Which team is the Giants' biggest rival?

by Ed Valentine on May 18, 2009 11:05 AM EDT in New York Giants News

So, since we are talking about the Dallas Cowboys today, let's borrow an idea from the folks at Blogging The Boys.

BTB recently ran a poll asking which team in the NFC East was the Cowboys' biggest rival. Stunningly, to me, the Giants finished last in that vote.

Let's turn the tables, Big Blue View Nation. I will ask you, which NFC East team is the Giants' biggest rival? Personally, as much as I can't stand them, I don't think it's the Cowboys.

Vote in the poll and share your thoughts with a comment.

Poll

Which NFC East team is the Giants' biggest rival?

Washington Redskins

75 votes

Dallas Cowboys

354 votes

Philadelphia Eagles

1200 votes

1629 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 25 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

i was more shocked

that the eagles finished well ahead of the redskins in the BTB poll. its pretty clear that the NF East provides the best hatred of all the NFL divisions (especially once the inoffensive cards were booted out) but i always considered it giants v eagles; cowboys v redksins deal. thats pretty much how all my eagles, skins and boys fan friends see it too. in any event, all 3 of those other teams can F.O. and die.

HELLO HELLO MR WILPON. WE WANT THE MANSION NOT THE CONDO.

by kendynamo on May 18, 2009 12:01 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah me too

I assumed it would’ve been the Redskins also.

But for the sake of BBV’s poll, i chose the Cowboy’s only for the mere fact that i can’t stand them. Realistically though, at this point, it would be the Eagles. I tend to think that whoever is a threat at the time, will get the nod of the rival. Moreless on a rotating basis rather than a sustained rival like Lakers-Celtics, Yanks-BoSox or Tarheels-Blue Devils.

I figured everyone from the east hated the Cowboys with sporadic opinions amongst NYG, Phi. and Was. being rivals.

by Hootman on May 18, 2009 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions

"...a threat at that time...," etc

Exactly

by blue gonz on May 18, 2009 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Of coures it's the Eagles

I was reading some of the posts on BTB, and found it funny to read all the comments saying “All the other teams would vote Cowboys.” Wow, talk about inflated egos. Taking a cue from their post though, I wonder what Giants fans would consider our non-division rival? Is it still the 49ers?

by rzor on May 18, 2009 12:17 PM EDT reply actions

lol

at the Redskins only getting 3 votes (as of 124 votes cast). I bet in the mid-to-late-80’s the Skins would have owned this poll, and I bet in the early 90’s the ’Boys would have owned it. But the Eagles really make the most sense, given that they play just down ’95, and Philly is such a wannabe-NY City.

Honestly, I almost take it as a complement that the Giants are in 3rd in the Cowboys poll – I read a few comments over there about how they don’t like the football team but they respect the organization/fanbase moreso than the Skins or Eagles, so in a way it’s a good reflection on us.

by cjmulrain on May 18, 2009 12:35 PM EDT reply actions

Geograhically, that's what i was thinking

Being down the road, what, a couple-few hours down the I-95 corridor, would make perfect sense. Even if there would be a historical balance/imbalance, it’s the cross-town-like proximity that makes it natural. It just so happens that they’re the threat now too, making this much more meaningful!

As for the Cowboy fans and their approach? Whether they like it or not, they cannot do nothing less, then atleast respect what the Giant’s do as a whole. From top to bottom, and especially at the top, they forge the model of how to operate an organization without interference. Just like the Rooney’s from Pitt.! At one point (gulp), even though to this day, i still hate the Cowboys, i did respect them in the early 90’s under Jimmie Johnson as coach. They were formidable opponents under him with SB’s to boot. Then Jones’ ego got the best of him. You would never see that from the Ticsh or Mara’s! Respect then wanes when meddling owners take direct charge!!!

Could the Cowboys be on the road to an Al Davis-like road to oblivion? lol

by Hootman on May 18, 2009 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Any time an owner gets more face time on Sportscenter than his players, there's a problem.

by njgiant on May 19, 2009 8:42 AM EDT up reply actions

THis really depends

I hate the Cowboys, mainly because they have the biggest following of fair weather fans, they are called “america’s team” and they are just like the Lakers in basketball where people automatically think they are going to the championship regardless of how good they really are.

