Ugghhh

I have to be honest. I had a family thing and did not get to watch the Giants game. I asked my roommate to DVR it, but he did not get home to do that. Right now though, I am glad that he didn't. I texted my boy to get a score update and he informed me that we were up 14-0 in the first half. I later received an update saying we were now up 21-0. On my way home I texted him one last time to get a report and he said it was 21-14 and "we were playing like shit." At this point I was understandably worried. I told him to text me when it was over or if it went into OT. I received the text "The worst team in football = Giants. Embarrassing." at 7:16 PM. I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. I still do.

Going into this game I was annoyed with the Giants. They had lost two games in a row following being 6-2 and in prime position to win the division and possibly get the #1 seed in the NFC. The loss to Chicago was tough to take because the Giants had control of that game for much of the first half. After last weeks' sloppy loss to Jacksonville I was fed up with the QB and the team in general. After going through those tough defeats, I was not into really into the game in Tennessee. This was a game they were supposed to win. I needed them to win this game to get me pumped up for next week versus Dallas. They got ahead and blew a 21 point fourth quarter lead to one of the worst teams in the NFL.

While I was disgusted with the Giants prior to this game, I knew they were still in control of the division. If they beat Tennessee and beat Dallas next week, then they were basically two games up on Dallas in the division since they would have swept the season series. I never thought that they would lose in Tennessee. Even with the misery of the past two weeks, I figured they would win this week and be geared up for a showdown next week. Instead, they choked away a victory and could headed for a .500 record after Dallas gets through with them next week. With all this negativity I still feel that the Giants will win next week. First of all I think Dallas is over-rated. Their QB is still in only his first few professional games as a starter. Their secondary is weak, and their O-line is even worse. In addition, Coughlin is 4-1 versus Dallas (Parcells) in his career with the Giants. The only loss going to OT last season in Dallas.

I have a bigger issue right now than the overall play of the Giants. I did not expect this loss, so I did not expect to have to write in such a negative way. In any event, now that I have addressed the game, I can write what I wanted to initially...

I am really pissed off with a certain brand of Giants fan. This kind has to do with #10, the QB. The group does not like little brother and are rooting against him (you know who you are). I know I trashed him last week out of frustration, but that was after me leading the fan club for three seasons. I want him to do well so badly and it has taken its toll on me. There are a number of fans that have trashed his decision making from the beginning and reluctantly given him props when he would lead the team to victory. This is something that really makes me embarrassed as a Giants fan.

The G-men have played a miserable last three games and the QB has been at the center of that misery. In his time as starting QB though the Giants are 17-11. He lead last second drives to tie or win games in four of those victories. His stats though in that time is not impressive and there have been numerous games where he played at a tremendously low level. This type of Giant fan though is waiting for the QB to be either his brother or close before they praise him. THose expectations are unfair.

The Giant QB engineered a trade to New York at the 2004 draft. Actually his father did. Who else had their parent or some sort of connection get them their first job out of college? Archie Manning already had numerous people in the NFL he both liked and disliked from his playing days. For all we know he had grudges against people in the Charger organization. The fact remains though they the Giants loved his son, the Mannings never publicly trashed any person or team. Since the trade the QB has said nothing negative about San Diego, New York or the trade itself.

Baby bro is a guy who has worked hard from the minute he was drafted. He is known as someone always in the film room and always present at all optional or mandatory offseason camps. He signed on time out of the draft and has never missed a start since he was named starting QB. In addition, through all of his ups and downs, no teammate has said one negative word about him. Considering the big mouths on this team, that is saying something. I have to believe if they did not believe he had the ability and/or he was not putting in the effort, we would have heard about it. In addition, no one has ripped him as being held to a different standard than others.

I am not trying to paint this guy as being some sort of "saint" (although his father was...New Orleans that is.....yea relaxo!!). The fact remains that this guy has busted his ass since he got here to play up to his potential. I know he was born into the football family and has been given a lot. Once he reached the big leagues though that all meant nothing. At this level, no one cares who your daddy is. If you are a real Giants fan, root for the kid. If he fucks up, boo him, but give him a chance! He wants to be a Giant, he is working hard, and if he doesn't make it then we can forget him. Look what we have to compare him to over the past 20 years. After the great Phil Simms there was Jeff Hostetler, Dave Brown, Kent Graham, Tommy Maddox, Danny Kannell, Kerry Collins, and Kurt Warner. I don't see any of those guys getting enshrined in Canton. The fact is this organization is in as good of shape that it has been in for 15 years. I understand frustration in the QB, but I do not understand meeting him with skepticism from the get go. So far his career is about a C. He is only 25 and this season is far from over.

To all the haters....the kid may end up sucking, I understand that. Don't trash him from the start though. He is still on pace to lead his team to back to back playoffs (something the Giants haven't done since 1989-1990). He is gunna throw more picks and under throw more guys, but he will also make some bigtime throws and lead game-winnning drives. You wont be rid of him for at least once more year though, so sack up and support the guy. It's not like its so easy to do better. Look at our track record. Lastly, do not bring up Big Ben or Rivers. While Ben won a Super Bowl, he has regressed significantly, and if we had him and the situation he is in, the fans might be even more pissed off. As for Rivers, he is where our QB was at this point last year except Rivers has the best player on the planet in his backfield! Let him at least play a full season before we anoint Rivers a better QB than babyface.

More later...


STKAFI