He has this trip down memory lane (at least some people's memories) in his latest online offering.
In 1961, the Giants were being led by a new head coach, Allie Sherman. They had a great season, led as they were by a newly-obtained veteran quarterback named Y.A. Tittle and a newly-obtained veteran wide receiver, Del Shofner.
The running game was ordinary at best, featuring aging Alex Webster, younger but equally plodding Phil King and a little-used future star named Joe Morrison.
The Giants approached the final game of the season with a 10-3 record (they only played 14 games in those years), tied with the Philadelphia Eagles, a situation that seems to have always been in place, you know?
The nightmare was that "Big Red" (Webster) and "The Chief" (King) both came up hurt for the final game against the Cleveland Browns in Yankee Stadium. What to do? What to do?
Sherman had to sell his idea to his assistant coaches, but ultimately they agreed. He was going to use the short pass instead of the run; sideline passes, mostly, three and four yards downfield. It didn't matter much if any additional yardage was gained. The completion would set up a second-and-seven, second-and-six, and suddenly the Giants were in a passing mode.
It worked. The game ended in a 7-7 deadlock -- "a tie for Christmas," as one of the local newspapers so cleverly headlined -- while the Eagles lost and finished at 10-4 to the Giants' 10-3-1.
It was on to the NFL championship game, a 37-0 horror show against the Packers in Green Bay, but a championship game nonetheless.
Rest of the article
In 1961, the Giants were being led by a new head coach, Allie Sherman. They had a great season, led as they were by a newly-obtained veteran quarterback named Y.A. Tittle and a newly-obtained veteran wide receiver, Del Shofner.
The running game was ordinary at best, featuring aging Alex Webster, younger but equally plodding Phil King and a little-used future star named Joe Morrison.
The Giants approached the final game of the season with a 10-3 record (they only played 14 games in those years), tied with the Philadelphia Eagles, a situation that seems to have always been in place, you know?
The nightmare was that "Big Red" (Webster) and "The Chief" (King) both came up hurt for the final game against the Cleveland Browns in Yankee Stadium. What to do? What to do?
Sherman had to sell his idea to his assistant coaches, but ultimately they agreed. He was going to use the short pass instead of the run; sideline passes, mostly, three and four yards downfield. It didn't matter much if any additional yardage was gained. The completion would set up a second-and-seven, second-and-six, and suddenly the Giants were in a passing mode.
It worked. The game ended in a 7-7 deadlock -- "a tie for Christmas," as one of the local newspapers so cleverly headlined -- while the Eagles lost and finished at 10-4 to the Giants' 10-3-1.
It was on to the NFL championship game, a 37-0 horror show against the Packers in Green Bay, but a championship game nonetheless.
Rest of the article