Bleacher Report - Articles by john fran

Commissioner of the NFL is Watching Players But Who's Watching the Refs?

john fran — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:46:19 -0400

Roger Goodell the Commissioner of the NFL is watching a number of critical issues like the end of union contract and the future of drug-testing plus player misbehaior and the danger of brain injuries.He's the man that has made plenty of players from the NFL pay and suspended players like Adam Jones, Plaxico Burress, and Donte Stallworth.

But my question is who's watching the referee in the NFL and is there a refs suspended list? If so, I would like to see it because I'm sure a lot of the refs who were at the Giants and Saints game last week were on this list at one point or time in their career.

It's amazing to me that there is such a high standard for the players in the NFL and refs seem to have no standards at all. In the Giants and Saints game, the refs were calling the game as if it was a street basketball game with no measure of judgement on their behalf. They were going to give the call to their favorite team no matter what.

One referee was blind the other one was deaf and another one had a serious vitamin B deficieny and there was one more who was drunk.

Seriously are there regular alcohol and drug testing at least once a month, I hope.

What kind of prescription medicine or treatment are they taking?

Are there tests like regular eye examination and regular hearing examination? I really want to know and if so how often at least four times a year, I hope.They also should be made take a physiological examination and a physical examination at least once a year.

I'm going to write a letter to Roger Goodell this week and ask him some of my questions about referee abuse on players.

I'm getting tired of watching my team the Giants getting screwed out of games by refs that are drunk or high on prescription drugs or just plain blind.

Maybe they have a wager going on with each other to see who can make the most obscure call in the game.

Is there anyone out there who can tell me if the refs are watched like the players are in the NFL and should the Commissioner Roger Goodell take a look into referee corruption.

Amani Toomer: Is He Rolling Dice?

john fran — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:45:58 -0500

Is Amani Toomer sincere about not wanting to play for the Giants? I think he is just rolling the dice—hoping the Giants will give him what he wants. At 34 years of age, he is not the same player he was five years ago. He says the Giants don't want him. I think the Giants want him, but they also know he is not as young as Steve Smith and Domenik Hixon, who have more stamina.

Toomer is unhappy because of his diminished role. Well, that's what happens when you hit age 34 in today's NFL. Amani is in denial about his love for the Giants. He is the all-time leader in catches for the Giants, and that is something he may not want to walk away from. Unproductive talks—when you break those down, Amani meant he wants more.

Amani has had a great 13-year run with the Giants, and I think he wants to stay there. He wants to get a deal done with the Giants, seeing he is a free agent.

Amani knows that if he were to leave the Giants, he won't be able to add to his Giants record of 9,497 yards. That is something for him to think about. I don't think the Giants phased him out—they don't want to burn him out. He is not as young as he used to be. Some people say Amani is bitter—I don't think so. He just wants to be on the field more often.

Even if his playing time is cut in half, I think Amani has a lot to offer to the Giants. I would not like to see him leave New York. Roll the dice Amani, and may it land on eight and one for you.

Can The Pittsburgh Steelers Bring Home The Bacon

john fran — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:47:50 -0500

My answer is yes the Steelers can win the super bowl.Especially with a great head coach like Mike Tomlin who can always keep his cool on the sideline and has eight years of experience.The Steelers also have a great defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau with 35 years of experience the architect of the zone blitz has the know how to win against the Cardinals.

The Steelers looked so strong playing against the Ravens they hit so hard all through the game.Every time i looked around there was a Raven player laying down on the field in pain suffering from a Steelers blow.I'm wondering how the head coach of the Cardinals Ken Whisenhunt will handle that kind of a performance.

If the Steelers perform like they did against the Ravens the quarterback for the C Cardinals Kurt Warner won't stand a chance.As for Larry Fitzgerald well i'm sure the Steelers will be covering him.He is a dangerous player but if the Steelers can shut him out like i think they will then good night game over Steelers bring home the bacon.

