Giants
Slater NJ.com: Giants salary cap update: How much space do they have entering 2020 training camp? Can they create more by making cuts?
https://www.nj.com/giants/2020/06/giants-salary-cap-update-how-much-space-do-they-have-entering-2020-training-camp-can-they-create-more-by-making-cuts.html
Traina SI.com: 41 Giants-related Questions for When Football Resumes
https://www.si.com/nfl/giants/news/41-giants-related-questions-for-when-football-resumes
QB
Lombardo NJ.com: Giants’ plan to mold Daniel Jones appears similar to how Dallas Cowboys developed Dak Prescott
https://www.nj.com/giants/2020/06/are-giants-poised-to-mirror-dallas-cowboys-plan-to-develop-dak-prescott-with-daniel-jones-is-it-a-sustainable-strategy.html
Falato SI.com: FILM ROOM | A Closer Look at Daniel Jones' Deep Passing Ability (Part 1)
https://www.si.com/nfl/giants/film/a-closer-look-at-daniel-jones-deep-passing-ability-part-1
WR
Citak Giants.com: Golden Tate looking forward to giving Giants fans 'something to cheer loud and proud for'
https://www.giants.com/news/david-diehl-golden-tate-interview-hess-toy-truck
TE
Traina SI.com: Giants Player Profile | Garrett Dickerson, TE
https://www.si.com/nfl/giants/news/giants-player-profile-garrett-dickerson-te
G
Giants.com: Inside the Film Room: Shaun O'Hara dissects Shane Lemieux game tape
Shaun O'Hara dissects Giants' 2020 draft pick Shane Lemieux's college game tape (Video)
https://www.giants.com/video/inside-the-film-room-shaun-o-hara-dissects-shane-lemieux-game-tape
P
Valentine BBV: New York Giants’ punter Riley Dixon showing continued improvement
https://www.bigblueview.com/platform/amp/2020/6/1/21270898/new-york-giants-punter-riley-dixon-showing-continued-improvement
NFL
Breer MMQB: MAQB: Rookies Are Way Behind on Signing; Justyn Ross's Surgery Is Big NFL News; More
An inability to get physicals means that many NFL rookies haven't signed contracts or been paid a dime yet. Plus, Justyn Ross's injury is not just a Clemson story but a major 2021 draft story, Frank Reich's powerful statement and more notes from around the league.
https://www.si.com/.amp/nfl/2020/06/01/nfl-rookies-physicals-contracts-justyn-ross
Jason OTC: Just processed the June 1 cuts. Teams with more dead money than cap space are
Panthers-$3.3M cap/$36.4M dead
Rams- $5.4M/$30.6M
Patriots- $1.3M/$26.1M
Jaguars- $20.4M/$37.1M
Vikings- $12.3M/$20.4M
Ravens- $9M/$16.7M
Falcons- $11M/$17.5M
Chiefs- $4.9M/$10.3M
Steelers- $5.7M/$9M
Saints- $9M/$11.4M
Bears- $10.8M/$12.5M
BALTIMORE
Baltimore Sun: How can undrafted rookies help the Ravens offense? Their college coaches explain.
https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bs-sp-ravens-undrafted-rookies-20200601-t4qc55fnuvaznglgsa4rskrf74-story.html
HOUSTON
Wilson Houston Chronicle: Coping with family deaths, Michael Thomas relishes homecoming with Texans
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/texans/article/Coping-with-family-deaths-Michael-Thomas-15309724.php
PITTSBURGH
Adamski Pittsburgh Tribune Review: If WR Chase Claypool follows Steelers trend, expect slow start, big finish as rookie
https://triblive.com/sports/if-wr-chase-claypool-follows-steelers-trend-expect-slow-start-big-finish-as-rookie/
Fittipaldo Pittsburgh Post Gazette: Joey Porter on Steelers' linebackers, coaching again, community and more
https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2020/06/01/joey-porter-sheraden-bud-dupree-t-j-watt-steelers/stories/202006010081
SAN FRANCISCO
Wagoner ESPN SF: 49ers believe they have another Emmanuel Sanders in Brandon Aiyuk
https://www.espn.com/blog/san-francisco-49ers/post/_/id/36560/san-francisco-49ers-believe-they-have-another-emmanuel-sanders-in-brandon-aiyuk?
Madson Ninerswire USA Today: 49ers depth chart: Defensive tackle gets shakeup after DeForest Buckner trade
https://ninerswire.usatoday.com/2020/06/01/49ers-depth-chart-defensive-tackle-deforest-buckner-trade/
Branch SF Chronicle: Defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw, 49ers’ top pick, receives rave reviews
https://www.sfchronicle.com/49ers/article/Defensive-lineman-Javon-Kinlaw-49ers-top-15309446.php
SEATTLE
Condotta Seattle Times: Analysis: Answering your questions on how the pandemic is impacting the Seahawks and the NFL
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/analysis-answering-your-questions-on-how-the-pandemic-is-impacting-the-seahawks-and-the-nfl/?
