The elephant in the room: John and Chris Mara.

[kartanoman]

I've shared this before. Pretty great read. 

https://www.bigblueinteractive.com/2016/08/07/wilderness-years-new-york-giants-1964-1978/

When you scroll to the bottom, try to find these books and read them. I bought many of them years ago and they are insightful and give you a greater appreciation for those folks who made up the Giants in the past: even when it was going bad.

It's easy to cast the absolute whole as bad. But to do so is to throw the baby out with the bath water. So many good players and support staff who were stand-up soldiers during those times. That's why the Super Bowl XXI glory carried over onto them, for their efforts were not in vain.

Peace!

[BluesCruz]

Conspiracy Theories: The bastion of the weak minded. 

Its 3PM in Germany and I'm feeling a bit faint....maybe I need to get some sugar in me :-)

Anyway since the second shot I can't feel my feet- no joke there...

[MightyGiants]

Conspiracy theories have shown to be dangerous and even deadly

How to Immunize Yourself From Conspiracy Theories
We can all do our part to tamp down the frenzy of conspiracy theories with a few simple steps:

1)Don't assume that "secret" information is more accurate than public information. The information we get from newspapers and news magazines often requires fact checks and editorial reviews before publishing. Such reports may prove more accurate because of its need to withstand public scrutiny.

2)Examine the emotional payoff you get from going down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories. Do you find it an exciting way to bond with friends? Is it engrossing and entertaining, like an exciting game? Ask yourself if the payoff is worth the agitation and feelings of fear that follow (Wilbur, D. et al., 2021).

3)Think like a scientist by looking for evidence against the conspiracy. Examine evidence from credible sources: peer-reviewed journal articles and books, for example, or mainstream news outlets with a professional, bylined editorial staff. Non-credible sources may include social-media posts without named authors or cited sources of information. The more extreme and outrageous the claim, the more evidence should be required.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/frazzlebrain/202309/why-conspiracy-theories-are-fun-but-dangerous-0

[Rosehill Jimmy]

To all.

Go back and get a copy of Dave Klein's paperback, "Giants Again" which tells the most complete story of how the Giants worked through "The Wilderness Years" all the way to the other side with George Young, AND Ray Perkins getting the Giants into the 1981 playoffs. A gutsy call in the 1979 draft to pick Phil Simms, and luck on their side, in the 1981 draft, when the Saints took George Rogers with the first pick, which opened the door for the Giants to select Lawrence Taylor, and the rest is history.

Peace!

Back in the day I would drop notes to GY and he always answered. I still have a few 40+years later. Prior to the 81 draft I asked who he planned to select ( he was always frank and forthcoming in his responses ). He replied back .. I haven't even told my confessor who I'm taking. In a post draft note he thanked his lucky stars that the Saints were one of the 4 teams that had a higher grade on Rogers than LT. BTW, Rogers and LT won OROY andDROY respectively and this draft also produced 8 HOFers

[Fletch]

How did John and his father manage to go to 5 Super Bowls and bring home four trophies? 

They had Ernie A. as GM. And he had to drag Wellington kicking and screaming to draft a QB with the top3 pick in the 2004 draft.

[kartanoman]

Back in the day I would drop notes to GY and he always answered. I still have a few 40+years later. Prior to the 81 draft I asked who he planned to select ( he was always frank and forthcoming in his responses ). He replied back .. I haven't even told my confessor who I'm taking. In a post draft note he thanked his lucky stars that the Saints were one of the 4 teams that had a higher grade on Rogers than LT. BTW, Rogers and LT won OROY andDROY respectively and this draft also produced 8 HOFers

Thank you for sharing, great stuff!

That 1981 draft was something else. It also did something special. It took two doormat teams and and not only changed their fortunes, but set their respective courses to climb out of the ashes of the 70s to the height of NFL powerhouses in the 80s. Of course, I'm talking about the Giants and the 49ers. Ronnie Lott and Lawrence Taylor did more for their teams to reach the pinnacle. The 49ers also added Eric Wright and Carlton Williamson to fortify their secondary, along with Lott, which dominated the '81 post-season. But the Giants didn't do too bad either in adding Byron Hunt to the LB corps, and nose tackle Bill Neill who started right away and showed promise until injuries slowed him down. Then, there was this free agent nose tackle, Jim Burt, who played with an attitude from day one and worked his way to All Pro status.

Great memories!

[BlueMoshik]

They had Ernie A. as GM. And he had to drag Wellington kicking and screaming to draft a QB with the top3 pick in the 2004 draft.

False.

Wellington had nothing to do with the 2004 draft. He wasn't involved in the draft. Ernie Accorsi wasn't a great GM but Eli was the highest rated QB that year on everybody's list. The Giants actually drafted Philip Rivers 3rd overall in order to trade him to San Diego who drafted Eli, who refused to play in San Diego. That was Accorsi's best move (also refusing to trade Osi Umenyora). The Giants were only in that position in the first place because they went 4-12 in 2003, Jim Fassel's final year as HC.

The 2007 and 2011 championships had a lot to do with Jerry Reese's early moves, including the outstanding draft class of 2007 (Bradshaw, Steve Smith, Kevin Boss, Aaron Ross), and then getting Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, JPP, and Antrel Rolle. Not to mention Tom Coughlin's outstanding leadership and the presence of Michael Strahan (drafted by George Young), Tuck (drafted by Accorsi), and Plaxico Burress in 2007 (signed by Accorsi).

John has nothing to do with the earlier Super Bowls. And they came because the Mara family was completely sidelined from the football decisions. That's when the Giants have always done best.

   

[Fletch]

Can you prove Wellington had nothing to do with the draft in 2004?

It's been some years now but I remember distinctly reading in a newspaper quoting Ernie that Wellington didn't want to take a QB. Yes I am aware of the trade but Ernie would have been just as happy w drafting Big Ben.

Also it's hard to take seriously a claim of credit to a GM with a coach , qb, and several excellent players already in place with a sb win. The guy hasn't had a job in 20 years