Tom Coughlin

makes you think.

There is too much dead wood that still needs to be cleaned out from the drafts that they were drafting "potential" over production. Now that they are getting players that have produced and will produce in the NFL, I see some good years coming but sadly, 2015 isn't one of them. I see an 8-8 or a 9-7 season forthcoming this year.

grizz

I'm almost as old. I remember all the players you name and also Jim Brown, Milt Plum, Bobby Mitchell, the messenger guards who brought the plays in for Paul Brown. Lou the Toe.

great write up.

And one wonders what would have been the future if Jim Lee Howell had left one year earlier. The choice for head coach would have come down to the offensive coordinator, Vince Lombardi, or the defensive coordinator, Tom Landry.

I remember all those guys too. Aaron Thomas, Spider Lockhart, Tucker Fredrickson, Ernie Koy, Steve Thurlow, etc. I sat in Yale Bowl and chanted "Good Bye Allie". We've come a long way from the small B&W TVs, and in that respect it's better. But as much as the game and technology has progressed, I don't enjoy watching any more now than I did then. Even through the down years, I watched just as intently and got just as excited as I do now .... maybe more.

I remember going to training camp and Ray Perkins walked by with 6ft of me as I blurted out "Hi Ray". He shot me one of those looks that could kill with those steely blue eyes. I immediately realized that it should have been "Hi Coach" or nothing at all.

As of now, I think TC is my favorite coach. Parcells should have been, if he had stayed, but he didn't. I am looking forward to this season. If the O-Line jells we could go a long way. But I put the odds of that at less than 50%.

because he's so unapologetically old-school. (For all his humble origins and anti-style style, Bill Belichick is not. See girlfriend and Instagram.) So, yes, it would be great for TC to cement the legacy and reaffirm that the main strand of Giants football DNA is and will always be no-nonsense, back-to-basics blocking and tackling. That's why my favorite Giant play of all time -- and I, too, cheered for Jim Katkavage -- is Jay Alford's sack.

I started watching football in Yonkers in 1971. I didn't see the guys from the 1950's except for highlight films. We did watch on a 23 inch black/white Motorola though AND Alex Webster was the coach. Tarkenton will always be my favorite player.

Aaron Thomas is my first Giants memory. Wearing a white away jersey. Not sure what year.

The Ice Bowl is my first football memory.

the possibility of his teams not making the playoffs, 6 out of the last 7 years....

TC has been a good coach...he has two SB's....his team defeated an undefeated team to win the SB, when no one gave them a chance...

Injuries have played a huge part in this team not making the playoffs.......so has the drafting practices of the front office and head coach....so has the stubbornness of the HC...

TC is teflon.....TC is another year older......it looks like another 8-8, +/-1 season, at best.....whether that is good enough to make the playoffs, remains to be seen....

TC, like the Giants, like Eli, will not get his due from the media......but you can't forget those two SB's...

That isn't all Coughlin's fault but he hasn't been able to overcome some of the problems created by the front office.

He caused some of his own problems by the selection of poor coordinators on defense, and with Hufnagel.

Although the records may not show it, I think Parcells produced more consistently competitive Giant teams. He appeared to get the maximum performance out of even the less talented players. Of course, once free agency became a real factor, Parcells may have lost some of his ability to intimidate players, as shown by his record after he left NY.

right now who will tell their kids about the golden years of Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning.

History will be very favorable to Coughlin, the multiple years of underachievement won't seem so harsh. I think TC will be involved in the franchise even after he's gone from the sideline. An executive consultant or something like that.

are your friend.

In comment 12350688 Ivan15 said:

Quote:

That isn't all Coughlin's fault but he hasn't been able to overcome some of the problems created by the front office. He caused some of his own problems by the selection of poor coordinators on defense, and with Hufnagel. Although the records may not show it, I think Parcells produced more consistently competitive Giant teams. He appeared to get the maximum performance out of even the less talented players. Of course, once free agency became a real factor, Parcells may have lost some of his ability to intimidate players, as shown by his record after he left NY.

Actually, I think that TC's poor choices of coordinators was his biggest fault and the third biggest factor in the poor performances ... after injuries and poor drafting. The poor drafting and injuries can't be laid at his feet, but the coordinators sure as hell can.