TAMPA BAY
Rank NFL.com: State of the Franchise: Tom Brady's Bucs have sights set on Lombardi
https://www.nfl.com/_amp/state-of-the-franchise-tom-brady-s-bucs-have-sights-set-on-lombardi
WASHINGTON
Davenport B/R: Chase Young Could Be the Best Rookie Pass-Rusher the NFL Has Ever Seen
https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/2894220-chase-young-could-be-the-best-rookie-pass-rusher-the-nfl-has-ever-seen.amp.html
Finlay NBC Sports Washington: Reuben Foster has impressed Redskins' DC Jack Del Rio, but health remains major question
https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/redskins/reuben-foster-has-impressed-redskins-dc-jack-del-rio-health-remains-major-question?
Colleges/Draft
Steinberg Touchdownwire USA Today:Leigh Steinberg: Explaining the NFL system of rookie contracts
https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/2020/06/01/leigh-steinberg-explaining-the-nfl-system-of-rookie-contracts/amp/
Goodbread NFL.com: Undrafted rookies seeking NFL tryouts face uncertain futures
https://www.nfl.com/_amp/undrafted-rookies-seeking-nfl-tryouts-face-uncertain-futures
Drew Deseret News: Why are so few BYU football players getting drafted by NFL teams? Former players weigh in
https://www.deseret.com/platform/amp/sports/2020/6/1/21265494/byu-football-nfl-draft-kalani-sitake-utah-utes-football-utah-state-aggies-football-lds-mormon
WR
Keepfer Greenville News: Clemson's top returning wide receiver, Justyn Ross, needs surgery, will miss 2020 football season
https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/sports/2020/06/01/clemson-football-receiver-justyn-ross-miss-2020-season/5311401002/
History
RIP Lee Grosscup the Giants first round draft selection in 1959
Farudo SI.com: Cal Football: Beloved, Long-Time Bears Broadcaster Lee Grosscup Dies at 83
https://www.si.com/.amp-cal/college/cal/news/lee-grosscup-dies-at-83
1957 November 9, 1957 - Utah at Army
Where the Giants may have discovered a QB
HOW IS IT GREAT? If Utah had won this game, it would certainly be one of the ten greatest Ute victories of all time. But alas, it is only a moral victory. In fact, Head Coach Jack Curtice would forever refer to this game as the time "we beat Army."
WHAT THE PRESS HAD TO SAY:
UNDERDOG U. BRILLIANT IN 39-33 DEFEAT----
By Kenneth B. Knowles
Deseret News & Telegram
November 11, 1957
WEST POINT, N.Y.-- Utah may have lost to Army, 39-33, Saturday, but Lee Grosscup and all his Utah teammates won the plaudits of the crowd and the nation.
Utah's terrific passing attack, which was still chalking up scores in the last five seconds of the game, gave Grosscup the national recognition which he has merited as the country's leading passer. As half a dozen press box writers commented Saturday: "The pros will be watching for him."
Lowell Thomas, noted newscaster and world traveler, said following the game that Utah had "put on the best passing attack I have ever seen."
Utah's passing chalked up 326 yards during the afternoon, while Army netted only 45 yards through the air. However, Army, led by Bob Anderson, 200-pound sophomore halfback from Florida, gained 394 yards on the ground while Utah gained 85 with running plays.
Utah entered the game as 19 to 30-point underdogs, but they played as if they'd never heard those odds. They came back, and came back, and then added a final bit of glory in the closing seconds after half the crowd had thought the game was over.
A sellout crowd of 27,900, including 16,000 Boy Scouts on their 10th annual festival day at West Point, thrilled to the frenzied duel of all-out offense in which Red Blaik's heavily favored Black Knights, meeting Utah's Skyline Conference entry for the first time, trailed by 14 to 13 early in the second quarter, three times surged into a two-touchdown lead and had the devil's own time keeping Cactus Jack Curtice's air-power team off their backs.
It was appropriate and typical that Utah scored on a pass on the final play of the game. California-bred Grosscup, the most successful passer in the country, percentage-wise and on number of completions, hit the bulls-eye on 13 of 24 passes for 316 yards.
The Utes put up a tremendous battle as the Cadets led by 13-7 in the first period, 19-14 at half time, 26-14 in the third quarter, and 39-33 at the end of a five-touchdown final period.
Luckily for Army, Anderson had his biggest day. The No. 1 touchdown scorer of the country, he added three to boost his total to 13, boosted his rushing yardage to 820 yards, well ahead of the pace that earned the fabulous Glenn Davis Army's rushing record of 930 yards in 1945.
The Cadets took the opening kickoff and marched 72 yards in 11 plays without a pass. Pete Dawkins, the other half of Army's solid one-two halfback punch, ran 25 yards for the big gain but Anderson carried six times for 39 yards and slammed five yards off tackle for the score.
On Utah's first play, Grosscup Rowe recovered on Utah's 31. In eight plays Army had another touchdown. Anderson carried four times for 20 yards, including the last two on an off tackle burst.
Stuart Vaughan, the 147-pound pass-catching whiz from Utah, ran back the kickoff 45 yards and Utah covered 45 yards in five plays, two of them Grosscup passes. One was a tricky overhand shovel pass to an end, George Boss, who ran laterally, left to right, behind his scrimmage line, took the pass and lateraled off to fullback Karl Jensen for 27 yards to the one-foot line. Grosscup scored on a sneak.