It's a sad thing when a team is dependant on one player like Larry Fitzgerald to win games.The Cardinals are good but the Steelers are so much stronger.They did not need a wild-card to get to the super bowl this year and they have won more games and by more points than the Cardinals have this year.

The quarterback for the Steelers Ben Roethisberger is big at 6-4 and 241 pounds he can take a hit he set a team record for touchdown passes in 15 straight games.The Steelers running back Willie Parker has a career high and league best eight 100 yard games.

Wide receivers like Lima's Sweed at 6-4 showed he can catch at the Ravens game and Santonio Holmes played great at the Ravens game also he is small but fast and could be very use-full if the Steelers need a hail Mary his best catch 83 yards.

Punter Mitch Berger is a two time pro bowler at 6-4 and 228 pounds he is ranked third in the NFC.He made a big stop last week against the Ravens he was the last man at the back of the field and stopped the Ravens from making a touchdown. He is a good man to have on your team.

Steelers have a great kicker Jeff Reed is 19-for-19 on field goals of 39 yards—surpassed Franco Harris he can always score that winning field goal.

Did Donovan Mcnabb's Confidence Get Too Big After Winning Against the Giants?

john fran — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:18:01 -0500

Was the loss against the Cardinals an act of D DonovanMcNabb's overconfidence.What was McNabb thinking when he played a bad joke on the Giants picking up the Giants phone on the sideline with three minutes left in the game he thought that it was funny. I bet he is not laughing now. It was a stupid thing to do it did nothing for his team and he picked up a flag for it.

Personally I think McNabb has a problem with overconfidence and arrogance i believe this is the reason why the Eagles will not have a super bowl ring this year.Just the look on Mcnabb's face said it all when he was playing against the Cardinals walking around the field with a big smile on his face when his team was down and needed points.

When your team is down there is no time for smiling it's time to put in work and not just trying to look confident. Real people can see around all of that and see it was just arrogance.

On a personal note i think D Donovan McNabb could be a much better player he knows enough about football and how to play the game.As a quarterback he can run well when there is no one to throw the ball too.He is his own worst enemy with his arrogance it just keeps on getting in his way.

Maybe the Eagles could hire some psychological help for McNabb and find out what's making him so confident and arrogant at the same time.If the Eagles could fix his problem then maybe we will see the real Donovan McNabb and then maybe the Eagles might see a super bowl.

I think right now his stupid joke of picking up the Giants phone is coming back to bite him in the ass. Now the only phone call McNabb is making is for psychological help because he is feeling deprived of a super bowl ring.

Eli Manning Has All the Lucky Charms in the World

john fran — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:56:37 -0500

Wow, $120 million payday for Eli Manning...Talk about having luck, this guy must have a few leprechauns hiding over his pot of gold. He had a total flop on Sunday some people say that Eli's calm demeanor is exemplary. Well, I would say he was way too calm Sunday, playing against the Eagles almost to the point that he was half asleep.

Was he seeing leprechauns running on the field because every ball he threw was so far over the top was he thinking one of his leprechauns friends was siting on a rainbow. I don't get it he did not play well at all Sunday; in fact, it was horrible to watch.

I wish they would have put Carr in after the first quarter; Eli looked bad right from the start. He should have taken some lucky charms with him to the game Sunday and we might have won.

Eli's the newest member of the $100 million quarterback club. At a time when this country is in the biggest crisis we have seen in a very long time, Eli pulls a rabbit out of his hat and get's a big pay raise—what a lucky son of a gun. That must taste magically delicious.

I know he just got a new wife last year. I'm sure his wife is picking a lot of lucky charms for herself now like a $4 million ring or something like that. It's amazing I always thought we wanted to teach are kids that if you fail that failure will result in misfortune but in Eli's case it result's in fortune.

As a matter of fact, I think Eli should be made grandmaster of the st.patrick's day parade this year it would be nice to see some more leprechauns and lucky charms in the parade this year.

Eli could bring his pot of gold and show the world that there is one thing that can over come poverty and that's luck.Maybe he should be the poster man for the New York lottery.

