Thoughts From The Upper Deck
by Jim Schmiedeberg on Oct 3, 2011 2:34 PM EDT
in New York Giants News
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A few thoughts and stories from Sundays game from someone who was there:
I live in the Phoenix area, and have been an on and off resident here for 14 years. I've now attended seven Giants-Cardinal games in Arizona, and at every one of them, my friends and I have been asked, "If you live here, why don't you support the home team?", and I explain it like this:
My father was a Giants fan, his father was a Giants fan, and my children are Giants fans. I wouldn't know two of my best friends if not for the Giants (I met them in a bar years ago where we gathered to watch them). You just don't turn all of that off because your address changes. Being a Giants fan is like being in the mafia: once you are in, there is no getting out. And so it goes this thing of ours.
- David Diehl, Victor Cruz and Steve Weatherford all commented on Twitter last night about how many Giants fans there were at the game yesterday. The Giants may not "travel" as well as the Steelers and Packers, but I think they are close. The stadium was not full, and I would say the ratio was 70/30 Cardinals to Giants fans, which isn't bad at all. We met Giants fans yesterday who had traveled not just from NY/NJ, but from California, Las Vegas, and even Florida to see this game.
- With about six minutes to go, and the Giants on the ropes, they played this silly song on the PA at University of Phoenix Stadium, "This is our house"; all these Cardinal fans were singing it, taunting the Giants fans. As the Giants lined up in "victory formation" five minutes later, I started the chant "This is OUR house" as the Cardinal fans streamed for the exits. Two of the best Giant victories I've ever seen have taken place in that stadium. Our house, indeed.
- Since I'm a transplant, I usually wind up seeing my teams on the road, and as I get older I've learned to shut my mouth until the game is over. I usually sit pretty quietly; I let the home team fans have their fun. There is nothing a fan can say to me that I haven't heard before, so I just take it all in. I've been jumped, cursed at, spit at, and had more things thrown at me than you can imagine. You can taunt me all you want in the third quarter, but you better believe I'm giving it back when the game is actually over, and I did.
- I got to meet Jerry Reese Saturday night, and got a picture. Very nice guy and it's starting to look more and more like he really knows what he is doing, huh?
- The Cowboys, Eagles, and Jets all lose, and the Giants have a thrilling comeback win against the Cardinals. If the question is "What happens on a perfect football Sunday", the answer is "D. All of the Above."
- One more thing: Does Gary Myers in the Daily News want to tell me again how this is a "Jets town"?
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I did hear a ton of cheering whenever the Giants scored
Didn’t realize we had that many fans there. Good stuff Jim,
Can someone post the Twitters?
Can someone please post the players twitter posts here. Thanks.
Let's Go Giants!
70/30 Cardinals to Giants
not bad considering its about 2500 miles from Giants stadium
i'm guessing
alot of older fans, prolly NY/NJ transplants, that went down there to retire.
Yes, I am a Giants fan. Now that we got that out of the way....
IMPEACH DOLAN!!!!
I will not - lose! -Jay Z-
Marines say Oorah; BBVer's say SUAMBP! say it with me - Suuaahmbp!!!!
There are many more NY/NJ people out here than there were back when I first got here (1997), and not just retirees. Many came here during the boom years and settled down. Seem to be a lot more kids coming out here to college (ASU being known as a party school probably has something to do with it) as well.
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by Jim Schmiedeberg on Oct 3, 2011 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions
I grew up in North Jersey and
a surprising amount of people I went to High School with live in Zona. I graduated in 96 so you have a point.
nope. not believing that Jerry Reese might actually know what he's doing.
Do you know how much we’ve invested in the blimps?
Team Greg Jones
Team Jerry Reese
"how the f*** do the giants with 6 starters out comeback while the eagles give up 21 2nd half points to the worst offense in the nfl…" -XxActionJacksonxX
"Heart" - PhiladelphiaEagles
by BigBlueIntervention on Oct 3, 2011 2:43 PM EDT reply actions
jerry...
is building the biggest blimp ever…so he can fly all is doubters down to Philly so they can support that “dream(nightmare) team”.
