GIANTS FANS.net

First written and published in 2007, before the Giant's amazing playoff run to a SuperBowl victory.

I grew up in Syracuse.  I am 51 years old.  Syracuse University sports was a big part of my life.  My Dad was a guy who was hard to know.  He had problems communicating with his two sons because of a fractured childhood that was filled with serious illness and dislocation.  But he could get through to my brother and me with sports.  It was natural then that we all became intense fans.

My earliest memories of attending sporting events are from 1963.  The last game that the Nationals played in Syracuse before they moved to Philadelphia and became the 76ers.  Technically, that's not correct.  There was an interim agreement in place that had the Sixers play a couple of regular season games in Syracuse.  That lasted for about 4 years, as I recall.  Yankee Stadium against the Chisox in August.  And then the Giants in the fall.

As far as rooting for the Orange, the sustained memories begin in 1966.  This was the season of the Floyd Little-Larry Csonka tamden at RB and FB, respectively.  That season culminated in a loss to Tennessee in the Gator Bowl on December 31, 1966.  The team's determination to run the football during that era was simply consistent with how the game was being played throughout the country.  Little rushed for 216 yards in the game.  Csonka added another 114.  But still the Orange lost.  They were continually jammed up inside the Vols' ten yardline.  The wingback on that club was #49.  He hailed from Waterloo, N.Y., just west of Syracuse.  He was Tom Coughlin.