He might have been born in Waterloo, New York, but Tom Coughlin knows a little what the California fires must feel like.
No disrespect meant to the fine people of the Golden State; Tom Coughlin has known nothing but heat since he took his job as head coach of the New York Giants.
Now he deserves the respect he has earned.
When Coughlin came to town the G-Men were a bumblin’, stumbling, fumblin’ batch of miscreants who couldn’t get out of each other’s way. Three years later, the Giants have qualified for the playoffs a third consecutive time and seemed to have established a foundation with which to build.
Soon after Coughlin took the reins, he ruffled a few feathers.
Remember – Ten minutes early or you’re late. Yeah, that bothered a few over paid athletes.
Remember that tailback who couldn’t hang on to the ball. Coughlin stuck with him. Taught him how handle the pigskin. Three years that tailback gained the most yards from scrimmage.
What did Coughlin get in return?
He was thrown under the bus – blamed for expediting the retirement of a smug athlete.
That first year Coughlin made the decision to go with a rookie quarterback. He stayed with him through what seemed an endless barrage of botched snaps, bad reads, overthrown passes and interceptions. Now that QB has a playoff win under his belt.
Two weeks ago Coughlin’s Giants threw a scare into the New England Patriots that even this long-time fan didn’t think possible. Then Coughlin took his gang on the road, held on to the ball, and brought home a victory.
Hopefully the peanut gallery that’s been calling for Coughlin’s job the last two years will be quieted for a while.
Why is it coaches get so much of the credit when a team is successful and so much of the blame when a team does poorly? I always thought Tom Coughlin was somewhere between the crazy, lunatic Tiki Barber supposedly couldn’t get along with and the “genius” Bill Belichick is said to be. Coughlin just knows football. The guy has been in or around the game for over 3 decades. I wonder what it takes for a guy to earn respect these days. I think you are right on with your assessment of both Coughlin’s early years with the Giants and now. By the way, has there been a player whose reputation has taken as much a dive as Tiki Barber’s has? From what I hear, the powers that be with the Giants are intersted in stability at the head coach’s position. I hope that translates into a long tenure for Coughlin. I think the NFL needs more old-schoolers like Coughlin around. Maybe we woudln’t see so many athletes wearing the wrong kind of pinstripes (that would be the horizontal ones that come with a number).
Mike,
Amen – I have to admit – while not being openly critical of Coughlin, I have also not exactly come to his defense – until now.
Casey
What you have to understand though, Mike, is that when a coach has a reputation for having a personality that de-motivates and then there’s evidence of bad morale…like a talented team that annually experiences a second-half swoon…people are bound to blame him. Maybe Tiki being such an idiot kind of saves Coughlin, in a way, but it’s going to take more than qualifying for the playoffs and beating a 9-7 team to make me a supporter.
Now, if they beat Dallas….
These are the same comments on the lateest blog, but are appropriate to this topic
FWD:
Casey For real how can you cheer for litle baby ELI.
I do have the upmost repect for Tom though, I think he is a great coach who if you let him do his job everything will be OK he is well deserving. He is the best Coach for that team.
(sing to the same beat as where is thumbkin)
WHERE IS TIKI WHERE IS TIKI………..OH WHO CARES OH WHO CARES
I can’t stand players who put blame on coaches, when the sh*t hits the fan. Players win Championships Coaches just show them how to ge there
You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.
Or in TIKI’s case
” Kick a stallion and he runs Kick a Mule and he Balks”
HE HAW TIKI HE HAW
Sorry if the Tiki Bashing rambled on
The Thrilla
I love the combination of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw…and, to think, Bradshaw must have been 4th on the depth chart when the season started. Am I right? I don’t get to follow the Giants as closely as I’d like, living in Boston, but up until a few weeks ago, I only thought of him as a kick returner.
Coughlin can stay. 😉
I don’t know what the play clock did to Jacobs, but I loved his reaction.:)
Bradshaw is great in the 4th quarter of games. Jacobs beats up everybody early, and Bradshaw runs free late in the games.
I don’t even know if he was fourth on the depth chart to start the year.
Casey
I can see it now, the new NFL Network commercial. It pans to diner and instead of Joe Montana cooking, its Tiki Barber. The two guys sitting at the counter are looking at the menu when they look up and say:
” So Tiki, help us out. How does crow taste? ”
Enough said.. Tip of the hat to Tom Coughlin.
Give Aaron a HELMET STICKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!