But this season it has to be the Eagles. I respect the Eagles the most out of these teams, they are legit and while I still hate them they are most definitely the biggest challenge for the Giants seemingly every year, mainly cuz of Westbrook and McNabb.

The Skins I don’t know. I love to beat them, I love when they lose to other teams. But they just don’t inspire the feeling of “hate” (strong word, but in football its okay to ‘hate’ other teams) like the Cowboys or eagles do.

As for the Cowboys, I most definitely DO NOT RESPECT Jerry Jones, I DO NOT RESPECT a lot of the fanbase, tho I would have to say there are a whole lot of knowledgable football fans who happen to be Cowboy fans.

I do love it when Dallas fails more so than the other teams in the division, I always root for the Skins or eagles, regardless of their records and how it would affect the Giants, when they play the Cowgirls. I usually root for the Skins when they play the Eagles cuz I think that another loss on the Eagles record is always better for the Giants, and if the Skins win its not a big deal cuz the Giants always kick the crap out of the Skins.

by FreeBradshaw on May 18, 2009 12:40 PM EDT reply actions

just pointing out

that your first paragraph describes the Yankees, too ;)

by cjmulrain on May 18, 2009 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions

yes

but you have to differentiate between the fans who supported the team before 3 walk offs, and those just getting on board.

by ryanwk628 on May 18, 2009 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL

I would have said that, but as a lifelong Yankee fan I just cannot see the Yankees as that. I know for a fact they are tho…

I would have to say that there are many Red Sux fans now, this so called Red Sox Nation is true, and most of these dimwits were never fans when it was going on 90 years…..

But I know for a fact that as I am a diehard and lifelong yankee fan, that there are knowledgable Laker and Cowboys fans out there too, and I most definitely respect them.

But for the same reason that I hate the fair weather morons of the Lakers and Cowboys, Im sure that is a reason taht die hard baseball fans of the other 29 MLB teams hate the Yankees and their fans. Its just the idiots that make us look bad…..

by FreeBradshaw on May 18, 2009 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Think of it another way

Which of the NFC East teams would you never, under any circumstances, root for? Depending on who they’re playing, I could see rooting for the Redskins or the Eagles. The Cowboys, on the other hand, could play against the Darth Vader All-Stars, and I’d root against them.

by it_all_fitz on May 18, 2009 1:13 PM EDT reply actions

as a cuse alum

I have to root for the eagles whenever they are not playing us.

However, I HATE the cowboys. I would root for the Pats over them. (I feel dirty saying that)

Couldnt care less about the redskins, I just feel bad about the money they throw away.

by ryanwk628 on May 18, 2009 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions

I would never, ever, root for the Eagles

but mostly b/c a large percentage of my friends are Eagles fans, and they are insufferable.

by cjmulrain on May 18, 2009 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions

I root for them

when they play the Cowboys :-)

by John W on May 18, 2009 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Never???

Like John said

I never root for the Eagles either, but there are ALWAYS!!!! 2 times a year that I root for the Eagles as much as I root for the Giants that week, and that’s when the Eagles play the Cowboys…….

by FreeBradshaw on May 18, 2009 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Eagles all the way

I grew up in central Jersey, so there were always a lot of Eagle fans around and I live in Philly now, so I hear a lot of smack about the Eagles. But the main reason I voted for the Eagles is that both teams have a history of hanging embarrassing losses on the other when it’s least expected. I still have certain plays horribly etched in my mind (can anyone say Joe Pisarcik? or how about Randall Cunningham escaping from Carl Banks when Banks had him dead to rights and a host of others, Brian Westbrook returning a punt with time running out, etc.) Plus, over the last 10 years the Eagles have emerged as a well run, stable franchise that looks to put a quality football team on the field every year. So beating the Eagles is always sweet and saves me from a week or more of taunting. Those factors make this the best rivalry for me, no matter how much I despise the Cowboys. I could never get too worked up about the Redskins.

by Tucker Fredrickson on May 18, 2009 1:40 PM EDT reply actions

A geographic win for the Eagles.

