The Gifford family released a statement that read, in part: "We rejoice in the extraordinary life he was privileged to live, and we feel grateful and blessed to have been loved by such an amazing human being. We ask that our privacy be respected at this difficult time and we thank you for your prayers."
He was 84, was and always will be my favorite Giants player. Requiescat in Pace.
R.I.P. #16.
Bill
RIP Frank
Hall of Famer, legendary broadcaster .team icon.a huge loss to the Giants family and a player who transcended generations.
Gifford is one of my all-time favs. A storied Giant that was one of a kind.
Go easy Bro & God bless. :(
He and Hugh Carey, some of the Mara's and even Gene Tunney could be spotted at the quintessential Irish bar on first ave. Neary's.
I worry about his wife, I know they had some problems but she talks as if it was a great love affair.
Movie star looks and a HOF football star who lived with great elan. I am old, I feel older, there's always been a Frank Gifford. The death of certain celebs moves me. I remember where I was when Jack Benny died, I felt empty when Sinatra died. This is in that class.
If there was another NFL player that played three different positions, and excelled at all three, I am not aware of them. That accomplishment, by itself, is remarkable. The fact that he then went on to excel in broadcasting, as well, is amazing. No question, he led a very full life. Condolences to family and friends.
Very sad news. He was one of my favorites growing up. Did everything extremely well. He was such a joy to root for.
My deepest condolences to his family and friends.
RIP Giff
This from Giants.com:
http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Giants-legend-Frank-Gifford-passes-away/ad64832b-8b4c-4d38-a246-cc13674bc898 (http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Giants-legend-Frank-Gifford-passes-away/ad64832b-8b4c-4d38-a246-cc13674bc898)
Sad news. One of the greats.
Nothing but respect for #16
RIP Frank....
rip frank, thank you for all the fine years.
one of the greatest giants ever.
was awesome on monday nite football, and prior to that on the nfl on cbs.
A huge talent. And NY, NY was not too big a stage for him. Far from it. He even excelled on both sides of the ball for a year (until the Giants wisely realized how important he was to the offense).
A truly great player who appeared in numerous NFL Championships, he was fortunate enough to win one. He deserved to win a few more.
Bob
some of you may had heard me tell this Frank Gifford story:
when Frank was grand marshal of the Winchester VA Apple Blossom Festival and Parade, back in the late 1970's, I completed a pass to him. I was in a friend's front yard and he was in a moving convertible. The ball he was tossing to kids near his convertible bounced into the fenced yard as he passed [he was seated on the back with his feet on the backseat]. By the time someone got the ball the car was well down the street. Phyllis said give the ball to Rick. So...
At about 40 yards, Frank was looking back and everyone along the street was watching. I dropped the pass over his shoulder right into Frank's hands [thousand to one shot????]. The crowd cheered. Phyllis was there...she can affirm this tale. RIP Frank. And nice catch, #16.
Way to go, Rick. That's what this is all about.
Cheers!
To me, he always has been & always will be "Mr. Giant." I hope he's having a happy reunion up there with Wellington. May he RIP.
Jim:
You and I have discussed this several times at tailgates concerning your admiration and respect for Frank Gifford. When my son told me this afternoon one of my first thought was you and the times that we discussed and you expressed your feelings about the man. The saying once a Giant always a Giant was never more true then when it came to him. In fact you could say that after Wellington Mara Frank Gifford was Mr. Giant. Another part of my youth gone.
Shocking news. Enjoyed seeing a lot of film of Mr. Gifford playing for the Giants. I enjoyed watching Mr. Gifford on ABC's Wild World of Sports and I do miss the team of Gifford, Michael's, and Dierdorf on ABC Monday Night Football. Heavens gain is our loss. RIP Mr. Gifford. My prayers go out to the Gifford family. Just a sad day finding this out.
Here's hoping we see # 16 patches on this season's uniforms. If anyone deserves to be honored this way, it is Mr. Gifford.
Never had the opportunity to see him play but I was always very proud such a great and classy player played for the team I love.
RIP, Frank Gifford.
Frank played in an era before the staggering commercialism of TV and Fantasy Football gambling when a team would field only 22 players and often a lot less. I sometimes wonder what the ESPN sensation machine would make of a right- handed number 16 sprinting right and throwing a left-handed pass to Kyle Rote much less to what those guys really meant to us in a far better time.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=kyle+rote&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=64D15783CBF3E99DF8C464D15783CBF3E99DF8C4 (https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=kyle+rote&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=64D15783CBF3E99DF8C464D15783CBF3E99DF8C4)
That may be why some of us old dudes are as cynical of the modern game as we are. And it doesn't just apply to football. isn't that right, Lenn?
Cheers!
Heard the news while driving home from vacation and it simply stunned me.
I'm so glad I did have the privilege of seeing him play and like others, he will always be Mr Giant. No offense to LT, but Frank was probably the best all around athlete that ever put on a Giants uniform. he was simply made for NY and with his Hollywood looks and charisma, he excelled here. I seriously doubt if that would have happened anywhere else.
Thanks for the memories #16
=D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>
Quote from: Jintsman74 on August 09, 2015, 07:50:46 PM
Shocking news. Enjoyed seeing a lot of film of Mr. Gifford playing for the Giants. I enjoyed watching Mr. Gifford on ABC's Wild World of Sports and I do miss the team of Gifford, Michael's, and Dierdorf on ABC Monday Night Football. Heavens gain is our loss. RIP Mr. Gifford. My prayers go out to the Gifford family. Just a sad day finding this out.
