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SPARE US THE SOB STORY
January 7, 2003 -- SO it turns out that the Giants weren't the only ones choking under the playoff pressure Sunday in San Francisco - the zebras were choking too.
It turns out that the Giants should have had one last chance to screw up a field-goal attempt, because of a pass interference call that wasn't called as time expired that would have meant offsetting penalties and a do-over.
One last chance for fossil Trey Junkin to snap it low and wide, one last chance for holder Matt Allen to panic, or one last chance for Matt Bryant to hook one wide left.
Snap, crackle and plop.
And here is the bottom line:
The Giants, in the worst New York playoff collapse we can remember, cheated themselves more than the NFL cheated them.
So, please, save the violins.
No sympathy for the Big Blue devil.
Don't look for excuses.
Look in the mirror.
The NFL yesterday notified the Giants that its zebras blew it.
Unfortunately, it happens. To err is human.
And still, the Giants should blame no one but themselves today for being on the outside looking in on the playoffs.
The officials didn't blow that 38-14 lead and lose 39-38, Big Blue did.
The officials didn't drop that touchdown pass in the end zone, Jeremy Shockey did.
The officials weren't futilely trying to cover Terrell Owens, Jason Sehorn was.
The officials didn't lose their composure with bone-headed retaliation and subsequent ejection, Shaun Williams did.
The officials weren't the ones surrendering a pair of two-point conversions, Big Blue was.
The officials weren't the ones who couldn't get a crunch-time Lawrence Taylor sniff of quarterback Jeff Garcia, Michael Strahan & Co. were.
The officials weren't the ones sucking wind, Big Blue was.
The officials didn't roll the dice on Alphonse snapping and Gaston kicking, Jim Fassel did.
The officials didn't fail to have the presence of mind to call timeout to set up a fourth-down field goal try as chaos swirled, Allen did.
"He's coached to [call timeout]," Fassel said.
The officials didn't have an utter lack of killer instinct, the Giants did.
The officials didn't point to the scoreboard or blow kisses to the crowd or dance in the end zone or celebrate too soon and forget that the game is 60 minutes long, the Giants did.
Giants fans are still crying in their beer today.
They can cry "We Wuz Robbed" if they want.
So can the Giants.
And no one should listen. Because they should all know better.
The Giants, after all the fight they had displayed to get this far, cheated themselves.
Their season is over.
They should be kicking themselves.
If they can even get the damn kick off.
January 7, 2003 -- SO it turns out that the Giants weren't the only ones choking under the playoff pressure Sunday in San Francisco - the zebras were choking too.
It turns out that the Giants should have had one last chance to screw up a field-goal attempt, because of a pass interference call that wasn't called as time expired that would have meant offsetting penalties and a do-over.
One last chance for fossil Trey Junkin to snap it low and wide, one last chance for holder Matt Allen to panic, or one last chance for Matt Bryant to hook one wide left.
Snap, crackle and plop.
And here is the bottom line:
The Giants, in the worst New York playoff collapse we can remember, cheated themselves more than the NFL cheated them.
So, please, save the violins.
No sympathy for the Big Blue devil.
Don't look for excuses.
Look in the mirror.
The NFL yesterday notified the Giants that its zebras blew it.
Unfortunately, it happens. To err is human.
And still, the Giants should blame no one but themselves today for being on the outside looking in on the playoffs.
The officials didn't blow that 38-14 lead and lose 39-38, Big Blue did.
The officials didn't drop that touchdown pass in the end zone, Jeremy Shockey did.
The officials weren't futilely trying to cover Terrell Owens, Jason Sehorn was.
The officials didn't lose their composure with bone-headed retaliation and subsequent ejection, Shaun Williams did.
The officials weren't the ones surrendering a pair of two-point conversions, Big Blue was.
The officials weren't the ones who couldn't get a crunch-time Lawrence Taylor sniff of quarterback Jeff Garcia, Michael Strahan & Co. were.
The officials weren't the ones sucking wind, Big Blue was.
The officials didn't roll the dice on Alphonse snapping and Gaston kicking, Jim Fassel did.
The officials didn't fail to have the presence of mind to call timeout to set up a fourth-down field goal try as chaos swirled, Allen did.
"He's coached to [call timeout]," Fassel said.
The officials didn't have an utter lack of killer instinct, the Giants did.
The officials didn't point to the scoreboard or blow kisses to the crowd or dance in the end zone or celebrate too soon and forget that the game is 60 minutes long, the Giants did.
Giants fans are still crying in their beer today.
They can cry "We Wuz Robbed" if they want.
So can the Giants.
And no one should listen. Because they should all know better.
The Giants, after all the fight they had displayed to get this far, cheated themselves.
Their season is over.
They should be kicking themselves.
If they can even get the damn kick off.
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