Phil and Matt Simms Interview Fran Tarkenton

all that losing with the Vikes. lol He was Jim Kelley before Jim Kelley.

Fran is 84 and sharp as a tack.

When he told Wellington Mara, "We need Better Players". "I'm as tall as our Offensive Linemen ! " He was right. Willie Young, our left tackle (nr. 69) was only 6ft tall. I was sad when Tarkenton left and went back to The Vikings. Norm Snead, other than 1972 was Yuch !!.

It took us years to find a QB who could complete a pass longer than 20 yards. Current fans who bitch about the play of our current starter have no idea how much worse it can be.

I mean Sweet Jeebus we went from Norm Snead to Craig Morten to Jerry Goldstyn to Jersey Joe Pisarcik before getting Phil Simms, who got benched for Scott Brunner f'r cryin' out loud.

I mean, it was BAD after Fran left.

And what a great memory. That interview was a classic.

In comment 16595907 Blue21 said:

Quote:

And what a great memory. That interview was a classic.

As a side note. I wish I could have seen him play more but I was in the military those four years and Pro Football availability was very limited for me. But what little I saw I loved.

I remember him sitting on his helmet the whole game watching Randy Johnson play QB in the last game Tark suited up for the Giants . The trade to the Vikings initially went pretty well. Norm Snead made the Pro Bowl in ‘72. But that was a one-year aberration as 73 signaled the descent into the Dark Ages.

I am glad they didn’t make him persona non grata by leaving him off the 100.

loved Fran growing up. He gave us hope.
The first year Fran was on the Giants they played the Eagles
at Palmer Stadium at Princeton.

Great tailgate. I was 10 at the time.
When the game was over I was walking back to the car with my dad and I saw the Giants team bus.

I had a cardboard cup holder and figured I'd try to get an autograph from someone.

The door on the bus was open, so I went up the steps and sitting right there was Fran!!!! I couldn't believe it!
No one else, just Fran and the driver.

I took the pen I had and put it on top of the cardboard and
said to Fran, Mr. Tarkenton, can you sign this for me.

Fran said, Get the Fuck off the bus!

My dad wasn't happy but it was ok, I actually saw him in person and that was great!

Always laugh when I see Fran to this day!!
One of my favorite Giants players of all time!
He did a lot with very little.

.

Agree, just a great interview. Tark put life back into the Giants back then. Loved his comments about Bob Tucker. Seems like yesterday. Tarkington was special in his time.

as a player. His quote, as I recall it, "Nobody else could have taken those stiffs to .500".

Although the Giants sucked for most of the 60’s and all of the 70’s it was arguably the best era of the NFL. The game was just at it purest best, before most of the rule changes that began the slippery slope I’m changing the game so much, before free agency and salary cap. Less teams to delude the available talent. Fran was one of my all time favorites, and he still gives a great interview.

..for sharing Jim. That was fantastic.
Fran is a really good story teller, and pulls no punches.