All-time top 50 moments
Since it’s the big 50th birthday for the Freak this week, here is a look at his all-time top 50 football trips and New York Giants moments.
50. The stands shaking at old RFK Stadium during a Jets-Skins’ game in 1993.
49. Confused but smiling, why fans were allowed to bring one litre of any liquor into Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo.
48. Seeing the Ravens-Titans play and almost falling asleep in a 10-6 game.
47. Sitting behind the Chief at a Jets-Redskins game in 1993.
46. Watching the electric rookie RG III play the Giants in a mustwin December 2012 game for New York. RG III couldn’t be stopped at home and the Giants playoff hopes vanished on a missed field goal.
45. Going to Big D and watching Giants QB Danny Kannell stink the place out.
44. Watching Barry Sanders score three touchdowns on Thanksgiving Day 1997.
43. Seeing two NFL games in one day in 1993: Vikings-Giants in New Jersey and Jets-Redskins in Washington.
42. Watching Michael Strahan play in a Vikings-Giants game in 1993 and saying this guy is going to be a player.
41. Going to Dan Marino’s last playoff game with my brothersin-law in Buffalo and watching the Bills “squish the Fish” in one of the coldest game’s ever: -30C.
40. The crew from Summerside in Atlanta, Falcons-Redskins in 2009. Following the football game, watching the Atlanta Thrashers play hockey just next door 20 minutes later.
39. Sitting close to the leader of the J-E-T-S chant at a Colts-Jets game.
38. Friend Potato hugging the police horse at a Pats-Bills game.
37. Running on the field with buddy Pete and watching Boston College students tear down the uprights in a BC upset win over Notre Dame.
36. Road trip with some Summerside boys to a Giants-Pats game and watching the dreadful play of Giants QB Kent Graham and seeing Jerry Springer on the street.
35. Going to a VanderbiltGeorgia Tech game in 2009 and wondering who would ever get a chance to play in the NFL with an offence that passed the ball only 10 times a game? Demaryius Thomas and Derrick Morgan made it.
34. Odell Beckham Jr.’s onehanded catch against the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.
33. Sitting with 80,000 drunk college students at Penn StateMichigan State college game in 1997.
32. Watching Brett Favre beat the Vikings on Monday night in Minny with Peter, Big Tone and Timmy in 1997.
31. Standing for the whole game in a KC blowout, where Steve Young broke his leg and Tony Gonzalez was a rookie in 1997.
30. Sitting on wooden benches, packed in like sardines at historic Notre Dame watching the Fighting Irish and Purdue in 1996.
29. Stupidest fans – watching the Ravens beat the Vikings on Christmas Day 2005 that clinched a playoff spot for the Gmen, and Baltimore fans wondering why the Freak was wearing a Shockey jersey.
28. Fans booing and throwing
things at a Bears fan at Soldier Field for having “Marino” on his jersey in 1996.
27. Wondering why any fan would bring a live turkey in their car all the way from Minny to Detroit in 1997.
26. Eating a piece of deep fried turkey while tailgating at a Thanksgiving game in Detroit in 1997.
25. Watching two different Monday night games (Washington in 1993 and Dallas in 1995) in Philly at the old Vet and thinking these are the craziest and toughest fans around.
24. Boys from Summerside headed to Denver in 2010 for Jets-Broncos. We witnessed the first NFL touchdown of Tim Tebow, which was the beginning of Tebowmania. Also, the best spread of food and drink for any NFL tailgating the Freak has ever witnessed, but, unfortunately, we were all too hungover to enjoy it.
23. Seeing the fear in the eyes of quarterbacks when L.T. was coming on the blitz.
22. The 41-0 thrashing of the Vikings by the Giants in the 2000 NFC Championship game.
21. Naming our black lab Eli after Eli Manning’s performance in the 2007 NFC Championship game.
20. The 1990 NFC Championship-winning field goal by Matt Bahr, upsetting the 49ers.
19. The winning OT field goal by Lawrence Tynes in the 2007 NFC Championship game.
18. Freak’s family watching the Rams-Bucs in 2012 and experiencing the Bucs pirate ship firing off cannons with a Tampa touchdown. Also, little did we know that a future Giants, rookie Janoris Jenkins, would score on a pick six.
17. Phil Simms going 22-for-25 in the Giants Super Bowl XXI win.
16. Sitting down at the old Giants stadium for the first time in 1994.
15. Bills kicker Scott Norwood wide right as Giants upset the Bills in Super Bowl XXV.
14. Freak’s family watching Tampa-Saints game in 2012 and seeing the impressive accuracy of Drew Brees and the various stadium chants like “Who Dat” by Saints fans.
13. Toughness shown by Eli Manning in the 2011 NFC Championship game in San Fran, six sacks and 20 hits.
12. The drive to the Big Apple for the 2007 Super Bowl parade with Tommy and all the sad faces in Boston when we stop for gas on the way down.
11. The “18-1” chant at the parade with one million Big Blue fans.
10. Being there for L.T. retirement: “I thought I would be nervous speaking to you all, but hey this is my house!”
9. The Freak’s boys get their first taste of tailgating at the Atlanta-Carolina game in 2012 with the Connicks and watching Cam Newton do a front flip into the end zone on his 90-yard touchdown run.
8. Last November in Washington, with the Giants out of the playoffs and a skeleton roster due to injuries. Finn, Owen and Charlie standing outside the Giants tunnel getting high fives from Geno Smith, Janoris Jenkins and Evan Engram.
7. Mario Manningham catch on the game-winning drive in the 2011 Super Bowl.
6. Eli Manning’s scramble on the throw to David Tyree and just the amazing catch by Tyree.
5. Plax’s winning TD catch in 2007 Super Bowl on the slant and go.
4. One real special game was the Freak’s family’s first Giants game in 2012 together after they just won the Super Bowl and Victor Cruz was the man. Last game of the season against the Eagles, where the Giants had to win, and Detroit lose, to get in the playoffs. Eli threw four touchdowns and one of them was to Cruz who did his salsa dance right in front of the end zone we were in. The boys were thrilled and even got a bunch of Eagles autographs who were staying at the same hotel in New Jersey.
3. Proposing to my wife during a tailgating party of a Jet-Pats game and believe it or not she said “yes”.
2. 2011 Super Bowl win by the Giants.
1. Giants upset for the ages in the 2007 Super Bowl.