I can understand why the Eagles are the Giants biggest rival. By using Jersey as the center point for the fan base, the reason is totally geographic. Now being a hard-core Giant fan since Ameche ran it over for the touchdown, you know I’ve had my ups and a good share of my downs..( I know who you are Tucker) But during the season, I always concern myself mostly with the Cowgirls..Especially now that I’m retired out in La Quinta, CA,;I now go eye-ball to eye-ball with their fans instead of back in the days eye-ball & fist with those Eagle fans in Toms River……..

by The LaQuinta Kid on May 18, 2009 3:23 PM EDT reply actions

I agree

The Eagles are too geographically close not to be the #1 rival. But the Cowboys are close second and the Redskins are a distant third.

by John W on May 18, 2009 3:50 PM EDT reply actions

I think I have reasoning for the Cowboys picking the Eagles.

The Eagles are the most HATED by the Cowboys fans. The Giants are the most FEARED. And the Redskins, despite being the least threatening, are their historic rivals, after all.

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on May 18, 2009 5:34 PM EDT reply actions

I actually have 2 favorite football teams

The Giants and…

…whoever plays the Cowboys.

’Nuff said.

by soulpower on May 18, 2009 6:46 PM EDT reply actions

The question was not who was the most hated

because that would be the Cowboys. For all the attention, the fair-weather fans, and the fans that don’t recognize historic ineptitude of not winning a playoff game in 13 years, the Cowboys run away with that title. But as a rival, in terms of the challenge, the geographic rivalry, the inferiority complex, the Eagles are the best rivals. Yet as a ‘Cuse fan and a Cowboys hater I will root for the Iggles against the Girls. The Skins don’t really register right now. They’re so cute the way they yap around the offseason trying to be big boys, like the little ADHD kid that needs all the grownups’ attention.

Homer: Aw, twenty dollars! I wanted a peanut!
Homer's Brain: Twenty dollars can buy many peanuts!
Homer: Explain how!
Homer's Brain: Money can be exchanged for goods and services!
Homer: Woo-hoo!

by bigbluethruandthru on May 18, 2009 9:10 PM EDT reply actions

For some reason

I am always more amped the Eagles, so I have always considered them the Giants biggest rivals. I am still up for the other teams as well, but maybe the long stretch of good to great Eagles squads this decade has finally tipped it in their direction (for me personally).

by brisulph on May 19, 2009 8:10 AM EDT reply actions

My 2 pennies

Hi All, first time poster, but been reading for a long time. I finally felt like weighing in. First off, it seems we all agree the skins are a distant 3rd, though like 1 poster mentioned, if this poll were taken in the 90’s, would I feel the same way?

Lately, I’ve taken to hating the cowboys more. A lot of that had to do with their signing TO, then jailbirds like pacman and the DLineman who like guns who’s name escapes me right now. Plus the whole ’America’s Team’ crap makes me sick too. However, I think in the long run, the Eagles with their geo proximity and split fans in NJ, makes them the more “appropriate” rival. As for non-NFC East, gotta be the Pats these days, right? 10 years ago, Niners no question.

by TNYFBG on May 19, 2009 1:58 PM EDT reply actions

How do you choose 2teams #1 on a multiple choice poll?

I have always hated and despised the cowboys and their fans, playing HS and sandlot football I always made sure the Cowboy fans got “the business”. Concerning the political brouhaha over torture I thought “well I could see it if they were Cowboy fans” but now this poll is causing me to question one of my fundamental beliefs. God I hate the Cowboys, their owner, the way you run into fans in the most unlikely of places ( I live in the Tampa area and have a cool Grateful Dead/Giants emblem on my car, you won’t believe how may Cowboy rooters/roaches are pulled out of the woodwork by it, even though it’s Buc country)

But I have to admit I the Eagles worry me more, like Tucker said, they win games that that they shouldn’t.

Conan!, What is good in Football?!

Daa.... to run between the tackles,
To drive the linebackers before you,
And to hear the lamentations of the cheerleaders.

by The Pale Scot on May 19, 2009 2:08 PM EDT reply actions