Should Jake Delhomme Be Charged With a P.F.W.I.?

john fran — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:29:40 -0500

The Birthday boy Jake Delhomme looked like he had just returned from a party with Lindsey Lohan and Samantha Ronson.

He looked like he was "Playing Football While Intoxicated;" P.F.W.I.

Had Jake "checked out," before the game? It had been his birthday, and it was possible he had begun the party early. He had that glassy-eyed look on his face...the one we can all remember having once or twice in a lifetime...from college, perhaps?...Yesterday at work?...You know the look...

Should we fans demand the NFL perform random alcohol breathalyzer tests on players before the game? Especially on or around their birthdays?

Let's face it, what's really in those bottles they're drinking?

How, otherwise, could someone play that bad in a big playoff game?

How, otherwise, could someone play that bad in a big playoff game, sober?

The only answer I can come up with is that he was not sober. It was his birthday on Sunday, and perhaps he figured he would get the party started early. My guess is he went out Saturday night, got lit up, and probably awoke with a blood-alcohol level that hadn't quite waned back to zero.

In a bar when someone is completely intoxicated they get tossed by a "bouncer."

When our quarterback is still buzzing from the night before and threatening the life of the team's season, we require help. We need bouncers in the NFL.

Why did they let him stay on the field? The Panthers may have had a chance to go to the Super Bowl. A bouncer could have stopped the tragic ending.

Maybe the answer for the Panthers is that they hire an Alcohol Counselor, sit them all down together, and talk about how one bad apple can destroy the rest or something like that.

NFC and AFC Championships: Who's Going To Win Super Bowl XLlll

john fran — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:11:14 -0500

Who will be the last team standing?

NFC championship Eagles VS Cardinals

Cardinals

In preseason, they won two and lost two, and in the regular season, they went 9-7. The Cardinals are getting stronger every week and are looking like a great team they understand what team work is. In the postseason game, the Cardinals destroyed the Panthers, beating them 33-13. This Panthers team had not lost a home game this season until they played the Cardinals.

Eagles

The last time the Eagles played the Cardinals was in Week 13, and they beat them 48-20. But the Eagles played at home this time the Cardinals will have home-field advantage and they look like a new team.

In preseason Eagles went 2-2. In the regular season, they went 9-7, same as the Cardinals. They are a good match. In the postseason the Eagles beat the Giants 23-11 but in this game the Eagles did not look strong the Giants just played bad and Eli was less than 50 percent he made the Eagles look good.

Prediction: Cardinals.

AFC championship Steelers VS Ravens.

Steelers

In preseason they won 3 and lost 1 and in regular season they won 13 and lost 4. In week 15 the Steelers beat the Ravens 13-9 at Baltimore wow what will they do in the championship game when the Steelers are at home that's something to think about!Steelers looked really strong beating the Chargers 35-24 in the postseason.

Ravens

In the preseason, they won one and lost three, and in regular season they went 11-5. In the postseason, they beat Tennessee, 13-10, only getting in to the AFC championship by three points. They don't look like a Super Bowl team. Tennessee was not playing like they should have.

Prediction: Steelers.

Super Bowl XLlll

Steelers VS Cardinals

Of all the four teams that got to the championship game, one team did not need a wild-card and this team also won more games than the other four teams won in their season. So, to answer the question: Who will be the last team standing...

My Prediction: The Steelers take Super Bowl XLlll.

Did the Arizona Cardinals Have Black Magic on Their Side?

john fran — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:56:42 -0500

Was Jake Delhomme playing for the Cardinals?

The Cardinals destroyed the Panthers by 20 points, but how could they lose? They had black magic on their side, turning Jake Delhomme, the quarterback for the Panthers, into a Cardinals offensive player. Jake Delhomme handed the game over to the Cardinals on a silver platter. Everyone in Arizona must look up to Delhomme as their new hometown hero.

In soccer the players change jerseys after the game, but in Delhomme's case, he should have changed jerseys at the start of the game.

