Big Blue Kickoff Live 5/16 | Giants Unveil ‘Century Red’ Uniforms

Paul Dottino and Jonathan Casillas talk about the history behind the Giants’ new uniforms, discuss the Giants’ 2024 schedule, and take calls from fans.

:00 - Century Red uniforms

16:05 - Giants schedule

20:20 - Calls

38:45 - Giants offense

49:40 - Attitude and preparation

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
It's time for a Big Blue Kickoff line.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
Nobody can ever tell you that you couldn't do it.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Because you're on Giants dot Com.

Speaker 3 (00:11):
Do you know what I saw you York Giant cry and.

Speaker 1 (00:14):
The Giants Mobile at.

Speaker 3 (00:15):
Seventeenth thirteen at the finals? What time down? We are
world tamping?

Speaker 4 (00:20):
What they didn't well.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
Happen out of the Giants podcast network. Let's go on.

Speaker 3 (00:24):
Hell on the crane, dog hasn't Welcome to Big Blue
Kickoff Live. This is Thursday's edition here on Giants dot Com,
presented by Cadillac, the official luxury vehicle of the New
York Football Giants. I'm Paul Tatino, who's two time Super
Bowl champ Jonathan Casius. So glad you could join us
again today because man, we're gonna make this a caller

(00:45):
central phone call, a caller center centered a show.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
The phone Call Show. I know what you meant.

Speaker 3 (00:52):
I'm so excited about today that I'm stumbling over my words. Uh.
Here's the reason, folks, because, as you probably are aware,
over the last forty eight hours, a lot of stuff
has been coming out of this building, whether it's the
one hundredth season celebration, which is going to begin this September,

(01:15):
or the fact that the commemorative uniforms have now been
released to the public and you guys now see that,
or the schedule which is now out and I don't
think you guys have really had an opportunity to talk
about that either. So we got a whole litany a
palette if you will, of big blotches of paint. You

(01:37):
can go anywhere you like. You can go to the red,
blue to green, yarrange whatever you got. Blotches of paint
all over the palette, and we invite you to call
us at two O one nine three nine four five
one three. I want to go rapid fire, and I
want to make this your chance to react to the
news of the last forty eight hours, because so much

(01:58):
has happened in the world of the New York Football Giants.
Our number is two on one nine three nine four
five one three two on one nine three nine four
five one three. Now let's talk for a moment, Jonathan
before we get to our calls, and the lines are open,
so please dial us up. We'll get to you as
soon as we possibly can, because again, I want to

(02:19):
make this show about you guys. The uniforms This is
a tribute to the heritage of the history and the
tradition of the New York Football Giants. For those of
you who have had a quick glance at the uniforms
that you can find on the Giants website at giants

(02:40):
dot com and all of their social media platforms, one
of the panels has a complete explanation for what the
uniform actually stands for. The other ones don't, so I
want to draw your attention to this one particular one
because it talks about the nineteen thirty three jersey that
they're using, which is basically red with a big blue

(03:04):
stripe across the chest which has the number on it,
and then thinner white stripes sandwiching the blue stripe horizontally
across the chest. That's from the nineteen thirty three New
York Football Giants. The helmet, which looks very similar to
the wolverine helmet from University of Michigan. That's the nineteen

(03:26):
thirty eight helmet. It's blue with the red wolverine type
claw on the front of it. The pants and the
socks which are a light tan with primarily red sox,
but again in the design with the stripes of the
shirt or the jersey they come from. The nineteen twenty

(03:50):
five Giants. Now the significance, of course they airs. The
nineteen twenty five was the first year of the New
York Football Giants. So this is what the Giants have done.
They are paying true ed an homage to their history
and basically their first decade of football. Now, to those
of you who don't understand a lot of the uniform

(04:12):
history with this team, and Jonathan is probably will be
news to you, because I don't think players pay much
attention to this stuff. A couple of items. First of all,
the Giants did have primarily read in their uniforms until
the early fifties, early to mid fifties. It was only

(04:34):
then that they decided to minimize the red and truly
become big blue. I don't know the reason for it.
I never actually asked Wellington Marra while he was still
with us why that happened. I always grew up with
the Giants being big blue, and to be frank with you,
until I started to study the history of the team,

(04:56):
didn't know that red was a big deal for them.
So that's number one, okay. Red was a primary color
for this team again until the early to mid fifties.
In nineteen fifty seven, the National Football League put in
a rule, we're going to have home jerseys and we're
going to have road jerseys. Up until that time, you

(05:18):
could have two, three, four different jerseys and you just
changed them and put on whatever you wanted to that week.
But in fifty seven they said no, no, no, no,
no no, you're gonna have your primary white jersey is
your road. You're gonna have your primary color jersey your home.
And that's the way it stood for decades and decades

(05:39):
on end until some years ago the NFL started to
experiment with the alternates and the throwbacks. And if you recall,
for a while there, right, the Giants were wearing all
red tops for a few years.

Speaker 2 (05:52):
Yep, that was. Was that a standard home jersey for
the Giants?

Speaker 3 (05:56):
The red at one point?

Speaker 5 (05:58):
It was?

Speaker 3 (05:58):
It was at one point was oh yeah.

Speaker 2 (06:01):
And now my question, because you said in nineteen fifty
seven the rules change basically saying you got to have
a darker color home jersey, you have to.

Speaker 3 (06:08):
Have a colored home jersey.

Speaker 2 (06:09):
A colored home jersey, and then a white and a
white road jersey. So when did it change? Because I
know Miami they go white. I know, Dallas goes white
at home. When did that change or was that just
saying you got to have a designated home jersey.

Speaker 3 (06:25):
Right, Well, specifically with Dallas and with Miami. Part of
the reason was because they played in the South where
it was really hot.

Speaker 2 (06:34):
Yeah, it makes sense. They why to do it?

Speaker 3 (06:36):
They asked, can we have our designated jersey the opposite way, right,
And that's why that happened, right, Dallas became homeless, but Miami.

Speaker 2 (06:46):
But if you think about it, though, it puts them
in an interesting category because most teams have darker color
jerseys at home, which forces the await team to wear
white jerseys. So Dallas and Miami not only are wearing
white jerseys at home, but because everybody else has darker
colors at their home, they're wearing white all year long,
you know what I mean?

Speaker 3 (07:04):
Oh, Parcels when he became head coach of the Giants,
for the first several years, he believed that the dark
Cowboys jersey was a jinx on them because for quite
a while the one right, Yeah, they did have a
great record with that blue jersey. So Parcells would tell
the Giants, we're wearing our our whites at the Giants

(07:24):
stay to get Dallas, Dallas to wear their blue.

Speaker 2 (07:27):
Yeah yeah, Bill was very superstars. Oh yeah, yeah yeah.
A lot of coaches are like that, superstitious.

Speaker 3 (07:33):
I'm not.

Speaker 2 (07:34):
I'm not like that. I'm not superstitious. But there is
something into when the Giants are wearing these throwbacks and
if the Giants win, Because for me, I'm I'm in,
I'm indecisive about how I feel about them, and I'm not.
I don't love them, you know, I think they can
look good. But I tell you what, the Giants they
look great. What was That was the point I was

(07:55):
gonna make if they win, especially if it's a good
win against a good team, quality win. Sure, these jersey
are gonna be worn at home, so it's gonna be
a good team that they're hosting.