In Prust we Trust
we need to get cam newton before the panther’s get off lock down cause eli cant (QB) by hisselfall this saeson also we need plax back to cause smith is the best (WR) we got nd plax cant help smith nd the team out….. do that nd we have a a shout at the superblow
by Master Ov Brutality on Oct 4, 2011 2:10 PM EDT up reply actions
Road games
I’ve been to two Giants games in Tampa including our playoff win in 2007. We went to the season opener in DC. It wasn’t pleasant leaving the stadium getting taunted by the Redskins fans.
I got to go to one game in jacksonville
it was at least 60% giant fans if not more
Falcons
I was at the Giants-Falcons game back when we went to the Super Bowl in 2001. I think the players were shocked at how loud the Giants fans got in the stadium. At one point one of the D Linemen (I’m thinking Strahan, but it’s been awhile) called for more crowd noise on a third down, it was great.
by Midnight Blue on Oct 3, 2011 5:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Glad to hear about another transplant staying true to the Blue!
I’m a transplant from Jersey living in Fort Worth and I live about 20 miles from jerry’s world. NO ONE hates the dallass cowgurlz like I do and I spent most of my morning taunting as many of their fans as I can. I hate running into people that used to be fans of another team but switched to the cowpies when they got here. I just lose respect for them.
To err is human.
To forgive is divine.
Neither is Marine Corps Policy.
Not to change the subject
I know how you feel, I am a devout Yankees fan (since Gil McDougald and Hank Bauer) and I live in Red Sox territory. Never really gave a damn about the Sux until I moved here, now I HATE the bastards!
by NortheastKingdom on Oct 4, 2011 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Pitt and GB travel well b/c so many of their fans are wagoners
I know a number of fans of both teams who have never been to either city. They likely would be GMen fans if we didn’t come of age in the Dave Brown era
there was a lot of blue in the stands
good to see that
I'd like to thank the good Lord for making me a Yankee fan.
by NJsandman on Oct 3, 2011 2:59 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
uggh
I hate running into people that used to be fans of another team but switched to the cowpies when they got here
I could never root for another team especially the Cowboys or Eagles. I moved to Florida in the 90s not too far from Jacksonville. At the time the Jags were good. I never rooted for them.
ALMOST perfect
If Spags could have taken one away from Sexy Rexy…than we have ourselves the perfect Sunday.
Win ugly.
by tito (eight and oh) on Oct 3, 2011 3:04 PM EDT reply actions
3 out of 4
Boys, Eagles and Jets lost. Skins won but I don’t have the same dislike for the them as the others.
"And so it goes this thing of ours."
Like this^
The only road game I’ve been to was the super blow in Tampa. Paid $700 to be snuck in with no tickets. Was able to finagle four seats on the thirty, lower level, on the Giants side. Tough game, guess I don’t travel well…
Now in section 133.
by Last year in Sec 127 on Oct 3, 2011 3:10 PM EDT reply actions
I stole that line from Pauly Walnuts
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by Jim Schmiedeberg on Oct 3, 2011 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions
I am a 4th generation Fan
My great Grandfather fell in love with them at the polo grounds… I myself, never had a chance… I grew up in Ft. Myers, FL my earliest memories are of my dad teaching me what football was all about by watching the giants… I have seen the Giants play 7 times in my life, never at Giants Stadium. Every single time at Raymond James in Tampa.
The lastest being the 2007 playoff… I love the Giants, I have found so many great friends to this day because of the Giants and god help me if my kids come out loving some other team than the giants.
"Oh god help us all, the metlife blimps are coming, OMGWFTBBQFTW!!!!!!"
"Who needs a Bomar, when one can have a Perriloux"
Amen. My house is a Giants house, nothing else would ever be tolerated.
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by Jim Schmiedeberg on Oct 3, 2011 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions
we call
Raymond James, Giants Stadium South.
Tampa is called NY Jr
for a reason… got the yankees stadium right across Raymond James…
"Oh god help us all, the metlife blimps are coming, OMGWFTBBQFTW!!!!!!"
"Who needs a Bomar, when one can have a Perriloux"
I'm in Southwest FL too
Moved here from NJ as a kid. Last Giant game I saw was 2009 in Raymond James. Lots of blue in the stadium that day. We dominated and shut out the Bucs to go 3-0. Unfortunately, we all know how that season turned out.
by G-FANinFL on Oct 3, 2011 3:34 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
we had a group of 20
at that game. When the game started it was probably 75/25. As the game progressed the Bucs fans left. In the 4th quarter it was probably about 90% Giants fans. The best part. I DVRed the game. When I watched the replay it was great how loud the Giants fans were. One of the TV announced mentioned during the game about the Giants fans in Tampa.
the playoff game in 2007 was the exact same
by the time 4th quarter rolled around… all you could hear was “Lets go Giants!!!”
even in the dvd the nfl came out with… you can hear all the fans and the announcers made mention about it.
