First, I am going to take you back to the benching of Eli for Geno.
If you recall, the fans lost their minds over this. Especially those who were more concerned about a streak for Eli than the future of the team. This is not to say that Geno was the future. However, it was the first step in moving on from a great Giant QB who was not getting it done anymore.
Then, John Mara said and I quote "I did not expect the fans to get so emotional" over the decision. In my opinion, this is why they did not immediately draft his replacement and maybe why the Giants were not willing to draft Mahommes (or any other QB prospect) when available in and around that time.
You see, John wants the team to win but he is also marketing the team. Sometimes he is placing more weight on marketing.
Now, fast forward to the hard knocks clip where John is talking to Joe about Barkley. I am linking to it below. John Mara's concern is that Barkley is "popular".
This is how teams turn into cellar dwellers. Making decisions for the wrong reasons. Thank God Joe is only listening to him now and hopefully will never allow John to influence player personnel decisions.
Am I making too much of this? Maybe.. but we have no idea how much of this has happened behind closed doors.
John Mara Comments - (
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Too much is made of these comments by John Mara.
What many in the media, fans (vocal or letters), former great Giants were upset with as much as the benching was the terrible job Reese had been doing with the drafts and FA in building poor teams. They already got rid of TC. That is what Mara learned.
Wasting the last 5-6 years of Eli's career will go down as one of the worst timeframes in Giants history over time imv.
Too much is made of these comments by John Mara.
First, Eli wasn't benched. The Giants wanted him to start and play the first halves the rest of the way. They also wanted to see what else they had at QB, especially with Webb, since the season was over as far as the playoffs. They wanted to get Webb some playing time to see if they needed to look again for a QB in the draft. Eli decided he wasn't going to do that and took himself out of the lineup.
Second, the plan was just for Geno to play the second half of that week's game because it was on the road and Webb had had no practice snaps with the first team. Webb was going to take over the second-half role the next game at home (which might have been after a bye) and for the remaining games after getting reps with the first team in practice.
Sure they did. McAdoo loved Mahomes prior to that draft.
Too much is made of these comments by John Mara.
Exactly right. I was out of my mind over the benching, not because I gave shit about the streak, hell I was glad it was over, but that it was for Geno Smith. I get what McAdoo was thinking, even a marginal NFL QB would be better than Eli at that point, but for Mara to be so blind-sided shows just how blind he is. And then to make McAdoo the scapegoat for something he agreed to!
Now, I think McAdoo was the worst Giant's HC this side of Ray Handley, but he got a raw deal in that regard. That said, maybe he should have realized it wasn't as much Eli as it was his shitty offense.
--He correctly evaluated Geno Smith as someone who could be a QB here. Smith ultimately led the Seahawks to the playoffs and earned a lucrative contract. McAdoo was right.
--He correctly was very high on Patrick Mahomes.
--He knew Eli was near the end.
I love Eli. That goes without saying. But, McAdoo paid the price for challenging Eli and the Mannings. He was never going to win that battle.
But, looking back. McAdoo was right about a lot. I know we can't say that here though.
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Irate if Eli was benched for Davis Webb. Fans and media were irate over Geno Smith starting for Eli Manning. That was the difference. We knew what Geno Smith was and he wasn't good (credit to him for playing well in Seattle).
Too much is made of these comments by John Mara.
Exactly right. I was out of my mind over the benching, not because I gave shit about the streak, hell I was glad it was over, but that it was for Geno Smith. I get what McAdoo was thinking, even a marginal NFL QB would be better than Eli at that point, but for Mara to be so blind-sided shows just how blind he is. And then to make McAdoo the scapegoat for something he agreed to!
Now, I think McAdoo was the worst Giant's HC this side of Ray Handley, but he got a raw deal in that regard. That said, maybe he should have realized it wasn't as much Eli as it was his shitty offense.
Great post.
--He correctly evaluated Geno Smith as someone who could be a QB here. Smith ultimately led the Seahawks to the playoffs and earned a lucrative contract. McAdoo was right.
--He correctly was very high on Patrick Mahomes.
--He knew Eli was near the end.
I love Eli. That goes without saying. But, McAdoo paid the price for challenging Eli and the Mannings. He was never going to win that battle.
But, looking back. McAdoo was right about a lot. I know we can't say that here though.
💯
Not a good look there.
--He correctly evaluated Geno Smith as someone who could be a QB here. Smith ultimately led the Seahawks to the playoffs and earned a lucrative contract. McAdoo was right.
--He correctly was very high on Patrick Mahomes.
--He knew Eli was near the end.
I love Eli. That goes without saying. But, McAdoo paid the price for challenging Eli and the Mannings. He was never going to win that battle.
But, looking back. McAdoo was right about a lot. I know we can't say that here though.