Speaker 3 (08:03):
Wear them up. They can wear them up to twice.

Speaker 2 (08:05):
By the way, have they telled us what they have?

Speaker 3 (08:08):
Not designated as I understand it, I don't believe that
was designated.

Speaker 2 (08:11):
So definitely not gonna be weak one for sure. Right,
they're not gonna be one.

Speaker 3 (08:14):
I don't know that.

Speaker 2 (08:15):
But no, no teams go throw back week one right piercing,
No team goes throw back week one.

Speaker 3 (08:20):
You know what, I don't want to misspeak here, so
I'm gonna go right to the Giant's website right now.
I believe, I know that they did identify that they
can wear them up to twice during the.

Speaker 2 (08:30):
Course of the series, and the second game is definitely
predicated on the win or loss of the first game.
I mean, that's just my guest, my guests, because if
they lose wearing these jerseys, and if they lose handily,
these jersey are going in the trash, not breaking them
back out. Dog They're not doing it, man, They're not

(08:52):
doing it. And you know, day Balls like that though,
day Balls like that. Day Ball he has these things
of he does so and things. I think he was
eating lunch on Fridays or something like that, and then
I went in to eat with him and then we
won and he was like, jac you know, you gotta
come eat with me again. Like he's like that. So
I'm one hundred percent sure whenever the Giants do decide

(09:15):
to wear these throwbacks, however we feel about them, right
I'm indecisive about him. If they win, they're wearing the
second time. If they lose, throw them in the trash.
They might not ever see him again.

Speaker 3 (09:24):
I'm just saying, you know, I will say this. I
get a bad feeling every time I see people wearing
the throwback logo from the nineteen seventy five season. Now
to explain, nineteen seventy five was the one year that
the Giants shared Say Stadium with the Jets. They had
played in the Yell Bowl. Okay, after their second home

(09:49):
game of the seventy three season at Yankee Stadium, Yankee
Stadium was going to be renovated. They kicked the Giants
out of Yankee Stadium. The Yankees went to the Yello Bowl,
and they played the rest of the seventy five home
games at the Yale Bowl in Connecticut, and in seventy
four at the Yale Bowl in Connecticut. That's that's the
darkest age of Giants football. So in seventy five they

(10:11):
come back to New York, but Giants Stadium isn't ready
yet in the Meadowlands. So they go to the City
of New York and they're like, well where we're going
to go? Oh, okay, you're going to play at Shaye Stadium,
where the Jets play.

Speaker 2 (10:25):
So for one year, je are ready playing at Shay Stadium.

Speaker 3 (10:29):
The Jets have been playing at Shae Stadium the whole time.
That was their home.

Speaker 2 (10:32):
I didn't know that that was their home.

Speaker 3 (10:34):
And so in seventy five the Giants became a tenant
of Shay and in that year they wore what is
now and I can't show you. I'm sure you've seen
it though. It was called the disco and why it
was the N. It was the the N with the

(10:54):
Y and it was like a double or triple. It
was a double, a double end. Why go take a
look nineteen seventy five Giants logo? It was a double
and why they it became known as the disco Giants logo. Well,
the reason that that that I don't like seeing that

(11:15):
when I see throwbacks and people have that on is
because that was a horrific season.

Speaker 2 (11:20):
This one, that's the one I've seen it. I think
I have a hat like that.

Speaker 3 (11:25):
I'm sure you do, because during this era of throwbacks,
that's one of the like a retro right that that's
been one of the logos that has popped up as
part of the throwbacks. I get. I just get my
stomach turned.

Speaker 2 (11:40):
I don't like it.

Speaker 3 (11:41):
Well, they were five and nine that season, and that
was a really bad football team. Okay. Craig Morton was
the starting quarterback. Walker Gillette was our best wide receiver. Okay.
Joe Dawkins was our leading running back. That was the
final season of Spider Lockhart. I mean it was.

Speaker 2 (12:02):
It was not looked. The logo could throw you off
a little bit. The jerseys looked like kind of the throwbacks.
These are the throwbacks that the Giants were now the
color rest.

Speaker 3 (12:12):
Okay, but the problem was it was the ugly football.

Speaker 2 (12:15):
That was even oh yeah, that makes everything look ugly. Okay,
that makes everything look ugly.

Speaker 3 (12:20):
So and and believe me, Shay Stadium it was real grass.

Speaker 2 (12:24):
So that field that year, it was all chopped, that
wasn't it.

Speaker 3 (12:28):
The Mets and Yankees both played there for baseball so
up until the end of September, and the Jets and
Giants both played there for football. That field wasn't absolute disest. Yeah,
it was a dirt horrible, dirt, mud, frozen mud, horrible,

(12:48):
and the quality of the of the games was impacted
also by the field. It was just dreadful.

Speaker 2 (12:53):
Yeahful. We had my high school football stadium, Memorial Stadium
over in Brunswick, New Jersey. We had a grass field.
Now it's turf now, but back then we had the
grass field, and you got varsity football playing, got jv
you got freshman football playing. You also have soccer varsity
and junior varsity, and you have all of Pop Warner

(13:17):
playing on the same field. So by October October, the
second month of the season, the field is like it's
like it starts like with the little brown spots.

Speaker 3 (13:25):
Yeah, you know, always starts that, and.

Speaker 2 (13:27):
Then mid October November, half the field is completely brown
and it's terrible. It's really bad. But we looked fast
and we won a lot of games.

Speaker 3 (13:38):
Hey, winning is always the bad as right, always.

Speaker 2 (13:42):
But that's why for these jerseys, I'm indifferent. If the
Giants win with these jerseys on, I'm sure I'm gonna
feel a lot better about them.

Speaker 3 (13:50):
But if they lose, all right, final thought, and I'm
gonna get Jonathan's response here, and then we're gonna go
to your phones. Oh, your call, little lines are open
two on one nine nine four five one three. Please,
we're looking for your reaction to the uniforms. We're looking
for your reaction to the schedule. Okay, and oh By

(14:11):
the way, our own Pearson over there opposite the camera
are our very crack producer who just does a kick
butt job every single day. Uh. He is the uh,
the very studious gentleman in our schedule reveal that came
out this past week. So please don't be afraid to

(14:32):
go to YouTube and leave your comments about the uh
erstwhile Pearson Butler, who done the microphone for this very
special assignment, UH, his interview with the pigeon was was
particularly impressive.

Speaker 2 (14:49):
That's the first thing I said when I when I
came in, I was like, hey man, I just watched
you on the on Instagram, and I was like, I
didn't know you here was that big because he always
has an add on. Every time I come in here,
he always has a had on the only time I
seen him with it off is when he takes it
off real quick, slicks it back and he got the
matt the helmet here, so it's like flat. I didn't
know it was here was so big.

Speaker 3 (15:10):
It was humid.

Speaker 1 (15:11):
That expands.

Speaker 3 (15:13):
So go to the Giants YouTube page. Please click on
on Pearson's radio and by all means, if you want
to see more Pearson, please let us know there's plenty
of room there for the comments. You know, we're we're
good with that.

Speaker 2 (15:27):
Pierce is the man too. Let me let me let
you know he's the man. He don't say too much.
He chimes in every now and again, but he does
a good job here making sure we look like we
know what we're doing. But it's he's the guy that
makes everything.