Stopping Army, Utah then went 88 yards in 15 plays early in the second period as Grosscup mixed passes with fullback runs by Merrill Douglas, who went off tackle for the last three yards. With Boss's kick, Utah led 14-13 to the wonderment of all.
But Army took the kickoff and marched 87 yards in 18 plays, mostly on the ground and was never headed again. Anderson accounted for 47, rushing four times for 30 yards, catching a Bourland pass for eight and throwing to Dawkins for nine. With Army threatening to the right Bourland rolled out to the left in tricky style, faked to Anderson and ran eight yards around Utah's right flank.
Army tallied the only third period touchdown on Anderson's 54-yard sprint.
The well-coached Utahns retaliated swiftly, scoring early in the fourth as Grosscup passed 22 yards to Vaughan, 45 yards to Boss and then 10 to Douglas in the end zone. On an Army punt, Dawkins recovered McGivney's fumble and Army covered 34 yards in eight plays, with Anderson, on fourth down passing five yards on the end-run option to Bill Graf.
Utah wouldn't cry uncle. Grosscup passed 53 yards to end Don Erickson and 10 to Boss in the end zone to make it 33-27. Army marched 72 yards and scored on Bourland's 23-yard pitch to Dawkins for the clincher with 17 seconds to go, but in those final 17 seconds Grosscup passed 52 yards to Erickson and, after the officials had to clear the field of hundreds of spectators, passed 13 yards on the final play to Larry Wilson for the T.D.
http://utahfootballcountdown.blogspot.com/2007/07/35-november-9-1957-utah-at-army.html
1959: The Draft
Prunty NJ.com: These days, it's the NFL Draft that's become the bust (2009)
“Lee Grosscup was a fine college quarterback for Utah back then, and nobody knew his time in the three-cone drill or debated the merits of his arm strength. Then, one afternoon, his phone rang."Guess what?" the voice on the other end said. "The Giants just made you their first-round draft pick."
"The who?"
"The Giants!"
"The New York Giants?"
That was it. Grosscup checked the newspaper the next day just to make sure. He was the first-round selection for the Giants in 1959, the 10th overall pick, and to his knowledge, nobody declared him an immediate bust or steal.
"Now it's wall-to-wall coverage, 24 hours a day," Grosscup said from his home in Alameda, Calif. "It is totally unbelievable how obsessed some people are -- and I'm one of those people!"
https://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/politi/2009/04/these_days_its_the_nfl_draft_t.html
1959: The 5 quarterbacks
Charlie Conerly came within minutes of being the MVP in what would become known as the ‘Greatest Game’ ever played...his reward was a 5 way battle for the Giants starting quarterback job in 1959:
WINOOSKI PARK, V:., July 30.- The New York football Giants today acquired veteran Quarterback George Shaw from the Champion Baltimore Colts in exchange for a high 1959 draft choice and the Giants' No. 1 draft choice for I960. Shaw was the Colts' bonus selection in the 1955 college draft but, lost his starting job to Johnny Unitas two years ago and has been Baltimore's No. 2 man ever since. Ths 25-year-old former NCAA passing king stirred up a hornet's nest this spring when he notified the Colts that he wanted to be traded unless he could play more. No amount of persuasion by Baltimore Coach Webb Ewbank could change Shaw's mind, and he threatened to quit the game unless he was dealt to another NFL club. The four-year veteran thus becomes the fifth quarterback candidate with the Giants this season. Currently bidding for the job in camp are Charlie Conerly, Don Hcinrich and Frank Glfford, the all-league halfback who is attempt-ing to make the big jump to quarter.
Rcokie Lee Grosscup, New York's first draft pick this season, is now with the College All-Stars in Chicago. He will join the Giants in Hershcy, Pa., Aug. 15.
The Giants, of course, will not go into the regular campaign with
five quarterbacks on the roster. "We may carry three," said Head Coach Jim Lee Howell, "but which three is something that remains to be seen. Conerly, at the moment, is still my starting quarterback. And Gifford and Heinrich are in the picture with Shaw, too."
Today in Pro Football History: 1959: Colts Trade George Shaw to Giants
“Coming to the Giants, Shaw faced a crowded quarterback situation that included the 38-year-old starter, Charlie Conerly, plus veteran backup Don Heinrich, and the team’s first draft choice, rookie Lee Grosscup. In addition, star HB Frank Gifford was being given a trial at quarterback, although he ended up staying put at running back.
Shaw made the team, but was hindered by an injured thumb on his throwing hand. He started one game in place of Conerly, who had an outstanding season as the Giants won the Eastern Conference for the third time in four years, and was a more effective passer than Heinrich when he did play - he completed 66.7 percent of his throws for 433 yards while Heinrich was successful on just 37.9 percent for 329 yards while tossing 22 more passes than Shaw (58 to 36); he also threw six interceptions to Shaw’s one, and each threw a TD pass. Grosscup was shunted off to the taxi squad...”
https://fs64sports.blogspot.com/2011/07/1959-colts-trade-george-shaw-to-giants.html
Maule SI.com: THE BATTLE-WISE COLTS TEACH THE COLLEGE ALL-STARS A LESSON AND PROVE THE PROS CAN WIN THIS GAME WHEN THEY WANT
“Most of the All-Stars began their postgraduate football studies a couple of days after the game, as rookies on the various teams in the National Football League. Grosscup, who belongs to the New York Giants, flew out of Chicago Saturday morning to Hershey, Pa., where he watched the Giants lose their first exhibition game to the Philadelphia Eagles 21-17.
