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Best Coughlin Decision As Head Coach

BrettNYG10 : 4/14/2014 8:17 am
Playing the starters the entire game against the Pats.
putting Tyree in there  
Rocky369 : 4/14/2014 8:20 am : link
.
Stopping the bus...  
Chris in Philly : 4/14/2014 8:26 am : link
at In and Out.
I agree Brett  
gmen1234 : 4/14/2014 8:26 am : link
.
Establishing the players committee  
Saos1n : 4/14/2014 8:28 am : link
.
Sitting Warner...  
pganut : 4/14/2014 8:33 am : link
...starting Eli.
Giving Jimmy Smith a second chance.  
Curtis in VA : 4/14/2014 8:45 am : link
.
toughest  
Eric from BBI : Admin : 4/14/2014 8:46 am : link
and smartest was benching Warner. Threw that season away but got the process going.
that and...  
Eric from BBI : Admin : 4/14/2014 8:47 am : link
changing the way he interacted with the team and press after the 2006 season.
Definitely the players committee  
Boatie Warrant : 4/14/2014 8:52 am : link
That's how he got Stray on his side and ultimately the team.
bowling  
chris r : 4/14/2014 8:54 am : link
.
firing hufnagel  
Essex : 4/14/2014 8:54 am : link
. . . eli improved exponentially once Gilbride was running the offense.
It with the philosophical  
USAF NYG Fan : 4/14/2014 8:54 am : link
change of how he treated his players after the 2006 season. Taking his players bowling or to In and Out Burger was all a part of that.
Given how little we know about the whole process,  
an_idol_mind : 4/14/2014 8:54 am : link
it's hard to say what his best coaching decision is. I'm sure that there are a ton of good ones we don't know about because they were integrated early on into a game plan or team philosophy.

Other than what was mentioned above, some of the ones that I remember are:

-Giving Bradshaw some carries at the end of a close game against the Jaguars in 2010. Bradshaw was having serious fumbling issues and he put him in there despite that because he wanted to show that the team had confidence in him.

-Firing Sheridan after only one season. Everyone likes to say Coughlin is way too loyal, but they ignore the short hook Sheridan got.

-Bringing in Greg Gadsen to fire up the players (with kudos to Sullivan as well).

-Whatever voodoo he worked with Tuck to change him back into the player he used to be at the end of 2011.
Playing against the Pats at the end of the season  
nyynyg : 4/14/2014 9:02 am : link
full tilt in a game when others would have rested the injured set the tone and made them believers.
it  
Eric from BBI : Admin : 4/14/2014 9:09 am : link
wasn't just the player committee...I recommend reading Tom's book to see all the things he changed.
NOT sitting on the ball before the half  
Giants2012 : 4/14/2014 9:09 am : link
of the Green Bay playoff game.

He played to win.
RE: NOT sitting on the ball before the half  
BrettNYG10 : 4/14/2014 9:11 am : link
In comment 11619193 Giants2012 said:
Quote:
of the Green Bay playoff game.

He played to win.


I haven't watched that game in awhile, but didn't we begin the drive running the ball to run the clock out? Only after Bradshaw ran for a big gain did we go for a touchdown, IIRC.
Giants 2012,  
Essex : 4/14/2014 9:11 am : link
if I remembering correctly, he did sit on the ball, Bradshaw got that crazy run that set up the hail mary. but, I could be misremembering it.
RE: Giants 2012,  
Cam in MO : 4/14/2014 9:22 am : link
In comment 11619200 Essex said:
Quote:
if I remembering correctly, he did sit on the ball, Bradshaw got that crazy run that set up the hail mary. but, I could be misremembering it.


No, that's right. Bradshaw had that run where he got open and ran all the way across the field that got them within scoring range.

Eli, Nicks, and Green Bay db's not expecting a shot deep did the rest.


RE: RE: NOT sitting on the ball before the half  
Cam in MO : 4/14/2014 9:23 am : link
In comment 11619198 BrettNYG10 said:
Quote:
In comment 11619193 Giants2012 said:


Quote:


of the Green Bay playoff game.