No proof, but I've always believed that the way Mara crushed McAdoo as the fall guy may have created a bit of a black-ball effect on McAdoo.
--He correctly evaluated Geno Smith as someone who could be a QB here. Smith ultimately led the Seahawks to the playoffs and earned a lucrative contract. McAdoo was right.
--He correctly was very high on Patrick Mahomes.
--He knew Eli was near the end.
I love Eli. That goes without saying. But, McAdoo paid the price for challenging Eli and the Mannings. He was never going to win that battle.
But, looking back. McAdoo was right about a lot. I know we can't say that here though.
Geno Smith was never going to be the quarterback he is in Seattle if he stayed here. Pete Carroll put him in an offensive scheme that best suited him and credit to geno Smith for playing well.
Mcadoo was wrong about Geno with the NY Giants. He wasn't the future and wasn't the answer. Mcadoo screwed up in not giving Webb any reps in practice throughout the whole year. Webb was the young guy, who they drafted.
Not a good look there.
Geno Smith was a failed quarterback with the Jets before coming here. Prior to coming here, we all knew what he was and wasn't. It's wonderful to look now and say you knew all along and I will call bullshit. He has played very well in Seattle. Kudos to him, but at that time (not looking at now) he wasn't the answer.
I guarantee you that if he had stayed here, he wouldn't have lasted as a starter and he wouldn't have put up the numbers he has in Seattle.
It was reported Chris Mara was very high on Webb. It was a miss. I credit them for at least taking a swing.
What many in the media, fans (vocal or letters), former great Giants were upset with as much as the benching was the terrible job Reese had been doing with the drafts and FA in building poor teams. They already got rid of TC. That is what Mara learned.
Wasting the last 5-6 years of Eli's career will go down as one of the worst timeframes in Giants history over time imv.
This. Mara is an idiot. Ok. His firing of TC and not Reese proved that.
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--The team goes 11-5 in his rookie year as HC.
--He correctly evaluated Geno Smith as someone who could be a QB here. Smith ultimately led the Seahawks to the playoffs and earned a lucrative contract. McAdoo was right.
--He correctly was very high on Patrick Mahomes.
--He knew Eli was near the end.
I love Eli. That goes without saying. But, McAdoo paid the price for challenging Eli and the Mannings. He was never going to win that battle.
But, looking back. McAdoo was right about a lot. I know we can't say that here though.
No proof, but I've always believed that the way Mara crushed McAdoo as the fall guy may have created a bit of a black-ball effect on McAdoo.
And what about Reese? He dropped off the face of the earth at age 54.
That entire incident was an embarrassment. And I know this makes some people angry, but Geno Smith was the first black player to start at QB for the Giants...in their 93rd year of existence. And the next day the people involved in that decision were fired.
Abd clearly how it went down didn't sit well with Smith, who mentioned Reese and McAdoo after he led Seattle to a win over NYG in 2022.
I didn't see PM much in college but would have little faith in BM or "Reach" maximizing his talent. KC was a playoff team 4/5 years before he took over.
Regardless, Allen ('18) is the QB I did want and that was where I think the Giants missed.
Geno deserved to start and history has proven McAdoo correct.
Back to your regularly scheduled Mara rants...
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Irate if Eli was benched for Davis Webb. Fans and media were irate over Geno Smith starting for Eli Manning. That was the difference. We knew what Geno Smith was and he wasn't good (credit to him for playing well in Seattle).
Too much is made of these comments by John Mara.
First, Eli wasn't benched. The Giants wanted him to start and play the first halves the rest of the way. They also wanted to see what else they had at QB, especially with Webb, since the season was over as far as the playoffs. They wanted to get Webb some playing time to see if they needed to look again for a QB in the draft. Eli decided he wasn't going to do that and took himself out of the lineup.
Second, the plan was just for Geno to play the second half of that week's game because it was on the road and Webb had had no practice snaps with the first team. Webb was going to take over the second-half role the next game at home (which might have been after a bye) and for the remaining games after getting reps with the first team in practice.
In a tantrum, Eli benched himself. People forget that. He told Judge either he plays the whole game or none...got no sympathy from me.
Geno deserved to start and history has proven McAdoo correct.
I was one of them. I loved Eli. And I had seen enough of Geno to think he wasn’t the answer. If Eli was going to be benched, I wanted Webb to start.
Obviously Geno’s career since has proven me wrong.
But in the moment, it was emotional. I’m still pissed Eli answering ?s at his locker fighting back tears while you heard teammates goofing around in the background.
I've written endlessly on that situation and I continue to be amazed how Mara hardly drew any public criticism. That was a professional hit job ala the Mob.
And that created the domino effect that led to Accorsi being hired to hire Gettleman. Which drove the organization deeper into the ditch.
