JUDGE AND FURY
Joe’s angry Eagle rant will put eyeballs on once dull Giant coach
On previous episodes of the Show, what amounted to media controversy was him refusing to say the words “Daniel early in his Giants’ coaching tenure.
Judge has now opened up the playbook. Instead of playing it straight vanilla he (without mentioning names) ripped the Eagles for going in the tank, easing Washington’s road to the NFC East title by pulling quarterback Jalen Hurts in the fourth quarter Sunday night for third-stringer Nate Sudfeld.
On Monday Judge said: “To disrespect the game by not going out there for 60 minutes and doing everything you can to help those players win, we will never do that as long as I’m head coach of the New York Giants.”
Make no mistake, Judge was riding the high horse.
In a few seconds Judge had shifted his media game into highgear. The reaction was far-ranging. ESPN’s Jay Williams, who actually supported Judge’s stance, still was miffed enough to say the coach came off “holier than holy.” Others, praising Judge for speaking his mind, said Judge’s soliloquy would appeal to players looking for a coach who always has their back.
While reactions were mixed, Judge still elevated himself to the point where the media will be expecting him to continue displaying the kind of candor and bluntness he delivered at his Monday press conference.
Judge’s words will not just be taken at face value. Some interrogators will read between the lines as well. They will interpret Judge’s words at HIS own risk.
In his first season with the Giants, Judge was far from being a lightning rod. If nothing else, he was definitive during his postgame sessions. He answered questions directly, didn’t ramble, was likeable and always sounded prepared. Still, Judge’s postgame autopsies could not be considered must-see-TV. After a few sessions it was apparent he was under control and not about to provide answers that would rock anyone’s world.
Now, that as all changed. More people throughout the world of NFL cameras and notebooks are going to pay more attention to what Judge has to say. In some quarters, he will be viewed as a target; a football elitist, thumbing his nose at the way other organizations — in this case Philly
— conduct their business while putting his Giants on higher ground.
On the flip-side, Judge’s 60 Minute Men mantra will stick and be applauded.
Get it? Judge has cleared out the middle. No one cared about what he had to say. Now, people will be listening. Until further notice he will be either loved or despised. This is what makes a media personality. Judge may attempt to pull things back.
No can do. Too late for that.
NBC NABS NFL WIN
Does the NFL have a problem with Fox, TV home of the NFC?
The Foxies only got one of the three NFC matchups on the league’s wilder than wild card weekend schedule (3 games Saturday, 3 games Sunday).
The Foxies, were relegated to ESPN status, getting just one game (Rams-Seahawks 4:40 p.m. Saturday). Predictably, the league also gave ESPN just one game (Ravens-Titans 1:05 p.m. Sunday, ABC simulcasts).
Roger Goodell & Co. took care of CBS (home of the upcoming Super Bowl) with two games (Colts-Bills 1:05 p.m. Saturday and Bears-Saints 4:40 p.m. Sunday). Fox can’t be happy about not getting the Bears-Saints NFC matchup.
The league kissed NBC’s tuchis, giving the Peacock two primetime games (Bucs-WFT 8:15 p.m. Saturday and Browns-Steelers 8:15 p.m. Sunday).
RADIO RUMBLE
While the New York market is getting two hours less of his ESPN Radio morning show, MeShawn Johnson was driving those disagreeing with his take on the Doug Pederson (who he backed),
Joe Judge (who he ripped), Philly controversy crazy.
Johnson said Pederson had every right to pull Hurts in the 4th quarter. He also said Judge should have minded his own business.
MeShawn took aim at his partner, the normally soft-spoken Williams, who had ripped Pederson on the same show.
Williams lost it and — twice — called Johnson a “hypocrite.” The critique had absolutely no impact on Johnson. Later the same day he brought his opinion to 98.7 s “The Michael Kay Show,” where he took on Don La Greca. The other two Gasbags on the show, Kay and Pete Rosenberg, went mum while MeShawn and DLG went at it.
Johnson’s rap on the Philly Fiasco twisted DLG into a pretzel, but the Gasbag, getting close to rant territory, didn’t fold. He made his points backing MeShawn into a corner before the “fight” was stopped.
The winner was anyone listening. The two mouths high-wire radio act was more than compelling.
DLG vs. MeShawn, who gets little respect when he appears on the Kay Show, was for real — not contrived. How refreshing. How entertaining.
GIANT PROGRESS?
Listened intently to the presentation of the David Gettleman/John Mara season-ending press conferences on the Giants website and concluded the following: Instead of appearing in separate sessions with notebooks and cameras, the co-owner and GM should appear together. And they should interview each other.
Think of the possibilities. Mara: “Dave, do you want to know how close I came to firing you?”
Gettleman: “Ahhhhh, no.” This brilliance struck us after hearing a Giants beat writer ask Mara if Gettleman was actually returning for 2021.
“Well, he is coming back, if you want a formal announcement about that,” Mara said. Kudos to Mara for remembering to make the Gettleman decision before the Zoom conference.
No one performing during the conference seemed to care about the casual way this was handled. Further evidence that those paid to follow such things believe the Giants have exited this COVID-19 season headed in the right direction despite a 6-10 record.