In comment 12350780 River Mike said:

Quote:

In comment 12350688 Ivan15 said: Quote: That isn't all Coughlin's fault but he hasn't been able to overcome some of the problems created by the front office. He caused some of his own problems by the selection of poor coordinators on defense, and with Hufnagel. Although the records may not show it, I think Parcells produced more consistently competitive Giant teams. He appeared to get the maximum performance out of even the less talented players. Of course, once free agency became a real factor, Parcells may have lost some of his ability to intimidate players, as shown by his record after he left NY. Actually, I think that TC's poor choices of coordinators was his biggest fault and the third biggest factor in the poor performances ... after injuries and poor drafting. The poor drafting and injuries can't be laid at his feet, but the coordinators sure as hell can.

Agreed on drafting, but not on the injuries. Other teams during this same period had consistently less injuries -- Coughlin has had the same strength/conditioning guy forever and the players keep getting injured at higher rates than other teams.

I completely agree and relate to everything you are saying. I started as a Giants fan on a little BW TV as well and TC has so many great qualities and attributes that people of our generation grew up to respect. I too will be very sad when he is gone but I will still have no problem routing for the Giants and it won't diminish my interest much at all.

In my book TC will always be the better NYG coach than Parcells because Bill could be a dickhead at times and let's not forget how he walked away from the team when it can be argued they needed him most. Tom is a better coach anyway because unlike Bill, Tom does not see himself as having no room to grow and he constantly looks to improve himself as a coach as much as he does the players. I love that about him.

I also respect Tom just as much for his personal character as I do his coaching abilities. He is a class act and he doesn't need another ring to be in the HOF but that will be great when he gets it.

I am so proud that the Giants have him as their head coach. This year will be very hard due to the lack of talent and experience on the O-line but if he could manage to make a One SB for every 4 years with the NYG that would be fantastic so I'm all in for WIN IT NOW!

Great read sir.

On our 2015 giants, we just don't have all the horses yet but we are slowly getting there. Personally, I think when many said 3 years rebuild back after 2013, it was really 5.

If the drafts keep up over the next couple years, i think we are potentially super bowl bound again.

Should be fun to watch our offense this year tho !!

team to get to the SB.

I need another Super Bowl Win before The Grim Reaper shows up at my door.

Hopefully after sweeping Dallas/Wash/Phil. during the season and beating Seattle in the Super Bowl Game.

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I believe that the cheating scnandals and the quality of opponents might historically make this team and not NE the dominant team of this era.

That's cute.

to get into an argument or defend the man. He doesn't need me (or anyone else) to do that.

But somethings just have to be commented on.

Re: His contributions to injuries and a rigidness: Every thing I read contradicts that. :Last year he threw out everything and brought in a copy of the Eagles apparently successful work out regime.

Players were outfitted with GPS's and wired to a huge computer. Hydration levels were monitored in a more scrupulous way.
When the computer said so many yards had been traveled the damn computer called additional breaks.
This had been accompanied with a new and more demanding stretching program.
I respect other peoples opinion, but saying what appeared on this thread isn't opinion, it's a falsehood

2. I am not asking anyone else to agree with this, but I don't care if we never win another superbowl under TC. He's allready given me two. And they were not just wins, they were historical and grand wins capping off historical and grand runs to the final game. No one has faced and conquered competition that stiff, no one has had more exciting games.
I am astounded at the bitching. Two of the greatest superbowls of all time and the GM can't G.M and the coach can't coach.

3. If we can fix the two offensive tackle positions I think this team compares favorably to the superbowl winners.
We have better corners, better linebackers, better receivers and a better qb than either of those worthies.
Now when you consider that WR, CB and QB are, arguably , three of the four most immportant positions I think that's saying something.
I also think this crew of rb's can be as good as any we've had and are particuarly well suited to what Mac wants to do.
You are going to mention Osi, Tuck and Michael. Maybe we can't quite match that but I think Moore, Wynn and Bromley are posed for break out years. I think Ellis is going to be great in our system and Hankins as good as anyone in the league - almost. That still leaves Avery, Selvy, JJP and Kinnard. Anyone who is not impressed with that group is likely on downers.
We won with a compromised Wilson and an old Madison at safety. No is saying it but I think Cooper / Collins can be scary good and scarier intimidating hitters.
I don't think we can open with a rook who has technique problems at OLT and I know we can't open with Newhouse at ORT. I remember two guys we picked up on offensive line late in the year we went to the Superbowl and lost. Then I remember Lambert who we got late one year from the Redskins.
I think they'll find a way.
And while it's not necessary for me to mark this period as the most exciting and profitable period in Giant football, it might help other folks.

