I woke up this morning to news that former Giants Head Coach, Jim Fassel had passed away at the age of 71, after having a heart attack under sedation after experiencing chest pains.

Now, when sports figures pass, it just hits different. This news was no exception. My first thoughts when to his family and their loss, and that was sad. But, then, a strange sense of calm reflection came in the form of one clear thought, Jim Fassel had a hell of a run as Giants Head Coach.

The rest of the word count will be devoted to Fassel’s tenure as Giants Coach….

Fassel came to be Giants Coach in 1997, the previous years were so lean times in New York Football Giants Team History. The team had just gotten over the Ray Handley era, which was awful, and a Dan Reeves era which had some good moments, but also some not so good moments.

The team was in some turmoil and transition, especially at the Quarterback position, and Fassel was a Quarterback Guy and given the reins to right the whole ship. Fans were skeptical. The sentiment of most fans was ‘Dave Brown…is still our Quarterback, he (Fassel) will probably mismanage it somehow and not be the Coach for very long.’

Somehow, in 1997, the Giants were good. They finished 10-5-1 and won the NFC East. Fassel had taken a Dave Brown led and Danny Kanell backed up Giants team to the playoffs!!!! Unfortunately, it ended with a Wild Card at home to the Vikings, which left a sour taste in fans mouth. Fassel, the Giants, and their fans would get sweet revenge on the Vikings three seasons later, but more on that later.

1998 saw a pretty mediocre Giant team slay the mighty and undefeated Denver Broncos. 1999 was another blah year. Then 2000, and this happened.

‘This Team is Going to the Playoffs’

It’s 2000. The Giants have just lost 2 straight at home, the latest to Detroit. Fassel, in a moment of balliness, or defiance proclaimed the Giants were going to the playoffs.

Now, as an 18 year old fan watching from his dorm room, the cynic in me just thought ‘okay, he’s fighting for his job and he knows it. He’s talking scared and trying to make it look good, they’ll go 9-7, maybe, and he might make it to 2001’.

Incredibly, the Giants reeled off 5 straight wins to get into the playoffs and beat the Eagles to play the Vikings in the NFC Championship Game. They would go on to throttle the Vikings and advance to the Super Bowl, eventually losing to the Baltimore Ravens.

Fassel would then go on to navigate the Giants through 2001, including 9/11 and a 7 and 9 record. 2002 saw a division title, beating the Eagles on the last day of the season to get into the playoffs. Then, they lost the next week against San Francisco, which was painful, but not all Jim’s fault at all. 2003 was the end of the run, a 4 and 12 record, including an 8 game losing streak to end the year. Fassel was fired after the season. Oddly, it felt like it was time, Jim looked tired and a change was needed.

Yesterday’s news was sad. But. Jim Fassel the person and his Giants cosching run should be remembered happily and fondly with a number of great memories.

Back tomorrow with the regulat blog.