[EmpireWF]

Wow...just, wow. Apparently Coughlin believed the criticism he was under at the end of last season was similar to the kind that Hitler was under during his reign as facist dictator of Germany.

From the Daily News

Tom Coughlin barely hung onto his job after the Giants collapsed in the second half of last season. He tried to make it seem he was oblivious when there was so much speculation he was about to be fired. Clearly, it had an impact, because yesterday he compared the barrage of criticism to what Adolf Hitler received.

It was a regrettable and politically incorrect comparison, but just putting himself in the same sentence as Hitler shows the strain Coughlin was under and the degree he felt despised.

When he was asked at the NFC coaches breakfast by a football Web site reporter whether he paid attention to what was being said about him last season, Coughlin replied: "I hear some of it and I see it. You know (VP of communications Pat) Hanlon tells me about it, what's going on."

Then, he paused, and said, "Hitler and then me, in that order. Unfortunate, but it is."

Coughlin is on a short leash with the Giants despite making the playoffs the last two years. The Giants were 6-2 at the halfway point last season, struggled to finish 8-8, made the playoffs by a tiebreaker then lost in the wild-card round for the second year in a row.

The final two months of the season were filled with reports that Coughlin was coaching for his job. His daughter would call and tell him he had to read what was being said about him. The day after the season, he met with co-owners John Mara and Jonathan Tisch and was required to present a plan how he was going to make the team better.

Finally, three days after the playoff loss to the Eagles, the Giants announced that Coughlin was back with a one-year extension through the 2008 season. He has a must-win mandate.

For a proud man such as Coughlin, the speculation that he was about to lose his job bordered on humiliation. "It wasn't any fun," he said. "And to be honest with you, to go through that whole circumstance at the end of the season is embarrassing. It's embarrassing not only to me, but to my family. But I know it's part of the game. I admire ownership for the position that they took at the end of the season."

As far as what? "As far as me staying," he said. "It would have been easy to go the other way, according to what I understand."

He didn't let himself be disappointed about not being offered a long-term extension. "I think as it was explained to me, under the circumstances, that wasn't going to happen," he said.

[Nuke]

I'm speechless when I read something like that. Can this man drag the Giants organization anymore through the mud then he has already?

[Lefty Noob]

Well, not to jump to the guy's defense or anything, but is it possible what he meant was that, because he's portrayed as such a strict disciplinarian, that FROM the coverage he felt as those he was being portrayed as that kind of fascist dictator? Those quotes seem awful ambiguous.

[Nuke]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Well, not to jump to the guy's defense or anything, but is it possible what he meant was that, because he's portrayed as such a strict disciplinarian, that FROM the coverage he felt as those he was being portrayed as that kind of fascist dictator? Those quotes seem awful ambiguous.

You'd think a guy who's on a "win or else" type 1 year deal would choose his words more carefully though. At the very least for future employment.

[mervinout]

come on, if this was the tuna making the comments or bobby knight u guys would get a kick out of it. Im in no way a fan of coughlin id love to see him get fired, but to assume this comments were retarded is unfair. We all know if tuna made a comment like this wed all laugh and be laughing at the reporters reactions. HE is right, when a coach did this 20 years ago he was considered a great coach now he is to tought, just because the players needed to be treated like royality or they wont play.

[azrael492]

I got the feeling he was talking about how bad he was disliked. He was ranking who people hated. Hitler.... then him. It is a little over the top, but I don't think he was comparing himself to hitler. He did put his foot in his mouth though.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by azrael492

I got the feeling he was talking about how bad he was disliked. He was ranking who people hated. Hitler.... then him. It is a little over the top, but I don't think he was comparing himself to hitler. He did put his foot in his mouth though.

Yeah, that's basically what I was trying to say. The media bashing made him sound like he's the worst guy this side of Hitler.

If that's how he meant it, I have zero problem with it.

[azrael492]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Yeah, that's basically what I was trying to say. The media bashing made him sound like he's the worst guy this side of Hitler.

If that's how he meant it, I have zero problem with it.

I don't have a problem with what he said either, but anytime you invoke the name of Hitler it is a poor choice.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Well, not to jump to the guy's defense or anything, but is it possible what he meant was that, because he's portrayed as such a strict disciplinarian, that FROM the coverage he felt as those he was being portrayed as that kind of fascist dictator? Those quotes seem awful ambiguous.

See I am with you on this... I do not see why this is a major story...I think he needs a publicist...but I do not think he meant anything bad...

[EmpireWF]

Well I could see if he meant it in a way that first was people's hatred for Hitler...and then himself.

Still a poor choice for a comparison.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by azrael492

I don't have a problem with what he said either, but anytime you invoke the name of Hitler it is a poor choice.

Why?

If I compared say Bobby Knight to Hitler in "the Generals" approach to player discipline...why is it a poor choice?...some aspect of personalities would be a match...I think they are both a bit nuts, and want things totally their way in the fashion of a Dictator...

Ditto on Coughlin (to a lesser extend)...

Why is the word "taboo" in all context of its usage?

[mervinout]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

Why?

If I compared say Bobby Knight to Hitler in "the Generals" approach to player discipline...why is it a poor choice?...some aspect of personalities would be a match...I think they are both a bit nuts, and want things totally their way in the fashion of a Dictator...

Ditto on Coughlin (to a lesser extend)...

Why is the word "taboo" in all context of its usage?

not often i agree with gotham but this time i do,

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by mervinout

not often i agree with gotham but this time i do,

Wooohooo...Mervinout and I agree...we must be right...

[azrael492]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

Why?

If I compared say Bobby Knight to Hitler in "the Generals" approach to player discipline...why is it a poor choice?...some aspect of personalities would be a match...I think they are both a bit nuts, and want things totally their way in the fashion of a Dictator...

Ditto on Coughlin (to a lesser extend)...

Why is the word "taboo" in all context of its usage?

It is a poor choice because of where he stands in history. Every time his name is spoken you have people coming out of the woodwork condemning what he did. They will not even listen to what was actually said. They hear Hitler and fly off the handle.

If he wanted to get his point across about how poorly he was treated, he could have used another example that would not have illicited that kind of response.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by azrael492

It is a poor choice because of where he stands in history. Every time his name is spoken you have people coming out of the woodwork condemning what he did. They will not even listen to what was actually said. They hear Hitler and fly off the handle.

If he wanted to get his point across about how poorly he was treated, he could have used another example that would not have illicited that kind of response.

It's only a poor choice because in a PC sense (or way over PC as the case may be)...the guy should not be drawing this much heat for the context of what he said...Had he said "Stalin" (an even greater butcher if you check history books) he would have gotten little flak...

you can't blame him for people "hearing what they want to hear"...

Whatever happen to free speech?...there was no "hate speech" associated with what he said (who did he hurt?...or in what fashion?)...the man should be free to express himself...poorly or otherwise...