"I got to start all over," he said before he left. "The Giants use different terminology and a different cadence and I'll be just about starting from scratch."
Saturday's game must have been an interesting one for Grosscup, one of five candidates for the quarterback's job on the Giant team. Coach Jim Lee Howell tested all four of the other candidates: Frank Gifford, who wants to convert from halfback; George Shaw, recent acquisition from the Colts; Don Heinrich, No. 2 behind Charley Conerly for several years, and Conerly himself.
Howell opened the game with Gifford, who was surprisingly capable, mixing short and long passes with keeper plays in which he ran the ball well. Gifford completed three of six passes, Shaw three of 10, Conerly two of four and Heinrich two of six. Probably the most effective of the quartet, though, was Conerly. The aging (38) Giant quarterback marched his team 65 yards in 11 plays in the third quarter for a touchdown and apparently has lost none of the cunning and poise which have made him the Giants' top quarterback for 11 years.
Grosscup, handicapped by his late start, may have a tough time breaking into the Giant lineup. But he is probably the best passer of the five quarterbacks and he is a cool operator under pressure, as he showed abundantly in the time he played against the Colts. He has gained some 20 pounds in the last couple of years, mostly through working with barbells, and, as Otto Graham pointed out after working with Lee in the All-Star camp, he is smart.
He has the additional advantage of being the youngest of the aspirants. Gifford, who would certainly return to his halfback post should he fail in the bid for a quarterback job, is 29; Heinrich, Conerly's well-used understudy, is 28. Shaw, probably the best second-string quarterback in football during the time he watched Unitas play from the Colt bench, is 26.
Howell has said that he will carry only two quarterbacks; and Gifford, before the training camp began, said, "I will have to be good enough to be the No. 1 quarterback or else I will be back at halfback."
Seldom has a pro coach been so pleasantly embarrassed by riches at this position. Regardless of which two quarterbacks he keeps, Howell will have prime trading material in the ones he decides to let go...”
https://www.si.com/vault/1959/08/24/606056/nice-boys-but-no-match
Note: The trade for Shaw involved the Giants first and second round draft selections...the first round selection went from the Colts to the 49ers who selected a QB from UCLA named Billy Kilmer...it was the presence of young (at the time) mobile quarterbacks in Red Hickey’s shotgun formation like Kilmer, John Brodie, and Bobby Waters that led the 49ers to trade the immobile Y.A. Tittle to the Giants in 1961.
The Giants would recoup the first round draft selection by trading Shaw to expansion Minnesota in 1961. Shaw would not be able to attain success with the Vikings despite high expectations from new Head Coach and recently retired quarterback of the 1960 championship Eagles, Norm Van Brocklin.
The Vikings also would acquire Grosscup from the Giants in 1962, but the Vikings QB job would belong to future Giants’ QB Fran Tarkenton.
The Giants would use the valuable first round selection acquired from expansion Minnesota as a bargaining chip with LA Rams. There were two trades in the 1961 offseason where the Giants sent a 1962 first round selection to another team; the first was in the three team deal that allowed the Giants to acquire Erich Barnes from the Rams [UPI 1-28-1961 “The Giants gave up their No. 1 draft choice to the Rams, but they still have a first pick which they acquired previously from the new Minnesota,” the second trade was when the Giants acquired Del Shofner from the Rams.
It could well have been the Giants sent their own 1962 selection (which figured to be at the end of the first round) to the Rams in the Barnes trade, then modified that to the Vikings pick (which figured to be one of the top two picks in the 1962 draft) when the Giants acquired Shofner from the Rams. The Giants then used their own selection in 1962 to draft LB Jerry Hillebrand.
Regardless, the Rams used the pick they acquired from the Giants (through Minnesota) at the top of the 1962 draft to select QB Roman Gabriel.
Conerly would keep his starting QB job until 1961, Gifford would return to HB, and Heinrich would join the expansion Cowboys in 1960.
1960
Today in Football History 1960: Cowboys Tie Giants for Only Non-Loss of First Season (12-04-1960)
“New York, coached by Jim Lee Howell, had won the Eastern Conference the previous two years, but the aging and injury-riddled club was 5-3-1 and coming off of back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia Eagles that had assured they would not finish first a third time. 39-year-old QB Charlie Conerly was one of the injured players, and backup George Shaw was behind center against the Cowboys. HB Alex Webster was also out, as was star HB Frank Gifford, who had been finished for the year and the whole next season after a noteworthy tackle by LB Chuck Bednarik in the first loss to Philadelphia.
There were 55,033 fans at Yankee Stadium, the smallest home crowd of the year for the Giants on a sunny afternoon.
