Marty's thread about Engram got me thinking about my preference for a tight end. The Giants have had some good ones over the years. Shockey and Bavaro both played 6 seasons for the Giants. No disrespect to Shockey but I'm taking Bavaro every day of the week and twice on Sunday! One of the toughest players I have seen play the game. Who are you taking?
Then Shockey
Zeke Mowatt is criminally underappreciated. He belongs up there with Hakeem Nicks in the list of players who would have been one of the team's greats if not for injuries
Shockey was a jackass.
In fact, I still wonder what 89 could have been if he hadn't been hurt.
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Then Zeke
Then Shockey
Zeke Mowatt is criminally underappreciated. He belongs up there with Hakeem Nicks in the list of players who would have been one of the team's greats if not for injuries
When Mowatt got hurt in the 1985 preseason, I was devastated. That allowed Bavaro to emerge, but people forget that at the time, Mowatt was "The Man" at that position. The '84 game against the Chiefs is still one of my favorites and Mowatt dominated that game.
Mark Bavaro was the best TE the Giants ever had, hands down - forget the receiving, one of the best blocking TE's I ever saw. Just dynamite, AND a quiet, classy team presence.
Shockey dropped half the passes thrown to him, had more than his share of unsportsmanlike penalties and was a complete jackass, VERY disruptive team presence. Juvenile tattoo told all you need to know. Belonged on Dallas.
Then Shockey
YES! Zeke was really good before the knee injury. SHockey was an asshole. The offense got better when he got hurt in 2007
Shockey was another one of those million dollar talent with a ten cent brain cases, kind of like OBJ. The concentration drops, partying, and attitude issues such as bitching about getting the ball all the time kind of derailed what could have been a hall of fame caliber career.
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In comment 15256798 Go Giants said:
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Then Zeke
Then Shockey
Zeke Mowatt is criminally underappreciated. He belongs up there with Hakeem Nicks in the list of players who would have been one of the team's greats if not for injuries
When Mowatt got hurt in the 1985 preseason, I was devastated. That allowed Bavaro to emerge, but people forget that at the time, Mowatt was "The Man" at that position. The '84 game against the Chiefs is still one of my favorites and Mowatt dominated that game.
Other teams couldn't cover Bavaro when the Giants other "weapons" were Lionel Manual and Bobby Johnson.
Bavaro played a game where he broke his jaw, had it wired shut, and came back into play and won the game.
Bavaro's catch-and-run against the 49ers was the signature play of the team's first Super Bowl season.
Bavaro was so tough he scared Parcells.
Shockey was a really good pass-catching tight end for a few years.
you're rolling Eric.
You know, I almost missed that play.
My boss had invited me to his house for dinner, and to watch the game. His wife was a real sweetheart, but she was a Godawful cook, lol.
Anyway, the first half ends, the Giants look like crap, and I'm thinking about the 45 minute ride back to my place, so I figure maybe I should just call it a night.
However, right before the second half was about to start, a mutual friend of ours showed up, in fact he was the guy who recommended me to my boss when I was looking for a new job. So, I stuck around to chat and I didn't miss out on seeing one of the greatest plays in Giants history.
Writing Shockey's name in the same sentence as Mark Bavaro is heresy.
-who played through 6 weeks with a broken jaw, it was wired shut and he had to drink (that's right drink) food through a straw
-who stood toe to toe at every practice learning to block against the best defense we ever had led by none other than Lawrence Taylor
-who got 2 rings with NY Giants and actually made major contributions in both games
-who is the very definition of lunch pail, blue-collar player
against, who was the other guy again?
Mark had everything you wanted in a football player. He was a monster blocking, and a tough as nails pass catcher.
Bavaro: I like to think I earned their respect my rookie year in camp. There was one moment in camp where I went out for a little short pass and Lawrence Taylor blindsided me, knocked me on the ground, almost knocked my teeth out…and I got up. I was a little mad because I didn’t think you should do that to your own teammates and I just whipped the ball at his head and he just kind of smiled and walked back in the huddle. I was ready for a confrontation and it never came and I said to myself…I think he respects me. I took that as a sign that we’re cool…that I was part of the team and he respected my abilities and that he didn’t feel the need to have to teach me a lesson
One of the funny things as I have gone back to post the old highlights on the BigBlueVCR account, Bavaro was considered a blocker when he first got to the Giants, he wasn't much of a receiver until he went crazy in the Cincinnati game when he caught 12 for 176 yards as a rookie.
