Big Blue Huddle

Ceri,

We are presently sh!tty at center. Presuming that these idiots decide to settle the lockout instead of cutting their own nouts, do you have any handle on the potential free agent talent available at this position?

I assume that you will be at Loftus Road tomorrow for the game against Derby. Best of luck. Go QPR!

Brian

Ceri,

Spot on as always. The only qualifier I would add concerns Andre Smith's two blocked kicks as they might have been systemic in nature. Beamer puts a great emphasis on this aspect of the game (even running kick block drills with nerf-style footballs) so that VTech regularly leads the top D-I teams in blocked kicks.

Go QPR! Ten points clear with five to go!

Big Hitter

Football terminology is something native to football coaching. To the non-coach, it is not. Cover 1, Cover 2, Cover 3, Tampa 2, 46 Bear, etc.; all this can often be quite confusing. The purpose of this article is to describe in a limited sense what is exactly meant when one discusses the term "Cover 2" as it relates to a defense. 

In its generic sense, the term "Cover" does NOT indicate a particular defensive scheme. Rather, it describes the coverage responsibilities of the safeties. One must remember that the safety(s) are the last line of defense between the offense and the goal line. Ergo the term "safety." Regardless of whether the the play is a run or a pass, the safety must place himself in a position which keeps himself between any opposing player and the goal line. The exception is within the red zone, where (depending on the location of the snap) the field responsibilities collapse, requiring a shift in both run and pass assignments.

Different defensive schemes favor particular base safety coverage responsibilities. The traditional 4-3 defensive set is considered to be a Cover 2. This defense, revolutionary at the time, was developed by Tom Landry when he was the the Giants' defensive coordinator in the 1950s. It evolved out of the earlier "Unbrella Defense," as designed by previous Giant HC Steve Owen. In the (then) modernized Landry 4-3, the weakside (free) safety plays back, 12-15 yards off the line, while the strongside (strong) safety plays about 8-10 yards off the strong side of the line. Quite often, the strong safety has man coverage on the tight end. In such man-2-man coverage, the defense is in a Cover 1. Otherwise, the SS has deep coverage to the strong side. This style of defense remains the base 4-3 scheme to this day. To avoid confusion, I like to refer to this safety coverage as a "Cover 1 1/2," as the strong safety cheats up closer to the line.

As used in today's terminology, a "Cover 2" utilizes the safeties in cutting the deep field coverage responsibilities exactly in half between the two safeties. Both safeties play equally back, with neither cheating up closer to the line. This allignment, whether called a "man" or a "zone" coverage, is in fact a zone responsibility. Each safety gets exactly one half of the deep area of the field to protect. A Cover 2 expects the front nine of the defense to take care of all play in front, with the safeties free to react to the play as it develops.

A Cover 2 does not indicate the aggressive strategy of a defense. Bill Parcell's 3/4 Giant defense of the 1980s utilized a Cover 2. Parcells' defense was to two gap in the up front interior of the line and a lateral coverage to the outside. This was a run stop first defense that dealt with the pass via viscious blitzes from multiple angles, press man-2-man on the corners, and a Cover 2 to prevent getting beat deep on a run or a pass. In Parcells' defense, the corners had big time run stop responsibilities. It was not uncommon for a corner position to record 100 tackles in a season. As stated, the corners were thus required to play up close to the line in a press m2m. Parcells had outstanding personnel to play this defense, particularly at the linebacking positions. Besides LT, Carl Banks was a great cover linebacker who could stay with the tight end, allowing the strong side safety to deep zone the strong side of the field. And interior linebackers Gary Reasons and Harry Carsons were rock hard tacklers and good coverage linebackers who played their responsibilities almost flawlessly. 