New York scored quickly on its first possession, taking just four plays with Shaw completing a 41-yard pass to end Bill Kimber and then throwing 10 yards to FB Mel Triplett for the touchdown.
HB Joe Morrison followed up with a one-yard scoring plunge and the Giants had a 14-0 lead.
However, before the first quarter was over, HB L.G. Dupre (pictured at left) ran in for a five-yard TD to get the Cowboys on the board. Still, Shaw extended New York’s margin in the second quarter as he connected with end Kyle Rote on a 28-yard scoring play.
Dallas continued to fight back. LeBaron, who nearly sat the game out with a rib injury, tossed a pass to Dupre for a 21-yard TD and Fred Cone kicked an 11-yard field goal to narrow the score to 21-17 at halftime.
Pat Summerall posted the only points of the third quarter with a 26-yard field goal that gave the Giants a seven-point lead. The Cowboys knotted things up in the fourth quarter thanks to a 56-yard drive capped by LeBaron throwing again to Dupre for a 23-yard touchdown, followed by Cone’s extra point.
First-year backup QB Lee Grosscup put the Giants back ahead 5:45 into the final period with a 26-yard touchdown pass to end Bob Schnelker. With five minutes to go, Dallas DT Bill Herchman recovered a fumble by Morrison. LeBaron passed to Doran for 32 yards to the New York nine and two plays later connected with Howton for an 11-yard TD. Cone kicked the tying extra point, and that was it. The game ended in a 31-31 draw, the first non-losing game in Dallas franchise history.”
https://fs64sports.blogspot.com/2011/12/1960-cowboys-tie-giants-for-only-non.html
1961
Murray Olderman, All-Pro 1961 Football
Quarterbacks: Charlie Conerly's mighty old, Lee Grosscup's mighty young, but they hold the key.
AP (11-05-1961)
“Y. A. Tittle threw three touchdown passes today as the New York Giants smothered Washington, 53-0 and remained one game behind the pace-setting Philadelphia Eagles in the Eastern conference race.”
UPI
“Elusive Del Shofner caught three touchdown passes Sunday and led the New York Giants to a 53-0 National Football League victory, which sent the hapless Washington Redskins down to their 16th consecutive defeat. Y. A. Tittle threw three scoring passes, two to Shofner and another to rookie Bob Gaiters, s the Giants clung to second place in the Eastern Division before 56,077 at Yankee Stadium. The Giants topped off their biggest scoring splurge in several seasons with a pair of touchdowns resulting from pass interceptions by Jimmy Patton and Erich Barnes within the last two minutes. Patton ran back his interception 51 yards for a touch down and Barnes raced 44 yards to the Washington two from where Joe Wells carried over. So easy was the Giant triumph that Coach Al Sherman sent Lee Grosscup, the seldom-used third-string
quarterback, into the game in the final period. And he responded by completing a o pass for Shofner's final touchdown.”
1962
TALES FROM THE AFL: Lee Grosscup
Here is a story by guest blogger, Dave Steidel, about former NFL, AFL and CFL quarterback, Lee Grosscup:
“Drafted by the New York Giants in 1959 Lee Grosscup, an NEA All-American quarterback out of the University of Utah, had an uphill battle to break into the lineup of one of the NFL’s premier team. From 1956 through 1961 the Giants played in four championship games with established quarterbacks Charlie Conerly, George Shaw and Y.A. Tittle at the helm. While Grosscup was learning the system he saw action sparingly and threw only 47 passes in 8 games over his first two seasons. Under coach Allie Sherman, Grosscup was used mainly as the third string option and was on the headset to the coaching staff in the booth on most Sundays.
With Conerly’s retirement after the ’61 season Grosscup appeared to be on the verge of moving into Y.A.’s backup role. But when the Giants traded for St. Louis’ Ralph Gugliemi, Grosscup was rightfully concerned. On July 31, 1962 the third year thrower was informed that he was put on 48 hour waivers with his rights going first to Washington and then Minnesota if they were to be interested. The Vikings were and Grosscup was off to the Northlands where he would be led by coach Norm Van Brocklin. In their first year in the league the Vikings relied on rookie scrambler Fran Tarkenton at quarterback, with occasional breathers supplied by back up George Shaw. But Grosscup’s stay in Minnesota short-lived, ending before the regular season started and on September 7, after a few phone calls to the New York Titans and Harry Wismer’s ‘okay’ to sign him, Grosscup agreed to a contract with the AFL team that was looking to rise above two straight 7-7 seasons.
He caught up with the Titans in Oakland on Friday, September 7 as they prepared for their season opener against the Raiders that Sunday in the first home game in Oakland’s new Frank Youell Field. Suiting up for his third team in a month, Grosscup found himself cramming as if he had just heard he was having a final exam the next day. Spending as much extra time as he could muster with receivers Don Maynard and Art Powell after practice he was encouraged that the Titans system combined schemes he was already acquainted with from his time with the Giants and short stay in Minnesota.