He threw five interceptions in the game, and every time he threw one, the Cardinals took full advantage. They scored 33 unanswered points until the last five minutes of the game.

Delhomme then decided he would change back over to become a Panthers player for the last five minutes. Final score: Cardinals 33, Panthers 13.

The Cardinals did a great job keeping Steve Smith out of the game. He got his first TD catch in the last five minutes of the game.

MVP of the game, I have to give it up to Larry Fitzgerald. He made one of the best diving catches I have ever seen. He played great all four quarters of the game and made some fantastic catches.

As for the Panthers, they had no pieces of the puzzle with Delhomme on the Cardinals' side. The Cardinals' black magic was too strong for the Panthers.

Now the Cardinals have home field advantage over the Eagles for the NFC championship game, Jan. 18, 1:00pm on Sunday.

Good luck Cardinals. I hope you beat the Eagles, and may your black magic be with you.

Giants VS Eagles:Play By Play.Giants11 Eagles 23.

john fran — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:40:23 -0500

First Quarter;

Giants win coin toss they decide to go against the wind Ahmad Bradshaw makes the catch and takes off running for 65 yards David Akers gets shaken up on the tackle John Carney takes the field goal it's good Giants 3 Eagles 0.Eagles get the ball back and can't make a first down then the Giants give the ball back to the Eagles first interception of the game Asante Samuel now we know why he got 20 million for 6 years and he has 2 super Bowl rings Samuel gets the Eagles first and goal then quarterback Donovan Mcnabb takes the ball in for a TD Eagles. Giants 3 Eagles 7 Giants get the ball back Domenik Hixon makes a nice run to the 50 then Brandon Jacobs picks up first down for the Giants and the first quarter is over.

Second Quarter;

Giants are now going with the wind at the Eagles 47 yard line it will not help Eli Manning he over throws the ball and the Eagles get the ball back at their own 5 yard line.Justin Tuck puts in some good work on Donovan Mcnabb and gets the Giants 2 points with a nice safety Giants 5 Eagles 7.Giants get the ball back Kevin Boss makes a nice catch to get the first down then Boss makes his second first down and picks up 21 yards with another great catch great play by Boss.Out comes John Carney going for a 46 yard field goal goes wide to the right big disaster for the Giants fans.Eagles get the ball back Bryan smith makes a first down for the Eagles then Correll Buckhalter gets the second first down.Donovon Mcnabb is now having a problem with his equipment and footing at the 40 yard line Kevin Dockery makes a great interception Giants have the ball at their own 20 yard line.Brandon Jacobs makes a 24 yard gallop first down Giants.Kevin Boss makes a great catch picks up 25 yards now the Giants are at the 2 minute warning.Out comes John Carney to take a 35 yard field goal it's good Giants 8 Eagles 7. 1 minute and 33 seconds left on the clock Lawrence Tynes kicks the ball for the Giants Desean Jackson picks up the first down for the Eagles then Brian Westbrook makes his first catch of the game then Jackson picks up another first down.Out comes David Akers limping to take a 25 yard field goal it's good Giants 8 Eagles 10 second half is now over.

Half time report;

Eli Manning and Donovan Mcnabb are both playing at less than 50% and Brian Westbrook and Brandon Jacobs are both getting shut down it's not looking good for the Giants as Jacobs is a big part of why the Giants win games.

Third quarter;

Eagles are at the 46 yard line Big Fred Robbins makes a big interception for the Giants then Jacobs gets a first down feeding of the crowed Giants are at the Eagles 20 yard line John Carney goes for the 35 yard field goal it's good Giants 11 Eagles 10.Tynes makes a great kick Eagles are now at their own 25 yard line wind and cold now playing a big factor Eagles make it up into the 40 yard line Tuck get's hurt on the play Giants have to re-tape his left knee.Out comes Akers to take a 35 yard field goal it's good 17 straight in a row makes a new record for Akers Giants 11 Eagles 13.Bradshaw makes the catch and takes the ball up to the Giants 35 yard line now Manning finds his arm and Hixon makes a great catch at the Eagles 30 yard line.Out comes Carney to take a 47 yard field goal for the Giants and it's wide and out to the left 3 times he has missed this year and 2 missed in this game why now i ask.Eagles gets the ball back at the 40 yard line Kevin Curtis gets the first down for the Eagles with an 8 yard completion then Westbrook takes the ball down the field Eagles first and Goal the third quarter is over and it's really not looking good for the Giants.

