The mail service can be a mess, and I know at least in my neighborhood that we never have an indication these days when the email will appear. Around here, however, the Big Blue View Mailbag is always open on Saturdays. So, let’s do it.
Marcus Mewborn asked: I was unfortunately not born when Lawrence Taylor played and although I see highlights, I have never seen his greatness week after week. O’dell had ‘the catches’ that shot him into super stardom and you realized how good he really was. What game and / or moment was it for LT who showed solidarity that he was a special player?
Ed says: Father. There was probably not a single play. I love the 97 yard return trip for a TD of this game, but this one is pretty cool:
And shit. Just look at all the highlights from that game. LT did not even play in the first half.
Honestly, there’s just not a single player I’ve ever seen who got scared in opposing teams like Taylor did. Over here:
Dave Kamens asked: Now that the The giants having made some moves during training camp, I wondered how some of these moves affect the cap space Sign a kicker and release him shortly thereafter, releasing the same for a wide receiver and an unintentional free agent. Can these guys pay anything? Do they have contracts, is there any money guaranteed or do they just get paid for the time they spent in camp before they were released? Just pretty interested in all the changes and how it affects the boys and the salary cap.
Ed says: Dave, every contract is different. In the case of placekicker Chandler Catanzaro, there was no guaranteed money. That, no dead money on the payroll.
Joel Story asks: My question is about the mindset of the NY Giants players regarding the “responsibility culture” of Coach Judge. I love the change Coach Judge brings to the Giants – focus, attention to detail and accountability – and I think this change will pay enormous dividends at some point in the future. In contrast to the Giants’ ‘celebration culture’ of 2019, i.e. multiple instances of showboating and at least one choreographed celebration of the end zone, while the team lost game after game, I consider Coach Judge’s approach to be a much needed face.
While a few former NFL players have coached Coach Judge for making players run after mistakes in practice, many Giants fans, including me, are completely in tune with our new head coach’s tactics – but we are not NFL. players. Did you even attend training camp this week, were you able to judge the players’ thoughts on the Coach Judge’s culture of responsibility? Do you think they are fully on board with the new head coach, as some of the stars of the team have publicly announced that they are? Or do you feel smeared resentment and possibly even mutiny, as the critics of Coach Judge predict?
Ed says: Joel, check out my answers on the Locked on Giants podcast and on my own show. Former NFL players can, and will, say whatever they want. They are wrong, in my opinion. The Giants have been the league’s worst team, 12-36, the past three seasons. Judge was not brought in to be a nice boy. He was brought in to win.
I do not think there is any “smearing resentment.” Judge does not play favorites. He treats Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones just like everyone else, and that’s important. This team, Barkley and Jones included, has really achieved nothing in the NFL. There are a few established players and no one on the roster who has won a Playoff game like Giant. They have no reason to complain.