To the opposite end is the "Tampa 2." This defense is a particular style, or scheme, of defense which also utilizes a Cover 2. The Tampa 2 is straight up unagressive zone form of the base 4-3. The biggest difference between the "Tampa 2" and the traditional "Landry 4-3" is how the linebackers are utilized in coverage. The corners, who have outside responsibilities, actually play an outside technique, feeding the wide recievers to the middle. The outside linebackers cover the short outside routes. The middle linebacker has the middle of the field, from short middle to about 25 yards deep. The pass rush is the responsibility of the front four. The Tampa 2 was developed by Tony Dungy when he was at Tampa Bay. He brought it with him to Indianapolis, where it is still utilized. The Tampa 2 blitzes less than any other defensive scheme. Since Dungy went to the Colts, they have blitzed less than any other team in football. 

I will expand on the "Cover" concept in future posts, later to be combined into a single, unified article.

Big Hitter

I am absolutely stunned speachless at this unexpected tragedy. My heartfelt condolences to Evan's family.

Brian

Easy one for the Big Red. He was actually Coach of the Year for '61 and '62.

Who was the NFL Coach of the Year in '62?

Chris,

Thanks for the heads up. By the time I completed this post it was almost 3:00 A.M. Changes done.

Brian

To the elder Giant Faithful, it is a familiar lament. To the younger fan, a historical curiosity to which they cannot relate. When, who, or will there ever be: another Homer Jones?

It has now been forty seasons since Homer Jones was the last Giant wide receiver selected to the Pro Bowl. Forty years since his physical presence at split left end on the Giant offense placed opposing defenses in terror of his potential destruction. For Homer Jones was, indeed, just such a player. Truth be stated, over a four year period, Homer was one of only five truly dominant offensive players in the NFL. Players who made opposing defenses adjust to brilliance else they be immediately burned by a long score. Of the five, four (Gayle Sayers, Charlie Taylor, Bob Hayes, and Leroy Kelly) are in the Hall of Fame. Tragically, a career long knee injury cost Homer his career just as he was at the pinnacle of his game. If not, Homer would certainly be among these four greats in Canton.

Yes, Homer Jones was that good. No, not just good, but great. At 6'2" tall, 225 lbs., with world class speed and hands likened to butterfly nets, Homer was as talented a wideout as who ever played the game.  During 1966-1968, Homer had three consecutive seasons of 1000 plus reception yardage. This in an era when such a statistic was as rare as fifty home runs in baseball. (Or at least as rare until baseball's Steroid Era forever tainted this once revered accomplishment.) But it wasn't just what Homer did. It was also how he did it. Big. Very big. Bigger than life. Ruthian, in fact. Yes, that big.

To truly understand Homer Jones' impact, consider the following. He presently hold the NFL career record of 22.3 yards/catch (minimum 200 catches: 224/4986). Yet this statistic does not do Homer's career true justice. For it was in his touchdown production that Homer truly blows all contenders away. Of Homer's 34 career touchdown catches, 29 were for more more than thirty yards, 19 more than fifty yards, and ten for more than seventy yards. Homer gained a total of 1710 yards on these 34 touchdowns, an astounding 47.8 yards/touchdown catch. Although I am unable to locate this all-time statistic, I would be shocked to find any player to average within twenty yards of this accomplishment.             

Homer Jones was born on February 18, 1941, in the small rural community of Pittsburg, Texas. He was the only child of a steelworker father and a school teacher mother. The family moved to L.A. during WW II, then moved back to Texas following the war. Homer, a clearly talented child (he was walking by ten months and speaking by one year), did not play football for most of high school. Instead, he played the saxaphone, hoping for a career in music. By his senior year, Homer, who wished to go to college, realized that music would not earn him a college scholarship. Homer then tried out for the football team and was assigned to play fullback. On his first play from scrimmage, Homer ran eighty yards for a touchdown. Homer's senior season was good enough to qualify him for college ball. For a black man living in the south in the late 1950s, the opportunity to play for the lilly white big universities did not exist. Homer received nine scholarship offers from black southern universities. He turned down perrenial powerhouse Grambling as too far from home. Instead, he settled on Texas Southern, located in nearby Houston.