I agree with everything you posted. I too am a long time fan (50+ years) and remember a lot of those early teams.

As far as this team goes, I think we get a peek at what is coming offensively this year, and a year from now we'll be chomping at the bit for the 2016 season to begin. I'm hoping for a 10 win season +playoffs. After that, who knows what can happen. I'm not yet willing to admit we can't do something this year.

Thanks for starting this thread.

Don't forget Parcells was able to keep his best guys year after year w/o any cap concerns.

We will all miss TC when he packs it in.

In comment 12352225 mrvax said:

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Don't forget Parcells was able to keep his best guys year after year w/o any cap concerns. We will all miss TC when he packs it in.

We will miss TC big-time, if not for the hard luck crippling injuries which led the league two years in a row we may have been at least 9-7 and in the hunt. This year we need to win early and stay healthy. Eli and TC make the playoffs and win at least one game this year. Next year we re-tool and make a run. Yup!

that team was something like 24 - 2 and was destroying people.
We'd gone into Pitts house (the eventual superbowl winner) and beat them (it was not as close as the final score indicated).
The very tough Raven team came into The Meadowlands and they were beaten up....not just on the scoreboard.
The shooting didn't just mean the loss of Plax, it changed everything.
That team goes through the league and wins another SB and dominated the season from start to finish and TC legacy and our history are very different.

nice post

but you also can't argue with having an alleged great coach and an alleged great QB and a pretty pathetic record of getting into the playoffs or doing anything in the playoffs, outside of those 2 rings. those 2 glorious, wonderful rings.

In comment 12352829 fkap said:

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but you also can't argue with having an alleged great coach and an alleged great QB and a pretty pathetic record of getting into the playoffs or doing anything in the playoffs, outside of those 2 rings. those 2 glorious, wonderful rings.

"Alleged?" Yeah...okay. Together, they're 8-3 in the playoffs with two championships. But if making the playoffs is all you care about you can always go route for the Bengals.

...

Only Pitts has won two rings in that time time frame. And I would argue that Pitts won against very mediocre competition.
So that would make us, at worst, the second best team of modern times.
I'm greedy, I want one more, I just want to see TC, JR and Eli validated - in spite of that fact that they allready are...so call it re-validated and elevated even higher.

But whether that happens or not, i fee. privileged to have been along for the ride they've allready given us. And , honestly, I don't understand all the unhappiness and discontent.
And even more than the winning there's the intangibles that makes me like TC so much. He is the face of the franchise, Period. And I have never identified any of the other coaches in the same way.

when the team I root for has a franchise QB and a franchise HC, I want to be in the playoffs more often than not. and I expect fewer one and dones (3 out of 5 years) when in the playoffs.

As I said, though, you can't argue with the rings. you can't dismiss them. and I'm not.

dynasties like the Packers, Browns of Paul Brown, Walsh's 49er's and Bradshaw's Steelers.

Free agency compromises but the Labor contract compromises further. This is a league doing everything they can to impose parity. Low teams get hi draft choices and the rookie cap makes those high picks more desirable than ever.
And it's not free agency alone, the cap means the better teams are assuredly going to lose their better players.
Strength of schedule contributes.
those athletes wern't so subject to injury either.
Pitts is a comparable very well run, very successful franchines with a comparable QB and they are going through the same things.
Only the Pats seem immune and they have a better QB than us and they've cheated and i think significantly so.
So when you say that I wonder if you aren't hoping for an age that's remembered but past and gone. And if this isn't as good as it gets.

in a way, ive always thought that, i guess thats why i defend TC so much. he is what i think a Giants football coach...and inturn all coaches, should be.

personally, i see a 10 win season and a deep playoff run coming up this year.