Giants 100: A Night With Legends | The Championships | New York Giants

Giants 100: A Night With Legends | The Championships | New York Giants

please welcome to the stage the man who delivered the Giants first championship in 30 years and then four years later delivered yet another he’s a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Bill parcels [Music] and like coach Parcels who went 8 and3 in the postseason in his Giants coaching career our next guest also went 8 and three and like coach parcel has delivered Super Bowls 42 and 46 to the New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] what a night uh it has been um coach parcel’s coach Coughlin to be around your former players uh here this evening what does it mean to you to see all these guys that gave so much for you to help this franchise win well you know they’re the ones that gave the blood and you know they they represent a very special group of young men for me and did an awful lot for me personally for the organization for New York Giants football and U they deserve that appreciation and I’ve always try to give it back to him Coach Coughlin what about for you and to see all those guys back there well it’s you know you don’t you get used to seeing them every day okay and then all of a sudden you don’t get to see them at all so when you do see them it’s it’s wonderful it’s a it’s a whole different concept you know it’s it’s friend to friend that kind of thing that they they maintain that coacht player a discipline I guess you’d call it but but it’s still uh it’s very very moving both of you spent time as assistants with the Giants before becoming a head coach for the franchise coach parcel I want to talk to you a little bit about building blocks your first year was 83 obviously it didn’t go well but there was a quarterback and a guy named Lawrence Taylor there and then in 84 you drafted Carl Banks and William Roberts and Jeff Hostetler and Gary reasons Lionel Manuel in 85 it’s Mark Bavaro it’s Stacy Robinson in 86 it’s Mark Collins Pepper Johnson Eric Dory dorsy um and uh you know Eric Howard talk about bringing all that team together in 84 you win a playoff game and then and in 85 you lose to the bears but it’s building what was it like how did you bring it all together well 84 was a confidence builder for us um we’re able to win a playoff game against a team that had beaten Us in the regular season and 85 we were better still finding our way a little bit but when that season was over I think the players felt a greater sense of confidence one and determination to commit to do the things to try to get us to the championship and the next year we’re able to do that and it was a it was a a process is with the word they use nowadays right process um and the draft picks you know being able to bring those young players along and have them immerse in your program with veteran guys and George Young you know hit home runs throughout the 80s well that’s possible when you have good veteran guys when the veteran guys are going to accept the new ones to come in like they were accepted when they came in and that’s how I used to phrase it to them you know accept them like you were accepted and they did a lot to help the development of the players and let them know hey this is the way things are are here this is the way we do things and these are some of the things we don’t do and that’s and you know what if if you’re winning that all kind of meshes together and it’s it makes it a lot easier coach Coughlin obviously your first year was ‘ 04 uh the Giants get Eli Manning so now you got your Cornerstone and then it was you know Ernie of cor’s drafting and then in 2007 uh Jerry ree is drafting that rookie class but now you start adding players like Chris sne and jabril Wilson Corey Webster Justin Tuck Brandon Jacobs Matias Kiwanuka Barry Coffield um you know Aaron Ross Steve Smith all these players start coming into the mix how did you bring it all together well Brad Shaw and Steve Smith weren’t bad with that group yeah well it’s how’d they all come together when I walked in the locker room to be honest with you we we had to change the I I I to we we we that was the biggest battle and once once that started to take place once we started to think about team rather than self once we forgot about you know the individual stuff and thought about winning as a team then I think you know we we started to make progress in in ‘ 05 we won 11 games we got knocked out of the playoffs right away uh in in in ‘ 06 we had our problems went eight and8 still got in the playoffs but got knocked off in the first game so then you know things happened U you know for me and for the team I became more a better Communicator if you will and uh you know we started off the 0 and two and then then things came together um you know then you do it you both do it four years later with a different cast and adding some free agents once you had that culture established was it a little bit easier not it’s never easy to win I’m not insinuating that but now you’ve established your culture and now the people you bring in are all the right people well you know the culture is a something that helps the entire organization if if everybody’s on the same cage everybody knows this is how things are this is the way we run our business this is how we’re going to practice these are the kind of players we’re going to draft Personnel Department supports the coach and staff the uh administration supports both of us that’s that’s the that’s the whole thing saying for you coach Coughlin like that messaging as you embarked upon that second Championship run you did have your core as you brought in the Antro roles in some of the newer players and the Manningham and the Knicks come along but you had the base established at that point didn’t you well we had a base established but every every every year is a start you start from scratch again and uh you know you you we had our lumps along the way in Super Bowl 46 the the trying to arrive at that one you know what we went through in that game in that situation in that year but yeah you’ve got you’ve got some leaders in place and they’re the they’re the guys that are going to