He Knew He Was Right

CCR may have been my first favorite rock band. Growing up, I can still remember the records that would rotate at family dinners throughout the seasons and years. Cosmos Factory was a favorite, with my Mom particularly fond of Ramble Tamble. And, what is not to like about that! Appreciation of CCR stayed with me, and I eventually bought all their albums myself, still owning them on CD. Anyway, I don't want to go off on too much of a tangent here, and will simply segue to this song that I can't get out of my head for the last month or so... Perhaps one of their lesser known songs, the "Feelin' blue, blue, blue, blue, blue" chorus just won't leave my head. And I don't want it to leave any time soon. I'm feelin' blue in the best of possible ways. Congrats to the New York Giants on their fourth Super Bowl Championship. Outstanding!! Maybe I have one more football post in me for this season, but, if not, what better way to end it than a Super Bo...

Ok, I've been posting on the Wednesday or Thursday before each of the Giants playoff games, and they've won. I grew hip to this trend before the Championship game, and they squeaked out the win. No way will a Big Blue loss be attributable to my not doing my part now. So, here goes nothing.... That last game really was something else, eh? I was lucky enough to watch it in a great sports bar in Stowe, VT--the Sunset Grille and Tap Room. We spent seven or so hours there, ate two meals, and, well, enjoyed some pints of Switchback Ale. Enjoyed them we did through the AFC battle, and then through about the first half of the NFC game. By then, the nature of the latter game was clear--a tough battle with momentum swinging back and forth. I get nervous watching these games, and this game was no exception. Afraid to watch the TV at some points, I just stared at the mostly consumed dinner that remained on the plate in front of me. Nerves aside, it was a fun atmosphere. Stowe is nicel...

For the past few weeks, I've done a post about the Giants, and they've won the next Sunday. Now, there may be plenty of reasons for Big Blue to lose, but let it go on record that HKHWR is doing his part to keep this nice run going. Not boastful in either of the first two rounds, I am certainly not going to change my tone here. I will note that I like the way the Giants are playing on all three sides of the ball--offense, defense and special teams. A wise coach from a division rival once said you had to win two out of three to win, and the Giants don't look overmatched in any of them. For most of the season, I had thought the Giants special teams were average at best. They're certainly not an elite group, but they are playing more competently than they have all season. I am very happy happy with the way the offense is going. The running and passing games are both solid. The two-back rotation does take a quarter or so to start moving, but they seem to get stronger a...

When the Giants built that momentum that got them to the playoffs at the end of the 2007 season, their first opponent was the Bucaneers. I remember thinking that the Giants could totally win that game if they played as they did the week before against the undefeated Patriots. And they did. Their next opponent was the dreaded Cowboys. I remember thinking that game could go either way. The Cowboys looked good going into the playoffs, and I wouldn't have been shocked at all if they won, but I thought Big Blue could do it. And they did. Then there was that little game against Green Bay. Lambeau Field. The Frozen Tundra. Manning, a QB who had never played in weather like that, and ditto for many on the team, who I thought tipped their hand about the frigid temperatures presenting a problem. I recalled that the Bucs, who had never won a game when the temperature was below 40 at kickoff, had in a recent season knocked off GB up there, but I simply didn't give the Giants a chance. ...

A year ago, the Giants finished 10-6 and missed the playoffs. I blasted them (or maybe whined about them) a number of times on this blog. They did plenty of things right, but clearly it wasn't enough, and, when push came to shove, their record appeared to be better than they were. This year, their record is worse, but they seem like a better team than that one, especially of late. They've been playing without a number of key starters from last year, yet other players have come in and played well or well enough in their absence, and others have simply excelled. The QB has thrown two fewer TDs this year, but has had a much better season: He's thrown for well over 1.5 miles more compared to what he threw last year and has nine fewer INTs. He also lost one less fumble this year compared to last, and I must throw in the fact that he had one critical fumble recovery this year, extending a drive in the second half of the deciding final game. Last year, the Giants simply didn...

So, the playoffs start tomorrow, and Big Blue is not in the picture. They just didn't make the cut. I let my brother-in-law make the preceding post, and I can't say I disagree with him in that I don't blame the schedule makers. I don't even blame their bad luck in playing east of the Mississippi River. See, 7-9 records only work out west. But, regardless of any Tweet or Facebook post I may have made, that's not to blame. The schedule is what it is. I actually like its formulaic design, as it promotes great rotation. You know your team will get to play against every team at least every four years. That only two games (you know, the two games you have a tough time explaining to others when asked how the NFL comes up with each team's opponents) are specifically scheduled against teams with a similar division ranking is not remarkably conducive to parity, but it's a fine way to complete a 16-game schedule. If parity were the objective, maybe the schedule could b...

Dear Big Blue- I just said a few things to #82 that I hope you've already addressed. See, I simply think he's been too careless with the football lately. Yes, I'm basing that off of just a few plays, but we have so few players that are really good at hanging onto it that I hate to see another one fall victim to fumblitis. Now, what is up with this? Players go through it, I know, but to this degree? I remember when Tiki had his issues, and the problem got corrected. Why are the same players on this team repeatedly putting the ball on the ground? The extent to which Bradshaw fumbles is ridiculous, but even Jacobs is too careless with it. In fact, I knew he was in trouble on his breakaway run in the Packers game, and was hoping he'd turn out of bounds before it was poked away--you'd think the coaches might have the players prepared for situations like that. But, fumblitis is only half of the problem on offense, isn't it? What is going on at quarterback? Now, the mo...