Speaker 3 (15:40):
I can't even tell you how many times he will
throw a life preserver to save somebody. Oh yeah, for sure,
that's what that. He's the human life preserver. Of course,
he's also a Bruins and Celtics fan. But we don't
really want to talk about conference finals.

Speaker 2 (15:54):
Let's go, well, go.

Speaker 3 (15:56):
New York, Go New York. Kick your butt twice tomorrow
in the NBA and the NHL tomorrow, right all right,
Before we go to the calls again, there's a line
open two A one nine three nine four five one three.
Giants open the twenty twenty four season at home against
the Minnesota Vikings. Folks, I actually remember the last time

(16:18):
that happened, back in nineteen sixty nine at Yankee Stadium,
when Frank talking to threw a couple of late touchdown
passes that don Herman and the Giants actually beat Minnesota
here in New York. This will be the first time
they've had a season opener against the Vikings since sixty nine,
so it's it's a rare oddity. My only question to

(16:39):
you as we get ready for the phone calls, did
it ever matter to you whether or not you opened
with a divisional opponent or a rival or was it
totally indifferent? Did you not care?

Speaker 2 (16:53):
Yeah, I didn't really care, even though those indivision games
they almost count as double because you know, you win
one and then and you give a team of your
division a loss. It didn't matter, man like you. As
soon as the schedule got released, you know, and we're
we're doing it too. We're going to focus on Minnesota
for you know, for the next few months because that's

(17:14):
the opening game. Just like the players. The players are
focusing on Minnesota. Of course, they're you know, they're they're
looking ahead to the division, of course. But you gotta
be ready for that first game week one, whoever that
opponent is. And now that you have the opponent, now
you prepare your off season to open up against the
Minnesota Vikings. J. J. McCarthy led Minnesota Vikings, which is

(17:36):
going to be interesting.

Speaker 3 (17:36):
Sam Donald might have something to say about that.

Speaker 2 (17:39):
I agree, But what pick was, he doesn't matter, it does.
That's what truly matters. That's what truly matters. But I
mean from the things I've heard, and that was somebody
that the Giants, there was a little rumors about the
Giants possibly doing something Draft Day right to move up
to get this kid right.

Speaker 3 (18:00):
It didn't happen. It didn't because obviously they were not
that interested in right right.

Speaker 2 (18:04):
Maybe they just threw it out there just to just
to get the buzz right, just to get the buzz going.

Speaker 6 (18:09):
Look, they got weapons though on that team. Yes, that's
what I would say, don't have right now is a
pass rush. That's what I was I was going to
lead to the guy on the outside. I think you
can call him either one ay or one B as
a top receiver in the league. And justin Jefferson, he
reminds me of a young OBJ. When I got to
New York and I would go to other teams that

(18:29):
we played, like Tampa. I don't know if I told
you about this story. The year after I got here
to New York, we play in Tampa. So I'm in
New York. We're playing in Tampa. I'm in the end zones, stretching,
and I was just in Tampa the year prior with
you know, the Temple Buccaneers. So I see some of
the defensive backs, they see me in the end zone.
They come over with jay Z, what's up? You know,
we're just shooting.

Speaker 2 (18:49):
Stuff right, And I was like, hey, man, let's just
want to let y'all know. Man, like, I hope y'all
got a game plan for number thirteen because that dude
is different. And now I used to tell people like yo,
just letting y'all know he's a different type of cat
over there. That's what Justin Jefferson is. He's that he's
a different type of cat.

Speaker 3 (19:08):
Neighbors kind of fits that category two.

Speaker 2 (19:09):
I mean, he has to prove it. He has to
prove it.

Speaker 3 (19:11):
He does.

Speaker 2 (19:12):
Justin Jefferson came in this league as a lot of
these LSU young receivers come in and they just literally
take the league by storm. And O'Dell did it. Odell's
running mate did it. What's his name, the kid that
played in Cleveland for a while, Landry did it. Justin
Jefferson did it. I mean Ruben Randa, right, Jamar Chase

(19:33):
do it Ruben Randu back in the day. He kind
of did it too early on really good year.

Speaker 3 (19:38):
You know.

Speaker 2 (19:38):
So something about these LSU receivers, you know, these young
receivers and state linebackers, they come into the league ready
to go. They're ready, they're they're route ready, they're savvy,
they have the catch ratius, the catch ability to go
get it. They spectacular catch the moves have to catch
and neighbors fit that category. So it'll be a good

(19:59):
you know, to see who's the better LSU receiver week one,
the guy that has been doing it for a few
years and a new guy that would just pick that
number six.

Speaker 3 (20:06):
I'll put my money on the Giants pass rush over
what Minnesota has now because their top two pass rushers
from last year are gone.

Speaker 2 (20:12):
Yep. That's a big deal, absolutely, especially in his day
and age when it comes to applying pressure to the quarterback.

Speaker 3 (20:19):
All right, So we have talked about the Century Red uniforms,
which is the official name of this hybrid throwback.

Speaker 2 (20:24):
I like the name though, Okay, that's the name.

Speaker 3 (20:27):
So we've talked about that. We talked about opening day
against the Vikings, We'll get more into the schedule a
little bit later on, but I see the calls are
lighting up, so we're gonna go to the phone line
to two oh one nine three nine four five one
three and get your reaction. We're gonna start with Alex
in Tampa. You're first on Big Blue Kickoff Live.

Speaker 7 (20:46):
Hello, Hey, Paul, Hey Jonathan, thanks for taking my call.

Speaker 2 (20:50):
To Sure's calling on Alex.

Speaker 5 (20:52):
Hey.

Speaker 7 (20:52):
So a couple quick points, real quick, and a couple
of predictions. First, I like the helmets. They remind me
of Miss can Accept with red and blue instead of
red and yellow. Not so hot on red is a
dominant color, but red is my favorite color, so I
guess I'm a little indifferent on that. Like Jonathan. Second,

(21:14):
we two years ago we handled Jefferson in the playoffs
with our defense, so I'm not too concerned on him,
and I'm looking forward to see how Neighbors competes with
Jefferson in the first week of the season. I also
hope we played there they played their rookie quarterback. That
would be nice. I somewhat doubt that they're going to

(21:36):
put him in on the first game of the season.
I think he's more of a project, but my main
point is I'm really looking forward to really watching the offense.
I've been defensive lines this year. I want to see
if our defense can stop the run, which we struggled
at last year. And in the offense, you know, not
only just improving, but I'm a little concerned we didn't.

(21:58):
We don't really have a good solution or a backup
for left tackle. I think we've got some depth at
guard and right tackle, but should something happen, I think
we could we could suffer some of the same challenges
we had last year. I love your thoughts when I
get off predictions for this year. I think we will

(22:19):
sweep the Redskins again. I think we'll be four and
six in the division. We will we will win a
game for the first time in many years against the Cowboys,
and I'm going to predict it's Thanksgiving Day. We'll lose
at home, but we'll win in Dallas on Thanksgiving Day
and really enjoy the all the content you guys have

(22:39):
had of late. I know it's kind of the slow part,
but go Big Blue.

Speaker 3 (22:43):
Thanks well, Thank you so much for the.

Speaker 2 (22:45):
Call him at four four into in a division, and.

