WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK. By Bull Allen. February 4, 2008: For four years they maligned him. Said he did not have what it takes in a big spot. For four years they said he was a mistake. They ridiculed his demeanor. They ridiculed his coach. Said the quarterback acted like a baby. Said he was scared. Heard footsteps. Questioned his courage. Said he played stupid.
They laid it on the kid. He took it all and last night he shoved all the crap they gave him down their throats -- nicely, of course. Eli Manning does everything nice.
He removed any doubt. He made N Y fans forget Broadway Joe and the pain of Johnny U. Because last night Eli Manning gave Giant fans The Impossible Drive.
Eli Manning Joins the Giant Pantheon of Conerly, Simms, Gifford, Schnelker, Webster, Summerall with The Impossible Drive
Old Yankee Stadium, 1958
WPCNR COLLECTION
Even Joe Buck (positively the worst football announcer ever, and he screws up baseball, too), said he probably couldn’t do it.
Two Minutes and 40 seconds to go – down 14-10 – and the ball on his 20. The kid runs off 12 plays in two minutes and he and his team make all New York happy when all was lost.
They (the sports press of New York) said the Giants would never win with him. Leading up to last night, they said he got his confidence for this playoff run because of one game. What a crazy thing to say.
Then there were the predictions: they all said the Giants could make a good game of it but the New Englands would win. Well they almost did, but because Eli Manning and his team did not believe the experts but believed in themselves they went out reached inside and showed all the critics and the experts what it takes.
Well, Eli Manning, Antonio Pierce, Plaxico Burress, David Tyree, Brandon Jacobs, Armani Toomer, and the Giant offensive line held out when it counted. And the defense as Antonio Pierce noted in the postgame laid some grass stains on Tom Brady’s pants. The secondary delivered great coverage and was able to avoid the penalties that have cost them in the past. And really the New England 3rd down TD to go ahead should have been called back for offensive pass interference by Randy Moss. Moss stiffed the Giant defender with a straight-arm to the turf before Moss caught the ball.
To a man the Giants showed what you have to do to be a top performer. If you’re tired of the criticism, sick of the losing and what the critics say about you, go out and make yourself better.
And that’s what they did.
I also have to say that no one has blitzed the Patriots as well in years. Perhaps because the Patriot defense did not know what was coming at them as they have for all the years they’ve been successful. I am referring of course to the Patriot stealing of defensive signals that the Jets exposed this year. Well the Pats did not look like such geniuses on offense tonight did they?
I also have to say that once again the two week layoff produced a real lack of timing on both teams. But, in Brady’s case it may have been the hurries caused by the Giant pass rush.
Defensive mistakes? The Patriot Super Coach made a few. How could the Patriots not double-team Burress on the winning TD play? (Not such genius defensive coverage there. It was the only time in the game they did not doubleteam him)
I have to say that Manning looked like Johnny Unitas tonight in those last 2:42 didn’t he just a little? The first down catch on the sideline by Steve Smith to set up the TD. The "Impossible Catch" by Tyree on 3rd down for what -- 36 yards – unbelievable setting up the winning touchdown. And the immaculate secondary coverage on Moss on Brady’s last desperate heaves.
A lot of team heroes tonight.
But the real hero is Eli Manning. He shut the critics up for good. They can never ever say again he does not have what it takes. They can never say he's not great in the last two minutes. Clock management? IMPECCABLE!!!
But you know who does not really have what it takes? The sports writers and the commentators who always know what’s wrong with a player, and what they should have done after the fact.
Eli Manning has such great character. Toughness. Confidence. Intelligence. True Grit.
He gave every young man and woman out there, down in their confidence, the message that you just make yourself better and try harder, baby.
Manning has such class he does not even gloat.
So I’ll ask the question no commentator will ask him.
How did you handle all the horrible things we wrote about you and your team the last four years?
They won’t ask it of course.
But Mr. Manning answered it for everybody forever tonight.
He gave us The Impossible Drive.
Thanks for The Impossible Drive, Eli and the Giants – you will always be remembered for this one.
