If you have ever been to MetLife and looked at the Giants trophy room, you will notice a few things. The Giants heavily feature the 4 Super Bowl Championship teams (as they should). There are pictures around the stadium featuring the 1986, 1990, 2007 and 2011 teams, and the 4 trophies in your face.
But noticeably absent is any real focus on the 2000 team, which won the NFC Championship blowing out the Vikings, and then were lucky not to get shut out by Baltimore in the Super Bowl.
As I recall, one of the criticisms of Jim Fassel when he was fired was that Fassel used to wear his NFC Championship ring around the Giants offices, which didn't endear him to the ownership. You don't normally think of Mara in the same breath as a George Steinbrenner (ie- championship or bust), but it appears there is something to that.
The question for BBI'ers, when I go back and I look at some of the playoff runs the Giants had in the 1980s when they didn't get to the Super Bowl, it is actually looked at more fondly than the 2000 run which ended in a Super Bowl loss. Should the Giants do more to recognize the 2000 team, or are they more or less relegated to persona non grata in Giants history?
They have been a lot of examples of teams "high-water" mark being during the Conference championship, only to be flat 2 weeks later in the SB...
In my office, I have the plaques for all four Super Bowl teams, but I also have the plaque for the 2000 team.
That team will always hold a special place in my heart, despite not winning it all
I don't view the season as a bust, but more of would could have been. If only Ray Lewis this, or Jesse Armstead that, stupid holding call, etc. I assume every fan of a SB losing team goes through the same what-ifs.
That said, I never liked Fassel. At the the time I recall my only enthusiasm was that he was "better than Reeves".
I don't think it was a bust ... 4 out of 5 appearances ain't bad.
On another note, the pure football fan in me would like to see what would have happened had that Minnesota offense gotten to go up against that Baltimore defense. That could have been an interesting Super Bowl. I know our much less talented defense took that Minnesota team to the wood shed, and we couldn’t hold a candle to the Baltimore defense. But honestly, Minnesota had their clunker of a game two weeks before we did the same. That offense was high powered and they laid an egg against us. Something tells me they wouldn’t have been such an easy beat come XXXV.
Yes, their defense dominated our offense, and our defense should have been able to do the shut down their offense.....but their defense created turnovers that we could not recover from, and one defensive lapse, by Sehorn of all people, did not help....
For myself, I enjoyed the season, it did come out of nowhere since most figured the Rams were the team to beat. In many ways, the Giants were probably lucky the Saints knocked them out in the Wild Card round and cleared the path. The win in Washington 9-7 was a defensive masterpiece by John Fox.
Now, in looking back at the Fassel guarantee, while it seemed ballsy, in hindsight, he really didn't have much to lose. Fassel did it on the heels of 2 straight losses to the Rams and a shitfest vs. Detroit. The Giants were facing the 3-9 Dave Brown led Cardinals the next week, so it was an easy opponent. And, Fassel also knew if they didn't make the playoffs, he was going to lose his job anyway. So he went for broke and it worked out.
I don't think it was a bust ... 4 out of 5 appearances ain't bad.
In my office, I have the plaques for all four Super Bowl teams, but I also have the plaque for the 2000 team.
We didn't lose another game until the Super Bowl.
Going into that year, I just don't remember ever having Super Bowl aspirations at all. We weren't really sure what we'd get out of Collins. Barber was still just a 3rd down back and return guy for the most part. Toomer had finally just broken out in 99 and Hilliard was coming off what wound up being his best year as a pro (just 4 yards short of his only 1k year)
The defense improved a lot in 2000. That was really the strength of the team. But I remember how excited I was to finally see a QB who could really sling it, a pair of good WR's, and a dynamic RB because our offense was really bad for most of the 90's. Especially once Simms was gone. So, at my age, the 2000 team was really the first time for me as a Giants fan who actually understood football where we had some weapons offensively and could do a little more than carry the ball twice for 3 yards a clip, throw an incomplete pass, and punt.