help you in the locker room they’re going to control those young people and uh fortunately we had we had some very good very good leaders all right uh you both work for Mr Mara Wellington Mara um what was he like as a support system for you Bill it was the best it was he was he was one of the Patriarchs of this league he’s he was among the group of men that had the vision for this whole Enterprise of the NFL and he was there through all everything that ever transpired in the league he was part of it and I’m certain his voice was heard much of the time and he he was quiet he was at practice he was interested and he was supportive and he was always ready for next Sunday and Coach Coughlin you um work for both Mr Mara and Mr Tish and you had to navigate this football team through really an unparalleled situation Mr Mara passes away in the 2005 season and then Mr Tish passes away just a couple of weeks later what was the messaging to your team and how did you keep it all together because that team wound up going to the postseason that year as well well there was tremendous emotion I mean there was grief there was sorrow Mr maror Mr Tish were both very close to the players and uh the way that that all came down for example with with Mr mea uh we played Denver if you remember that and that was a game that we wanted uh Mr mea to see us win and uh we beat Denver a very good Denver team you see ammani on the backline with Eli hitting him on the end on the end line for the score and then uh uh so that was the last last game that Mr Mara saw and he passed away two days later so um the following weekend was the Washington game and the team was so determined so determined that the rest of the of the nation would see how we felt about Mr Mera and it was quite frankly it was a tremendous uh game for for the for the Giants for the giant fans you know it was a 36 to nothing game 21 points I think in the first quarter I think I think uh Washington had 145 yards total offense we rushed it for over two 250 I believe it was Mr marish kind of game so 1990 Super Bowl 25 you’re the head coach he’s your wide receivers coach now when you think about it the Giants are known for defense right they’re known for running game but if you think about three of the most iconic pass plays in Super Bowl history their plays with the New York football Giants so Super Bowl 25 you’re playing the bills they got that fast offense and you go on that drive at the end of the first half Steven Baker the touchdown maker with the catch in the left corner of the end zone and now you get the ball to start the third quarter and you’re going on this methodical famous 9 minute and 49 minute drive but there was a play in this drive in and about the 30 yd line of the Buffalo Bills if you don’t make it you’re kicking a field goal you go up one instead of going up five at that point which turned out to be the difference let’s take you back to Tampa Super Bowl 25 third and 13 121 the score Buffalo third quarter hotep has the ball in the snap throws complete he’s got Ang for maybe a first down he’ll try the 20 yes he got it what effort what effort he caught that ball to 25 and got free of three separate tackles I didn’t think there was any chance to be able to do it a nice spin move a cut back great athletic play all right as the head coach with Ron aart as your offensive coordinator obviously the design wasn’t to throw it downfield what were you thinking as you watched what Mark Ingram did and did that kind of signify what your team was all about I think if I was to be totally honest with you we were trying to get something to get into field goal range to ensure the field goal possibility and we didn’t want to risk turning it over in in that area obviously so that short what we call ex shallow cross I think that was the name right huh that was the yeah that was it and then Mark makes a great individual effort breaks four or five tackles or six whatever it was and gets the first down and that helps us sustain what became a touchdown R I think yeah Otis scored okay you used another four minutes o clock and uh you know the the Buffalo Bills went almost a full quarter of game time from the end of the first half to the start of the second half without touching the ball and with the halftime ceremony it was well over an hour and 15 minutes before their offense ever get back on the field well you know in football you have if you’re going to be successful for any period of time you have to eventually learn how to get control of the games and this was a very Dynamic offense we were going to play and if they’re on the field they’re going to give you a lot of trouble so our whole plan was to try to run it play good defense and hope we had enough when the game was over and Coach that was for that also was 41 minutes time of possession right it was 41 to 19 in time of possession and of course that was the whole plan was to keep the ball away from them remember Buffalo beat us at home in the second half of the Season yeah did you coach Ingram that move what did you coach did you show Ingram that move as the wide receiver coach if you get in trouble I wored it took me a long time to teach him the five broken tackles but but I was able to do it well you can’t you can’t win championships without having a quarterback that that’s just a fact in the National Football League and Coach Parcels you had a quarterback that was a two-time Super Bowl champion and he was the MVP of Super Bowl 21 please welcome Phil Sims [Music] [Applause] [Music] yes sir yes sir as I mentioned coach Parcels as a giant head coach was eight and three in the postseason so was coach Coughlin and they both won two Super Bowls so coach Coughlin wasn’t to be outdone he needed a quarterback as well and he had the two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning [Music] got the shake got the [Applause] shake now as both coaches talked about you got to have that veteran leadership and you know you need a captain and Coach Coughlin certainly had that in his final season going out as a Super Bowl champion a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Michael Strahan [Applause] speaking of captains and having that