Homer played linebacker his freshman season at Southern, then moved to halfback as a sophmore. In his junior year, he was moved to flanker, where he made Small College All American. In his last two seasons at Southern, he excelled in running reverses, which routinely resulted in long gains. Homer states that he would occasionally reverse the reverse, just to see what might happen. In his next to last game at Southern, Homer injured his knee on a reverse play. Still, he was drafted by Giants in the Round 20 (#278 overall) of the 1963 NFL draft. Homer opted to instead sign with the Houston Oilers of the fledgling American Football League.

Homer re-injured his knee in a pickup game prior to reporting to the Oilers' 1963 training camp. When the Oilers lost interest in his services, Homer's career fell into limbo. Homer then contacted the Giants on the advice of a sportswriter friend. The Giants requested that he receive an offical release from the Oilers. He did so, and the Oilers agreed. The Giants then brought Homer to New York, where team doctor  Anthony Pisani operated on the knee. Homer rehabbed on the taxi squad for the entire 1963 season, then played sparingly in three games during the disasterous 2-12 1964 campaign.

Homer came into his own in 1965. During a 7-7 Giant campaign, Homer caught 26 passes for 709 yards, an astounding average of 27.3 yards/catch. Even more impressive was that Homer caught four touchdowns of 70+ yards. His numbers on six touchdowns were 89, 79, 7, 28, 74, and 72.

The Giants opened up the 1966 season with a wild and wooly 34-34 tie with the Steelers. In that game, Homer scored on touchdown passes of 75 and 98 yards. Although the Giants would only win one game enroute to a 1-12-1 season, Homer was outstanding. He caught 48 passes for 1044 yards, 21.8 yards/catch, and eight touchdowns. His numbers on the eight touchdowns were 75, 98, 20, 34, 17, 9, 50, and 82.

In 1967, Homer flat out broke the league apart. Newly aquired QB Fran Tarkenton was an unorthodox kindred spirit with whom Homer immediately connected. Homer would open the season with two touchdowns in each of the first three games, scoring on passes of 70, 38, 52, 35, and 68 yards, plus a reverse run TD of 45 yards. Homer would finish the season with 49 catches for 1209 yards, a 24.7 yard/catch average, and thirteen touchdowns. Add in five carries (with one touchdown) plus two kickoff returns, Homer scored an incredible one touchdown for every four times he touched the ball. Homer's yardage per touchdown: 70, 38, 52, 45 (run), 35, 68, 34, 22, 30, 66, 45, 2, 63, 69.

Homer made the Pro Bowl in 1967. This led to an odd near-confrontation with Homer's rival, Cowboy WR Bob Hayes. Hayes, the so-called "The World's Fastest Man" due to his world record 9.1 second 100 yard dash time, was also selected to the Pro Bowl. That said, many in the NFL thought that Homer Jones, once timed at 9.2 in the 100, might be even faster than Hayes. The Los Angeles Herald, which sponsored the Pro Bowl, wanted to conduct a pre-game race between the two in order to drum up interest in the game. Winner take all at $25,000. This was an enormous sum in that day and age. The race was called off when Giant owner Wellington Mara, who thought the race would ruin the good taste of the Pro Bowl, offered Homer $5,000 not to race. Homer reluctantly accepted, and the race never took place.

In 1968, Homer again went to the Pro Bowl as the Giants repeated at 7-7. His numbers were again outstanding: 45 catches, 1057 yards, 23.5 yards/catch, seven touchdowns. Homer's yardage in those seven touchdowns were 82, 56, 22, 44, 1, 60, and 73. Homer opened the 1969 season with a 54 yard touchdown catch in a 24-23 Giant win over the Vikings. Unknown at the time, this would be Homer's last touchdown as a Giant. His degenerative knee injury was hurting both his speed and his cutting ability. Although Homer ended the season with a credible 42 catches/744 yards/17.7 yards per catch, the Giants were aware that Homer's best days were quickly falling behind him. The Giant front office were willing to shop Homer's services to the highest bidder. That bidder turned out to be the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns, once formidable, but now slipping ala the 1963 Giants, coveted Purdue quarterback Mike Phipps as their potential savior. The Browns were willing to give up All Pro wide receiver Paul Warfield to the Dolphins for the Fish' #1 pick (#7 overall) in order to draft Phipps, but only if they (the Browns) were able to land a comparable WR elsewhere. The Browns had an excellent trade bait of their own: Ron Johnson, first year running back from Michigan, who had played well in his rookie season. The Browns could afford to shop Johnson as they still had  RB Leroy Kelly, who remained at the top of his game. The Giants, who at this point had no real running game, were willing to play. An indirect three way deal was worked out. First, the Browns traded Warfield to the Dolphins for the #7 pick (used to draft Phipps.) Then the Browns traded Ron Johnson and DT Jim Kanicki to the Giants for Homer Jones. Homer was now a Cleveland Brown.

