I became a devoted, avid fan in 2001 when Jim Fassel was the HC. I look back at that time with wonder and despite us not being good during that time (we missed the playoffs in all those years, except 2002. Too bad we didn't play San Francisco, but alas, the game never happened....), there was a certain intimacy and mystique with those players. I never met Coach Fassel, but I met a few of the players in the Jim Fassel era.
Unfortunately, I think it's gone. When we upgraded the site years ago, we lost years of "News and Notes" archives. I checked WayBackMachine but there is a gap in when I think he wrote it.
met him a few times and he was a nice guy in the various encounters. He used to live next to one of my college friends in Morristown and she baby sat his kids when his son hurt his throat running into a table and was in the hospital and she became close with the family.
I'm going to be posting Fassel highlights thru the day on the BigBlueVCR twitter if interested. RIP coach.
please, I love your account so much. You should make a Youtube channel if you haven't already.
Fassel and Billick are two guys tied together by the that Super Bowl and, in my opinion, two guys that never got another shot to coach an NFL team - which to this today - I can't understand why.
Billick lost the team and I remember Ray Lewis saying at the end of what was BB's last year that he did not want him back. He did seem like a good motivator but he relied on that defense his entire time and he was hired as the hot shot OC.
Interesting BrB and Fassel were very good friends and he hired him to fix his offense and QB (Boller). That went to crap and then the "leaks" that Fassel was spending most of his time looking for a HC'ing job did not help matters on top of the other speculation that already existed.
RE: RE: Maybe the open letter he wrote to BBI should be posted, as well.
Unfortunately, I think it's gone. When we upgraded the site years ago, we lost years of "News and Notes" archives. I checked WayBackMachine but there is a gap in when I think he wrote it.
Internet was still in its infancy and the few sites that covered the Giants at the time were even more important for bringing together Giants fans scattered around country and world. Fassel recognized that and wanted to thank us for our support of the team. The thank-you note was a total surprise at the time.
Internet was more of a "wild West" at the time. We had a number of team officials, ex-players, and player family members posting on the site back then.
For example, Kent Graham's sister was a regular poster here. So was Greg Comella's father. Pat Hanlon used to post.
Internet was more of a "wild West" at the time. We had a number of team officials, ex-players, and player family members posting on the site back then.
For example, Kent Graham's sister was a regular poster here. So was Greg Comella's father. Pat Hanlon used to post.
I remember Kent Graham's sister (she had the reddest hair) .... I thought Comella's sister also posted. I don't remember her father.
Internet was more of a "wild West" at the time. We had a number of team officials, ex-players, and player family members posting on the site back then.
For example, Kent Graham's sister was a regular poster here. So was Greg Comella's father. Pat Hanlon used to post.
First of all, my condolences to the Fassell family and friends and to all who are affected by his passing. It is truly too young. This also makes me feel old. I was in my first year of teaching when he was hired as the head coach of the Giants prior to my 2001 move to Florida to study, where I met BigBlueCane who introduced me to BBI. He wore out his welcome quickly during the disaster that was 2004, but he was a very good head coach for the Giants.
in Albany riding on a golf cart. I had my BBI sign. He came over and asked me what BBI was. I told him him" it is where we talk about about your good decisions and idiot decisions you make. He laughed , signed the sign , and asked me my name.
The following morning, he saw me on his golf cart and yelled " Hi Steve".
I would meet him again in Baltimore when he was coaching the Ravens.
NYPD promo for the Eagles Giants game at the time had Sipowicz taking a call and then explaining the complaint to somebody else...."can you believe this?....These guys from Philadelphia say they were beaten 9 times in a row.....9 times in a row, by this group of guys wearing blue suits....9 times in a row"
I knew as soon as I saw the promo it was all over...and from that point on, it pretty much was.....
They should've done Ferris Bueller with the "9 times" bit.
First he sold a home and used my company to get his documents. He denied the credit card charges which customers often do because they forget who we are. Some continue to even after we show them what it was for. Fassel did drop his contesting of the charge.
One time at training camp he yelled at adults who were pushing in line to get autographs.
We probably go to the playoffs those seasons too. Danny Kannel fell apart like a cheap tricycle in mid '98 and Kent Graham was too inconsistent. If they started Collins from the get-go in '99 things may have been different
2001 was not just a SuperBowl hangover season but 9/11 so overshadowed everything that football almost seemed like an afterthought.