Fourth quarter;

Curtis gets the TD Eagles .Giants 11 Eagles 20 Bradshaw takes it out to the Giants 24 yard line then Jacobs takes it down to the 40 looks like a good start to the drive for the Giants both teams are getting tired.Derrick Ward fights to get the first down comes up short by inches Giants go for it on fourth Manning did not get low enough that's a big stop for the Eagles they get the ball back at the Giants 40 Now Corey Webster get's in the game getting lower than westbrook Giants get the ball back.Hixon takes a safe catch at the Giants 11 yard line with 10 minutes left in the game Ward starts the drive and takes the ball to the 25 then Ward takes it to the Giants 40 yard line for another first down.Juqua Parker makes a big play for the Eagles stopping Ward Giants go for it on 4 and 2 Jacobs comes up short by inches 6 and a half minutes to play big stop for the Eagles they get the ball at the 50.Eagles take the ball down for first and Goal Giants come up with a big stop out comes Akers on the field takes the field goal it's good 18 in a row another record Giants 11 Eagles 23.Giants start at their own 27 Amani Toomer makes a nice catch takes the Giants to the 50 now Eli makes a big mistake Quintin makes an easy interception and that is the last nail in the Giants coffin.3 minutes left in the game then Mcnabb gets a flag for doing something stupid he picks up the Giants phone that's why he will never get a Super Bowl Ring he has no respect.58 seconds left in the game and the Eagles get another turnover and the game is over Giants 11 Eagles 23 first time in the playoffs that the score ended with 11 to 23 another Eagles win.

To all my fellow Giants we will come back strong next year and never give up fate Giants fan for life.

The New York Giants: A Toast to Their Imminent Victory

john fran — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:16:19 -0500

Got up this morning and bought myself a bottle of champagne.

I know that my team is about to destroy the Eagles. I know my team will devastate every one of their fan’s hopeless fantasies of winning the Super Bowl this year. I'm looking forward to popping the cork of my fine bottle of bubbly on Sunday after the game, after the Giants take away every nuance of faith, hope, and joy, from each delusional Eagle fan.

In addition to my bubbly, I recently bought an outrageous Giants Santa hat. This is exactly what Giants pride can do to a person, you just can't help yourself when your team is this good.

I'm looking forward to watching the Eagles fans whimpering sobs and whine-filled wishes that they, too, should have been wearing blue on Sunday. Seeing that look in their eyes, wishing they could instantly transform themselves into victorious, ecstatic Giants fans as their team stumbles off the field.

I can almost smell the victory in the air right now. I've got my fabulous barbecue waiting for Sunday. I've got some real nice steaks and I've got some icy cold beer to help wash them down. I also have my Giants victory dance ready, I have practiced it for several days, as I have been anticipating doing it the moment the Giants win on Sunday.

I know this victory is going to cost me one more day of sick leave. However, there’s only one thing more important on a person's list of Things-To-Do this week, and that one thing is football. Actually I may go as far as to paint my face blue this week; maybe those Eagles fans should join me!

Yes, I can see the headlines now; "Eagles Dreams Shattered: Hopes of Super Bowl Ring Destroyed." I can see myself falling off my chair, laughing, the champagne going all over my good carpet, while my wife is screaming from the kitchen, "Clean that up, you sloppy pig!"

There is nothing better than a moment of glory! It's a great feeling when your team has reached new heights like the Giants have, going for back-to-back Super Bowl victories, and here we are: at this very threshold, again!