Unfortunately for the Browns, the tank was empty in Homer's knee. A shell of himself, he caught only ten passes in 1970 for 141 yards. Always the big play gamer, Homer had two moments left in his career. To open the 1970 season, the Browns played the Jets in the first ever game of Monday Night Football. Homer returned the opening kickoff of the second half 94 yards for a touchdown that helped the Browns to a 31-21 victory. (Contrary to popular belief, the return did not open the game, but, as stated, opened the second half.) Homer would then make his only Brown touchdown catch in the final game of the season, a 43 yard effort thrown by Bill Nelson in a 27-13 victory against the Broncos.

Homer was traded to the Cardinals after the 1970 season, but he would never play again. The knee was just too bad. And so ended the career of Mr. Homer Jones. The greatest Giant wide receiver of my, or any other Giant fan's, lifetime. Homer, if you read this, kudos to you. And Thank You for the memories.





Big Hitter

I began my now legendary worship of our beloved Giants in 1965. The eight year old Big Hitter watched as the Giants opened the season with four road games before returning home to four straight home games at The Stadium. Ultimately, the Giants would meander their way to a 7-7 final record. As I wax nostagic on this beautiful spring evening, let us re-examine 1965, game by game.


Game 1
September 19
at Dallas

Cowboys 31, Giants 2

In his rookie debut with the Cowboys, Bob Hayes catches two passes for 81 yards and runs 45 yards on an end-around for a touchdown. The Giants only score occurs in the third period when Jim Katcavage tackles Don Meredith in the Cowboy end zone for a safety. The Pokes' 31-2 thrashing of the Giants seals forever the Big Hitter's hatred of the Cowboys.


Game 2
September 26
at Philadelphia

Giants 16, Eagles 14

Andy Stynchula kicks field goals of 24, 20, and 11 yards, the last of which overcomes a 14-13 deficit to give the Giants a two point victory. Stynchula, a former Penn State All American defensive tackle, is best known for being traded from the Redskins to the Giants for Sam Huff. Giant rookie fullback Tucker Frederickson runs for 76 yards on 17 carries.


Game 3
October 03
at Pittsburgh

Giants 23, Steelers 13

Aaron Thomas catches a 29 yard TD pass from Earl Morrall to seal the victory. Earlier in the game, Giant rookie Bob Timberlake kicks a 43 yard field goal. This would be Timberlake's only successful field goal that year, finishing the season at 1/15.


Game 4
October 09
at Minnesota

Vikings 40, Giants 14

An odd Saturday game for that era. The Vikings, up 17-7 at the half, score 21 unanswered third quarter points to turn the game into a blow out.


Game 5
October 17
Yankee Stadium

Giants 35, Eagles 27

The Giants jump out to a 35-7 third quarter lead before the Eagles score 20 late points to make the score respectful. Earl Morrall completes 10 of 15 passes for an incredible 296 yards and four touchdowns, including tosses of 71 yards to Aaron Thomas, 46 yards to Joe Morrison, 89 yards to Homer Jones, and 2 yards to Bobby Crespino.


Game 6
October 24
Yankee Stadium 
   
Browns 38, Giants 14

The reigning NFL Champion Browns thoroughly dominate the Giants, finishing with 526 total yards of offense. The great Jim Brown is magnificent, running for 177 yards on 24 carries. He also catches three passes for 18 yards, including a five yard TD catch from Frank Ryan, and throws a 39 yard option pass TD to Gary Collins.