Titans coach Bulldog Turner was not planning on using Grosscup in their first game but after seeing him throw in his two practice sessions, he decided to let him dress and use him for a set or two of downs to get his feet wet. Wearing #17 Grosscup watched from the sidelines as Titan starter Butch Songin was ineffective in the first quarter, throwing 2 interceptions. As the second quarter started Turner turned to Grosscup and told him to be ready for the next set of downs. The night before the season’s kick-off, Lee had decided that if he got into the game he would go long on his first play. And when the Raiders missed a field goal attempt, putting the ball on the Titans own 20 yard line, he called the play he had been planning for nearly 15 hours: “West Ray over, 51 X up, Y hook in front of the safety, on a quick count”. Easy enough to call even though he had only a limited Titan vocabulary on his third day as a Titan. The play called for split end Powell to run straight and fast as far as he could go. The wind was blowing in his face but that did not deter Grosscup from letting it go. As Powell ran past Oakland’s Bob Garner, Grosscup went airborne, but the ball was a little behind the streaking Powell. Making the adjustment, Powell came back and out-jumped Garner to make the catch, broke Garner’s tackle attempt and ran into the end zone for an 80 yard touchdown. Grosscup had hit a home run on his first AFL pass! Not a bad beginning for his new team, and Grosscup had hoped that the play was seen by some of his New York fans as the game was being broadcast nationally on ABC.
When the Titans offense was beckoned back on the field moments later after an interception, Grosscup had a first and ten from the Oakland 19 yard line. This time he called a “Titan pass right variation” and rolled to his left after taking the snap from center. Spotting halfback Dick Christy at the 9 yard line he hit him on the sideline where Christy took it in for another score. Two plays, two passes, two touchdowns. The half ended with the Titans ahead.
After halftime Songin was given the nod to begin the second half. But Grosscup returned to the game when the Raiders narrowed the score to 21-17, midway through the third quarter. Again Grosscup teamed up with Art Powell for touchdown, this time for 64 yards. The Titans went on to win their first game of 1962 over the Raiders 28-17 with Grosscup throwing three touchdown passes, one for each day he had been a Titan.
His second game was not as pretty as the ‘welcome to the AFL committee’ of Earl Faison, Bill Hudson, Ron Nery and Ernie Ladd greeted him in San Diego. Completing 20 of 41 passes for two touchdowns and three interceptions the Titans lost 40-14.
On the season’s third week the Titans, now back on the east coast, tried to rebound from their San Diego beat-down as they prepared for their third away game in a row in Buffalo when Grosscup was introduced to the wild and whimsical ways of Harry Wismer. The subject, as with most Wismer encounters, was money. Before signing on with the Titans, Grosscup had negotiated to be paid the same salary he had with the Giants. Wismer agreed, but he had agreed to pay the rest of his players their salaries as well. The pay checks for those salaries, including Grosscup’s, were now in question. When Wismer showed up to the team practice on September 18 at NYU, all eyes were on him as he spoke with general manager George Sauer, hoping he would be handed the payroll. As Wismer retreated from the complex, no checks were left behind. Those Titans who had been around for more than a year had seen this before. Wismer continued to break the league’s rule that called for players to be paid with 24 hours after the game. Fed-up with his habit of payroll negligence the team leaders called a player meeting after practice to call a strike if Wismer did not meet his responsibility to each player by noon the next day. The deadline came and went without compliance, and the Titan players had no recourse but the refuse to practice, although they did conduct a walk-through of their own. It had now been two weeks since Grosscup had become a Titan and had gone from being a homerun hero in Oakland, to being welcomed to the AFL by San Diego’s fearsome foursome, to now being on strike. Quite a change from his experience across the Harlem River.
The following Saturday in Buffalo Grosscup completed 17 of 26 passes and a touchdown, leading to a 17-6 victory. After three games Grosscup had surged to the top of the charts both in New York and the AFL, ranking second in passing by completing 42 of 75 passes with 6 touchdowns.
With a 2-1 record and Grosscup as the firm starter, the Titans hosted Denver in their first home game of the season. On the third play from scrimmage Grosscup called for Art Powell to cut to the sideline for a pass. Seeing that he was double-teamed, Lee tucked the ball away and charged through the pocket up the middle where two linebackers met him from each side, separating him from his helmet and tearing up his already fragile knee. His day was over!
That evening Wismer called Grosscup and told him he was going to sue the Broncos organization on charges of ‘going after’ the quarterback to get him out of the game. Add ‘law suit’ to his growing list of bizarre AFL experiences during his first month in the league.
Grosscup played the next two games, losses to Boston and Houston, and then injured his knee again, forcing him to sit out the last two weeks of October and all of November. He returned to throw only four passes against Buffalo on December 8 and went 4 for 20 in the season’s last game against the Oilers, both losses. His numbers on the year showed him throwing 126 passes, completing 57 (45.2%) for 855 yards, 8 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, placing 10th in the league in passing.
Grosscup had high hopes to be the team leading as the 1963 training camp opened, but on the last day of the pre-season the Titans decided to go in another direction, making Grosscup its last cut. Heading north again, Lee signed on with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL. In 1964, his last attempt at American football had him briefly in the 49ers camp before he signed on with the Raiders as a taxi squad quarterback. In 1965 Grosscup quarterbacked for the Hartford Charter Oaks of the new Continental Football League.