Jintsman, you, like a lot of you younger fans, missed a real treat in not seeing Gifford play.
I've watched a number of TV news reports on his death & all of them have shown highlight plays from his career. The one I never get tired of watching is his throwing a TD pass to Bob Schnelker on a snow covered Yankee Stadium in the last regular game of the 1958 season. It tied up the game 10 - 10 and later Pat Summerall kicked the famous 50 yard FG to win it 13 - 10. The Giants then beat the Browns again, 10 - 0 in a playoff. I'll end it right there. The following week's game still sticks in my craw.
Quote from: Somersjoe on August 09, 2015, 07:47:54 PM
Jim:
You and I have discussed this several times at tailgates concerning your admiration and respect for Frank Gifford. When my son told me this afternoon one of my first thought was you and the times that we discussed and you expressed your feelings about the man. The saying once a Giant always a Giant was never more true then when it came to him. In fact you could say that after Wellington Mara Frank Gifford was Mr. Giant. Another part of my youth gone.
Thanks, Frank! :ok: I also thought of those discussions we had. I'll be wearing my autographed Gifford # 16 jersey to the Sep 20th Falcons game. We can talk more about him then.
Frank Gifford epitomized the word class. He was not only a great Giant but a truly decent human being. I had the opportunity to meet with him a number of times in the 1960's and 1970's and he was always willing to take the time to talk to us "common folks" without a condescending air about him. He was what all too many of today's athletes are not, appreciative of God's gifts and the adulation of the fans who supported him.
I grew up in New York in the 50's and my idols were Frank Gifford and Willie Mays. In many respects the two could not have been more different but in some important ways they were the same: extremely talented and humble at the same time. I was at Yankee Stadium with my father the day that he and Chuck Bednerick had that unfortunate but earth shattering collision. When the fans realized what had happened, you could hear a pin drop. There were many that thought that Frank was dead. No one would have been surprised if he had retired when he came to but he came back and became an All-Pro at a new position. Such was his talent.
It is interesting to note that both he and Bednerick, two individuals who were All-Pro on both offense and defense and whose careers will be forever be inexorably intertwined, have passed within the same 12 month period.
Those of us who have followed the Giants for all too many years have lost a true hero and an idol. He was and will always be, at least to my mind, Mr. Giant, right up there with Mr. Mara. We will probably never see another one like # 16 and the football fans, especially Giants fans, are much poorer for that.
I would point out one more thing to those who never saw him play and are caught up in the modern era (i.e., anything earlier than 1990), Kathy Lee Gifford should be known as Frank Gifford's wife, he was not (nor should he ever be solely known as) Ms. Gifford's husband. We have lost a true icon and a staple of a 12 year old's dreams. May he rest in peace with the knowledge that he meant so much to so many and that he comported himself in a manner that the modern players should rush to emulate.
Some really great stuff here. Keep the stories flowing. This thread should be tacked.
RIP, he was a legend.
Quote from: jimv on August 09, 2015, 06:32:54 PM
To me, he always has been & always will be "Mr. Giant." I hope he's having a happy reunion up there with Wellington. May he RIP.
Jim: When I heard the news one of the first things that popped into my mind was he was somewhere talking Giants football with the Duke.
May he rest in peace! He was a beautiful young man! And I think his way of passing was great too, quickly and quietly at home!
Great talent. Class human being. The original Giant for life.
IMHO He deserves more recognition than a #16 patch on the team uniform this season.
Maybe Eli could wear his number in tribute this year. =D>
I personally would LOVE to see that.
R.I.P. Mr. Gifford, than you for always exemplifying Giants pride.
Here are some video highlights of the ultimate Giant
https://screen.yahoo.com/charley-casserly-remembers-hall-famer-204722539.html
Quote from: jimv on August 09, 2015, 09:17:52 PM
Quote from: Jintsman74 on August 09, 2015, 07:50:46 PM
Shocking news. Enjoyed seeing a lot of film of Mr. Gifford playing for the Giants. I enjoyed watching Mr. Gifford on ABC's Wild World of Sports and I do miss the team of Gifford, Michael's, and Dierdorf on ABC Monday Night Football. Heavens gain is our loss. RIP Mr. Gifford. My prayers go out to the Gifford family. Just a sad day finding this out.
Jintsman, you, like a lot of you younger fans, missed a real treat in not seeing Gifford play.
I've watched a number of TV news reports on his death & all of them have shown highlight plays from his career. The one I never get tired of watching is his throwing a TD pass to Bob Schnelker on a snow covered Yankee Stadium in the last regular game of the 1958 season. It tied up the game 10 - 10 and later Pat Summerall kicked the famous 50 yard FG to win it 13 - 10. The Giants then beat the Browns again, 10 - 0 in a playoff. I'll end it right there. The following week's game still sticks in my craw.
I certainly did miss out on a great era in NY Giants history with great Giants and none better than Mr. Gifford.
Pulled off Rashad Jennings twitter:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CMBK-bgUAAAWtTK.jpg)
https://twitter.com/RashadJennings/status/630586409154428928
GREAT picture!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS, Rashad.