Giants Coach Tom Coughlin remembers special times at Giants Stadium as his team is getting ready for the last play at the stadium.>>>
New York, NY -- The New York Giants will make history on Sunday, December 27, when they play the Carolina Panthers in what will be the last regular season game to be every played at Giants Stadium.
Next season the Giants and the Jets will play their home games in the yet to open Meadowlands Stadium.
When Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin was asked about his first memories of Giants Stadium he thought back to the time when he was a football player at Syracuse University and his team played at Giants Stadium. “First time I ever stepped in? I can remember a couple of disappointing ones. I was at Syracuse and we played Penn State here one time and got our butts kicked. I remember lots of things,” said Coughlin.
Earlier in his press conference Coach Coughlin pointed out, “ It was always an honor, a privilege and an eye-opener to bring a college team, or whatever I was coaching into that stadium. Then of course, when I had the opportunity to come here as an assistant coach, it was extremely meaningful to me and my family; being from New York State.....having always been a fan of and been aware of and watched since the time I was a little guy - black and white TV. Always the Giants and the Browns in those days, that’s what it was, reminisced Coughlin.
Being that this is the very last regular NFL season game to ever be played at Giants Stadium,Coughlin was asked if he had a sense of extra motivation for the game on Sunday. “It always means extra motivation. It means the opportunity to play in front of our fans one more time in a very significant game. The opportunity for us to utilize the 12th man, if you will, I thought our fans have done a really good job, especially on third down situations, as we have come down here through the stretch with divisional opponents.”
<<<Giants quarterback Eli Manning is mentally and physically ready for last game at Giants Stadium. Manning will lead the Giants against Carolina on Sunday in a must game for the Giants if they are to get into the playoffs.
Giants quarterback Eli Manning also shared his thoughts about Sunday’s game. He said it was very important for the Giants’ chances to make the playoffs, and that the sentiment for the last NFL regular game ever to be played at Giants Stadium was evident. “It is a big game. I think our focus is that we’ve got to win and get into the playoffs… But obviously being the last game in Giants Stadium, it will be a special game for us knowing that we will be in a new spot next year.” Manning went on, “ I have only been here six years, but I have a lot of fond memories and great wins… You think about how many great teams and great games have been played in Giants Stadium, It will be a special day for us.”
“Every time you run out of the tunnel at Giants Stadium and hear the crowd cheering; I’m impressed with that,” said Giants defenseman Mathias Kiwanuka.>>>
The New York Giants (8-6) face the Carolina Panthers (6-8) in a game that has much importance for the Giants. The Giants currently trail the Dallas Cowboys (9-5) and the Green Bay Packers (9-5) by one game for a berth in the playoffs as a Wild Card team if they win both of their games and the other two teams they trail (Dallas and Green Bay) lose at least one of their remaining two games. The Giants can also lose one of their two remaining games and make it to post season play if Dallas and Green Bay lose both of their remaining games.
Sunday’s game is important to the team and the fact that there will never be another regular season NFL game played there has much significance to Giants fans.
