The New York Giants won Super Bowls in 2007 and 2011 because they had structure and leadership, two traits that haven’t been found in the building since the likes of Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, Chris Snee and Shaun O’Hara faded into Giants’ history.
All it takes to realize what’s missing with the current Giants team is to listen to these guys talk about preparation and professionalism, A lot of had to do with the culture Tom Coughlin created but most of the traits were ingrained in the players themselves. They had the will to sin and knew what it took to get the job done.
In an interview with actor Jerry Ferrara on MSG Network’s Connections he talked about his mindset on the football field.
“I have this thing I used to do called the ‘white line effect’. Once I stepped across the white lines of a football field, I was no longer Justin Tuck. I was #91. That was my alter ego. So in a lot of ways, we do act. Some of the character we show on the football field is completely different than what we show in front of our kids, or our fans or outside the football field. It’s a gladiator concept on that field. But once you step off of it, I cant do the things I do on the field.”
Off the field, Tuck is a gentleman, a father, a pillar of society and a leader of charitable causes. On the field, he was as competitive as they come and dominated when the Giants needed him the most.
Tuck’s leadership was a quiet storm of sorts. He led by example and is the type of player and lead the Giants should be modeling their players after.
He was a kid from a small town in Alabama who starred at Notre Dame who made it big in New York, where he is still a major figure around town, revered by fans and is commonly seen at events at Madison Square Garden and other public venues.
“From what I know of making it in New York, regardless of all the flashing lights, New York is a blue collar town. And win, New Yorkers love winners. Play hard and win. If you could do that, they will always love you. Lucky for me, I had a career where we did win. I was deemed the guy that worked his butt off to get to those wins and to get to that success. The city not only embraced me, but all those great Giants teams.”
And the city is willing to embrace the Giants again. That is, if they ever get their act together.
The full interview with Ferrara airs on Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. on the MSG Network.