Globe Pequot / Lyons Press
Pages: 384
•
Trim: 6 x 9
978-1-4930-3565-6 • Paperback • September 2018 • $19.95 • (£14.99)
978-1-4930-3566-3 • eBook • September 2018 • $19.00 • (£14.99)
Robert W. Cohen is the author of numerous sports books, including The 50 Greatest Players in New York Yankees History (2012), The 50 Most Dynamic Duos in Sports History: Baseball, Basketball, Football, and Hockey (2013), Pro Basketball’s All-Time All-Stars (2013), and The 50 Greatest Players in St. Louis Cardinals History (2013), all published by Scarecrow Press.
IntroductionThe Giant Tradition of WinningFactors Used to Determine RankingsThe Rankings:1: Lawrence Taylor2: Emlen Tunnell3: Roosevelt Brown4: Mel Hein5: Michael Strahan6: Harry Carson7: Eli Manning8: Phil Simms9: Andy Robustelli10: Frank Gifford11: Sam Huff12: Brad Van Pelt13: Leonard Marshall14: Carl Banks15: Tiki Barber16: Amani Toomer17: Mark Bavaro18: Fran Tarkenton19: Y.A. Tittle20: Jimmy Patton 21: Rodney Hampton22: Jessie Armstead23: Carl “Spider” Lockhart24: Mark Haynes25: Alex Webster26: Joe Morris27: Kyle Rote28: Tuffy Leemans29: Ken Strong30: Charlie Conerly31: Ray Wietecha32: Jim Katcavage33: George Martin34: Arnie Weinmeister35: Dick Lynch36: Osi Umenyiora37: Jeremy Shockey38: Ron Johnson39: Homer Jones40: Del Shofner41: Justin Tuck42: Joe Morrison43: Red Badgro44: Victor Cruz45: Hakeem Nicks46: Plaxico Burress47: Bob Tucker48: Jason Pierre-Paul49: Ike Hilliard50: Jim BurtSummary and Honorable Mentions (The Next 25)Glossary: Abbreviations and Statistical TermsBibliographyIndex
The New York Giants have a rich 89-year history in which they have appeared in 19 title games and won eight championships, including four Super Bowls; thus, they are ripe for a rendering of their 50 greatest players across all positions. The main problems with ranking football players are the lack of meaningful statistics and the indivisible interdependence of the 11 men on the field; unlike baseball, in football it is very hard to determine how much of a team’s success is dependent on any one player. Sports historian Cohen bases his rankings on statistical leaders, honors awarded, and his judgment regarding how much the player contributed to the team’s success. Each entry provides a biography of the player that highlights his best season and greatest performances. The book is excellent tinder for discussion as is intended. The author rounds out the book with an honorable mention section of the next best 25 Giants. VERDICT Of interest to Giants fans everywhere.
— Library Journal
Over their 89-year history, the New York Giants have appeared in 19 title games and won 8 championships--including 4 Super Bowl triumphs. With such a rich all-time roster, selecting the team’s 50 greatest players is more a game of exclusion than inclusion and is bound to spark debate. Cohen bases his rankings on statistical leadership, honors awarded, and his judgment on how much the player contributed to the team’s success. Of course, there is a great deal of subjectivity involved here. How do you compare a quarterback with an offensive guard or defensive tackle? Football players are indivisibly interdependent on their ten teammates on the field; unlike baseball, it is very hard to determine how much of a team’s success is dependent on any one player on the gridiron. There is usually a dearth of meaningful statistics for most positions as well. And then there is the problem of comparing players across eras, when it is tough enough to compare them to their chronological peers. Justifying the choices is a challenge for any writer. Cohen arranges his selections in ranked order from 1-50. Each entry provides a two- to three-page biography of the player that is followed by sections on the player’s greatest season, his most memorable moments, and his most notable achievements. . . .The author rounds out the book with an honorable mention section of the next best 25 Giants, also in ranked order. As intended, the book is excellent tinder for discussion. For example, the selections are unbalanced by position. Cohen chose only three offensive linemen, but 13 receivers. When he picks his all-time team, he has to draft three linemen, a kicker and punter from his Honorable Mention section to fill out the lineup. Linemen Chris Snee and Jack Stroud certainly belong in that top 50, as do Rosey Grier and Ray Flaherty, but the oddest relegation to just Honorable Mention is Hall of Fame tailback Benny Friedman, the first great NFL passer who dominated the league when he played in New York. . . .[This book] is nicely done and would be welcome in any pro football collection.
— American Reference Books Annual