By the way you can see me… not really… they showed a shot of the stadium and you can see me and my dads blue shirt in a sea of red… 3 tier up east side 50 yard line..
"Oh god help us all, the metlife blimps are coming, OMGWFTBBQFTW!!!!!!"
"Who needs a Bomar, when one can have a Perriloux"
you gotta pause it...
to see me… lol
"Oh god help us all, the metlife blimps are coming, OMGWFTBBQFTW!!!!!!"
"Who needs a Bomar, when one can have a Perriloux"
Skii 31 You still in Ft Myers
I"m right here in Bonita Springs.
Why is Tom Quinn still here? I loves me some Coach Clawfin.
naw, I am in Orlando...
f**CKing stupid arse mouse… Moving back to Tampa to get my Masters in August…
There is a couple great Giants bars there.
"Oh god help us all, the metlife blimps are coming, OMGWFTBBQFTW!!!!!!"
"Who needs a Bomar, when one can have a Perriloux"
Nice
There is no Giants bar here so I watch at home and drink early and often.
Why is Tom Quinn still here? I loves me some Coach Clawfin.
lol... there is a Giants bar right off of 75
and Daniels Parkway… called Potts… When I was going to FGCU, I went there every sunday… fun place.. good people.
"Oh god help us all, the metlife blimps are coming, OMGWFTBBQFTW!!!!!!"
"Who needs a Bomar, when one can have a Perriloux"
decent food..
lol
"Oh god help us all, the metlife blimps are coming, OMGWFTBBQFTW!!!!!!"
"Who needs a Bomar, when one can have a Perriloux"
I went to two Giants games...
Both in ‘09 unfortunately… I was in New Orleans at the Giants Saints game in my Tuck jersey and my buddy had his Brees jersey on. It was a longgggggggggggggggg ride home. Then I went to the Giants Panthers game at the end of the season. The last Giants game at Giants Stadium… That was a long train ride back to my mother’s house (I was up for Christmas)…
A few weeks ago I found out my dallass native girlfriend (who I converted into a Giants fan) was looking into getting me tickets to the Giants cowpukes game and I told her not to. I appreciated the hell out of the gesture but the price is ridiculous and I don’t have that much fun at live games anyway. And I don’t want to jinx us again. Both times I went they put up fortyburgers on us…
To err is human.
To forgive is divine.
Neither is Marine Corps Policy.
That’s a good girl you got there, you hold onto that one.
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by Jim Schmiedeberg on Oct 3, 2011 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Man I was at that game in the Superdome
I think my head is still ringing from the noise and that loss
You are not allowed to attend games anymore
I blame the ’09 season on you. You may only watch them from the couch you were sitting in for the ’08 Super Bowl.
I'll add a quick funny story here....
My daughter is in Kindergarten. A few weeks ago, she comes home and tells me that I need to take her to the store and buy her a Cardinals shirt, because its Cardinals Day at her school. She had this memo from school, talking about how the Cards give money to one local school a year, so its really “suck up to the Cardinals day” and that the kids should wear Cards gear, or a red or black t-shirt.
I took one of my red Giants t-shirts, my wife pinned it and fashioned it to somewhat properly fit a 5 year old girl, and that’s how she went to school. When she got to school, one of the teachers asked her why she wasn’t wearing a Cardinals t-shirt. My daughter said…..
“Because my Daddy says the Cardinals stink, and the Giants rock”
You want to talk about proud? I beamed all day when I heard that.
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by Jim Schmiedeberg on Oct 3, 2011 3:20 PM EDT reply actions 15 recs
That is awesome!
To err is human.
To forgive is divine.
Neither is Marine Corps Policy.
by Big Blue in tx on Oct 3, 2011 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Love it
My oldest is a year out from kindergarten and we live in South Jersey. I’ve been told that the schools sometimes hold Eagles pep rallies. Considering my boy booos random people in Eagles gear, this could get interesting…
"Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing. Breathing first, winning next."
by Larry Soprano on Oct 3, 2011 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Love it
My son is six. I’m in Seattle. His buddies wear SeaHawks gear, but he knows one football player by name and number….Eli Manning.
