Valentine's Day Special: Lawrence Tynes retrospective, with love (or hate)

Today is Valentine's Day (so hurry up if you haven't done something for your sweetheart!). I am not, however, posting this to remind you what day it is. I did, though, think we would do something a little different today.

What member of the New York Giants have you had the biggest love/hate relationship with in recent years? The obvious choice seems to be placekicker Lawrence Tynes. With Tynes heading into free agency and the Giants preparing for his departure by recently adding two placekickers to the roster (veteran David Buehler and rookie free agent Jake Rogers) I thought we would look back at the highs and lows of Tynes' time with the Giants.

It might be early for a Tynes' retrospective since he hasn't officially left the Giants yet. But, it is Valentine's Day so let's give it a whirl.

2007

Tynes comes to the Giants in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs and proceeds to do what he would do over the next six years -- drive Giants' fans nuts! He made 23-of-27 field goals (85.2 percent) that season, but flubbed two extra points and missed three times from inside 35 yards -- including once from inside 30.

Fast-forward to the NFC Championship Game and it was a microcosm of Tynes' Giants' career. There were two ugly misses that might have gotten him run out of town if this hadn't happened -- which made all forgiven.

2008

Somehow, this was fitting. Tynes spent his time during training camp at UAlbany complaining that the grass was too nice and then watched the grass come up and bite him, causing him to have knee surgery and miss almost all of the season.

2009

Tynes returned and had an average year, going 27-of-32 (84.4 percent). He again drove Giants' fans nuts with a pair of misses from inside 30 yards.

2011

Tynes had an inconsistent year, making only 79.2 percent of his field goals (19-of-24), but once again came up big when the Giants needed him in the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl. Every Giants' fan remembers this:

2012

Tynes started fast and faded down the stretch, ending up right about at his career average by making 33-of-39 for 84.6 percent. In six seasons with the giants he has made 83.6 of his kicks. There were costly misses from 54 yards against Philadelphia (not his fault, it's out of his range) and a makeable 43-yarder against Washington, both of which came in games where makes would have given the Giants victories.

Overall

The Giants have ridden the Tynes rollercoaster for six seasons now. Along the way there have been some incredible highs, along with some inexplicable lows. Is the ride over? We will know soon.