Speaker 3 (22:48):
I think he also meant the Commanders. Yeah, but I
get it. Trust me. John likes to remind me all
the time, you can't call them the other name anymore.
I'm like, well, but when you refer to the old team.

Speaker 2 (22:59):
You have to because you're talking about when I played
the Commanders, they were the Redskins. So when I refer
to my talk about the Redskins, because that's the team
that was like what two years they had.

Speaker 3 (23:17):
That three years?

Speaker 5 (23:19):
I think?

Speaker 2 (23:21):
Man, that was interesting.

Speaker 3 (23:22):
Anyway, All right, Uh, let's address the left tackle spot.
Going into the draft, I had thought that if they
didn't take a flyer on a tackle project late that
they would potentially bring in if they could, another veteran,

(23:42):
because right now, Matt Nelson, the former Detroit Lion, would
be the next man up at at tackle at the
swing spot. Now, this of course assumes that you're going
to use elmanor at guard, because Neil and Tom are
going to be your starting tackles. Right that's the best

(24:04):
case scenario for the Giants that Illuminoor becomes a guard,
he becomes the right guard and kneels your right tackle,
and Thomas is your left tackle. If that's the case
right now, Matt Nelson, the former lion is your swing tackle?

Speaker 2 (24:18):
Right or left? You're talking about rightwing, You're talking about
right or left. First guy in the game, right or left?

Speaker 3 (24:24):
Now now, John said to me, well, Illumino would probably
move out if one of the tackles gots hurt. Illuminore
would probably move out to tackle, and then you go.
I said, but John, here's the one problem with that,
and I understand it. The problem is now you got
to sub out two spots instead of only one, and
sometimes coaches are very reluctant to do that.

Speaker 2 (24:42):
Yeah. Yeah, So you you think right now, ILLUMINOI is
going to be the right guards. I think, yeah, that's interesting.
I think the competition for O line will be at
that right tackle position between Illuminare and Evan Neil. And
I'm looking at this roster. I don't know, and nothing
set in stone, right, there's no there's no official rosters

(25:03):
right or projected, because that's the only you can project right,
there's no projected rosters. I think the battle will come
at right tackle because I think we understand who we
have at left tackle. I think we understand who we
have at center. The guards. For me, I would I
would put them. I want to say secondary. But I
think you have to solidify the right tackle position, and

(25:23):
if that's going to be an improved Evan Neil, I
think that's what everybody will be happy about. Evan NEI
would be happy about it. I know the coaches will
be happy about that, the fans will be happy about
if Evan Neil can increase his play play a lot
better than he's shown the last two years, and actually,
you know, solidify that right tackle position and give I
think a luminor bump him inside to play that right

(25:46):
guard position. And I think if it works the opposite way,
if a Luminard beats Evan Neil out for the right
tackle position, I don't see Evanil being a backup. I
see them trying him at a guard spot. That's what
I see happening. Run you to be of a left guard,
right right, That's what I'm thinking about. Yeah, yeah, okay,
So you know, in.

Speaker 3 (26:04):
Terms of who may get picked up between now and
opening day, I'm still thinking that there may be somebody
out there, some veteran out there who might get set free,
who they might want to consider bringing into at least
compete with Matt Nelson as a potential option.

Speaker 2 (26:22):
So that you could.

Speaker 3 (26:23):
Avoid making two moves if your tackle goes down. Yep,
makes sense.

Speaker 2 (26:30):
Yeah, because you had the bump a guy over it
and move a gout elevator. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (26:34):
I always believe, if at all possible, and sometimes it's
not possible, try to minimize the number of moves you
have to make due to an injury.

Speaker 2 (26:45):
Understood, Yep, understood. So but I mean it all depends.

Speaker 3 (26:49):
Matt Nelson, to me, doesn't deserve to just have that
spot by himself. He should have to compete for it.

Speaker 2 (26:53):
Yes, I think besides the left tackle spot, all these
jobs should be competitive jobs, you know, because I think
the only person that has proved that he's a star
worth right now on this entire roster, let's go offense.
I'm not gonna go defense because I think it's not
the same thing on defense. On offense, I think the
only person that has solidified himself as a guy that

(27:15):
can make it to the Pro Bowl if he has
a healthy year, I think is Andrew Thomas. Right, So
those guys not to say that they're not competing, because
they are. But it's a little bit different when you
show up in training camp knowing that your job is
your job yes, it's a huge difference, you know, and
if you can go probably man for man, man for man.
Nobody has that security as Andrew Thomas, which I believe

(27:37):
is good because now in training camp, it's like I
got to perform at a very high level to make
sure I solidify the job that I think is minds
because Andrew Thomas, I think the only one that knows
that is his job. Everybody else is like, I believe
this is my job, but I have to go out
and secure it. Not to say Andrew Thomas not gonna
practice hard, but it's a little different mindset, and it's
a great mindset to have to keep the comp petition alive,

(28:01):
which I think brings out the best in everybody involved,
no question.

Speaker 3 (28:05):
Back to the lines two O one nine three nine
four five one three Rob from Yonkers, You're next time
Big Blue kickoff Live.

Speaker 5 (28:13):
Hello, hy guys doing good morning?

Speaker 8 (28:15):
Get after moon?

Speaker 5 (28:16):
Hi?

Speaker 4 (28:17):
So Rob, how you doingright? So Johnathan's can see us?
You had a couple of weeks ago you said something
that you will only put two running backs, that you
will only pick two running backs in front of take
from bok if you never got to tell.

Speaker 5 (28:29):
Who they were?

Speaker 2 (28:31):
Uh, right now. I mean, I think you gotta go
probably McCaffrey to pick another guy over him from what
Derek Henry has done. Possibly depends on what type of
offense you will run. U I would have to go
through him again because I said it at the time,
I probably had the two of mine, but I know

(28:52):
McCaffrey probably be number one, and then possibly Derek Henry
given the type of offense that I want to run.
But I mean quans to do everything, type of guy
like a McCaffrey, you know, and he's improved, I believe
as a pass pro guy. So that means you can
have him in all three downs and don't even wear it.
You can give him carries them first and second, you
can get him out the backfield on third, and you

(29:13):
can also keep him in for protection. And look, I
love his game and I like the way he is
off the field. I told Paul about the experience I
had with him the first time I ever met him.
We were up in Fort Lee doing some Play sixty
stuff with kids, and I saw his character for the
first time before I saw him play a game in
the NFL, and I was a believer in him from

(29:34):
the beginning, and then I watched him play and I
was like, Bro, this is not only a solid dude.
I always fought for him as a man, as a
human being, because I know the type of person he is.
You know, So I don't know those other guys, but
for me, in terms of talent and stuff like that,
there's nobody really better than him besides McCaffrey because of
Derek Henry and these are solid guys that's played a

(29:57):
good amount of football in this league and are approving
guys that have done it for years and years and years.
Has been inconsistent with his injuries, but I still take
him mostly probably over any other running backs beside the
two guys I named, and and that might be given
what type of offense.

Speaker 4 (30:12):
We've run in Okay, I have one more thing for
Paul and then I'm gonna talk about the offense that
I'll take it off. Yeah, you guys spoke about Marvel
not too long ago as well, and who would who
would Thibodeau be? I I agree with you, I am man,
because iron Man is very cocky and Thibodeau is very cocky.