There's nothing like breaking out your videotape of the Super Bowl XLII game just a few hours before a game as important as this game Sunday. There’s nothing like reliving that excitement, of being reminded of what an awesome team the Giants are, of embracing the imminent victory to come...

Now that Peyton is out, Eli will need to step it up even more. He will need to show everyone that the Manning family is still alive-and-kicking. One of the greatest aspects of being the reigning Super Bowl Champions is the chance to repeat that victory. The Giants will not be satisfied with anything less. They will come out Sunday and do just that! I will have many reasons to fire-up my barbeque, to pop my champagne, and to perform my Victory Dance for my screaming wife: they will beat the Eagles, they will maintain their role as Champions, the Best, the Greatest, Number One...

A toast! To all my fellow Giants fans, enjoy every day that our team has remained dominant! Relish in the fact that you are a Giants fan, that victory is ours for the taking, and don't let anyone ever try and convince you otherwise.

Giants Will Beat Eagles in Playoffs: The 10 Reasons Why

john fran — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:37:47 -0500

1. Home Field Advantage

A huge reason why the Giants will beat the Eagles is that the Giants fans will be loud and the energy will be incredible because it's the playoffs. Having the home crowd behind you can really help, especially in a playoff game.

2. Brandon Jacobs

Jacobs is 264 pounds of pure muscle running at you like a train that just can't be stopped. He has the great ability to push players down while staying on his feet. I think he is the best running back in the NFL right now. He made a big difference for the team when he came back after a small injury to play against the Panthers, winning the game with a TD.

3. Eli Manning

At 6'4" Eli now has five years of experience and a Super Bowl ring. He has matured into one of the finest quarterbacks in the game today as we know it. He is a big reason why the Giants won the Super Bowl last year with his strong arm and good height allowing him to see over players.

4. Giants' Defense

Let me start with Steve Spagnuolo, who probably is the best defensive coordinator in the game—so good that the Jets practically begged him to be their head coach.

Then we have Justin Tuck at 6'5", 274 pounds—a very good defensive end.

Last but not least we have the one guy whose name no one can pronounce, Mathias Kiwanuka, at 6'5", 265 pounds. He has no problem sacking quarterbacks; he's fast and strong.

5. Domenik Hixon

Hixon has taken Plaxico's job as the go-to wide receiver and has proven every week that he is fast and can take a hit while still running with the ball. He can also take players down, as he can hit hard.

6. Derrick Ward

Ward's not big in size, but he is a powerhouse running back who can cause big problems for the Eagles. With his speed and strength to keep going he can keep pressure on the opposing team.

7. Jeff Feagles

I think he is the best punter in the NFL with 21 years of experience. At 42 years of age he can cause havoc against any offensive team. He has the great ability to put the ball down behind the 10-yard line, which can drive an offensive team crazy.

8. John Carney

Carney can always kick the winning field goal in any game. He is good under pressure and has 20 years of experience at 44 years of age. He is one of the most experienced kickers in the game of football.

9. Kevin Boss

Boss, at 6'6", is a big tight end who can catch the ball and is very strong. He is also hard to bring down and it usually takes two players to take him down.

10. Eagles' Great Ability to Choke

The Eagles always seem to have the great ability to choke in the playoffs, plus the fact that Donovan McNabb is one of the most inconsistent players in the NFL. You never know how he is going to play from week to week. He was dancing last week after a win against the Vikings, but he won't be dancing this week after Kiwanuka sacks him.

My prediction: Giants win by 10 points this week.

Brett Favre: The Real Rocky Balboa

john fran — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:18:03 -0500

Let me start by saying I'm not a Jets or Packers fan. I'm a Giant's fan who is also a fan of great players like Brett Favre! I'm tired of all the bad press Brett Favre is getting lately.

He is the real Rocky of the NFL. Why, you may ask? Because just like in Rocky the movie, the star keeps coming back for more even when all the press says he should hang up his gloves, or when they say he is completely washed up!

