Street Corner Talking ~ New York Giants Step Up

Loftus Tavern 1962

50 years ago in 1962 the New York Giants played the Green Bay Packers at Yankee Stadium for the NFL Championship. Five gents from Loftus Tavern took a Checker cab up to 161^st Street & River Avenue in the Bronx.  It was 9 degrees with 35 mile an hour winds.  My Dad was in a Connecticut motel with four other Yorkville guys watching the game on a black and white TV outside the 75 mile local game blackout.  I was in my Irish grandparents 1616 York Avenue railroad apartment in the front room throwing around a pair of my grandfather’s socks like a football listening to the game on the radio and the steam pouring out of the radiator. Through the front window I could see Loftus Tavern on the south east corner of 85^th Street. I would have killed to be at that game, and I was crushed when the Giants lost 16-7. At 8 years old my life revolved around the Giants, Yankees, Rangers and Knicks. I moped for the rest of that winter. 

Bailey's Corner 2012

Yesterday, I returned to Bailey’s Corner formerly Loftus Tavern to watch the playoff game where the five sets of New York Giants season tickets were kept under the cash register. That cash register is still there. Ghosts flew around the bar cheering the Jints on.

The Giants play yesterday was noteworthy, they are on a roll and now face the best team in football based on record and quarterback performance. I can’t wait.  

After the game, I met two of the tavern’s regulars, Orson & Chris, outside the bar.  Each fellow had something to say about the game and the Giants.

Loftus Crew 1962

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Orson (aka) Frazzle

Orson: “The Giants defense has given up 30 points in the last 3 games.  That’s Dallas, Jets & Falcons. Their D is not the same D that gave up 38 points to the Packers six weeks ago.  Their running game is up a caliber, too. I like the Jints chances.”

Chris (aka) Ashley

Chris: “I agree with Orson, which is a rare thing. This Giant team has performed at a higher and more consistent level for three games that you have to think they can play with the Packers next week. I’ll be right back here at Bailey’s cheering them on.”

Our next City Stories: Stoops to Nuts storytelling show at Cornelia Street Café is tomorrow, January 10^th @ 6pm. 

Please come down, I promise a good time.

Our New Year artists are: Lisa Burns, Nicole Ferraro, Julia Joseph, Thomas Pryor, Francesca Rizzo & Adam Wade.


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Is Fifty Years A Long Time?

Is fifty years a long time? Depends, on your memory and how enjoyable or painful that memory is.

The top picture is 50 years ago in Putnam County in July, me, Uncle Mickey & Aunt Barbara. The second picture is me, Vito D'Amico & Uncle Mickey this past July after our first radio show together at Giovanna's Restaurant in East Harlem. Mickey passed away three month later in October 2010.

This week, the Super Bowl in Dallas involving the Green Bay Packers brings back a strong Mickey memory.

Around noon, December 31, 1967, Mickey and Barbara came into our 83rd Street apartment, Barbara stayed in the kitchen with her sister, Mom, and Mickey walked into my bedroom where I was alone writing down the lineups for the game.

"Go get your father's black polish and shoe brush." Mickey said.

"Huh?" I said.

"Do it!" He ordered.

He's nuts and usually a lot of fun so I go get Dad's shoe box. On the way back to my room Mom gave me a look.

"Shine my shoes." Mickey ordered.

I looked at him like he is nuts.

"And here's a little something for your trouble."

He handed me a crisp ten dollar bill.

I tried to figure out something to say or ask but he beat me to it.

"I won two bets last week and picked up this morning, don't tell Barbara."

I was 13, thrilled for the bill and happy Mickey was over the house, he was an on and off actor and had 100 voices. For Christmas, Dad bought me my first reel-to-reel Tanberg tape recorder and I was taping all the songs off the radio but I needed a partner in crime to use the new gray microphone. Rory didn't like sports and Mickey was a perfect choice to do pre-game with me. Even though Ray Scott, Jack Buck and Frank Gifford were CBS announcers that day, Mickey decided to take it another way.

