Last season's NFL had a dangerous ending when the New York Giants shocked the so-called "dynasty" of this era, the New England Patriots. But that wasn't the final shocker of the season. Then came the offseason...and the almighty insanity that comes with it. With the season only a few weeks away, I take a moment and reflect on five moments that left us gasping for air and spitting out our beers.
No. 5 Brett Favre Hangs It Up
After multiple seasons at the top of his game, Brett Favre's career ended with an interception in overtime that sent the Giants to the Super Bowl. A month later, he decided to end his quest for another Super Bowl victory and walk away from the sport he loved.
Favre's departure started a chain reaction around the NFL. Shaun Alexander found himself out of a job. New England was left fighting the system. Chad Johnson wanted to execute a sit out with TJ Houshmanzadeh. And the league was left to find a new role model for everyone to emanate and appreciate through the good and the bad...or were they?
No. 4 New York Gets it Right...and Wrong
Year after year, the New York Jets screwed up in the draft. The fans let them hear it, and when the season was over, they felt the wrath as the fans began to turn on them. On Draft Day, hell officially froze over in New York. Eric Mangini took a gamble and selected Vernon Gholston, a mean defensive end from Ohio State.
The result: The militia of Jets fans screaming and yelling...in a good way. With the chant of J-E-T-S! Jets Jets Jets! filling Radio City, one New York franchise got it right.
But unfortunately, the Giants imploded after their Super Bowl victory. It started with the departure of Michael Strahan to the Joe Namath Retirement Home. Then came the animosity Jeremy Shockey had towards his team and his demand to be sent elsewhere.
To top it all off, Plaxico Burress wanted out as well. In quite arguably one the biggest shocker of the offseason, instead of coming together for another Super Run, the Giants were coming apart at the seams.
No. 3 The Patriots beat the Rap (sort of) & Oakland Changes the Program
They got caught taping signals last season. They got accused of running up the score. They even got blamed for global warming. Okay, that last one was a little over the edge, but that's the kind of season that the New England Patriots had en route to another Super Bowl appearance. But the difference was that the Patriots lost the Super Bowl this time around. In some shocking twist of fate, that actually worked out to their advantage.
As Arlen Specter tried to find a new way to destroy the Patriots, the Oakland Raiders (formerly the NFL's most dysfunctional team) changed the game when they gave JaMarcus Russell some offensive help in the form of fellow SEC Alumnus Darren McFadden.
With their one-two punch locked in, the Raiders look more dangerous now than in recent memory. As for the Patriots, they lost the Super Bowl and a first round draft pick. I think they can sleep better at night knowing that was all they lost.
No. 2 Jason Taylor's Whine-A-Thon
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4 months ago
Thanks for the article. Good read. It's nice to hear someone write something positive about the Raiders for a change. As far as Favre is concerned, I think if the Packers aren't willing to give him the starting position back, they should release him. I really hoped he would stay retired, and go out on a good note. I understand that these players play football for so long and it is so much a part of their life that it's is hard to move on, but unfortunately, so many great players have retired, then come back and tarnished their image by not playing at their best level. I think Favre picked a good time to retire, and I wish he would have stayed retired, but if the man is intent on playing the game he loves, the Packers organization should do what's right.
4 months ago
plax doesn't want out-just a longer deal.
4 months ago
i wouldn't say the giants are coming apart at the seams just yet...the loss of strahan is a big blow but it will be softened by the emergence of justin tuck who will be a stud for years to come
4 months ago
Coming apart at the seams? Now waitaminute......
Strahan retires - does it hurt....well sure.....but what other team would even have a chance to replace a HOF player with a player of real quality.....don't be too suprised if Tuck ends up in the pro bowl
Shockey - A great player to be sure - but not always healthy and (depending on who you believe) quite possibly a distraction - the things that cannot be disputed are that you can count on him missing a few games (no, its not his fault, but it is how its been) and we did win it all without him (The Giants won the Superbowl last year - something that seems strangely forgotten) - Frankly, with his history of injuries, I'm suprised we got the picks for him that we did.....
