The prideful New York Giants have always boasted themselves as an organization that operates the right way. What exactly is that way?
By Robby Sabo
No NFL fan has lived life a decent of period of time without hearing about the “Giants Way.”
The other way comes in the form of the “Patriots Way.”
Both ways are phrases that reflect respect, dedication and organizational brilliance. For these teams run their franchise in the purest of directions and fashions.
They select the right player; they don’t sacrifice good human decency for skill; they don’t allow anybody to push them around.
While speaking about the “Patriots Way” would bring up such obvious topics as Deflate-Gate, Spy-Gate and Aaron Hernandez, the “Giants Way” comes in a from that’s far less obvious.
Still, it’s confusing to some why this “Giants Way” exists.
First and foremost, this specific feeling surrounding the organization picked up steam during the better part of the last decade.
The Rex Ryan era as New York Jets headman brought on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. From 2009 through 2014 the Jets were loud, brash, annoying and completely in your face. Doing so, although they hadn’t won a thing.
Meanwhile, the New York Giants went about their business. They, of course, captured that stunning 2007 Super Bowl Trophy by defeating the undefeated New England Patriots. Then again, in 2011, Eli Manning and company went on another unassuming run to the title.
The humble ways of their leader spread throughout the organization that was again on top.
The sentiment of the “Giants Way” officially began. Jerry Reese always selected the right guys in the draft; he never took risks on compromised personalities in free agency, and they always won.
They always do things the right way.
So, naturally when Jason Pierre-Paul’s injuries revealed a far more serious situation, most people immediately thought Reese would cut the five-year veteran because he is not embodying the way Giants players are supposed to showcase themselves.
What some don’t understand is that the Giants are no different than any other NFL team when personnel is the topic.
This is a franchise who has dealt with just as many (if not more) player issues off the field than any of the 32 squads. Obviously the JPP situation is exhibit-A.
Have we suffered so much as a society in this day and age of instant news that we forget about Plaxico Burress?
Shortly after winning Super Bowl XLII, Burress was enjoying a comfy night out in the club. He didn’t have girl problems that night, he had a quick trigger finger.
The man accidentally shot himself in the thigh.
Then we have ex-Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce who tried to cover up the incident to a degree. One of the leaders of the Giants defense was almost as culpable as Burress himself on that awful night in November of 2008.
Let’s now discuss Lawrence Taylor.
Taylor is arguably the best defensive player in NFL history. The way he changed the game of football off the edge was unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.
Despite his incredible dominance on the field – highlighted by his 1986 NFL MVP – Taylor couldn’t find his path off it.
Multiple instances of issues with the law, drug problems and an individual who goes against everything that stands for the “Giants Way,” Taylor was so talented that Bill Parcells and the rest of the Giants brass looked the other way.
They allowed him to do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted.
Finally, we come to the matter of one of the more revered members in Giants history.
During the 2006 season, Michael Strahan went ballistic on a female reporter named Kelly Naqi. While in the locker room, and eating a sandwich, Strahan decided to call out the woman in front of everybody.
Bullying, force and rage – was everything Strahan displayed that day in a very distasteful way. No matter though, as just a year later the Giants were Super Bowl Champions and that ugly incident slowly faded away.
Other questionable characters like Tiki Barber and Jeremy Shockey have frequented the Giants locker room too.
The narrative here is not that the New York Football Giants have always cast the wrong characters on their squad, it’s that they’re no different than any other team in the land.
Wellington Mara still remains one of the more under-appreciated owners in NFL history. He is one of the originals, the greats, and every football fan is grateful that he owned the Giants.
He still remains under-appreciated simply because of how great and selfless his act was when he generously participated in television revenue sharing across the league. Having a New York City team, he would have brought a bundle more money than the smaller markets. Instead, he had a vision and did what was best for the league.
Wellington’s design and leadership of this franchise has carried on until today. This is a franchise that operates the right way.
Please though, be careful when speaking about a certain way an organization goes about its personnel. The Giants have repeatedly shown they’re no different in this regard.
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