Outside of the mid-late 80's, when I was too young to remember anything, the Giants really never had a good offense in my life. So, the 41 point outburst in the NFCC game was almost surreal.
Same deal down the stretch in 2002 when the offense caught fire. That was really unlike anything I'd ever seen as a Giants fan. I was so used to the defense always having to carry us.
Hard to believe that it took until 2005 for me to see the Giants post a top 5 offensive season.. 20/21 years old - but, it did.
But to answer the OP - maybe to some that 2000 season was a bust since we ultimately lost the game that really mattered. But to me, it really wasn't. It was a ride I didn't expect at all, a 12-4 football team, which is a win total we've only matched one time since and have not exceeded, and just a really fun football season.
I'll always look back on it fondly. Maybe it softens the blow knowing we appeared in, and won two Championships since.. but the 2000 season really did have some great moments.
The 2000 NFC Championship trophy is in the Legacy Club I believe.
I'm not sure what else they should really do to honor that team though. 7 years later they actually won another Super Bowl and also 11 years later. 10 and 14 years prior they won as well.
I dont think the Giants act like that team doesn't exist, but I'm not sure how you truly celebrate that team as an organization.
As a fan I look back on that team with fond memories, but i dont think the Giants can do much to honor that team than they've done
The 2000 NFC Championship trophy is in the Legacy Club I believe.
I'm not sure what else they should really do to honor that team though. 7 years later they actually won another Super Bowl and also 11 years later. 10 and 14 years prior they won as well.
I dont think the Giants act like that team doesn't exist, but I'm not sure how you truly celebrate that team as an organization.
As a fan I look back on that team with fond memories, but i dont think the Giants can do much to honor that team than they've done
I agree - I don't think they need to do anything more to honor that team. We've won the SB the other 4 times we were NFC Champs, so there's enough to celebrate and honor there.
As a fan, I will definitely always look back on 2000 as a successful and exciting year - but we have the hardware from other seasons (including two since then) and I don't think we really need to make more out of that particular year.
Maybe if they don't call the hold on the Hammer we get that
TD Armtead ? Anyways it may have been a bit more competitive . Chips to the center of the table .
... it wasn't just an int but a called back TD ...that call just turned the whole game around
I think the fact we missed the playoffs the next year also put a damper on this super bowl loss..
The 2000 NFC Championship trophy is in the Legacy Club I believe.
I'm not sure what else they should really do to honor that team though. 7 years later they actually won another Super Bowl and also 11 years later. 10 and 14 years prior they won as well.
I dont think the Giants act like that team doesn't exist, but I'm not sure how you truly celebrate that team as an organization.
As a fan I look back on that team with fond memories, but i dont think the Giants can do much to honor that team than they've done
I was thinking along these lines as well. I would ask, what did the celebration and portrayals of the 2000 teams run look like BEFORE XLII and XLVI? Maybe they were more prominently featured when we only had two trophies that were prior to 2000. Then once XLII came along you make that the focal point. Once XLVI happened, I can see why 2000 gets pushed to the back of the line. Not only was it no longer the most recent success, but it was an after thought to two of the 4 amazing super bowl runs in franchise history.
I’m willing to guess that the first few years after XXXV there was probably more hoopla.
The 2000 season was amazing maybe in 2020 they will do something at halftime to honour the team and the nfc championship but it would not be expected
And major dogs against the Ravens. No team was beating the Ravens in the Superbowl that year.
I don't see how anyone could consider that season a bust. Pretty silly if they do.
And major dogs against the Ravens. No team was beating the Ravens in the Superbowl that year.
I don't see how anyone could consider that season a bust. Pretty silly if they do.
How about this: Not a bust given that we won the NFC, but one I don’t even talk about with anyone because of the choke job in the SB..Maybe the Ravens were going to win regardless, but their performance was to me, cowardly. The coaching staff didn’t do their homework. If they had, they would have used the brilliant offensive game plans of the Jets and Jaguars who gave the Ravens FITS with their offenses. Two weeks to prepare and THAT’S the O plan they came up with, not to mention no halftime afjustments whatsoever based on their continued cowering performance.