(30:32):
I definitely agree with I got one more guy, Donalds,
because Donald's was basically the destroyer of world, and I
feel I feel Thibodeaux had to be destroyer of all
other teams.

Speaker 5 (30:43):
That's what I feel.

Speaker 3 (30:44):
Well, you know the other day, if you caught the show,
he apparently told Steve Serby of the New York Post
that he's black Panther. So if that, if that's what
he's going to call himself, then I'm gonna tip my
cap and I will call him black panther.

Speaker 2 (30:57):
I like it.

Speaker 5 (30:58):
Yeah, okay, I'll go with that.

Speaker 4 (31:00):
And about the offense real quick, the offense is only
gonna do as far as much as the as they
protect the quarterback. No down, protect Daniel. If they protect
Daniel Jones, we're good to go on. I think if
they If we keep going through and out, we have
a good defense. But we keep going through and out,
you're gonna get our defense tired, and then defense is

(31:20):
not gonna be to do anything either. Now take my
questions off the air. Thank you guys so much.

Speaker 5 (31:25):
Have a good day.

Speaker 3 (31:26):
Thank you so much. Rob appreciate the phone call. Two
one three lines are open again. We could talk about
the schedule. We could talk about the jerseys and the uniforms.
One thing I will say, Jonathan, and I don't know
if we've actually had this conversation with you before, but
we know the Giants have tried to upgrade their offensive line,

(31:47):
but at the same time, they've also upgraded their pass
rush by getting Brian Burns in the trade from the Panthers.
As a defensive player, you go into the season and
you know the offense has been challenged. How much aware
are you of the transactions of the upgrades they've made,
and do you think about that as you go into
the season and into training camp saying hmmm, I really

(32:08):
want to take a look at what that offense is
going to do because we know they need to be better.
Does that is it cogniscant with you? Does it weigh
on your mind? Is it something you actively think about
as you get ready for camp? So on me when
you were a defensive player.

Speaker 2 (32:25):
Oh yeah, for sure, one hundred percent. You know, because
at the end of the day, like I always felt
like not that it's my team, but it's my team,
it's my family, you know what I mean? Like I have,
you know, uh, my part I have to do, but
I also want to make sure the guys that are
doing their parts are there and we have the right pieces,
not that I could do anything about it, but I

(32:45):
definitely was aware of who was playing offensive line, and
you know, who was I going against, you know, Like
I remember, you know, my first year playing for the
New Orleans Saints, I made it my duty to learn
every single body on the offensive line. You had Bush Row,
you had Jarry Evans, like you had a Goodie in
the middle, you had Stings, Like I knew everybody you

(33:05):
know right away, you know. And I don't know if
that's that was just me or what, but I wanted
to be very well aware of who I was going
against that training camp and practice, and then who was
going to be representing us during the season. And for me,
I was always well prepared going against any opponent as
well too. So I don't know if that was just me,
but I definitely knew, you know. And then and then

(33:26):
also like when I got to New York and the
Giants brought in Olivier Vernon, they brought a jack rabbit
on the defensive side, Like I not only knew what
position they're playing, I knew how much money they were making.
Like you know what I'm saying, I knew about all
of that stuff. I was very in the loop about everything.
I made sure I learned about all of that stuff.

Speaker 3 (33:41):
Okay, so now training camp starts and we'll talk about
this more when we get to July. But let me
just run this by you quickly now. So you were
curious and you wanted to know about the guys you
were going to go up against on the other side
of the ball. But you also wanted to know about
the guys who were going to be on your side
of the ball too going in battle with me. Which
of those two things were you more curious about.

Speaker 2 (34:04):
I think it depends on the time of the year.
You know, as you're approaching this time of the year,
we're not really worried about an opponent quite yet. So
I'm definitely worried about the roster. Who's on the roster,
you know. Like I said, I can't do nothing about it.
I never had to say on who they're bringing in.
But I was definitely curious. I wanted to know everything,
you know. So when I did, you know, talk to

(34:26):
my dad, who's a huge Giants fan all his life.
I talked to my dad. He brings up somebody's name.
I got something to tell him about him.

Speaker 8 (34:33):
You know what I mean.

Speaker 2 (34:34):
Like, you know, so it wasn't really like it didn't
really matter per se in terms of my ability to
perform on the field or my preparation or anything like that.
But I always wanted to know things like that. I
always wanted to know who I was going into battle with,
you know, and have some type of personal relationship with him,
whether it was high and by or I would sit
down and eat with them at lunchtime, you know. Like

(34:56):
that's why you see me now, Like I speak to
every single person in this building. You know, a lot
of people in this building know who I am, you know,
and it's not just the players. I really know the players,
because all the players are new, but the staff, the
front desk guys, every single person in that cafeteria, I
know all of them by name. I know the cleaning people,
like I know the video guys, like I know the trainers.
Of course, I know everybody, not everybody, but I know

(35:18):
a lot of people in this building. And I always
been like that. I'm a people person, And for me,
it's like if I can help you out in any
type of way, boom and then vice versa, you know
what I mean, Like, right, we're all a team and
it's the whole building, you know. So for me, you know,
I took that very seriously when I played ball, from
when I was a young kid til I got older.
That's something I'm trying to instill it my daughter. You know,
she's kind of putting I got friends of my team,

(35:40):
and then I got my teammates, and I'm like, oh,
and I'm like I understand, but like they all need
to be your sisters, you know. And then and then
on top of that, you can't hold on to them
forever because they're not going to be your sisters forever.
Like you're real, she got two little sisters, but they're they're,
you know, metaphorically your sister. They're metaphorically your family, right

(36:01):
And not to say you have you don't have favorites
and stuff like that, but you don't treat them differently.
You treat them the same, You treat them with respect,
You treat them all the same way, because that's what
you want to be treated, you know, as a teammate,
as a family member on this team that you're playing in.
And I always carry that on me, you know, I
don't know what it was, but I always carry it
on me. I always carried you know, like I wouldn't like,

(36:24):
you know, offensive line and defensive guys, they don't really
hang out much. No, But if I would see offensive lineman,
yeah that's my brother, not that he played linebacker with
me as my brother. Yeah yeah, Levonte David, all my
linebackers were friends forever. But like a Stinchcombe or Jarry
Evans or Bush Rode, like those are my brothers too.
You know, even on the other side of the ball.

(36:45):
We maybe not hung out, you know, during the season,
but if I see him out, I'm embracing them, giving
them a big hug. Yeah, it's the same jersey with
the same family. You're just not the one of my
favorite brothers. You know, you're one of my brothers.

Speaker 3 (36:57):
I will say this, and we'll talk about this topic
as we closer to training camp. I will say this,
I would be very surprised if Brian Dable and the
defensive staff are not instructing the Giants defensive front to
give this new rebuilt offensive line as much as they
can handle on the training camp. You have to be
because they need to get those guys ready as quickly

(37:20):
as they possibly can, and to get them playing up.
It's going to be huge and those defensive players are
going to be responsible to help do that.