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In comment 16560506 TrueBlue56 said:
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Irate if Eli was benched for Davis Webb. Fans and media were irate over Geno Smith starting for Eli Manning. That was the difference. We knew what Geno Smith was and he wasn't good (credit to him for playing well in Seattle).
Too much is made of these comments by John Mara.
First, Eli wasn't benched. The Giants wanted him to start and play the first halves the rest of the way. They also wanted to see what else they had at QB, especially with Webb, since the season was over as far as the playoffs. They wanted to get Webb some playing time to see if they needed to look again for a QB in the draft. Eli decided he wasn't going to do that and took himself out of the lineup.
Second, the plan was just for Geno to play the second half of that week's game because it was on the road and Webb had had no practice snaps with the first team. Webb was going to take over the second-half role the next game at home (which might have been after a bye) and for the remaining games after getting reps with the first team in practice.
In a tantrum, Eli benched himself. People forget that. He told Judge either he plays the whole game or none...got no sympathy from me.
Exactly, and the change wasn't made for Smith. That was going to be for one half because Webb needed practice with the first team and they wanted his first game action to be at home. The plan always that Webb was going to play the second half of the remaining games.
Eli told the team he wouldn't play under those conditions. For some reason the NY media, and most fans, just ignore that fact.
--He correctly evaluated Geno Smith as someone who could be a QB here. Smith ultimately led the Seahawks to the playoffs and earned a lucrative contract. McAdoo was right.
--He correctly was very high on Patrick Mahomes.
--He knew Eli was near the end.
I love Eli. That goes without saying. But, McAdoo paid the price for challenging Eli and the Mannings. He was never going to win that battle.
But, looking back. McAdoo was right about a lot. I know we can't say that here though.
Right about a lot, except his suit!😂
He's a 2x SB winning GM and you just can't give him any credit. You keep referencing Reese but rarely reference Gettleman.
thank you! ONE person here (you) stayed on topic. This was not intended to belabor the Eli thing and was solely about how John Mara's decisions may be swayed by what the fans think.
Who cares if he liked Mahones. I am pretty damn confident him grooming and coaching him would have halted his greatness immediately.
And he didn’t lead us to the playoffs in 2016. The defense did which he had little to do with.
Nostalgia is a huge problem in this organization. You see it all over Hard Knocks. Shit, they have "Once a Giant, Always a Giant" printed on the throwbacks!
🤮
He was fired after one season in both jobs. But I guess anything to keep narratives going.
Who cares if he liked Mahones. I am pretty damn confident him grooming and coaching him would have halted his greatness immediately.
And he didn’t lead us to the playoffs in 2016. The defense did which he had little to do with.
No lovefest from me.
Just pointing out that Mara made him the fall guy for something that Mara ordered to do in the first place. Which was to bench Eli.
Mr. Class certainty didn't act like it that week...
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The McAdoo love fest here is sad. A horrific coach. Offense got worse when he became in charge of it. Players quit on him.
Who cares if he liked Mahones. I am pretty damn confident him grooming and coaching him would have halted his greatness immediately.
And he didn’t lead us to the playoffs in 2016. The defense did which he had little to do with.
No lovefest from me.
Just pointing out that Mara made him the fall guy for something that Mara ordered to do in the first place. Which was to bench Eli.
Mr. Class certainty didn't act like it that week...
Weird take. As an athlete I wouldn’t want to be pulled halfway through a game. Would you?
He wasn’t set up - that’s ridiculous.
That’s the NUMBER ONE reason he lost his job. When players quit on a coach, there’s no more damning reason to get fired.
lol what an awful take. Not surprising though.
TC was setup in 2015. The 2016 200m dollar spending spree on the D is proof. The O was pretty solid in 2015 with TC's guidance.
TC was setup in 2015. The 2016 200m dollar spending spree on the D is proof. The O was pretty solid in 2015 with TC's guidance.
Of course it’s a moronic statement.
Almost as moronic as a poster once saying the Eli memorabilia scandal would ruin the giants.
lol what an awful take. Not surprising though.
Oh please Dep. You were crying in your Manning jammies too.
That’s the NUMBER ONE reason he lost his job. When players quit on a coach, there’s no more damning reason to get fired.
Did the team quit or were they besieged by injuries while their franchise QB fall off a cliff?
Embarrassing when he played even more embarrassing now.
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Before the Manning decision.
That’s the NUMBER ONE reason he lost his job. When players quit on a coach, there’s no more damning reason to get fired.
Did the team quit or were they besieged by injuries while their franchise QB fall off a cliff?
From October 11th. Guess it was Eli’s fault
DRC leaves team - ( New Window )
Eli’s fault - ( New Window )
Offensively, McAdoo and Reese collaborated and wanted to keep the same dog shit OL and keep adding players outside so he can run 11 personnel all damn game.
JJ suspended - ( New Window )