Although his playing days were short and relatively uneventful, Lee Grosscup was not to be denied his place in the football archives. He is often referred to as the inventor of the shovel pass, which he used at Utah, and his life after football brought him many more successes. His book, Fourth and One, in 1963 chronicled his days with the Giants and Titans and was one of the first inside the locker room books of its kind. In 1967 he was behind the microphone broadcasting AFL games for NBC before moving to a twenty year career with ABC as a college football analyst. He also announced USFL games for ABC and until 2003 broadcast games for the University of California. He also wrote several articles for Sport magazine over the years.
A man of many talents, Lee Grosscup seemed to rise above any obstacle that confronted him and found a way to make his mark the football world.
https://talesfromtheamericanfootballleague.com/afl-oyw-lee-grosscup/
Klis 9News Denver: Former Broncos star Billy Thompson says teammate Floyd Little 'is going to fight' cancer
https://www.9news.com/article/sports/nfl/denver-broncos/mike-klis/former-broncos-star-billy-thompson-floyd-little-fight-cancer/73-679f6ef1-88b6-4379-8161-71196a175f2c
Giants.com: Re-Live the Giants' 1981 Season
We take a look back the Giants' 1981 season. For Giants fans, this was a turning point in franchise history. The Giants drafted Lawrence Taylor, and Bill Parcells was named the defensive coordinator. Things were beginning to take shape for the Giants' 1980s dominance
(Video)
https://www.giants.com/video/re-live-the-giants-1981-season
Giants.com:
Re-Live the Giants' 1984 Season
We take a look back the Giants' 1984 season. The Giants drafted Carl Banks, Jeff Hostetler, Williams Roberts, and Gary Reasons. Under head coach Bill Parcells, the team finished with a 9-7 record and made it to the playoffs. The Giants defeated the Rams, 16-13, in the wild card playoffs before being eliminated by the 49ers in the Divisional Round (Video)
https://www.giants.com/video/re-live-the-giants-1984-season
Giants Birthdays 6-02
Stacy Andrews T/TE W-SEA 2011 NYG 2011 6-02-1981
Pat Hughes RLB/LLB/MLB/C D9-Boston University 1970 NYG 1970-1976 6-02-1947
Bailey Seacostonline: Stratham man, 72, conquers Mount Kilimanjaro (1-23-2020)
“STRATHAM -- When Patrick Hughes first applied to join a team planning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, he remembers the topic of age came up.
The former football player for the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints said the conversation came to a halt when the woman on the other end of the phone asked when he last played.
"I told her," Hughes said, "and there was a long silence. Finally, she asked, 'How old are you?' I said, '70,' and she said, 'Oh.'"
Hughes can laugh about it now. Though he didn't make the cut for that expedition he was accepted for another, and climbed Kilimanjaro this past September at age 72.
Hughes, a native of Everett, Massachusetts, played Pop Warner football from the age of 10 and was part of an undefeated Everett High School team two out of three years. He played at Boston University, graduating as the captain of the "winningest" BU team to that point in history.
He majored in education and was going to teach, but the call of the sport he loved proved too strong, and he was drafted by the New York Giants in 1970. He played 10 years for the Giants and three years for the Saints before retiring and pursuing a career in business. He had worked on Wall Street during his off-seasons with the Giants and continued in finance with a Boston firm. But he and his wife also had a vacation home in North Conway, and they moved north for a time.
"We had two children, a horse, two dogs and two cats - I felt like Noah," Hughes said of his "gentleman farmer" phase.
In the mountains of his adopted state he fell in love with climbing, hiking New Hampshire's peaks on weekends and conquering some in nearby Maine as well. In the mid- to late-1980s he went whitewater rafting in Idaho and, he recalled, "I kept saying, 'Oh, look at those hills!'" He also climbed in Idaho, Montana and other Western states, drawn by higher and higher mountains.
"I would look across the way and think, 'Is that a higher one? I think I'll go there!" Hughes recalled.
While he loved North Conway, the nature of his business kept bringing him out of the Mount Washington Valley, so the family moved to Hampton Falls in 1987 and spent 20 years there. With the children grown, he and his wife moved to The Vineyards in Stratham, and enjoy an active lifestyle and an active social life. He retired from business in 2015 after serving as president and CEO of Fallon Healthcare, Worcester, Massachusetts.
And with more free time, Hughes began to think about his next challenge.
He'd been mulling Kilimanjaro for a while. When his original plan didn't materialize he found an Australian company, Epic Private Journeys, that would set up a trip for him. "I contacted them and we had a long conversation," Hughes said. He filled out a 10-page medical form, underwent an EKG and other tests, and was accepted.
He arrived in Africa Sept. 12, 2019, after an 18-hour, 8,000-mile flight, changing planes in Istanbul and Zanzibar before arriving in Tanzania. After an orientation, he and his companions drove to the "gateway" to Kilimanjaro. The two-hour drive gave Hughes plenty of time to think, "Am I really here? Am I really doing this?"
He traveled with four other climbers, a German professor, an English father-and-son team and a Canadian man, plus 29 "porters," the Kilimanjaro equivalent of Himalayan Sherpas, who set up camp and broke camp each day. They also sang to their clients, a surprising but welcomed perk, according to Hughes.