Speaker 2 (37:28):
For sure, h for sure. Listen when you when you
the reason why the NFL is so great because every
single person on the roster, on the staff, they deserve
to be in the NFL. You get prodded and tested
since you were a little kid, you know, all throughout
high school and you get to college and then they
test you over and over and over again, and literally
they test you. They take you to Combin. They got

(37:50):
the new test that they're doing. They had the you know,
the old test that I was doing back in the day.
Like they have so many different things that you can't
get to the NFL by mistake. Can't get to the NFL.
Maybe you're not on a level of certain other guys,
but everybody's approven commodity when they get to the NFL.
But then there's also levels. Right I get to the NFL,

(38:10):
the first running back that I had to guard was
Reggie Bush, the first guy just two years, three years ago.
I'm just I got his poster on my wall, like
I'm a big USC fan. He's a Heisman winner, like
you know, so for me, I always. I always loved
going against great competition, not only for myself, but to

(38:30):
make sure I got them prepared as well.

Speaker 3 (38:33):
All right, two on one, nine three, nine, four, five
one three. Quickly we go back to line one. Joseph
and the Bronx. You're next time, Big Blue kickoff live.

Speaker 8 (38:41):
Hello, Hello, how you guys doing?

Speaker 3 (38:44):
We're well? How are you?

Speaker 2 (38:46):
Not bad?

Speaker 8 (38:46):
Not bad? So my my question for you guys on
is you kind of I think you kind of touched
on it a little bit. But so with the with
the rebuild of that's what I'm gonna call it, a
rebuild of the offense now because we now rebuilding our
offensive line or running back, just our offense in general,

(39:12):
where do you think we stand to Because I heard
you saying something about us thinking about picking up a
new veteran or a veteran off off the free agency
block ones somebody is released. Where do you think we
stand in offense? Our offensive line matching up with every

(39:36):
other every other thirty two thirty one teams in the
NFL as far as winning games?

Speaker 3 (39:44):
All right, well, Joseph, I will say this. What I'm
suggesting is that the Radars should be active and on
for a potential tackle pickup to enhance the competition and
depth at the spot. That's my premise. Now you may
or may not agree. I don't know, Jonathan. I think
you kind of do.

Speaker 2 (40:00):
Yeah, well not. I always think. Look, I always think
the the more talent, the more competition at a position,
especially if it comes from some a veteran who has
experienced in the NFL, I think that's invaluable.

Speaker 3 (40:13):
And they have a lot of guys, by the way,
numbers on the inside and look, got a number.

Speaker 2 (40:18):
Just look what Pugh brought to the team last year.
And look, Pew would tell you. Peugh was two hundred
and eighty pounds. He was twenty thirty pounds later than
he normally played at for that position. But then he
came in, as he said, straight off the couch, and
he gave a boost. His play wasn't I think up
to par, but his mentality was there, his camaraderie was there,

(40:38):
and he brought He made sure those guys were hanging out.
That's what a veteran does, and that's it's invaluable to
bring in a veteran like that.

Speaker 3 (40:47):
Will he be back next year at this point, No,
he's a free agent and has not signed anywhere. I
know he has said he'd like to come back, but
I don't know what the future holds for him. But
the intangibles was certainly evidence. Yes, when he came.

Speaker 2 (41:01):
Like the play, you know, the play was exactly what
you would think it would be from a guy that's
been sitting on the couch, you know what I mean,
who's a little bit undersized.

Speaker 3 (41:09):
I'll tell you what. That game against Buffalo, the primetime
game against the Bills, he goes in there and plays
the whole game.

Speaker 2 (41:18):
Yep. Was that his first game.

Speaker 3 (41:19):
It was ridiculous. Yeah, it was ridiculous.

Speaker 2 (41:22):
Yeah, you got to tip your hat to somebody like that,
you know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (41:25):
It was ridiculous. He started and played the whole game.
After the previous game he had gotten in some but
he was gassed. He knew.

Speaker 2 (41:35):
He showed us a lot, a lot, not just on
the field, but how you handle the media, which is
we had a problem in that in that room. Somebody
said something about in the media and he got some criticism.
Peugh got. When you play for the New York Giants
and you're not playing with you're gonna get criticized. That's
just what it is. That's how it is. Every single

(41:56):
player on the roster was criticized last year. Listen to
Pew's interviews. He was tremendous And you watched that as
a younger guy when I came into the league. I
will watch the older guy speak to the media and
I'm like, all right, man, that they were testing you
with that question. But I see how you kind of
play that.

Speaker 3 (42:10):
Off, Joseph.

Speaker 2 (42:11):
I appreciate the phone call, Thank you, Joey from the Bronx.

Speaker 3 (42:15):
One other item quickly, just to build off of his
offensive line question, I've been telling people that you could
make a very strong case for offensive line coach Carmen
Brisillo being the most valuable acquisition for the offensive line room.

Speaker 2 (42:30):
Yeah, now that's huge, it is. Yep. He has a
lot of experience in Lumini spoke very highly about.

Speaker 3 (42:36):
Him, very highly, you know, with the Patriots, who was
one of the greatest offensive line coaches that ever lived.

Speaker 2 (42:45):
Well, we got to put it to work, you know,
and it's hard and the only thing we could do
right now is speculate, predict, guess, hypothesize about what's going
to happen during the season.

Speaker 3 (42:55):
We don't really know who the starting fiber.

Speaker 2 (42:57):
We don't. We don't and we don't know how they're
going to perform, or we don't know their health. Because
last year, you look at the Giants Week one, the
whole not the whole thing, but your best player offense
goes down and Andrew Thomas, you know, the Pro Bowl
left tackle on a field goal very early in the
first game, you know. So it's like stuff like that,

(43:18):
just like when you look at the Jets. The Jets,
you know they're projected to be competitive in their division.
All of a sudden, the four plays in the game,
their quarterback goes down. Like you can't predict none of
these things. You know, you can't predict who's gonna get
hurt when they're gonna get hurt. What you do know
is somebody's going to get hurt at some time, because
that's football, you know. And it's sad to say out loud,

(43:40):
and I hate saying it out loud, but it's the truth. Well,
and the Giants have to be prepared for it. That's
why you bring in solid backups. That's why you bring
in a swing right tackle or a swing tackle that
can play both times. You have to prepare for one
of your best players going down at any time of
the year.

Speaker 3 (43:55):
Perhaps the best way to equate this is that we
all know, at some point time we're going to get
a flat tire. But guess what. You can never predict
when it's going.

Speaker 2 (44:05):
To be at all, who it's going to be, when,
and how many tires you going to lose, because sometimes
you might lose most of the time. Better have a spare, though,
You better have a spare, And that's.

Speaker 3 (44:16):
The only contingency player you can have that don't ut
or have a spare ready to go. But at some
point you're going to get a flat tire, and I
guarantee you you will not expect when it happens.

Speaker 2 (44:26):
It's never at like a great time, like that was
a good time that this guy got hurt. Never, I
don't never said that ever.

Speaker 3 (44:33):
I don't think I've ever heard a person actually exclaim, oh,
that was a good time to get that flat. Boy.
I was really happy that it happened. Then, Jeff from Maine,
You're next on Big Blue Kickoff Live.

Speaker 7 (44:44):
Hello, Oh hey, gentlemen, good to talk to.

Speaker 9 (44:48):
I'm actually liking Minnesota the first game. You know, I'm
like with John, you know, I hate to see Dallas
the first game all the time, you know, so that
that should be really fun. I've actually got a follow
up question though, from from lest week about Drew Lock.
If I could, I had mentioned that I thought he
was like an upgrade do mostly to durability. I actually

(45:10):
agree with Jonathan that I think right now Tyrod Taylor
is a better quarterback than him. But my question is,
since he is kind of he's bigger and younger, and
we have great quarterback coaches, do you think he might
eventually have a higher ceiling than Taylor.