Dear Mario- I know it's a little close to game time for you to be receiving this, but, well, I was hoping someone might give you that smack in the head the coaching staff clearly isn't. See, should Big Blue fail to make the playoffs, I will long remember how the season unraveled the second you dropped the ball along the sideline in the third quarter of that crushing loss to the Eagles two weeks ago. Yes, tons wrong occurred after that play, but, had you simply taken care of the ball, we'd have run some time off the clock, maybe a lot of time, and, who knows, maybe the Eagles would have taken Vick out at some point shortly thereafter. (And, even if that is unlikely, it is much more likely for time to run out before that infamous punt return.) Instead, there was that long TD run by the opposing tight end, the completely unready set up against the onside kick that followed, and, in a flash, score, score, score. Now, you're nowhere near the team leadership in the fumble...

Why did you change your evil ways? For the first three quarters, this game seemed well in hand, thanks to some wicked good, merciless play on both sides of the ball. Then, a mistake here and a mistake there changed things to one of the most painful losses I remember from this team, and there have been plenty of those. Now, before I continue, let me note that the last time I devoted a post to the play of Big Blue was after their first few games, where I saw what everyone else did—a weak team that some were writing off ( I didn’t ). Then they played the month of October brilliantly, really looking like the team to beat in the NFC for a stretch, in fact. I didn’t blog about them then because, well, life, or simply writer’s block, got in the way. Yeah, there were struggles against the Cowboys and Eagles, but they rebounded again, and set up the big matchup in the Meadowlands this past Sunday. When all is said and done, they’re a 9-5 team, and they really seem like one: Playoff worthy, ...

So here I am at the New Meadowlands Arena. Ok, first of all...hmmm, actually for my first Giants game in their new stadium, I don't know what "first of all" I want to raise. The weather, the trains, the stadium, or the condition of Big Blue. I left my house at about 8:30. At 28 degrees, there was a perfect autumn chill in the air. I have simply seen too many games wearing short sleeves these past few years. Be it domed stadiums, more southerly ones, more unseasonably warm games (I mean over 70 in Lambeau?!--I was almost tempted to not count that as a real Packer home game...), I'm finally at a game wearing long sleeves, and know I may have a jacket on by half time. Perfect football weather! Then there was that trip here. Having sat on the exit ramp of the NJ turnpike for over an hour the last time I went to the old Giants Stadium, I'm simply not in a hurry to drive here. But, luckily, I was not in a hurry to get here today. Even with everything perfectly sy...

With September football done, I thought this a good time for my own assessment of the Giants, to see if I can justify hope or should hop on a green bandwagon. Well, the good news may be that their two losses have come out of the conference. That said, those losses were ugly, and revealed key weaknesses. I don’t have to stretch the imagination too much, however, to dig up some positives from these sound beatings. To start, when manhandled by the Colts last week, my biggest gripe was what seemed to be Blue’s being completely outcoached—for example, not being prepared with a run defense or able to adapt to Indy’s no-huddle offense. They suited up scores of pass rushers and played plenty of defensive backs, and the few run stuffers were clearly pushed to exhaustion and the DBs were just pushed around. This past week, the Giants seemed more prepared in that aspect of the game plan. And, since I mentioned the defensive line already, I’ll continue with them. I have no problem at all with the ...

The Giants were steamrolling, and 8-0 at this point in the season that culminated with their second Super Bowl victory. They were playing the Colts in Indianapolis on Monday Night Football, and I had tickets. A check of the schedule had revealed that the Browns were home that Sunday, playing the team that the Giants would eventually face for the title. And just like that, I went on my first football road trip. Starting with Cleveland, I sat with my feet on the dugout of the old Municipal Stadium, which might have been nice for a baseball game, but it hampered my view in the football configuration. The Bills absolutely trounced the Browns, winning 42-0. Punts were blocked by the fistful, as the home team played a dismal game all the way around. After making the drive to Indy the next day (that's my Beretta in front of the Hoosier Dome), I watched warm-ups, and then moved to my seat, which was in a section made up of Giants fans and adjacent to that of the players’ families. This mad...

I should be outside prepping for some painting I have to do, but there is rain in the forecast the next for the next few days. So, I am watching NFL pregame shows instead. What will this season be like for the Giants? Will the wide receivers put enough of a scare into defenses that they take a step back and open things up for the running game? That could be the key to the success of the offense. When Plaxico Burress shot the Giants in the foot by shooting himself in the leg two seasons ago, opposing linebackers and safeties took a giant step forward, packing the box and hurting their running game. I expect it to be the case more so this year than last that some of the young receivers help loosen things up for the Giants punishing ground game. Yes, there is the big question of the health and even the age of the offensive linemen, but these are five strong and proud men, and I think they can still push around most run defenses. The fullback play was weaker last year than the year before,...