"This is Chris Schenkel live from Lambeau Field in frozen Green Bay where today, Tom Landry's Cowboys face off against the NFL World Champion Green Bay Packers. The Dallas team is looking for revenge for last year's defeat. I'm here with New York Giant Golden Boy, Number 16, Frank Gifford, say hi, Frank."

"Hi." I did as told.

"This is the coldest assignment I've had since I covered the bobsled championship in Saint Moritz, Switzerland in 1952. It is thirteen degrees below zero, I had to take off my glove to itch my nose, and my finger turned into a twig. What do you think Frank?"

"It's going to be tough on the players, but these are two great teams."

"Well said, Gif!"

"Thank you, Chris."

And the idiocy went on for seven or eight minutes, I never had that much fun on a microphone again until Mickey and I did the two radio shows together this past July. I still have the tape from 1967. I hope I find it, if I do I will put it up on the blog. Picture below is the microphone from that first tape player.

That day Bart Starr followed Jerry Kramer into the end zone on a sneak with sixteen seconds left to seal the Packers victory in the Ice Bowl.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVEAx0PtGrU&feature=related

ps Chuck Mercein, a former New York Giant Baby Bull, caught a pass and ran 19 yards on the final Packer drive, then Mercein carried the ball eight yards to the three to set up Starr's sneak. That was my personal highlight for the game, outside the Cowboys losing.

pss 20 years ago this week, "No good! Wide right!" Giants 20 Bills 19

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV5s1w4Q6FE

"I'm Not That Strong A Swimmer"

One thing makes me happy about this Super Bowl. Jerry Jones is hosting it, and his Cowboys ain't in it.

Add Eagles are home, it gets better.

At 15, I was a fanatical New York Giants/NFL fan and had no interest in the merger with the AFL. Green Bay had a leader on his way to sainthood, Lombardi the former Giant offensive coach, was feared, respected, but not hated, except by his own players who would not put him out if he was on fire but they won every important game for him. Steelers had Art Rooney and he with Wellington Mara went back to the beginning of the league, and the Steelers stunk when the Giants stunk so Pittsburgh was tolerable and not on my Anti-Christ list.

Tomorrow, I'm rooting for the Packers, because Aaron Rodgers is in a zone that makes it a pleasure to watch him manage a game. Ben Roethlisberger is playing at a top level, too. Folks say no one can run on Pittsburgh. So what? Rodgers will get outside the box, pick up first downs running and keep them honest. It's rare in football that one player can carry a team but Rodgers like Brees last year with the Saints has stepped up.

In the picture below doesn't Jerry look like Martin Short playing Lawrence in the Men's Synchronized Swimming sketch from Saturday Night Live?

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4122944961711350389#

A Quarterback on a Roll Trumps Your Good Luck Charms

It has come to my attention, that gathering your good luck charms together cannot ensure your team's victory when the other team has a dead solid perfect quarterback.

In January 2008, putting Mom's Teddy Bear into a headlock was sufficient voodoo to knock off Brett Favre who was dying to play catch with Corey Webster even though Corey wore blue and Brett had that pea soupy colored jersey on the Packers wear.

Two months ago, before the New York Giants played Green Bay the day after Christmas, I gathered my lucky charms and placed them strategically on the couch to watch the game with me. My # 16 blue jersey from 1969 ~ I was a lineman in the 145 lb tackle league with Our Lady of Good Counsel's Rams; my Rose Bowl seat cushion from January 25, 1987 ~ the New York Giants first Super Bowl victory; Hector the Duck, my daughter Alison's favorite pal~ zee, wal~zee; Tweety Bird; & my blue New York Giant mittens knitted by my grandmother twice as big as my hands. She told me, "You'll grow into them!"

Despite all the prime voodoo, Aaron Rodgers, GB QB, went all Drew Brees on the Giants and kicked our butt. The only thing that made me feel better, was watching Aaron roll on taking no prisoners.