As Eric and others said, he was thrust into a larger role because Mowatt tore his ACL in the final pre-season game in Pittsburgh. Mowatt was going to be a breakout star at TE.
Bavaro is the only TE in NYG history to go over 1000 yards. And he would have gone well over it in 1987, he had over 800 yards in 12 games due to the strike.
And I've got plenty of highlights of him burying guys on run blocks, including DEs, and holding his own in pass protection.
Shockey was probably faster than Bavaro, but before his knee injury, Bavaro actually had surprisingly good speed. But Bavaro is best TE the NYG have had.
He failed his physical in camp in 1991. The Giants wanted him to retire because of the damage in his knee. What happened at the time was Wellington Mara was in surgery or recovering in the hospital. When Bavaro failed his physical, George Young went by the CBA and paid him the $60k amount when you waive a guy after failing a physical. That caused a mini uproar of the Giants being cheap, so when Mara recovered a few days later, they paid Bavaro the remainder of his salary as a thank you for all he had done.
Bavaro didn't want to retire and sat out the 1991 season to rehab. Belichick made him an offer to join him in Cleveland in 1992 and Bavaro took him up on it, but he was only there 1 year. Bavaro then rounded out his career in Philly, which was awful to see. He actually caught a TD pass vs the Giants in 1993, in Giants Stadium..from Kenny O'Brien, the former Jet QB of all people.
Belichick said Gronk was on the same level as Bavaro, but he can't put anyone above Bavaro, because Bavaro was able to block Reggie White. So they were essentially tied in his mind.
It was LT that Belichick said he doesn't care who is playing in the NFL now, no one is on LT's level. And he's right.
Thanks, I'm having fun with it. A few of the Giants coaches actually started following it and I'm trying to dig up stuff from 35-40 year ago that they might be able to sneak into a gameplan somewhere. Being Judge is from the Belichick tree, basically it's stuff from his early years as Little Bill and they can spring it on a team.
Good times.
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Matt, as an aside, I love that Twitter account of yours. It's awesome content. Thanks for it.
Thanks, I'm having fun with it. A few of the Giants coaches actually started following it and I'm trying to dig up stuff from 35-40 year ago that they might be able to sneak into a gameplan somewhere. Being Judge is from the Belichick tree, basically it's stuff from his early years as Little Bill and they can spring it on a team.
That's awesome Matt, keep up the great work.
Eric, not yet. I think he's going to run it later this spring when things are super dead.
Bavaro Bavaro Bavaro!
Bavaro Bavaro Bavaro Bavaro Bavaro Bavaro.
Bavaro!
Bavaro Bavaro Bavaro.
Bavaro!
Bavaro! Bavaro! Bavaro!
Bavaro!
Bavaro Bavaro Bavaro Bavaro Bavaro Bavaro.
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I hated that decision and that he went to the Eagles. Shockey was a drama queen and cost us the 49er game. Bavaro all the way then Tucker.
He failed his physical in camp in 1991. The Giants wanted him to retire because of the damage in his knee. What happened at the time was Wellington Mara was in surgery or recovering in the hospital. When Bavaro failed his physical, George Young went by the CBA and paid him the $60k amount when you waive a guy after failing a physical. That caused a mini uproar of the Giants being cheap, so when Mara recovered a few days later, they paid Bavaro the remainder of his salary as a thank you for all he had done.
Bavaro didn't want to retire and sat out the 1991 season to rehab. Belichick made him an offer to join him in Cleveland in 1992 and Bavaro took him up on it, but he was only there 1 year. Bavaro then rounded out his career in Philly, which was awful to see. He actually caught a TD pass vs the Giants in 1993, in Giants Stadium..from Kenny O'Brien, the former Jet QB of all people.
Thanks for the info Matt in SGS
Mark Bavaro was a good talent and a great player.
Mark Bavaro
Bob Tucker
Aaron Thomas
Joe Walton
Richie Kotite
Before Dropsie Shockey in the San Francisco playoff game
Mark Bavaro
Bob Tucker
Aaron Thomas
Joe Walton
Richie Kotite
And Howard Cross
Before Dropsie Shockey in the San Francisco playoff game