Speaker 2 (45:25):
He can, I believe, so it all depends on what
he does moving forward. Of course, you know, Tyrod, if
it wasn't for injuries, Tyrod Taylor I think would be
a starting quarterback somewhere in the NFL. You know, injury
set you back, you know, whether it's you know, a
play here and there or a game where season. It
happens to everyone. I love Tyrod and I always speak
highly of not just he's a great quarterback, he's a

(45:47):
great professional. How he handled coming in and out of
the lineup, how he talked to the media like he's
a true pro. But Drew Lock, the upside is there?
The potential is there, but it all depends on what happens.
You know, if the guy is good enough to, you know,
dethrown Daniel Jones from the quarterback of the New York
Football Giants and play I think that says a lot
to who he is, you know, if he can do

(46:07):
something like that, because look, I don't see Andrew and
Daniel Jones. I don't know who name I was about
to say just now. I don't see Daniel Jones showing
the little bit that we saw from him in twenty
twenty three. I feel like that wasn't really who he is,
you know, I think he was sporadic. I don't think
he threw the ball as well as we've seen in
the past. I don't think he made that great decisions.

(46:29):
Twenty twenty two for me is what I remember from
Daniel Jones. And if he can come back to that
form and Drew lock can beat that guy out, that
says a lot about Drew Locke and the Giants will
win some games because of that. You know, I don't
know how it's going to work out. I you know,
my head is in for Daniel Jones. I hope he's
healthy because the Giants need great quarterback play to have success.

(46:52):
And I'm not talking about winning a couple of games possibly,
you know, being available late in the year and big.
I'm talking about getting to the playoffs I get in
twenty twenty two and winning one or two playoff games.

Speaker 3 (47:02):
Well, that's where the playmakers are now. They're in the
passing game because of the targets he can throw to.
There is no longer a franchise running back here. It's
now a running back by committee. So the big time plays,
the difference making plays will have to come from the
quarterback and his targets. They're going to have to now,
that's just the way it is, the way the team
has been built.

Speaker 2 (47:21):
Now.

Speaker 9 (47:23):
Oh yeah, Well, I'm a big Game of Jones fan.
I think he's gonna have a great year, But even
under the best circumstances, the backup's gonna have to come
in and play probably a couple of games, you know,
uh maybe, yeah, I'm just thinking maybe lock could be good,
you know, with the quarterback coaches that we have and
stuff and and be at least functional, but maybe even
win some games. You know, I think it's gonna take

(47:44):
a whole quarterback room, maybe even the third ring or
two a little bit.

Speaker 2 (47:47):
Let's not hope it gets to the third. Yeah, this
never go.

Speaker 3 (47:52):
Appreciate the phone call two on one nine three nine
four five one three Quick before we go to Abdul,
I know you're on the line. We'll get to you
in thirty seconds. I talked to a longtime veteran offensive
coordinator who has since retired. He saw Drew Lock's game
last year against the Philadelphia Eagles. Now, I know our
Seattle media person when we were talking about the Washington

(48:14):
Huskies came on and he did not like Jim drew
Lock at all and poo pooed the game against the
Eagles and said, oh, ye had one good quarter in
the fourth quarter. I talked to this longtime football guy,
he's a lifer, and he said to me, I saw
that game. There was a lot to work with. If
I were an offensive coordinator in the league today, I

(48:35):
would not mind having him in my quarterback room because
I saw enough of tools there that would make me excited.
I think I could win with him. I'm just offering
that to you, and that's and that's I'm not going
to name names, but that's from somebody who I have
tremendous respect for and if he felt that way, it's
probably very likely that's one of the reasons why Brian

(48:56):
Dable was was okay with signing him.

Speaker 2 (48:58):
Yeah, yeah, we'll see. I don't know too much about him,
Drew Locke, you know, but I will come to training camp.
I will get my eyes on him. I will see
how he handled not only the media, but you know,
the past rush early. I want to see all of
these things. And like, it's hard for me to make
because I haven't watched too much film on a guy,
because he doesn't really have too much film out there.

(49:19):
You know.

Speaker 3 (49:19):
Well, if you get a chance, go back into uh
the NFL plus yeah and watch last year's game against
the Eagles and see what you think. Yeah, I will
Abdul from Minnesota. How about that? Playing the Vikings open
to day? We got Abduel on the line here.

Speaker 5 (49:34):
Hello, I am so excited about that. I wish it
was in Minnesota because you know, I could go to
the game.

Speaker 3 (49:41):
Did you go to a playoff game? We were at
the playoff game.

Speaker 5 (49:44):
I was there and I was so loud.

Speaker 2 (49:47):
Nice.

Speaker 3 (49:48):
It was a beautiful, beautiful day. Love love being, love being.

Speaker 5 (49:51):
It is a great day. The thing about Minnesota fans,
they are so friendly, so it was such it was
a it was a friendly rivalry.

Speaker 3 (50:02):
I could do without that horn, no, I mean, come on, yeah,
the horn is just a big headache.

Speaker 2 (50:09):
They did the skull that's pretty cool.

Speaker 5 (50:15):
Guys. They have fake snow in the building too. Really,
I didn't know that it blows, it blows out doing
the horn. It's like fakes.

Speaker 3 (50:24):
Oh is that what I thought? It was confetti?

Speaker 5 (50:27):
No, it's fake.

Speaker 3 (50:28):
No, okay, really I didn't even realize that that goodness,
it didn't get down to the field that was on
the sideline, but that horn could be heard, I think
three states away. I mean, it's ridiculous, but.

Speaker 5 (50:41):
That's the vibe the Vikings.

Speaker 3 (50:42):
I get it, I get it.

Speaker 5 (50:43):
It's a cool. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (50:44):
Boy, it was really quiet after the Giants beat him
in a playoff game, that wasn't it.

Speaker 5 (50:49):
Yeah? Very yes, very suddenly so very pleasantly so. But anyway,
I called for two reasons. First reason is I really
liked the user. He's in context of celebrating the hunt
this year, advers makes complete sense. I dig it. That's
it right anyways. So second of all, it's more of

(51:10):
a broad a topic. Drew Locke was a first round
draftic right, he.

Speaker 3 (51:16):
Was a second he was a number two, number two right?

Speaker 5 (51:19):
Okay, anyway, this Michael and Johnathan I'm forgetting is that
your name?

Speaker 2 (51:24):
Yes?

Speaker 5 (51:26):
Okay? What what do you what do you think makes
what happened?

Speaker 4 (51:32):
What?

Speaker 5 (51:32):
What makes a person who hass like like Jeff George
who has all the talents in the world, But what
what makes them a bust? You know what I mean?
Like or what makes people who have left like a
left talent becomes like I'm sorry, I'm kind of all
over the map here. But Jim Plunkett proves everyone wrong,

(51:56):
like he was a first round bust then years later
came back and went Tuesday. Yeah, like what happened to
Jim Jim Plunkett?