Plax - He's coming to camp and they are working on a deal.....
The writer of this article is just another alarmist who needs something to write about.....the Giants have some hurtles but they won't make the difference in what happens this year....this is a very young team that is going to get better.......
And for the record, I am glad to see the blatant disrespect of the Giants.....Football more than any other sport is a game of emotion.....it can only help them in the defence of THEIR title.....
from 4 months ago
Now if they don't defend it successfully (meaning going to the playoffs and doing all over again) what does that mean?
4 months ago
Well....you mention coming apart at the seams....I take that to mean that you feel that Strahan's retirement, Shockey's trade and Burress's contract demands will prevent the Giants from making another run at the title/making the playoffs......so your statement.....that the Giants have imploded.....is an overeaction....barring cataclysmic injuries....they will be a major factor again....they will be a playoff team.....
The real question is are they weaker and can they overcome the loss of Strahan.....and considering they have a very good young player in Tuck (no he's not Strahan but he is very good....10 sacks last year as a part timer).....considering that the defensive backfield could be better this year(considering the experience and the decent draft this year)......I'm thinking they could be better.....Burress will play whether he gets a new contract or not......and we won without Shockey and his exile eliminated a distraction
So they've hardly come apart at the seams.....does that equate with they have to win it all again or statement of them coming apart at the seams is correct? That this is one of the "wildest shockers" of the off season.....that a defending champion had changes in personel?
Granted they have a high hill to climb but they will go deep into the playoffs (as in they will win at least one playoff game)and at that point....who knows? But mark these words....the GIANTS WILL put up a respectable defense of the title.
4 months ago
The analysis of the Giants is way off. This organization is excellent at replacing star players.
Tiki Barber WAS the Giants offense in 2006. Then he left. No one hit the panic button in East Rutherford. The Giants promptly rushed for 2150 yards without him in 2007. In the Super Bowl, they opened the game with a 10-minute drive against the vaunted NE defense. Not bad for team that wasn't supposed to be able to run the football without Tiki...
Jeremy Shockey got injured in Week 15 last year. The Giants went on to win 5 of the next 6 games without him, including the Super Bowl. His huddle disruptions and criticisms -have not- and will not be missed by the Giants. Eli Manning rallied for the Giants to keep Shockey, but he knows the team is better without him. Shockey was a selfish player, and his hissy-fit this off-season illustrated that. Instead of coming back to the team with something to prove, he sat on the sidelines and sulked. Why? Because his pride had been hurt. His team won without him and he was feeling sorry for himself....that is not the type of player you want on your roster. Good luck in NO, Jeremy
Plaxico wants out? That's news to me. I cover the Giants. He loves being a Giant. He wants a raise, that's all. And he will get it. Case closed.
Strahan will not as missed as much as you think. The Giants have been accumulating DE's by the boatload. Osi, Tuck, Kiwanuka, Renaldo Wynn and rookie Robert Henderson will more than fill the void at DE. As for Strahan's leadership, Antonio Pierce has been the Giants' defensive captain for some time now.
The Jets may have muffed their draft again. Gholston is a highly-regarded player but one thing that Phil Simms said on the Boomer Esiason show still sits in my craw..."I've watched a lot of Ohio State games, Boomer, and quite frankly I don't remember hearing Gholston's name a whole lot...." This is coming from Simms, who has a pretty good idea which end is up...
We agree on the Favre situation, bu I still don't know what the fuss over the Raiders is. Sure, they've made a lot of changes and will be better but keep in mind that JaMarcus Russell is a work in progress. Until he can demonstrate that he can play at a high level, my Raider predictions will stop at 8-8.
4 months ago
Wow, I was going to comment on the whole "coming apart at the seams" silliness but that's been taken care of handsomely by others.
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