ones, such as the Giants’ three Super Bowl victories and several other title games.  Those games are the low-hanging fruit that dozens of other books have repeatedly picked ad nauseum.

The most intriguing and compelling parts of this book are the stories behind the Giants’ most painful losses.

The authors cover each game with detail and include revisionist comments from many of the principals involved.  Some of the comments are as entertaining as they are revealing.

The two best chapters, in my opinion, are the 72-41 loss in 1966 in Washington and the “Fumble” game vs Philadelphia in 1978.

The 1966 game was Sam Huff’s revenge on Allie Sherman for trading him away in 1964.  Huff said he would never forgive Sherman, and seeing how the Giants’ defense had gone into a historic tailspin without him, decided to insert the dagger.

With the game out of hand, Huff insisted the Redskins keep the pressure on and run up the score as much as possible.  The result was the highest-scoring game in NFL history (until it was surpassed by Cincinnati and Cleveland a few years ago).

Huff told Redskin QB Sonny Jurgensen to “score at will“ and to “ show no mercy”. “I want to get Allie Sherman fired, and we’ll get him fired!”

Giants RB Chuck Mercein: “Huff was screaming at Allie. Any time he got near the bench on that hash mark. Oh my God, he was just swearing and yelling at him. “How do you like me now?” He was absolutely beside himself with anger.”

The Hall-of-Fame linebacker still seethes over his unwarranted and unexpected departure from New York: “I will hate him (Sherman) until the day he dies. Print that!”

In 1978, the Giants were 5-3 at the break and actually had playoff aspirations.  They would dissipate quickly after three straight road losses.   A win vs Philadelphia at home would be the perfect elixir.

With just seconds to go, the Giants had the game wrapped up, and then….well, you know the rest.  But I didn’t know this much…..

Giants’ QB Joe Pisarcik had been warned by Offensive Coordinator Bob Gibson to stop changing the plays in the huddle.  The consequences would be severe – a benching or worse.  When Gibson sent TE Al Dixon in with a play with just seconds remaining, the other nine Giants in the huddle implored Pisarcik to simply fall on the ball, including Super Bowl-winning players such as Jim Clack and Larry Csonka….

Giants’ OT Brad Benson: “He (Dixon) brought the play in and Pisarcik said, “What?” It was supposed to be a dive -just a very simple dive play for the the fullback, Csonka.  And Dixon said, “Bob Gibson said make sure you hand the ball off.” And Pisarcik said, “I’m not handing the $%^#&*@ ball off.”  Dixon said, “You better hand it off.”

The Eagles’ MLB Bill Bergey: “The guys on the Giants were coming to the line of scrimmage yelling, “Joe, just kneel down,” and Joe was saying, “No, I gotta do what coach says.”

Play-by-Play announcer Don Criqui: “My spotter at the time was John Mara. He was the best spotter I ever had. He was so disappointed, he got up and left the booth.  After that game, he never spotted again.”

Giants’ QB Joe Pisarcik: “After the game, I was hiding in the training room. Wellington Mara came to me and said,  ‘You have nothing to be ashamed of. Just keep your head high and you’ll get through it. Just walk out there and tell those reporters what happened.’”

These are just some of the gems from this new offering.  If you’re a Giant fan thick and thin, this book is for you.

Go to Amazon.com to pre-order.

Tagged Giants Books, New York Giants, New York Giants History | Newer posts →