+1 for good parenting
If you want your kids to grow up with a rich and rewarding fan experience, they NEED to grow up Giants fans.
"Stats are for losers, so you keep looking at stats, and we’ll keep looking at wins." -Raheem Morris
by BleedBigBlue on Oct 3, 2011 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Great stuff
You do realize there are some schools that would have sent the kid home and made her change her shirt, though. It’s a petty world.
People ask/demand me too
I tell them that I am from Dallas and picked Giants to be my team. Now I live in Phoenix area, I am Still a Giants fan. I live and breath Giants and I am going to die a Giants fan.
Then I add that according to their own logic do they change political party affiliations based on who is in the White House and become GOP or Dem to please the person on the White House?
Let's Go Giants!
That literally made me tear up. Good stuff, Jim.
I miss your writing on BSB
"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."
LET'S GO RANGERS!!!
I actually attended college in Tucson
so I travelled to phoenix and my first time attending (back in the 90’s) where somehow the cardinals were in the same division, I was not sure what to expect, I did not even wore my giants jersey, but pulling by the parking lot I inmediately regret it, I saw tons and tons of blue jerseys.
Surely the next 3-4 times I wore my jersey to the game
Meyers is so knee jerk
one more Giant win and Jet loss, he’ll write an article saying it’s always been a Giants town and TC>Rex
Priceless metaphor.
Being a Ginats fan is like being in the mafia: once you are in, there is no getting out. And so it goes this thing of ours.
I don’t think you can describe it any better than this.
Factology! Belief is ignorance.
*simile.
Factology! Belief is ignorance.
by LoNJDTechnology on Oct 3, 2011 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Being from AZ, they didn't grow up NFL fans
The folks in flyover country can’t fathom what it is to have an lifelong allegiance to a pro football team. Those same people would never expect people from LA or Oregon to forsake the Trojans or Ducks for the Sun Devils, even if they didn’t actually attend USC or UofO.
The other funny thing is they’d never say that to a Cowboy fan because before the Cards moved there 20 years ago most folks in the southwest were front running Cowboy fans.
Blue is the color of melancholy and honesty
Green is the color of inexperience, envy and nausea.
I was there with you Jim
I posted a comment about the strong giant following earlier! My buddies here give me crap cuz I don’t support the cards. I spent the first 18 yrs of my life in jamaica queens before I joined the military. Life brought me here but my ny sports team support is unwavering! I’ve got my NFL ticket so I can watch every giants game. Than post NFL season, i have NBA pass for the knicks games! I hope to pass the tradition on to my Kids like it was passed to me! Great read thanks Jim!
by Phillip P on Oct 3, 2011 4:57 PM EDT via iPhone app reply actions 1 recs
I've seen the G'men in places you wouldn't believe
Yale Bowl, LA Coliseum, Liberty Bowl, Pontiac Silverdome, Rose Bowl….
Nothing beats that stadium and SB42. I was in the mezz at the end where Tom Petty’s stage was. I drove from Vegas, got there 3 hours before game time and drove right back after. There was such a feeling of impending doom until Boss made that catch and we all said holy crap we can actually win this thing.
Blue is the color of melancholy and honesty
Green is the color of inexperience, envy and nausea.
My pops and I were there as well yesterday and as season ticket holders for the Cards (just because we love football), those around us, who are mostly cool, know that once every 3 or 4 years, they’re not going to like me. Oh, I get animated, but I consider myself respectful. But fans that literally don’t know one end of the football from the other giving me looks because I’m pointing out formation faults or blow coverages for example, piss me off.
That being said, I was quiet for some time, as we all know why. And rather than getting in people’s faces at the end of the game, a cocky smile is plenty effective for me. But good lord, that emotional roller coaster…My pops is ready to head out finally and my response is, “Whoa, I think I need to sit down for a few minutes.” Oh, and I’m a “healthy” 29 year old, by the way. I’ll be lucky to get another decade out of Giants football before it literally kills me. Eh, if they could squeak out another SB within that time frame, I’d be happy with my life.
"Uh-huh, uh-huh. Okay. Um, can you repeat the part of the stuff where you said all about the...things? Uh… the things?" - Homer Simpson
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