NYNewsDay:Mara says he’s ‘disappointed’ and Giants hear shakeup

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Words of Warning

Mara says he’s ‘disappointed’ and Giants hear shakeup

By Neil Best

Staff Writer

December 1, 2003, 8:30 PM EST

The last time co-owner Wellington Mara addressed his Giants during a slump -- the only time he has in the past 32 years -- was in the final week of 1999, after an awful home loss to the Vikings.

His message, essentially, was this: Shape up or ship out.

The Giants lost once more, to the Cowboys, to finish 7-9. Soon they were radically reshaped, a makeover that resulted in an NFC championship 54 weeks after Mara's speech.

No wonder when Mara talks he commands attention. Not only is the 87-year-old the franchise's most respected figure; history suggests that if he is unhappy, changes are afoot.

This time Mara spoke to the fans via reporters rather than directly to the team. But when coaches and players learned that he used words such as "very dissatisfied" and "disappointment" after Sunday's 24-7 loss to the Bills, ears perked up across the locker room. "He's not a man of many words, but when he says something, it's really powerful," said receiver Amani Toomer, one of three players, with Keith Hamilton and Michael Strahan, who predate coach Jim Fassel's seven-year term.

"He is the organization," Strahan said. "It definitely carries a lot of weight. To lose a game and you have to come in here and look him in the eye, it's not a good feeling."

Mara stands in the same spot near the door of the locker room, win or lose, to greet the players as they return. And no one likes to see him disappointed. Toomer said he walks past Mara quickly after a loss because he feels so bad about letting him down.

Referring to Mara and co-owner Bob Tisch, Fassel said, "To hell with me or anybody else. Those two men have been extremely good to me and I want to do better for them."

As gentlemanly as Mara is, when he says it is time to improve the product, he means it, and there will be little sentimentality involved. Fassel is sure to be fired. General manager Ernie Accorsi's job is secure for now, but he will be expected to make improvements by the time his contract expires after 2004.

Then there are the players. The current executives and future coach will make decisions based in part on what they do during the next four weeks. But that will be a complex process because many players are either free agents-to-be or highly paid veterans, and because of the wave of injuries that has made it difficult for the team to function.

Assuming Luke Petitgout and Jeremy Shockey don't play against the Redskins Sunday, the Giants will be without their top three defensive backs, top two tight ends and top two offensive linemen.

Kerry Collins was sacked six times Sunday, and Fassel said his timing is more discombobulated than ever. "Everybody says, 'What's wrong with Kerry Collins?"' Strahan said. "Kerry Collins is getting the crap beat out of him. That's what's wrong with Kerry Collins."

Fassel said there were three plays on which Collins had two seconds or less to throw. Collins has refused to complain. But when asked whether he gets envious watching highlights of other passers setting up behind well-formed pockets, he smirked and remained silent. "You can infer whatever you want," he said.

The Giants' 24 rushing yards Sunday were their fewest in a home game since they had 4 in a 16-7 loss to the Browns on Nov. 28, 1954.

Fassel said there will be no experimenting to give young players -- at least the few not already forced into action -- experience at the expense of putting the best players on the field. Barring injuries, he said he will not replace Collins with backup Jesse Palmer or activate running back Ron Dayne. Even first-round draft selection William Joseph appears to be stuck behind journeyman Frank Ferrara in the defensive-line rotation.

"I can't fool the guys in the locker room," Fassel said. "I'm not going to send them any signals that I'm doing anything other than everything I can to win the games."

Fassel said he reviewed every play of Sunday's game and saw no lack of effort. He said Hamilton, a 12-year veteran, played his best game in years.

The Giants have not been this devastated by injuries since '99. But Mara did not consider that an excuse when he expressed his dissatisfaction then. That team got the message in the offseason.

This one said it has sunk in already.

Copyright © 2003, Newsday, Inc.