Temporarily cutting short my yearly sabbatical to mention this, as for me, it was one of the most significant dates in Giants history..
It was of course the day of the infamous “fumble” aka “The Miracle at the Meadowlands.”
It was a moment that should have been a KISS. Take the snap, fall down and secure a W in our column. But no, OC Gibson called for Pisarcik to hand off to Csonka and with the mishandled exchange, Herm Edwards took it to the house.
Gibson was rightly fired the next day and in 1979, Rozelle stepped in and the George Young/Ray Perkins era was born, with Parcells taking over for the remainder of the year (1982) after RP left for Alabama.
It was the ONLY time I “laughed” at a Giants’ loss. It wasn’t a “funny” laugh, it was a stunned, incredulous, Murphy’s law laugh.
Then I stared at the TV for what seemed like an interminable period of time.
For those who were around then, do you recall your reaction(s)?
Ok, be well, see youse in Jan/Feb..
ONe year later, reversal of fortune. I don't remember but I was 7.
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As I recall, Csonka told Paterson Plank Joe to take a knee, but Pisarcik (sp?) did not, having been chastised for previously changing a play.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Also, Herman Edwards should be ironically inducted into the Giants ROH. For Pats fans, he's our Mo Lewis.
Surprisingly, I received an answer within a week. In a nutshell, his hand written letter pretty much agreed with me stating that we have to do something about the situation.
Needless to say that was the end of that relationship.
Really needed that kind of loss to get our heads out of our ass. That team sucked and the franchise needed a complete overhaul. Thank God for the fumble an for Herm Edwards for picking up cleanly and scoring!
I started screaming and some of my brother trainees from the South advised another fellow New Yorker watching - to tell that dam Yankee to shut up!
People forget that kneeling down was something teams did not do back then. They ran regular plays to end the game. These days we have the victory formation to finish it off. I suppose plays like the Fumble helped to change the way a team ends a game.
Then the botched handoff happened. It was surreal. The ball bounces straight up and into Edwards hands. It was like the seas parted. And he runs straight into our endzone. The stadium went so quiet that from our seats 18 rows up, you could actually hear the voices of the Eagles hooting and hollering. Everyone just sat there dead silent and stunned.
will never forget that day.
In those days, I don't think teams did the victory formation but everyone knew that the QB would just fall on the ball.(In fact, that play may have led to teams developing the victory formation).
PS i was also there for the DeSean Jackson punt return debacle when the Giants blew that huge lead. Is there any doubt as to why I hate the F***ing Eagles with a passion.
All Giant fans know the back stories about how the Eagles roughed up Pisarcik on the previous kneel-down play so they decided to run Csonka at them to get the 1st down and "teach them a lesson." We also know how that Sunday completely changed the NYG's future.
What I remember even more from that game was the following week when we got crushed 41-17 by the Bills who weren't much better than us at the time. That's when I remember crying and really feeling like things would never get better for the Giants...
But, that event, which I only recall historically, ultimately led to GY and Ray Perkins at which point my Dad remarked to young kid me that the Giants were probably about to leave their recent history of failure behind and likely even reclaim their winning heritage that had been nearly the equal of my beloved Yankees.
The idea of following a team with an important heritage, as it clawed back to respectability, really took hold so I started following the Giants in the papers and have been a fan ever since RP's first season.
So in a way, yes thank you Herm, McVay and whoever else was responsible.
ONe year later, reversal of fortune. I don't remember but I was 7. Link - ( New Window )
I didn’t know Matt ran this. It’s one of my absolute favorite Twitter accounts.
I can telll you how I reacted to the fumble cause my dad has told this story about 100 times. I lay down on the living room floor and cried like only a broken-hearted 5yo can. This was also on the heels of trading Tom Seaver. Dad really set me up with some great teams in the 70s!
Wins were so few and far between in those years, it was just amazing to have a rare one slip away like that.
But then again, maybe not that amazing given the state of the franchise. *grin*
Be well, Bruce.
I believe that play gave them the idea about the kneel down.
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I don't think they took a knee back then. You used to run a play...
I believe that play gave them the idea about the kneel down.
I thought that the 49ers (Bill Walsh) came up with the kneel down...not sure...
What kind of pizza?
BTW, the “victory formation” was created because of that very play.
Glad you briefly got back in the fray, fiddy. Lurking with this crowd is just as fun though …
Thing is, it was already such a shitty time for the Giants. But IIRC, they’d have been looking at a .500 record if they won that game. I’m not sure I knew the Giants as anything but losers up to that point, so .500 would’ve been a big deal.
How did I did I ever come of age as a Giants fan in the ‘70s?
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In comment 15912319 mvftw said:
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I don't think they took a knee back then. You used to run a play...
I believe that play gave them the idea about the kneel down.
I thought that the 49ers (Bill Walsh) came up with the kneel down...not sure...
The 49ers might have but the Giants gave them the idea.
I was just stunned. I know it was not organizational changing the way the fumble was but I think in some ways it really marked the end of the Coughlin Eli era even though they would stick around for some years
But still that was the most negative experience I had as a Giants fan
The Eagles got a talking point and a t-shirt out of the deal