2003 was just wrecked by injuries but I got the impression he lost the team after the 49ers meltdown months earlier and he was on his way out the door anyway
We probably go to the playoffs those seasons too. Danny Kannel fell apart like a cheap tricycle in mid '98 and Kent Graham was too inconsistent. If they started Collins from the get-go in '99 things may have been different
2001 was not just a SuperBowl hangover season but 9/11 so overshadowed everything that football almost seemed like an afterthought.
2003 was just wrecked by injuries but I got the impression he lost the team after the 49ers meltdown months earlier and he was on his way out the door anyway
Sad to hear, will always remember him with his quote.
'I'm throwing all my chips to the middle of the table,
anybody wants in, get in...anybody want out, get out.'
He took an overachieving team to a SB, will always remember
that NFC championship game as well. They blew out the
Vikes, 41-0, one of my favorite Giants wins of all time.
RIP Jim, Thanks for giving your best to the Giants and fans
His resume was pretty damn good. I know there were always rumors about why he never got another HC gig, but he was pretty damn close to being the Washington HC at one point. I always felt like he deserved another HC job. Was he an amazing HC? No. But he was certainly better than some of these other guys who get multiple chances for whatever reason. Fassel's resume kind of matches what I thought of him, an above-average NFL HC who was capable of leading a good team to the big game.
I have so many memories of those Fassel teams, both good and bad. Those were fun teams to root for and was a nice "appetizer era" to the main course that was the Coughlin/Eli era. I was shocked to see that he was 71, time flies. He was still too young, RIP.
remember 2000, what he was able to do in '97 with Danny Kannell as the QB was amazing. Kannell had 11 TD's and 9 INT's and our FB was the leading rusher and 2nd leading receiver!
and had some competitive years at tail end of Simms' and Taylors' careers. Then they went into the Dave Brown era. For a lot of teams, whiffing that badly on a franchise quarterback can set you back a decade. Instead, Fassel came in, and got more out of a Danny Kannell/Kent Graham combo than anyone could reasonably expect. They should have even won a playoff game if not for Chris Calloway. Shortly thereafter, they were playing in the Super Bowl with a battered and beaten QB everyone else had given up on.
For me, his legacy is less about his success, though there was plenty of that, and more about the extended period of utter failure he helped us avoid. And obviously without him, the path we went down would've been very different and all-but-certainly wouldn't have led us to an Eli-Coughlin era.
So RIP Coach Fassel, and thanks for being a wonderful bright spot in Giants' history.
Found this cool vid about Tassel treating home games as away in 2000
remember 2000, what he was able to do in '97 with Danny Kannell as the QB was amazing. Kannell had 11 TD's and 9 INT's and our FB was the leading rusher and 2nd leading receiver!
The top WR? Chris Calloway with 57 receptions.
If Dave Brown hadn't gotten hurt I wonder how that year would've gone. He seemed to be playing better under Fassel's offense before he tore his pec muscle. Kannell was almost benched after the Bucs or Titans loss in mid season but JF didn't pull the trigger on it.
Jim Fassel Passes Away - ( New Window )
good job Larry as always!
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just wrote an overview of Fassel's career for the front page...
Jim Fassel Passes Away - ( New Window )
good job Larry as always!
I told Larry he was being generous in ignoring the 1997 playoff disaster (Larry was at that game too).
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In comment 15282445 Eric from BBI said:
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just wrote an overview of Fassel's career for the front page...
Jim Fassel Passes Away - ( New Window )
good job Larry as always!
I told Larry he was being generous in ignoring the 1997 playoff disaster (Larry was at that game too).
LOL. Respect for the deceased i guess.
A big part of me misses that time
Quote:
just wrote an overview of Fassel's career for the front page...
Jim Fassel Passes Away - ( New Window )
good job Larry as always!
+1
I didn't remember the Graham/Toomer story from when we ruined the Broncos perfect season in 98, great one.
I forgot all about that. Let me see if I can find it.
Too bad we never played the playoff game afterwards...
Unfortunately, I think it's gone. When we upgraded the site years ago, we lost years of "News and Notes" archives. I checked WayBackMachine but there is a gap in when I think he wrote it.
I'm going to be posting Fassel highlights thru the day on the BigBlueVCR twitter if interested. RIP coach.
please, I love your account so much. You should make a Youtube channel if you haven't already.
Billick lost the team and I remember Ray Lewis saying at the end of what was BB's last year that he did not want him back. He did seem like a good motivator but he relied on that defense his entire time and he was hired as the hot shot OC.
Interesting BrB and Fassel were very good friends and he hired him to fix his offense and QB (Boller). That went to crap and then the "leaks" that Fassel was spending most of his time looking for a HC'ing job did not help matters on top of the other speculation that already existed.