Game 7
October 31
Yankee Stadium

Giants 14, Cardinals 10

The Cards amass 438 total yards of offense but only score ten points in the loss. The Giants, down 10-0 at the half, score on a 29 yard Morrall-to-Thomas third quarter TD pass and a Frederickson four yard fourth quarter TD run to seal the victory.

Note that this game was played on Halloween. Later that evening, The Big Hitter would go trick-or-treating as Frank Gifford. The outfit consisted of a Giant helmet borrowed from a friend and a navy blue sweatshirt decorated with the number "16" drawn with white shoe polish.


Game 8
November 07
Yankee Stadium

Redskins 23, Giants 07

The Giants turn the ball over five times on three lost fumbles and two interceptions. My personal memory of the game is of Giant Bob Timberlake missing one chip shot field goal after another.


Game 9
November 14
at Cleveland

Browns 34, Giants 21

The Browns once again pound the Giants, finishing with 459 total yards of offense. Jim Brown runs for 156 yards on 20 carries plus three rushing touchdowns.


Game 10
November 21
at St. Louis

Giants 28, Cardinals 15

The scoring opens in an odd manner. In the 1st quarter, Giant linebacker Gerry Hillebrand intercepts a Buddy Humphrey pass in the end zone. Hillebrand attempts to return the ball, fumbles, and falls on the ball in the end zone. Under the rules of that era, the call is a safety. The Cards turn the ball over five times in the game, and the Giants win comfortably.


Game 11
November 28
Yankee Stadium

Bears 35, Giants 14

The Bears thoroughly @sswhoop the Giants on both sides of the ball. By, half-time, the score is 21-0, and the Bears coast to victory. Gayle Sayers runs for 113 yards on just 13 carries and two TDs, plus catches two passes for 24 yards. Sayers' fellow rookie Dick Butkus kills the Giant offense.

My most vivid memory of this game involves Bear TE Mike Ditka. During the first half, Ditka catches a Rudy Bukich sideline pass and turns upfield. He is simultaneously hit by about five Giants, all of who bounce off Ditka like so many rubber balls. Ditka rumbles on for a long gain. This play was immortalized by being shown in a shaving commercial for several subsequent seasons, and was integral in the making of the legend of Iron Mike.


Game 12
December 05
Yankee Stadium

Giants 35 Steelers 10

Tucker Frederckson has a big game, running for 81 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns and catching 3 passes for 16 yards and another touchdown. The Steelers turn the ball over six times on four lost fumbles and two Bill Nelson interceptions.


Game 13
December 12
at Washington

Giants 27 Redskins 10

After spotting the Redskins ten points (including a 45 yard option pass TD from Charlie Taylor to Bobby Mitchell), the Giants score 27 unanswered points to cruise to victory. Homer Jones catches touchdown passes of 74 and 72 yards from Eral Morrall.


Game 14
December 19
Yankee Stadium

Cowboys 38 Giants 20

The Big Hitter is worked up for this one. If the 7-6 Giants win, they will tie the 8-5 Cowboys with identical 8-6 records. Under tie-breaking rules, the Giants will finish second in the NFL East and move on to play in the 1965 Playoff Bowl. After three quarters, the Cowboys lead a seesaw battle 17-13. Early in the 4th quarter, the Giants drive inside the Cowboy 35 yard line. When the drive stalls, the Giants try a 40 yard field goal. The kick is blocked and Dallas LB Obert Logan returns the ball 60 yards for a touchdown. The Giants trail, 24-13.

The Giants respond with a long drive that ends in a 2 yard Morrall-to-Crespino TD pass. 24-20, Dallas. The Giants stop Dallas, then drive towards the winning touchdown. On a crucial fourth down play, Giant HC Allie Sherman sends CB (and world class sprinter) Clarence Childs into the game as a wide receiver. Sherman calls for an out pattern. Dallas CB Cornell Green picks the pass off and runs 43 yards into Giant territory. Dallas QB Don Meredith then throws a 29 yard TD pass to flanker Buddy Dials. 31-20 Dallas. On the Giants ensuing drive, Morrall throws a pass that is picked off by Cowboy Warren Livingston. A 2 yard TD run by Cowboy JD Smith closes out the scoring. Final score: Dallas 38, Giants 20.


