Random Thoughts After Birds/G Men

Of course, I couldn't let Sunday's win by the Birds over the G Men just fade away without a couple more comments.

1. I caught the following from Jerry Izenberg's outstanding column in the Sunday Newark Star Ledger:

Over the years, the Eagles fans have taken a hard rap up in the Great Megalopolis, starting with the December afternoon when they pelted Santa Claus with snowballs. But they are more like Giants fans than Giants fans would ever admit. Both groups set the bar extremely high. Both groups are passionate to a fault. Both groups are not at all averse to booing the hell out of the objects of their affection if they feel they are performing below expectations.
******
The Giants are coming into a town where the constituency feels the scorn with which New York arrogantly sees it.

That bolded statement pretty much sums up my feelings towards the Giants and their fans. It's shame it took a guy from North Jersey to verbalize it, but that's the state of sports writing in this town, I suppose.

2. According to Peter King in this week's MMQB column, the Birds play an NFL leading 9 playoff teams next year. Wow, more the reason to take advantage of our opportunity this year!

3. I'm so happy the NFL chose to protect the comfort of Bears fans instead of ensuring that the Birds have an equal opportunity to prepare for Saturday's game against the Saints. As for the NFL's scheduling of Saturday's Birds/Saints game, the Daily News reports:

A league source told the Daily News that worries about having Chicago fans sit outside for a second consecutive night game - the Bears finished the regular season on Sunday night, Dec. 31 against the Packers - are the reason the Bears-Seahawks game is on Sunday afternoon while the Eagles-Saints (to be played indoors) is on Saturday night.

That it is a real competitive disadvantage for the Eagles apparently did not compare to the comfort of Bears fans. Weather ruled over a level playing field - even though this is a league that has played night playoff games in cold weather cities repeatedly in recent seasons, including in Green Bay and New England.

4. As both John Smallwood and Screamin' A. Smith both point out today, I still don't think the Giants realize that they stink. Here are some great comments:

From Plaxico Burress: "We can still do special things, but when we go out there and do things the way we do, we're just an average ballclub. I do really believe that we are a better team."

From Jeremy Shockey: "Everybody said we just skated into the playoffs. I think we played hard today and left it on the field. We could have won this game and been on our way to Chicago . I'm proud of this team."

From Tom Coughlin: "We played our tails off. We fought. There was no quit in this team. Obviously, you can always find things you're disappointed in, that you could have done better, following a loss. But that doesn't take away from the fact I'm proud of these guys. Proud to coach them. Proud of the season we've had."

5. Picture Of The Game....maybe of the season:

6. Spadaro being Spadaro...I found this in his column today:

By the way, is anybody complaining about the field at Lincoln Financial Field now? I didn't see guys slipping. I didn't see any kickers lose their plant foot on field goals. The grass isn't August-green, but it played firm and held up extremely well. I love have a real-grass field. Play with the elements. The only thing that stinks about Saturday is playing in the Dome. Hate 'em.

This guy must be blind. That field is brutal. His homerism never disappoints.