The NFL: a Personal History: Eli Manning

Yesterday New York Giants' quarterback Eli Manning announced his retirement. The press conference will be tomorrow.

Mike Francesa has Eli Manning's measure, we think.

Eli Manning played sixteen seasons, threw for 57K + yards, 366 touchdown passes and, oh by the way was the victor and MVP of two super bowls.

Here's his greatest play. Here's his other greatest play.

When the Giants drafted Manning in 2004, we wished they drafted lineman Robert Gallery instead and stuck with current stating QB Kerry Collins.

Manning was an iron man, he was never hurt and started 2010 consecutive games. He was a fearless gun slinger as shown by the players above. And he was utterly unflappable.

People who think Eli Manning isn't a hall of fame quarterback don't understand football and should find something else to watch, like spelling bees. 

He won me two super bowls.

Wither Big Blue

Wither the New York Giants.

The Confederate Contingent asked for our thoughts on the New York Giants' current situation. A word of explanation. He's a fan of Ole' Miss, the college Giants quarterback Eli Manning attended and has followed the man ever since.

For 30 years the Giants were a model NFL franchise. They've been to five Super Bowls and won four of them, defeating the vaunted New England Patriots in 2007 and 2011. Their 1990 upset of the Buffalo Bills is among the top five moments of our life.

[He's not kidding, people-Ed]

Since 2012 the franchise has been a mess and it's getting really bad. Their current general manager is very meh, we give him a C. Eli Manning is now old and the team has botched his exit, as it did with former coach Tom Coughlin, the man who twice beat the Pats. They replaced him with the wrong coach, and then replaced that guy with the wrong coach. Right now the Giants feel less like the Giants and more like the Jets, New York's other football team and a perpetual mess.

The Giants just hired a coach no one ever heard of, New England's wide reciever coach Joe Judge. We'll see. I'd never heard of Andy Reid when Mrs. Stroock's Philadelphia Eagles hired him in 1999 and well...check his record. Let's hope it works out, becuase Coach Judge is a pretty cool name.

'Till then, lets go retro, ya'll, back to 1986. the Giants' first Super Bowl season:

Will's NFL Update Blue

Last night the New York Giants quite sensibly picked Penn-State running back Saquan Barkley. He will instantly be the best running back in the league. As Mrs. Stroock is a yuuge Penn State fan we've seen an awful lot of Barkley. He seems a nice young man.

Of course last season the Giants defense was putrid, but two seasons ago it was among the best in the league. Under new management we expect the defense to make a comeback.

Quarterback  Eli Manning is 37 and had an awful year in 2017. Can you blame him? The combo of Barkley and perpetual head-case Odell Beckham should rejuvenate Manning for one more great run, no?

Monday Metal: Gridiron Edition or Thoughts on the New York Giants

See how I did that? This is why I get paid the big-bucks people.

The New York Giants are 11-5 and the 5th seed in the NFC. This is good.

They have the best Giants defense I've since since at least 2000, maybe 1990 (I turn into a sentimental fool over that team).

The offense is Eli Manning to Odell Beckham, but running back Paul Perkins has been coming on lately.

This team has an uncanny knack for making big plays. Just see yesterday's game.

That game, a 19-10 victory over the Foreskins would terrify me if I were playing the Giants. A game without meaning for Big Blue, the defense came out and kicked ass anyway.

They remind me a bit of the 2000 Ravens, great defense, bad offense, with the former carrying them to victory.

If this team won the Super Bowl, we would have to rate them as one of the great defenses ever.

That's a big 'if'. Win a playoff game first.

Of course in 2007 and 2011 I was satisfied with a single playoff victory. Look how those seasons turned out.