Of course, Baltimore was going to win that game. The Giants only chance was to keep things close was gone early in that game. The interception called back and Shawn Williams blown coverage against Stokely doomed any slim chance they had. Could not allow them to score first. But for the TD KO return - would have been over much sooner.
Giant offense was decent but certainly not dominant. Lack of speed at wr was a serious limitation. Raven defense was like playing with a booby-trapped ball. Every time Giants offense touched the ball, something bad happened.
I think the Maras are setting a high standard, but at the same time it seems tinged with the missed opportunities of that Super Bowl and the entire Fassel era (not to mention Gentleman Jim's off-field activities). I think the Giants remain embarrassed by the defeat and that it conflicted with the franchise identity as "tough" which was later reflected in the TC hire.
The season wasn't a bust but when you look back at 2002 and some of the Fassel era seasons, they missed a lot of opportunities to be a preeminent franchise even before TC.
Maybe it could have been a little close, but I don't that really matters.
I think the Maras are setting a high standard, but at the same time it seems tinged with the missed opportunities of that Super Bowl and the entire Fassel era (not to mention Gentleman Jim's off-field activities). I think the Giants remain embarrassed by the defeat and that it conflicted with the franchise identity as "tough" which was later reflected in the TC hire.
The season wasn't a bust but when you look back at 2002 and some of the Fassel era seasons, they missed a lot of opportunities to be a preeminent franchise even before TC.
My feelings about Fassel are well known and need not be revisited. Much of the blame goes to Accorsi. Notwithstanding The no-brainer Eli trade(regardless of who blinked first), EA was mediocre at best. I thought he was awful on the whole, but that’s just me. I’ll give him mediocre..:)..
Not bery helpful to JF, imv
To me, it looked like the offense laid down in the SB and that's never left me from that team. Perhaps others in the franchise feel the same way.
At the time, though, he had plenty to lose. Sure he would likely have been fired if they didn't make the playoffs. But imagine having a public statement like that on your record to go along with a firing - it would basically have been career suicide, and made him a laughing stock.
(again, his career trajectory afterwards isn't known at that point)
The 2000 team was a lot of fun - and they definitely overachieved. If Mara was pissed about not winning it - after his father stood at the podium poking fun at the pundits calling them the worst team to go to the Super Bowl - that's on him. They played over their heads until they ran into one of the best defenses of all time and the wheels fell off. I'm sure Fassel and co. would love a do over, and that they might have done slightly better, but I don't think any sane person has them coming close to winning, holding call or not.
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That the Jets celebrated two championship losses barely acknowledge one of the greatest Championship game wins of all-time. As someone who was there and considers it one of the great days in my fandom, I think there's isn't a simple answer.
I think the Maras are setting a high standard, but at the same time it seems tinged with the missed opportunities of that Super Bowl and the entire Fassel era (not to mention Gentleman Jim's off-field activities). I think the Giants remain embarrassed by the defeat and that it conflicted with the franchise identity as "tough" which was later reflected in the TC hire.
The season wasn't a bust but when you look back at 2002 and some of the Fassel era seasons, they missed a lot of opportunities to be a preeminent franchise even before TC.
My feelings about Fassel are well known and need not be revisited. Much of the blame goes to Accorsi. Notwithstanding The no-brainer Eli trade(regardless of who blinked first), EA was mediocre at best. I thought he was awful on the whole, but that’s just me. I’ll give him mediocre..:)..
Not bery helpful to JF, imv
BB56 - I agree with you, but the Maras made their decision on Fassel (and Accorsi) and so here we are. Accorsi got a do-over, Fassel did not.
I would have preferred a better showing in the SB, but beating that Ravens team was always going to be a tall order, they matched up too well.