veteran presence coach parcel certainly had that as well he’s a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame the captain Harry Carson [Applause] Harry [Music] Harry you got to have something special though right and I know coach parcel has appreciated having one of the greatest players in the history of the National Football League Lawrence tayor [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] all right Phil you’re the first one to go to Disneyland um being here with these two coaches that obviously you were on the team when coach Coughlin was the receivers coach in 90 starting in 88 but uh to be a part of this night and this Giants history and to be a two-time Super Bowl champion what’s it been like for you this evening well first off to the fans out there I’m I’m just honored all of you showed up to celebrate this with all the players and coaches and it’s you know it never I think it we all dream about what we want to do in life I never thought my life and all my dreams ever were going to be this good and it so it’s been great to play all my years with the Giants with the fans Bill parcel said to me once he said a lot of things usually the first word was begin with an F but we won’t get into that I had to go home and check my birth certificate see my first name again with a p or an f f and Sims F and Sims like Bill said to me once during a tough time he goes Sims listen don’t worry when you retire the fans are like you you said that but it is true fans don’t remember all my interceptions and fumbles and loses losses but I’ll just say this too and I really mean this deep in my heart I say it all the time these two people right here Chang the lives of so many men it’s unbelievable yes listen Bill parcel’s changed my life he changed my family’s life and what he listen and and I don’t mean to say listen to say it was hard is a great understatement right Harry it was beyond hard hell I woke up every morning my heart was here we go here’s another day you know and it it was but that’s what it takes and he’d always say and Tom I know you say it too football is what makes it so so great is that it is so damn hard and it is but they made it where we had great success and I I can’t say enough great things about him Eli for you two I I Eli for you being here celebrating 100 Years of the New York Giants is kind of odd in a sense right because it was in this room during the 2004 draft right here in this theater where the NFL draft used to be your name was called by the San Diego Chargers you don’t have to mention that we could skip that part I forgot that but as you get the news that you’re going to the Giants and Ernie ACC Coursey negotiates this trade and the smile on your face knowing that you were going to the Giants and then to win two Super Bowls for this franchise sum up what this evening is like for you well it’s just unbelievable honor to be sitting on this stage legendary coaches legendary players guys who I grew up watching Phil Sims and Harry Carson Lawrence Taylor I mean I still remember playing Nintendo techmobile and being the New York Giants and LT was unblockable and he blocked every field goal so it’s a great strategy going against my brothers I could maybe beat him for once but and to get to play with Michael Strahan and help him win a Super Bowl so coming to New York was a was a dream come true and uh you know I just I knew at the time talking to my dad just he would tell me about the New York Giants and he grew up watching the Giants and Charlie connly and their great teams and just what a great franchise they were and just of uh it’s been a blessing to play 16 years my entire career in New York to still be a part of the organization to be a part of this this storied franchise that’s not only been such a great part about New York but it’s been so important to the NFL and and Wellington mayor and what he did for this league and the game it’s just it’s been unbelievable to learn the history to be a part of it and to be on stage tonight’s just uh icing on the cake Michael here in the Pro Football Hall of Fame uh you were actually drafted in 199 93 when Lawrence was still playing that was your rookie season so you got to touch and then you go on to win an NFC Championship game and in your last year win a Super Bowl you broke his sack record as well uh which he laughs at that we we’ve had discussions about they’ll bring that up well you got to remember Lawrence’s rookie year sacks were not counted so you got oh I’ve heard that part and a lot more Michael used to tell me how he used to have to pick up Lawrence’s uh his his his clothes from the cleaner uh on Friday afternoons for Lawrence well hey got understand it was it was different understand I was suspended a whole lot of games see I wasn’t going to say that and what did I tell you when you said well I was suspended I said I didn’t tell you to get suspended it wasn’t my fault nothing to do with me but but I will say this it is it is absolutely it’s absolutely amazing to be here I mean I remember wearing a uniform that said the 75th year for the Giants now to be here for the hund um it’s special and it’s special to be here with all you fans to celebrate it because and I think I know I speak for myself and I’m pretty sure for everyone up here you can do a lot of incredible things in life and I’ve done a lot of incredible things hell I went to space but there is nothing like running out of that tunnel with the fans when you come out of that opening and you just see 80,000 Giants fans nothing like it and Eli said he did 16 years you did 12 years I did 15 I did 15 you did 12 and you did how many 13 12 13 15 16 16 or 15 all with one team that doesn’t happen that doesn’t happen so I’m just glad that Eli didn’t say that he used to watch me playing growing up and that I was in techmobile even though I was but um yeah I’m just honored to be here and be on because I I marbled at the first time I walked into that locker room and Phil Sims said hey Michael and I was like oh Phil Sims knows my name oh God and then you know Harry’s always been a good friend he wasn’t he always until still to this day I’m so I’m I’m so close to the guys who were before me because