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Giants - Saints
1999 Game 7 - 1PM ET

Obscene Gestures

It was the big news item last week in New Orleans.
"A remorseful Mike Ditka said he was 'dead wrong' for a pair of obscene gestures he made to Saints fans Sunday, and he would make a public apology. Ditka was fined $20,000 by the team Monday."

Here's another.
"As the team was leaving the field at halftime, Ditka turned to a jeering crowd and made a finger gesture. At the end of the game, Ditka turned to the fans and grabbed his crotch before exiting the field."

From my standpoint, the only obscene gesture I want the New Orleans fans to see from their perspective this week, is the sight of Tiki Barber streaking down the field toward the goal posts with a football in his hands.

The fans speak.
One Saints fan dropped into a Giants message board I've been known to frequent, Giant Insider, and commented,
" I was at the game when Ditka grabbed himself and also flipped us off. Frankly, I thought it was hilarious (or I would have if it weren't for the fact that we had just blown our 4th straight 4th quarter lead). Which brings me to this - Ditka was brought in to sell tickets - winning games is always nice, but hey, its the NFL. Be thankful you have a coach that is remotely in touch with modern football."

That guy had a point as well as a sense of humor. The Saints have been outscored 51-8 in the fourth quarter this season.
Anyway, I replied, "Ditka is a good aside to the game. Remember how much fun Billy Martin was around this town? BTW - What's wrong with giving some back to the fans? Sometimes they deserve it!
It could make a great half-time show. The coach stays on the field and he and fans make gestures for a full ten minutes. Everybody gets it out of their systems."

I was joking of course, and some Giants fans wouldn't agree with that Saints fan last comment, "Be thankful you have a coach that is remotely in touch with modern football.'
Jim Fassel won a football game last week, but got no respect for it because the offense was weak. Fans and reporters ignore the fact that he's had no real running game to work with from day one.
The RB situation on this team has been riddled with injuries from before the season even started with Gary Brown's accident.
Joe Montgomery, LeShon Johnson, Sean Bennett, Gary Brown again, all injured, and even FB Charles Way isn't totally healthy.

The Giants now have 3 wins without a running game, including the 13-10 one Jim Fassel pulled out of the hat against a tough Dallas defense.
How did other teams do against the Cowboys defense before that? Except for the wacky Redskins opener, they scored 7 (Atlanta), 7 (Arizona), and 13 (Philadelphia) points.

Even more obscene.
Fans shouldn't get down on Ditka for very long on this. At least he had enough interest in the fans and the game to do what he did.
I'll tell you what's even more obscene.
This news article about Game 6 of the Mets - Atlanta game.

"With the entire season on the line in one of the most exciting games in playoff history, Henderson and Bonilla, who were both out of the game by the eighth inning, were involved in their own game instead of being in the dugout with everyone else rooting for the team to win....
To be playing cards at that moment came across to teammates as completely uncaring. Both Bonilla and Henderson, who have had public run-ins with Bobby Valentine, are signed on for next year.
Bonilla is due to earn $5.9 million. Henderson had his option vested for 2000 by reaching 500 plate appearances and will earn $2 million."

Now that's really obscene and an insult to every paying fan and to their fellow players. Even if you're not big on baseball, that was really one exciting tension filled playoff game. Diehard fans payed through the nose for bleacher seats, and these two guys didn't think it was even worth a look from the dugout.
Saint fans, what Ditka did was nothing.

NOTES

Saints
Rank 16th overall in total offense at 329.4 yards a game and 11th in passing at 227.2.
Pass defense (171.2) ranks 2nd & total defense (282.0) is 4th in NFC.
Held the Tennessee Titans scoreless in the first half last week.
Had at least 3 sacks in five consecutive games, had only 1 last week.
Have lost last 4 games - losses have come by a total of 17 points.

Gained 409 yards last week, but had 4 turnovers, and 13 penalties for 103 yards, and lost to the Titans 24-21.

QB Tolliver was not sacked last week against Tennessee.

RB RICKY WILLIAMS ranks first in NFC among rookies with 292 rushing yards, and ranks 11th among all NFC rushers.

WR KEITH POOLE leads league with 23.2 average (12 catches for 278 yards, 2 TDs).

Giants
Rush defense (74.5) ranks third in NFC.
Held Emmitt Smith to just 26 yards on 22 carries last week.
Held Cardinals to only 31 rushing yards the week before.
Have not scored a touchdown in 11 quarters .

DE MICHAEL STRAHAN has 5.0 sacks in last 3 games.

WR AMANI TOOMER leads NFC with career high 34 catches & has career high 411 receiving yards.

QB KENT GRAHAM completed season-high 71.4 percent of passes (15 of 21) vs. Cowboys last week.

QB KENT GRAHAM was sacked 5 times last week by the Cowboys.

RB-PR TIKI BARBER had 231 combined yards against Cowboys, including 85-yard punt-return TD, second-longest in Giants history.
He also set up game-winning FG with 56-yard reception.

Next week
The Giants play the Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday, Oct 31 at 1 PM.
The Saints play Cleveland at home on Sunday, Oct 31 at 1 PM.

Click on the Team Giants logo to be informed of all Giants game previews and reviews.

Previous Stories
Keeping it Simple click here
Quarterback Respect click here
Bring On Brown click here
Focus on Defense click here
Will the offense please take the field? click here
Opening Day at Last click here
The Last Preseason Game click here
Subway Series click here
Who are these Jaguars anyway? click here
We don't need no stinkin' Running Backs!! click here

1999 NFC EAST - Week 6
Team W L T PCT PF PA Home Away AFC NFC DIV Streak
UP Washington 4 1 0 .800 174 128 1-1 3-0 1-0 3-1 2-1 W4
UP Dallas 3 2 0 .600 120 75 2-0 1-2 0-0 3-2 2-2 L2
UP NY Giants 3 3 0 .500 84 118 2-1 1-2 0-1 3-2 2-2 W1
Arizona 2 4 0 .333 82 129 1-2 1-2 0-1 2-3 2-2 L1
UP Philadelphia 2 4 0 .333 77 112 1-2 1-2 0-1 2-3 1-2 W2

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