The Giants finished the 1965 season at 7-7, an outcome that would become commonplace in the late sixties. The 1965 Giants gave so many thrills and heartbreaks to me in that, my formative season. The credit for my 1965 transformation into a Giant fan can be credited to my mother's cousin, Mary Ann. Mary Ann, nine years my senior, had grown up in the era of Charlie Connerly, Y.A. Tittle, Frank Gifford, Big Red Webster, and (most of all) Sam Huff. Mary Ann easily converted me into the honor and valor of Giant Fandom. Mary Ann would reward my youthful loyalty each birthday and Christmas with books from the Punt, Pass, and Kick Library, then later with Elliot Asinof's now classic book, Seven Days to Sunday.

I owe so much to Mary Ann for giving me this treasure of my youth. A true Irish Catholic, she never married. Tragically, she died just a few hours ago of an unexpected heart attack. No history of heart disease. She has moved on to join Joe Morrison, Rosey Brown, and all other Giants, big and not so big, who have passed into God's Hands. I loved her very much. Still do. And I will miss her aways.

RIP Mary Ann McMahon. Hugs, Kisses, and, most of all, Love.

Brian

   

I posted this a bit ago. I can't remember how to dupe it into this thread, so I will have to post a link.


http://giantsfans.net/message_board/index.php/topic,478.0.html


Big Hitter

I put this video in as part of a Kenny Phillips thread, but perhps it should also be archived over here on the History Board. I know that our good friend Chris Allen would enjoy it. Wow, Mr. Butkus!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhNVqs07FRc&NR=1


Big Hitter

My vote for the 1976 Giants Rookie of the Year:





Big Hitter

Richie,

I am not able to open it at all. Your thread shows only a blank screen.

Brian

Got it now.

B

Steve,

The Giants drafted Larry Jacobsen in the 1st Round (#24 overall) of the 1972 draft. The Giants had obtained this pick as part of the trade that sent The Sainted Fran Tarkenton back to the Vikings. I believe that the injury occurred over the 72-73 off-season. The injury actually resulted from him stepping on a glass at a pool party. Jacobsen tried returning, but was unable to push off with the injured foot. He played in 19 games the next two seasons, but was gone following 1974. (As a historical side note: Prior to his injury, I believe that we had Jacobsen slotted in for the HOF. Right next to the Connecticut Huskie great, Vince Clement.)

Lucious Selmon is the elder Selmon of which you speak. As you noted, he was an undersized NT who graduated from OU in 1974. The Patriots selected him in the 16th round of the 1974 draft, but Lucious opted instead to play for the Memphis Southmen of the newly established World Football League. When the WFL folded after two seasons, Lucious returned to Oklahoma in 1976 as the Sooners' defensive line coach. He remained at OU for nineteen seasons. He moved on to the NFL in 1995 as Tom Coughlin's DL coach in Jacksonville. He remained with the Jaguars through the '02 season. His latest and last coaching stint was in 2005 as the DL coach at Michigan State.

Lee Roy Selmon was the #1 overall pick in the 1976 draft, being selected by the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was a six-time Pro Bowl selection in his nine years with the Bucs. In 1995, he was selected for the Pro Football Hall  of Fame.

Dewey Selmon was also drafted in 1976 by the Bucs. He was a Round 2 selection, #60 overall. He played for the Bucs from '76-'80 and for the Chargers in '82. He played in no Pro Bowls, but was a 2nd Team ILB on the Associated Press' 1979 All Pro Team.

Trivia question:

What was odd about Lee Roy Selmon's selection to the HOF?

BigHitter 

I have to double check, but I think #75 is Giant rookie DT Larry Jacobsen. #81 is indeed Jack Gregory.

Big Hitter