once a giant always a giant and I’ll never and I’ll never forget the first time Lawrence came into the locker room and I didn’t say you walked in it’s like he was on a conveyor belt you were God to me it’s like you glided in like you weren’t even moving your legs and you were going across the room and and I’ll just never forget those moments that have um that have made my life what they are because without this organization Without You fans I’m not here none of us are here and I’m so eternally grateful that I’m back here for the 100 anniversary of the New York Giants Harry you were drafted in the uh in the mid-70s obviously there were some lean years but part of the foundation that led uh to that first playoff appearance in 1981 after having not been in the playoffs since 63 going down to Philly and beating the eagles which you know I was like saying to my parents wow the Giants won a playoff game that this happened um but guiding these guys Along being part of that Cornerstone and then to end it uh you know in later part of your career to win that championship and go to the hall of fame um just talk a little bit about your journey and to be now part of the great history of the Giants Well when I uh was drafted to play with the Giants I didn’t know a whole lot about the Giants but I did know that there was a rich history behind uh the New York football Giants and those players who had played with the Giants you know those names you you you hear those names and you remember like robustelli you know guys like that Andy robustelli and I thought to myself I don’t know how long I’m going to play but I do know that if I do play I want to be mentioned in the same breath as those great players who proceed Ed me and that was what that was what I was shooting for to to just play Giant football and I had people who supported me along the way Rosie Brown was one of those guys who would pull me aside after practice and give me some some hints as to what I should be doing what most people don’t know is I never played middle linebacker until I came to the Giants Marty shot himer who at the time was my coach he drafted me and they needed an inside run Defender and he thought that I would fill that bill and so making that transition from a down defensive lineman to linebacker is one of the greatest accomplishments I’ve ever made because to come to New York to play a position that you’ve never played before and master that position even in your rookie year uh that was a lot and that that that was one of those things that but when I when I played during my rookie year I got better and better I played a 4-3 defense with uh Marty shimer and then um you know the coaching staff was fired after the fumo and uh you know changes were changes were made and I eventually uh Bill Parcels became our defensive coach and we went from a a 43 to a 34 and then I had to play an altogether different position as that inside linebacker um so it it was a challenge there were times when I didn’t necessarily get along with management George Young wanting a new contract year in and year out but I he wouldn’t trade me and you know he wouldn’t cut me so I wound up staying and that was really the best thing to happen to to stay in that position to stay in that position but also to witness everything that I witness as a ball player with Giants and and when I figured out with the Giants was you don’t necessarily have to be the best player on the field but giant fans demand that you give your best if you go out there and you get your ass kicked they see it and they appreciate it as long as you are giving your an effort and being competitive but if but if you walk out there and you stink up the place you know I’ve been around where where things came out of the stands like lemons oranges toilet paper and all of that stuff all right but but I want to get Lawrence in here now because Lawrence yeah a whole different idea right you come what what’s what’s going through your brain when you come here and and you get drafted by the Giants and you’re going to play for the the New York Giants did you talk to your team out of North Carolina when I got drafted by the Giants I really KN knew nothing about the Giants you know and then and then all a sudden they draft me I come up and and I go to Newark Airport and there’s a dump from the D on the airport all the way I’m like I mean what kind of is [Applause] this no I consider and when I when I uh sign with the jants I consider myself a a a good player all right and I remember doing the practices and things like that hey Bill pareli came to me and he says you know what he wanted a meeting he wanted a meeting with Harry Carson he wanted to Mee with Bill Sims he wanted me with all the uh the the big names on the team and he asked me to come to the meeting I said what the hell I’m coming to a meeting I’m a rook at he said yeah because you showing another side of football because he said that I tried to show another side of football that Hey listen I’m going to hustle I’m going to do this I’m gonna do that and so and I try to make a difference if you want to thank somebody you thank God for the talent gaming but you thank bill parel for for the direction and then I had a crew Brad Van pel Brian Kelly and Harry Carson the crunch bunch and listen we started crunching okay so I tell you I I am attribute everything to a God gave me the talent I can play football I’m not stupid I know what what what a no I don’t but anyway no but um it’s all about the guys that played for me I’m tell you what they um and the guys that that would help me doing the because Brian Kelly I’mma tell you something my first year I ain’t know where I was going BK was like you got to go left LT you got to go right oh he said and then he said hey sometimes you need to read the Playbook okay but actually I tell you I I I really appreciate everybody and and but I’m going tell you if you want to give somebody the credit for me that man right there that man right there

Bob Papa sits down with members of all four Super Bowl Championship teams at the ‘Giants 100: A Night with Legends’ event. Presented by Altec Lansing.

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