The great thing about Brett's story is, he is not some fictitious character. He is the real thing. How many real Rocky's do we have in today's world? Not many, so we should respect the one we have!

Why is Brett Favre the real Rocky? Well I'm going to tell you, but not with numbers and games he played. Everyone already knows his records.

Brett is the biggest motivator in the world of sports today as we know it. He is a man who on average is 15 years older than 60 percent of the players he is playing against. He has players who are almost half his age running at him like a raging bull and still he goes back out there for more.

You only have to look at the smile on his face when he is playing the game, and look at the crowd members who are smiling back at him, to know he is the real Rocky.

Last year I watched him play a game when there was golf ball-sized snow coming down on him in the freezing cold. He could have retired five years ago, but he didn't. That's what you call love of the sport.

It's not the game, or the rules of the game, or even how the game is played that makes a sports fan. It's players who give us a rush that no alcohol or drug can give us, and I know all you real fans out there know what I'm talking about.

Now your next question is: Give me some evidence Brett is the real Rocky of the NFL! OK I will, let me prove it. You only have to look at how many Jets jerseys sold in the first week Brett became a Jet. The amount of jerseys sold is astonishing. That's what makes him the real Rocky of the NFL: The fans who love him, young or old.

I'm looking forward to the next Rocky movie. I don't think we have seen the last of Brett Favre.

Tom Coughlin Needs a Prostate Exam

john fran — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 04:52:45 -0500

Can you believe this week's game? Because I can't.

As a Giants fan, I expect the Giants to leave everything on the field every game. I don't care if it's the first game of the preseason or the Super Bowl.

You may ask, "Why that attitude?"

Well, I will tell you to ask me how many Giants hats, t-shirts, sweaters, and jerseys etc. I have bought over the years. We are the fans who make this franchise what it is today, and we expect to get our money's worth.

Tom Coughlin needs help.

Giving up a game to the Vikings in that fashion. Thinking he can hold back key players and avoid injures when in reality injuries can happen at any time and are unfortunate accidents that are part of the game. Ask Tom Brady: He knows!

Tom Coughlin is the type of guy who goes to a golf tournament and brings his worst set of clubs because he is in fear he might break one of his new clubs.

Fear is the downfall of every great man!

It's like my old neighbors when I was a kid who would invite me into their home. They had beautiful new furniture with the plastic left on it. I asked why they didn't take the plastic off. They said it would get destroyed if they did that.

I always thought that if you buy something new you should use it. Otherwise there is no point in buying it!

My point to Coughlin is that you have an ace in your back pocket: Use it. Don't leave good players sitting on the bench. The players get paid big bucks and they know the risks. Let them do what they were born to do.

Now on the other hand, if you're winning a game by 25 points and there is only the fourth quarter left in the game, I can see putting your ace away. You have to have some common sense.

I can only hope Coughlin smartens up for the playoffs and let's the players do what they get paid to do and gives the fans what they deserve!

The A-Team: How I See It from Nuts to Bolts.

john fran — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 16:06:42 -0500

Let me start with Hannibal (aka) Eli manning. Yes, he is the brains behind the operation and the leader of the team.

We all know that the quarterback has a lot of control over the game. After all, he decides were he will put the ball and it's his arm that's putting it out there. And he also is the one person who must avoid the sack.

Next we have Face (aka) Domenik Hixon, the man who has to catch the ball even if sometimes it's flying over his head 10 feet. But you have to give the man credit, he really can hit you hard and sometimes some players don't get up. He is an extraordinary player, and it's rare to find a player who can catch the ball, get hit, and keep running with the ball.

Then we have B.A. (aka) Brandon Jacobs, the muscle of the team. You know B.A. stands for Bad Ass, because Jacobs really is a tough guy. When everything fails, give the ball to Jacobs and he will get the job finished. He really is a powerhouse that most players hate to go up against.

Last but not least is Murdock (aka) Plaxico Burress, the man who caught the winning ball of the Super Bowl last year has now gone completely insane—and I wish I knew why!!!!