He carried a backpack with water, extra clothes, a change of hats, his first-aid kit and camera, Hughes said, while the porters carried tents, other supplies and food.
They had a 32-mile hike to the mountain, spent four or five days at the base camp, and then began the actual ascent. They started the hike in the late morning and hiked through the afternoon, and began to climb. While Mount Everest is more of a "technical" mountain, Kilimanjaro is a climb depending on endurance, Hughes noted.
"It's more like a marathon," he recalled. To make the climb they were awakened at 11 p.m. and climbed from midnight to 6:30 a.m., so they could be at the summit by sunrise. He has one word for that sunrise: "Wow."
As with Everest, people reacted to the thinner air at the higher altitudes, and Hughes saw people being taken down. They were either escorted by guides or flown out by helicopter, he recalled.
"They bring oxygen in case you need it, but if you need it, you're already being taken down," he said. Because of the thin air, climbers could only stay at the summit a half-hour, "and then we were hustled down," he said.
Had he ever considered turning back? Hughes laughed a hearty laugh. "No. It's one of the things I've always wanted to do, whatever it took to do it."
He trained by taking steps two at a time in a five-story building, taking 10-mile hikes "with logs in my backpack," and walking backwards up a hill. "It's good for the things," Hughes pointed out. He followed a program crafted by Epic Private Journeys and was glad he did, explaining, "I had no problems. I felt fine."
Hughes keeps busy, enjoying his life at The Vineyards and encouraging the next generation to stay healthy. He has a granddaughter in Girls on the Run program, and is her "buddy runner," he said.
What's next? While Hughes has considered going to at least the base camp at Mount Everest, he isn't crazy about the safety conditions, noting, "It's a zoo there, 11 people died." But he's sure that "something will pop up."
"I'll say, 'I wonder if I could do that?' And the only way to find out is to do it." BBV
https://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20200123/stratham-man-72-conquers-mount-kilimanjaro?
R.J. McIntosh DT D5-Miami 2018 NYG 2028-2019 6-02-1996
Ron Mikolajaczyk RT/LG TR-OAK 1976 NYG 1976-1979 6-02-1950
NYT: Giants Careful About Tangling With a ‘Villain’ (9-16-1976)
“PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y., Sept. 15—When he hits the tackle dummies, the rest of the Giants stand around and watch. Just looking at 6‐foot‐3‐inch, 275‐pound Ron Mikolajczyk they know he's not a man to mess with.
“No way I'll go up against him,” said Jay Fry, the huge defensive line coach, who had just pinned 260‐pound John Mendenhell, his star tackle, in friendly wrestling match after practice. “He's too experienced,” said the 248‐pound Fry, who coached wrestling for 18 years.
That's Ron Mikolajczyk, wrestler, partner of Andre the Giant in a tagteam match, who drew a crowd of 13,000 to the Memphis Coliseum for his “world championship” bout five months ago with Jerry Lawler.
“He's the villain,” said Coach Bill Arnsparger, “the big ugly guy.”
Start at Left Guard
Arnsparger hopes he has a football hero Sunday, when Mikolajczyk may start at left guard on the wounded offensive line against the Eagles in Philadelphia. The Passaic, N.J., native arrived eight days ago, after a trade with the Oakland Raiders, with a reputation as one of the finest young linemen.
“We watched him quite a bit this winter,” said Arnsparger, who had also watched many of the big fellow's former Memphis teammates in the World Football League, “You don't often get a chance to get a big young offensive lineman like that If he is what we think he is…?”
For the moment, though, he is not. He was all‐league in Canada, after having quit Tampa University before his senior year ('for money”). He was allleague at Memphis.
“I was a tackle then, not a guard,” he said, “I'm still having trouble learning the plays here. My pass protection is real crummy. The trouble is I have to think about what I have to do, and I'm doing more thinking than reacting. When I get those plays down, though, then I can start playing by instinct.
Not Worried About Adjusting
He's not worried about adjusting to the National football League, though.
Arnsparger said Mikolajczyk “eventually” would get a chance at tackle, where the 26‐year‐old player is more comfortable. “But right now I need him at guard, and that's where Oakland was playing him, anyway,” the coach said. “We've got to teach him one position at a time.
The Giants are short at guard after their opening game against the Redskins last Sunday. Al Simpson, the regular left guard, suffered a twisted knee and will be out two or three weeks. John Hicks, the regular right guard, had his right shoulder and arm bruised and did not do any blocking in practice today. And Karl Chandler, the starting center who switched to left guard when Simpson was hurt in the first quarter at Washington, has a bruised arch.
From Villain to Hero
Mikolajczyk, whom moved from villain to hero last winter on the Southern professional wrestling circuit, realizes that his opportunity to start with the Giants could lead to an opportunity to wrestle at Madison Square Garden. He's been wrestling professionally in the offseason for five years, going to the mat with Ernie Ladd, Sputnik Monroe, Cowboy Bill Frazier and sometimes the crowd ('but I didn't start it”).
He doesn't want to wrestle his teammates or Coach Fry. “Jay is too much,” he said. “Besides, I've got too many other things to do, like learning my plays.”