He played to win.



I haven't watched that game in awhile, but didn't we begin the drive running the ball to run the clock out? Only after Bradshaw ran for a big gain did we go for a touchdown, IIRC.


Nope. Wrong. You're an idiot, idiot.



Icing the kicker  
wahoowa15 : 4/14/2014 9:41 am : link
In the 2011 game against the cowboys before JPP blocked the kick
@Eric  
shabu : 4/14/2014 9:42 am : link
you nailed his 2 best.
There Are Many Different Types Of Decisions  
Trainmaster : 4/14/2014 9:57 am : link
I guess you can break decisions down into a few categories:

1) Personal / life decisions: Changing his style with players is #1.

2) Coach hiring / firing decisions: Hiring Spags.

3) Player keeping / cutting: Keeping Cruz was a very good one.

4) Pre game / game prep: Playing to win vs 16-0 Pats

5) In game decisions: Letting Tynes try OT FG vs Packers?

1) Picking up Victor Cruz  
BlueLou : 4/14/2014 10:07 am : link
from the Jets' practice squad.

2) Drafting and rehabbing (as a person) Ahmad Bradshaw.

3)Dumping Shockey to allow Kevin Boss to start; Eli's performance went up with no-name Boss as his TE.
I don't know if these count as "decisions"  
Pork Chop : 4/14/2014 10:10 am : link
1. Teaching Tiki not to fumble. Changed his career, and like him now or not, he was the MVP for the Giants for at least 2 seasons.

2. Being flexible with some of the rules after his first season. Establishing player committee. Keeping the overall disciplined mindset, however.

3. Going for the win vs NE in game 16 in 2007. Took massive criticism in the press and on BBI. Even though it was a loss, I believe the Giants would have been eliminated from the playoffs early without the "we can play with anyone" swagger they got from that game.
I agree with Brett, playing the final game of 2007 to win...  
SB : 4/14/2014 10:18 am : link
...was his best decision, no question.

BTW, shit-canning Huffnagle was not Coughlin's decision, if I remember correctly. The decision was pushed on him from above.
RE: Giants 2012,  
Giants2012 : 4/14/2014 10:27 am : link
In comment 11619200 Essex said:
Quote:
if I remembering correctly, he did sit on the ball, Bradshaw got that crazy run that set up the hail mary. but, I could be misremembering it.


Yeah, he a nice run and they threw it into the endzone. Had Bradshaw gone down early doesn't mean the Giants wouldn't have continued trying for a score/FG. That run was set up b/c the Pack were dropping back (and certainly a heads up run).

Someone mentioned overall handling of Bradshaw  
SLIM : 4/14/2014 10:58 am : link
but I already had this in my mind. Maybe not his best decision but a decision that is a signature of what he tries to instill as a leader of men... 2011 season. Do or Die versus the Cowboys (1st game). He benches Bradshaw due to rules violations. I don't think a lot of coaches do that but Coughlin does (even though Bradshaw will probably go down as one of Coughlin's favorite players). If my son goes onto play sports at any level, I hope that he has a coach like Coughlin.
RE: Someone mentioned overall handling of Bradshaw  
Cam in MO : 4/14/2014 10:59 am : link
In comment 11619427 SLIM said:
Quote:
but I already had this in my mind. Maybe not his best decision but a decision that is a signature of what he tries to instill as a leader of men... 2011 season. Do or Die versus the Cowboys (1st game). He benches Bradshaw due to rules violations. I don't think a lot of coaches do that but Coughlin does (even though Bradshaw will probably go down as one of Coughlin's favorite players). If my son goes onto play sports at any level, I hope that he has a coach like Coughlin.



Yep, this exactly. He did the same with Plaxico.

...oh, wait.


