FanPost

An open letter to Anyone who questions Coach Tom Coughlin's Leadership abilities...

After having spent the last several days reading comments and reaction to Antrel Rolle's comments in an interview on WQAM radio earlier in the week about NY Giants coach Tom Coughlin being too uptight, I am compelled to write this blog! Antrel as you know by now, commented that Coach Coughlin was "Too uptight..." further complaining that Coach Coughlin made the players report too early to the stadium on Game day (and this apparently upset him...awweee) Rolle has since apologized in an exclusive interview with Inside Football's Pat Triana (and I commend him for doing so)...However...Because of his comments, he has opened a Stale can of worms among fans, who seem to buy into Rolle's comments and some comments from former players, including former NY Giants great's, Michael Strahan and Tiki Barber. I am not here to dispute your opinions!..well perhaps I am...I am here to present the Book on one of the Greatest coaches the NY Football Giants have ever had!

Tom Coughlin is a tough coach! He learned under one of the best! Bill Parcells! As Wide receivers coach from 1988 - 1990, Coughlin obviously played a role in helping the giants achieve victory in Superbowl XXV. After leaving the Giants, he took over the head coaching job at Boston College, compiling a record of 21 -10 -1 over a three year span from '91 - '93 finishing 9-3 in his final season and highlighted by a 41 - 39 victory over #1 ranked Notre Dame!

He took over the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars in 1995 in the Jaguars inaugural season and in only their second year in existence, took the Jaguars to the AFC Championship! The Jags won 6 out of their last 7 games, finishing 9 - 7. (So much for un-warranted tag as a late season choker!) They defeated the mighty Denver Bronco's 30 - 27, to earn the right to play in the AFC Championship against the Pats.

In 1997, Tom Coughlin's third season as Head Coach, he guided the Jags to an 11-5 record (tying them with Pittsburg) but had to settle with second place due to a tiebraker, propelling them Once Again into the AFC playoffs!
Again in 1998 his team would finish 11 -5, this time winning their first AFC Central Title. Also hosting their first Playoff game in a 25-10 victory over the Pats!

Jacksonville's 5th season, 1999, saw Coach Coughlin (Once Again) guide the Jag's to the pinnacle of success, posting a 14 - 2 record and another trip to the AFC Chanpionship! They Destroyed the Miami Dolphins 62 - 7 in the Divisional round, setting records for points and margin of victory, and let's not forget the Dolphins were coached by Jimmy Johnson and quarterbacked by the Great Dan Marino!

Coach Coughlin was tough there as well, demanding his players act with class and discipline! Some of the Jaguar players grumbled about his (seemingly indignant) rules but Coach Coughlin would not be deterred! Coughlin knows what it takes to win. What he accomplished in Jacksonville is still unprecedented to this day! This is not opinion, this is Fact! If you want to blame Jacksonville's last three losing seasons on bad coaching, or somehow losing the team because of discipline, think again! Salary cap issues with the Jags forced them to lose too many great players, depleting the team of many of the stars that Coughlin himsel had drafted.

Tom Coughlin arrived here in 2004 and inherited a NY Giant team that went 4 - 12 the previous year, had totally lost their identity, and were in desperate need of Leadership! ...I know!...I've been a fan since '65! Coughlin took a lot of heat for benching Kurt Warner in favor of Eli, but He turned out to be the genious on this one as well! In Eli's first full season the Giants finished 11 - 5 in 2005 also winning the NFC East for the first time in Five seasons!

Since coming to coach the Giants, Tom Coughlin has taken this team to the Playoffs in four consecutive seasons 2005 - 2008..Coached us to a Superbowl victory in 2008 ('07 season), and The Giants have won the Division Twice! As a head coach he has dealt with the deaths of both Giant owners, Wellington Mara and Bob Tisch in '05...Tiki Barber's very public bashing of Coughlin in 2006 (blaming Coughlin for his early exit from the game)....Strahans late entry to the team , as well as a new GM in '07....The Plexi(ass) gun situation in '08! And through it all has tried to shield his players, taking the heat for losses, that were almost always Player Mistakes and not unsound play calling or Game strategy!

So if you want to complain along with some very Stupid (Burress) and ungrateful (Barber..Shockey) players that needed some guidence, that Tom Coughlin is too tough, then Remember what the Giants were before he got here! You'll get no sympathy from me! Tom Coughlin is not only a great football coach, but also a man of great integrity and leadership! Something sorely lacking in the days of the Pampered, Spoiled, Millionaire athlete!

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