Speaker 2 (52:04):
Well, look, from what I can speak to from my
experience being around I think three of the greatest quarterbacks
to ever play football, Eli Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees. Yeah,
it was when you look at these guys on paper
and even the ability to throw the football. Tom Brady
and Eli Manning, they're not too far apart. They're tall

(52:26):
guys with big arms, you know, can look over you know,
not really athletic guys, but are really good in the pocket.
Drew Brees, he doesn't fit that mold. He's like six foot,
he doesn't have a strong arm, and he threw for
like five thousand yards I don't know five times in
his career. You know, he broke like every single passing record.
The reason why and this is me because I watched

(52:48):
him do it is number one, the preparation that he
has the ability to understand what he's doing before he
goes out there and do it. But the ability to
understand who he's going against and what's required for him
to do. And then the ultimate measure is the ability
to perform. That's the two measurements. The preparation, the ability
to understand what you're actually doing, and then going out

(53:09):
there and actually performing. Because there are guys that are
book smart, and I say book smart like classroom. They
know everything. Oh I will go here with the ball
and this this, when I get this coverage, I will
go here. But then you can be that, but you
have to perform, and this vice versa. Some guys aren't
that book smart. They're not gonna be like, oh, I
need to go here cover three, I need to do
this and blah blah, blah blah. They're not doing all that,

(53:30):
but then they go out there and perform the whole
thing to I think longevity in the career is having
the preparation, the book, smarts and you know before you
go out there. But then the ultimate measure is the
ability to perform that would ultimately come back. All of
that's involved, All that's involved. I'm talking about specific players,

(53:52):
right like Andy Reid, Andy Reid and Mahomes. Mahomes wouldn't
have been the Mahomes that we see without Andy Reid.
To Brady wouldn't been the player that he was for
twenty years without Bill Belichick, just like Drew Brees matching
up with Sean Payton. It does matter. But at the
end of the day, it matters the preparation at the
individual individual player and the performance of the individual player,

(54:15):
regardless of coach, regardless of the situation, regardless of team.

Speaker 3 (54:19):
I think what he's saying basically is that there are
mandatory starting points and then other things that surround you
and your environment can be factors, but you gotta have
a core list of things. I'll give you a great example.
Jesse Palmer was all pro in seven on seven, but
his NFL career was short lived and didn't really.

Speaker 2 (54:41):
Amount to a whole lot gotta perform.

Speaker 3 (54:43):
But man seven on seven, he was awesome.

Speaker 5 (54:46):
There's so many examples of like Ryan Leaf, Jeff George
just all these players have great physical skills at everything
on paper right high, you know whatever, but something, you know,
something about them didn't didn't make it, you know. And
I've always found that really interesting. While you see like

(55:08):
people who don't have all the measurements come in and
just crush, you know, and like sure I did, agent
Drew Brees. It's just a fascinating thing that I found
about sports in general. I mean, so anyway, I appreciate
you guys looking to me babble.

Speaker 2 (55:30):
There's something. There's something to that though, you know, Like
when I first walked into my first meeting, Drew Brees
took over the meeting, and I was confused because I
didn't know players ran meetings at all, you know, and
he ran the meeting like telling us everybody what's going on,
what Sean's calling Sean by his first name. Like all
this stuff was brand new to me. First day I
got introduced to it. But then after the years go

(55:52):
by and you start looking back at all of the
success that you know that really good players have had
in the league. It goes hand in hand with preparation
and performance. It goes hand in hand, and it doesn't matter.
I was on Tampa right in Tampa, we weren't good.
We won like two, like I don't know, three games
my first year, and by the time I got traded
my second year, we won one game. It was Josh Freeman.

(56:14):
Oh wow, and uh, what's his name? The kid that
played here a few years ago, the tall kid long neck.
In fun of them, Glenn Mike Glenn. I was gonna
say Ganning for some Mike glennon those are two quarterbacks.
Lavonte David has been an all pro type of player
since he been in the league. Yes, and the defense

(56:35):
has been up and down, the team has been up
and down, but not his performances. The Vonte David has
been a great player since he came into an NFL.
No matter how good the team is doing preparation, performance,
he was prepared for every single game. When I first
of all, I'm a cocky guy, right, I think, you know,
especially when it came to football, I felt like I

(56:56):
was the best one of the best will linebackers in
the NFL. Then I got to Tampa. I said, Okay,
I'm not playing in front of that guy. I watched
him on the film. Levonte David was a different type
of cat because not only did he perform, he was
very smart, but when he went out there, he would
do things on the field that I'd never done in
my life. And there was something about them South Florida
guys that play football all their life, they do things

(57:18):
a little bit differently, like a filma, like a Levonte David.
These guys are different, you know, And I will humbly
say that. But at the end of the day, what
made me good because I prepared and I performed. What
made Levante David good and probably a Hall of Fame
career because he prepared, He was prepared, and then he
performed regardless of what was going on around him, in
front of him or behind him.

Speaker 3 (57:40):
Been a fun show, folks, want to remind you The
Giants Total podcast with the initial reaction, John Schmelk and
I had gone through yesterday a full almost twenty minutes
right Pearson detailing some of the strategies and some of
the logistics involved in the Giants twenty twenty four schedule.
Really we didn't get into doing its much of that
today side of the opening game against Minnesota, but there's

(58:02):
a lot of interesting quirks and little little idiosyncrasies about
the schedule that we got into. It's on the Giants
Huddle podcast or I believe did we call it instant
Reaction first reaction.

Speaker 7 (58:14):
Yeah, it's video on Giants dot com and then it's
on the Giants Huddle podcast as audios.

Speaker 3 (58:18):
And is it also up on the YouTube yep, okay,
so it's there as well all your favorite podcast platforms.
That's just the latest one of our long forms that
goes up on the Giants Huddle where you get all
those interviews with former players, coaches and NFL people around
the league. So that's there. Don't forget to go there.
You can go through the Giants YouTube site. Season ticket
memberships are available right now for the twenty twenty four season.

(58:40):
Why not get to see these A commendmentive uniforms in person.
Maybe they'll look even better when you see them up
close and personal. And the Giants if they win with those, man,
you're gonna love them. Season ticket memberships are available at
Giants dot com. Slash tickets limited inventory is right now
up through the site. Also Giants TV. On the apps,

(59:03):
you can go through Apple TV, Roku, Amazon, free fireTV
and the Giants Mobile app and get all the kind
of stuff that you need. Remember, folks, Giants dot com
and the YouTube site. You got your schedule release video,
you got all the details on the one hundredth season
of Giants football. You got all the information on the commemorative,
historical throwback jerseys. Okay, I mean it's all there. It's

(59:27):
all there. The stuff about Hard Knocks, which, by the way,
we didn't talk about that at all. Hard Knocks out
of season version first hard Knocks very unique. All right,
that's the third version now of Hard Knocks. There was
training camp version, there was in season version. This is
now off season version. So much stuff on Giants dot

(59:47):
com and all of the Giants social media platforms. You
know what, if you got half a day off it's
raining out, you don't know what to do with yourself.
There's so much there to see. If you love the
football Giants, there's a lot of stuff you can take
in and enjoy the weekend. Go Nicks, Go Rangers for
Jonathan Casillas. On Paul Theatino. This has been Big Blue

(01:00:09):
Kickoff Live. We'll see you next time. It is presented
by Cadillac, the official luxury vehicle of the New York Giants.
So long, everybody,