Strahan, an appreciation

It was sometime in the mid spring of 1993 and Giants spent their highest draft pick, #40 overall (because of the Dave Brown Supplemental selection). They picked a fairly unheralded pass rushing specialist name Michael Strahan from Texas Southern University. Needless to say I wasn’t too pshyched about this pick. Some experts said it was a good pick and that Strahan had potential as a pass rusher but his everydown capability was a question mark.

The start of the ’93 season was timid for Giants fans. Thankfully the Ray Handley era ended (remember we chose Handley over othe assitants like Bill Belichik, Tom Coughlin, Romeo Cronell, Charlie Weis and Al Groh) and Dan Reeves had taken over. Gone were many of the two time Super Bowl Champion players like Jeff Hostetler, Gary Reasons, Pepper Johnson, Lionel Manuel, Mark Bavaro, Lee Rouson, Perry Williams, Leonard Marshall, Otis Anderson, Erik Howard, Bart Oates, and Maurice Carthon. By the 1993 season other key contributers has moved on like Mark Ingram, Stephen Baker, Myron Guyton and Everson Walls and it proved to be the final one for other members of the Giants Championship teams; Willaim Roberts and Mark Collins went on to other teams and Giants greats Phil Simms and Lawrence Taylor retired. Strahans rookies season was very short of memorable, only playing in 9 games due to injury.

By the 1994 season the Giants were in the fulls wing of a new era. Strahan was going to be the one looked to as the next great defensive player in the history of the team. He struggled through the Reeves years only accumalting 19 sacks through 4 seasons. But Strahan would break out in 1997 and become one of the games great defensive players. Over the next seven seasons he would come to be the games preeminant defensive end and pass rusher.

He was a 6 time pro bowl player from 1997-2003 and a 5 time all pro. His signature campaign would be that of 2001 where he broke Mark Gastineau’s record of 22 sacks in a season. Strahan finsihed with 23 sacks and for his efforts was selected the NFL’s derensive player of the year. Two years later in 2003 he lead the NFL in sacks again with 18.5. Over that seven year period Strahan gathered 98 sacks, an average of 14 per year. In 2000 he would also help the Giants reach the Super Bowl for the third time in franchise history, and though the Giants lost to the Ravens Strahan had 6 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

During this time Strahan has always been the vocal leader and played the game with an endearing smile. Through many up and down seasons and even a messy public divorce Strahan never lost his love for the game and his love for being a New York Giant. At 255 pounds Strahan proved to be more than a pass rushing specialist and became a consistant run stopper with incredible durability. Through 15 NFL seasons he has played 15+ games a year in 12 of those.

As this new era of the Giants began, he became the veteran leader with a core of young hungry defenders. He has mentored one of the best young Defensive Ends in the game in Osi Umenyiora. This season Strahan spearheaded the Giants resurgent defense and was the vocal leader in a positive manner that this team needed. During Super Bowl 42 Strahan and his defensive linemates were my MVP with their relentless pursuit of Tom Brady. Strahan himself had a few huge plays. After Manning was picked off by Ellis Hobbs the Patriots had a 3rd and 1 and Brady handed the ball to Lawrence Maroney but Strahan shot through the line and helped make the stop. Then during the opening drive of the 3rd quarter after Brady had completed to big third down passes and a penalty kept their drive alive, the Pats faced a 3rd and 7 of the Giants 25. Strahan streaked around RT Nick Kaczur and drilled Brady basically knocking them out of field goal range and forcing the Patriots to try and pick up a 4th and 13, which they failed to do.

The best scene was watching Strahan stand on the sidelines and bark at the offensive line just before the Giants received the ball for their final possession. I have no idea what Strahan was saying but undoubtedly it was positve encouragment to his teammmates. If this proves to be it for Strahan his joy, passion and determintation will be missed, and so will his laughter and gap toothed smile.