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Unfortunately, I think it's gone. When we upgraded the site years ago, we lost years of "News and Notes" archives. I checked WayBackMachine but there is a gap in when I think he wrote it.
Bummer. That was nice of him to do that.
They won 14 games combined that year. To put in context the Giants have won 15 games in the last 3 years combined.
He was a good coach for the Giants and represented the team well after 9/11. And when it was all over he bowed out very graciously in my view.
His personal stuff, I wish would have stayed personal. I've always hated when stuff like that comes out.
Internet was still in its infancy and the few sites that covered the Giants at the time were even more important for bringing together Giants fans scattered around country and world. Fassel recognized that and wanted to thank us for our support of the team. The thank-you note was a total surprise at the time.
Internet was more of a "wild West" at the time. We had a number of team officials, ex-players, and player family members posting on the site back then.
For example, Kent Graham's sister was a regular poster here. So was Greg Comella's father. Pat Hanlon used to post.
Never got the trophy but, came close and at the helm of a productive part of Giant's history.
Rest in Peace Coach.
Quote:
Thanks for elaborating.
Internet was more of a "wild West" at the time. We had a number of team officials, ex-players, and player family members posting on the site back then.
For example, Kent Graham's sister was a regular poster here. So was Greg Comella's father. Pat Hanlon used to post.
I remember Kent Graham's sister (she had the reddest hair) .... I thought Comella's sister also posted. I don't remember her father.
They will do something nice. I don’t think it will be a patch/band on the uniform. Maybe a nice moment of silence prior to the opener.
Quote:
Thanks for elaborating.
Internet was more of a "wild West" at the time. We had a number of team officials, ex-players, and player family members posting on the site back then.
For example, Kent Graham's sister was a regular poster here. So was Greg Comella's father. Pat Hanlon used to post.
Byron Hunt use to post on here also
The following morning, he saw me on his golf cart and yelled " Hi Steve".
I would meet him again in Baltimore when he was coaching the Ravens.
He was a gentleman and a nice guy.. RIP Coach
I knew as soon as I saw the promo it was all over...and from that point on, it pretty much was.....
They should've done Ferris Bueller with the "9 times" bit.
One time at training camp he yelled at adults who were pushing in line to get autographs.
Good guy and a better than average coach.
It was a nice boat, saw it parked (docked?) over by Chelsea years ago. That’s all I have...
2001 was not just a SuperBowl hangover season but 9/11 so overshadowed everything that football almost seemed like an afterthought.
2003 was just wrecked by injuries but I got the impression he lost the team after the 49ers meltdown months earlier and he was on his way out the door anyway
2001 was not just a SuperBowl hangover season but 9/11 so overshadowed everything that football almost seemed like an afterthought.
2003 was just wrecked by injuries but I got the impression he lost the team after the 49ers meltdown months earlier and he was on his way out the door anyway
Good post.
'I'm throwing all my chips to the middle of the table,
anybody wants in, get in...anybody want out, get out.'
He took an overachieving team to a SB, will always remember
that NFC championship game as well. They blew out the
Vikes, 41-0, one of my favorite Giants wins of all time.
His resume was pretty damn good. I know there were always rumors about why he never got another HC gig, but he was pretty damn close to being the Washington HC at one point. I always felt like he deserved another HC job. Was he an amazing HC? No. But he was certainly better than some of these other guys who get multiple chances for whatever reason. Fassel's resume kind of matches what I thought of him, an above-average NFL HC who was capable of leading a good team to the big game.
I have so many memories of those Fassel teams, both good and bad. Those were fun teams to root for and was a nice "appetizer era" to the main course that was the Coughlin/Eli era. I was shocked to see that he was 71, time flies. He was still too young, RIP.
The top WR? Chris Calloway with 57 receptions.
For me, his legacy is less about his success, though there was plenty of that, and more about the extended period of utter failure he helped us avoid. And obviously without him, the path we went down would've been very different and all-but-certainly wouldn't have led us to an Eli-Coughlin era.
So RIP Coach Fassel, and thanks for being a wonderful bright spot in Giants' history.
Underrated moment that may have saved Giants 2000 Season - ( New Window )
The top WR? Chris Calloway with 57 receptions.
If Dave Brown hadn't gotten hurt I wonder how that year would've gone. He seemed to be playing better under Fassel's offense before he tore his pec muscle. Kannell was almost benched after the Bucs or Titans loss in mid season but JF didn't pull the trigger on it.