Allowing Tynes to kick the game winner against Green Bay  
wgenesis123 : 4/14/2014 12:27 pm : link
after 2 bad misses seemed crazy at the time but it worked out. I would choose playing hard against the Patriots as number one.
RE: RE: Someone mentioned overall handling of Bradshaw  
an_idol_mind : 4/14/2014 12:40 pm : link
In comment 11619432 Cam in MO said:
Quote:
In comment 11619427 SLIM said:


Quote:


but I already had this in my mind. Maybe not his best decision but a decision that is a signature of what he tries to instill as a leader of men... 2011 season. Do or Die versus the Cowboys (1st game). He benches Bradshaw due to rules violations. I don't think a lot of coaches do that but Coughlin does (even though Bradshaw will probably go down as one of Coughlin's favorite players). If my son goes onto play sports at any level, I hope that he has a coach like Coughlin.




Yep, this exactly. He did the same with Plaxico.

...oh, wait.



Plax was forced to sit out at least a couple of times during his time here and got suspended for a full game due to rules violations.
RE: I agree with Brett, playing the final game of 2007 to win...  
an_idol_mind : 4/14/2014 12:44 pm : link
In comment 11619334 SB said:
Quote:
...was his best decision, no question.

BTW, shit-canning Huffnagle was not Coughlin's decision, if I remember correctly. The decision was pushed on him from above.


I know this has been floated around a lot on BBI, but I don't know that it has any source other than speculation.

Hufnagle for fired before Week 17 of the regular season in 2006. Are the Giants really the type of organization that would force that kind of change during a season, especially with a coach they were at least thinking about firing after the season was over?
Hopefully we will be saying  
cjac : 4/14/2014 12:53 pm : link
"firing Gilbride"

at some point
RE: 1) Picking up Victor Cruz  
giantsfaninphilly : 4/14/2014 1:32 pm : link
In comment 11619311 BlueLou said:
Quote:
from the Jets' practice squad.


Cruz was never on the Jets. After his 3 TD preseason game against them Rex Ryan asked 'who is that guy?'. Him being on the Jets is an urban legend.
Winning both Super Bowls  
Phil in LA : 4/14/2014 1:34 pm : link
was his best decisions. Hope he decides to win one more.
.  
arcarsenal : 4/14/2014 1:35 pm : link
Agree with Lou.. plucking Cruz from the Jets PS was a franchise changing move.
Yeah idol, I think your right...  
SB : 4/14/2014 1:41 pm : link
...I got that one wrong.
It's not even close  
WillieYoung : 4/14/2014 2:22 pm : link
going for the win in the meaningless game with New England in 2007. We never win the Superbowl (or even make it there) without that decision.
Signing here in 2004  
Big Blue '56 : 4/14/2014 2:30 pm : link
.
Yeah, that last regular season game versus the Pats.  
Jimmy Googs : 4/14/2014 2:38 pm : link
I think we lost a few key players to injury but the confidence gained in that game was all the difference.

Eli also played great and you know it sparked his nice playoff run...
I'll take  
bignygfan : 4/14/2014 10:43 pm : link
Going all out to beat the Pats even though I didn't 100 percent agree with that and even though his philosophy changed the next year when we did not go all out to beat Minnesota - which won the division.

But the 2007 team needed to go all-out in that game.

And we haven't lost to the Pats since - and all three times we played them since in hindsight were must-wins, although if we lose the reg. season game in NE who knows how the season turns out.

My second pick is hiring Perry Fewell. Stabilized that side of the ball through major personnel changes there and had solid defenses in three of four years since.

Hiring Perry Fewell as 2nd best decision?  
BlueLou : 4/15/2014 12:10 pm : link
The best grade I'd give that is an INC. Let's see how PF does with the huge turnover in defensive personnel from 13 - 14 before we turn in his grade. I think this 2014 D is closer to the type of personnel Fewell works with best (a Mike like Beason, very strong among the DBs and hopefully a healthy JPP) BEFORE we grade him. I imagine PF signed off on letting Linval go, and I'm not yet confident that was a sound move.
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