For a guy who isn't a Giants fan, I've sure spent a lot of words complimenting Tom Coughlin over the past few years. Not even mentioning the numerous times I’ve used the phrase “Coughlin mystique,” I’ve written such gems as:
I might even go so far as to say that the only thing more consistent than my praise for this great coach is that it wouldn’t be an NFL season if the media weren’t talking about the man getting fired.
So here we are in week 3, with the Giants at 0-2, with both of their losses coming after holding 4th quarter leads, and the hue and cry can be heard anew.
Madness, I say.
This is the coach who out-coached Bill Belichick not once, but twice, on the biggest stage in professional sports, defeating the favoured Patriots (including that 18-0 juggernaut). This is the coach who stood on the sidelines in during the NFC title game Green Bay in frigid temperatures and refused to cover up his face as his men battled their way to an overtime victory. And yes, this is a coach whose teams have not done very well over the past couple of seasons, mostly due to the fact that the Giants have had the worst luck with injuries.
Through all of this, Coughlin has remained as constant as the North Star. No matter if the Giants are winning or losing, or whether media-mad New York is canonizing him or crucifying him, he’s always that same no-nonsense guy who shows up, works hard, and gets the best out of the players he has.
A lesser man would never have lasted long in the crucible of New York sports. So don’t quit on Coughlin, Giants fans. He won’t quit on you.
Thursday Night
Giants at Home
When thinking about tonight’s contest, these are the thoughts that I couldn’t escape:
1) Though the Giants lost their first two games due to late collapses, they did a lot right to earn the leads they had in those games. This is particularly encouraging, especially when you consider the upset they almost pulled against the Cowboys in Dallas.
2) The Giants’ opponent for this game, or “They Who Shall Not Be Named,” lost to a Dolphins team that has looked less than stellar, and beat a Rams team that was probably suffering a letdown after an extremely emotional OT win over the Seahawks. TWSNBN, aren’t very good.
3) The Giants are playing at home, and will be looking to put together a solid 60-minute effort to sooth the sting of those two tough losses.
That’s good enough for me. Winner: Giants
- Coughlin reminds me of some wise elder who has mystical powers.
- Tom Coughlin is a cool customer who makes in-game adjustments as well as any coach in the league.
- Tom Coughlin is the best game-day coach in the NFL.
- Honestly, every time I count these guys out, they come back to life like Jason Vorhees and punch my head off... darn you Coughlin!
- Note to the Giants’ organization: fire Coughlin at your peril.
- I also devoted an entire column intro to Coughlin, comparing him to one of my favourite TV characters of all time, the brilliant detective Columbo.
I might even go so far as to say that the only thing more consistent than my praise for this great coach is that it wouldn’t be an NFL season if the media weren’t talking about the man getting fired.
So here we are in week 3, with the Giants at 0-2, with both of their losses coming after holding 4th quarter leads, and the hue and cry can be heard anew.
Madness, I say.
This is the coach who out-coached Bill Belichick not once, but twice, on the biggest stage in professional sports, defeating the favoured Patriots (including that 18-0 juggernaut). This is the coach who stood on the sidelines in during the NFC title game Green Bay in frigid temperatures and refused to cover up his face as his men battled their way to an overtime victory. And yes, this is a coach whose teams have not done very well over the past couple of seasons, mostly due to the fact that the Giants have had the worst luck with injuries.
Through all of this, Coughlin has remained as constant as the North Star. No matter if the Giants are winning or losing, or whether media-mad New York is canonizing him or crucifying him, he’s always that same no-nonsense guy who shows up, works hard, and gets the best out of the players he has.
A lesser man would never have lasted long in the crucible of New York sports. So don’t quit on Coughlin, Giants fans. He won’t quit on you.
Thursday Night
Giants at Home
When thinking about tonight’s contest, these are the thoughts that I couldn’t escape:
1) Though the Giants lost their first two games due to late collapses, they did a lot right to earn the leads they had in those games. This is particularly encouraging, especially when you consider the upset they almost pulled against the Cowboys in Dallas.
2) The Giants’ opponent for this game, or “They Who Shall Not Be Named,” lost to a Dolphins team that has looked less than stellar, and beat a Rams team that was probably suffering a letdown after an extremely emotional OT win over the Seahawks. TWSNBN, aren’t very good.
3) The Giants are playing at home, and will be looking to put together a solid 60-minute effort to sooth the sting of those two tough losses.
That’s good enough for me. Winner: Giants
Still gives me chills