Big Blue Huddle

who would it be and why?

Parcells

Conventional wisdom says a leader should treat his people the same. Parcells didn't demonstrate that. He treated people based on their ability and their personality. He knew what buttons to push and when/how to push them. He was a motivator and manipulator and seemed to get what he wanted out of people. There's a reason such a diverse group of players (personality-wise) revere him.

Wellington Mara

Just a legend and knew how to run a team with grace and class.  An incredible NFL Steward and an even better human being!

Quote from: WheresDayne on June 25, 2024, 12:06:09 PMWellington Mara

Just a legend and knew how to run a team with grace and class.  An incredible NFL Steward and an even better human being!

Back in the 90's I had Touchdown Club tickets for before and after the game and Wellington would go around the tables and chat with the fans. I attended his Public Wake service to honor him.

Probably Eli. Seems like such an easy going, fun guy to be around.

I think Vince Lombardi

In the modern era, Schoen   Id like to know his secret plan to get us another trophy and how much orgaanizational dysfunction we really suffer under. 

Quote from: WheresDayne on June 25, 2024, 12:06:09 PMWellington Mara

Just a legend and knew how to run a team with grace and class.  An incredible NFL Steward and an even better human being!

That was not the fan sentiment of Wellington in the 1970s.  Winning changes views.

Maybe George Young.  I'd love to know the "inside" on a bunch of draft decisions and what they considered at the time as well as decisions on coaching.   

Surprised to see so few players mentioned.

I got to have dinner with Champ Bailey once as part of a group dinner from this package we got with our SB XL tickets.

I was lucky enough to be seated right next to Champ, and he gave me a good 10-15 minutes of 1-on-1 conversation. It was the best! He was so down to earth and genuinely interested in me. He asked my favorite team and when I said the Giants, he immediately starting raving about what an amazing player and leader Antonio Pierce was. I believe this was after AP's first year in NY, and Champ played with him in Wash. It was surreal hearing first-hand accounts of a guy's practice habits, leadership qualities, etc., from an All Pro.

While AP would be a good pick for dinner, it's a no brainer decision on Eli.

This is an especially difficult question to answer because:

1. There's a large number of people, associated with the Football Giants, over the last 100 years, whom I would be most honored to break bread with, and

2. I've been blessed to have had an opportunity to have dinner with one of those Football Giants whom I truly liked and would have put on this list, but don't need to since I've already had the "time of my life" experience with.

My love of Giants' history would naturally steer me to the first half of the century, perhaps the first two or three decades, out of pure curiosity to want to learn more about the legends. But I am always pulled back to my childhood years (i.e. the mid to late 1970s) when I learned to become a die-hard Giant fan. The very first blip of light from that dark era is a man whose expectation was to lead the Giants' turn-around on the field. Eventually, with some help, and much will and determination, he successfully helped lead them to the promised land. But his story is about so much more than his days leading the Giants. His career broadcasting NFL games, followed by analytical work in the NFL studios of CBS, made him an enduring public figure in the NFL for nearly five decades.

If you haven't figured it out by now, my dinner guest would be Phil Simms, hands down. Great storyteller, tremendous emotion in his delivery, he can remember a moment in time and describe it in a way that brings you, along with him, back to the exact place and time to relive the moment; and this is before the appetizers arrive!

Can we make it a full weekend, please???

Peace!

Some of us, from way back when did enjoy a great BBQ with Harry Carson, so he might have been my original choice but we've been there, done that.

My favorite all-time Giant is YA Tittle, so he would be my choice.

If we could be joined by others, in no particular order, Frank Gifford, Bill Parcels, Phil Simms, and George Young.

Many years ago, I actually shared a table at Gallagher's with the late Alex Webster and had, what I guess could be said to have been, an informal lunch with "Big Red".

But now, if I could, I would choose to have dinner with Tom Coughlin whose hiring as Giants HC in 2004, I vigorously opposed. I referred to him at the time as a martinet who would take discipline to an extreme almost to the point of being meanspirited. In his first couple of years, it seemed as though I was right. Just ask Michael Strahan.

But then all of a sudden, or so it seemed, he started to lighten up, to embrace his players, to encourage more and criticize less, to enjoy his task. Again, just ask Michael Strahan. In any case, I now regard him as every bit the equal of Bill Parcells and now today I would say that Major Tom/Colonel Coughlin is my favorite Giants Coach.

Cheers!

Bill Parcells. During the 86' season the evening after each game he would have a radio call in show from Gallagher's. I spoke with him just about every week, at that time using the moniker Alan from Manhattan.
We went at it a little bit. The first week after losing very late to Dallas I was pissed and brought up the idea that this team doesn't have enough of a killer instinct. He replied to paraphrase, now hold on there it's a little early talking about not having a killer instinct with a bit of a raised voice. Then there was the 4th and 17 game I mentioned some sloppy play, he replied with hey we won the game. I also mentioned using a two TE offense as the time came for Mowatt to return to basically blow teams off the ball.
At dinner we would talk Giants, and thoroughbred racing.

Frank Gifford

Quote from: files58 on June 25, 2024, 05:00:57 PMBill Parcells. During the 86' season the evening after each game he would have a radio call in show from Gallagher's. I spoke with him just about every week, at that time using the moniker Alan from Manhattan.
We went at it a little bit. The first week after losing very late to Dallas I was pissed and brought up the idea that this team doesn't have enough of a killer instinct. He replied to paraphrase, now hold on there it's a little early talking about not having a killer instinct with a bit of a raised voice. Then there was the 4th and 17 game I mentioned some sloppy play, he replied with hey we won the game. I also mentioned using a two TE offense as the time came for Mowatt to return to basically blow teams off the ball.
At dinner we would talk Giants, and thoroughbred racing.

You telling Parcells off about out-physicalling your opponent ... why does that not surprise me in the very least?

Let me know when you plan to tell that to Drury and Laviolette and I'll be in the first row hooting you on!!!

Great story! Thank you for sharing!

Peace!