I have four friends who are big GB fans and I'm wishing them luck, not sure they need any with Aaron running the table: John O., Jane R., Michael G., & Murph the Surf.

Put Me In Coach

I'm going in. Need to get the bad taste of last week out of my mouth and get my team in the playoffs.

I'm wearing my pajamas under my uniform so I'm ready for anything. Frank Gifford told me to take out my old Our Lady of Good Council #16 jersey (we practiced in Central Park's 97th Street dust bowl in 1969) and told Coach Coughlin to put me as flanker in the second quarter after Jacobs and Bradshaw soften up the Packers defense with pounding runs.

My personal trainer, my grandfather, will be on the sidelines making weird faces and smoking his cigar and coughing a lot. At flanker, I'll be a triple threat on the reverse thanks to my wicked left arm and my strong right leg from kicking and throwing pillows around the living room when the Giants do poorly (Dad taught me).

I feel bad for my friends, John Oudens & Michael Goldberg, Green Bay Packers fans, but it's time to recover our senses and play four quarters of football. The Cheese Heads are going down. I plan to pick up extra yards by screaming "Geronimo!" after I catch the ball and straight arm would be tacklers. Gifford will be proud I'm wearing his number.

Despite Deborah's announcement in a Checker cab as we sat on the pull-up seats in front of our fathers, years ago, that there was no Santa Claus, this is what I'm wishing for tonight when I go to sleep, who needs sugar plum fairies.

peace in the valley, nygiants by a touchdown, tommy

Marx Brothers ~ Horse Feathers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A_X1DYvl9k&feature=related

Old NFL Theme music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p30QHbD8018&feature=related

Eli, Handoffs ~ Lots of Handoffs

Dear Eli, please hand the ball off 60 times today. Throw as a last resort. Do not, I repeat, do not play catch with the Eagle cornerbacks.

It's a playoff game, no doubt. Been up since 6 am. First thought, seven hours to kickoff.

That's Rory and me in the Yankee Stadium bleachers in 1967 watching a New York Giant game. Rory & I were in the Go-Go Giants Fan Club, I wore my card out carrying it everywhere in my pocket year round. I still have Rory's, see.

I miss football at the old Yankee Stadium, that was heaven for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYVj-7Wfdeo&feature=related

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Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues

Watching Monday Night Football years ago, the camera panned a mostly empty upper deck of a stadium where the home team was getting creamed in the fourth quarter. The network was going bananas, the game was a stinker. The camera focused on a drunk asleep and moved in for a close up. The guy woke up and must have seen himself on a screen inside the place, because he gave the camera the finger. Without missing a beat, Don Meredith said, "Look, he's saying our team is number one!"

There are certain Cowboys who broke my heart but I grudgingly admired: Walt Garrison, Roger Staubach & Don Meredith.

In 1966 & 1967, The Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers played each other in the NFL Championship games. Don Meredith led the upstarts against the vintage Lombardi wine. As a 12 year old Giants fan, I was devastated. My team stunk, the parishioners in the Church of Mara were suffering. The coach of the Cowboys was Tom Landry, former defensive coach of the Giants. The coach of the Packers, Vince Lombardi, the former offensive coach of the Giants. How could Mara let these guys go?

And the Cowboys were led by a cool QB, that I couldn't hate. Peter Gent wrote knowingly of Meredith in his book, "North Dallas Forty." Everything I imagined about Meredith was true. And the guy was loved, and did a tremendous amount of charity work throughout his life.

Three cheers for Dandy Don.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4rrFgYYJ0s

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Chairman of the Board Beats Cowboys 17-7

Whitey Ford pitched 8 2/3 shutout innings against the Dallas Cowboys today in a 17-7 Green Bay Packer blowout.

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Luis Arroyo gave up a meaningless seven run homer to the hapless Cowboys with no time left on the clock. The failing Dallas hombres are flirting with flipping last place with the St. Louis Browns.
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The Chairman of the Board walked one Cowboy, and struck out seven.
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Tony Romo, Cowboy's shortstop made two fielding errors and several errant throws to first.

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