The NFL Films video featuring Giants coach Tom Coughlin inviting critics to “kiss my ass” had a candid-camera feel to it. The comment appeared to come organically and spontaneously in the locker room, not from the podium of a press conference.
The “behind closed doors” feel of the video and audio prompted, for example, the Newark Star-Ledger to apply to their item on it a headline containing the words “behind closed doors.” (Rosenthal used the same words in the headline of the PFT item on the topic.)
But let’s be clear about this. No video or audio captured by NFL Films sees the light of day without the consent of the team(s) involved. Like Hard Knocks, in which the Jets permitted cornerback Antonio Cromartie to come off as a guy who didn’t know the names of his kids, the Giants had veto power over the use of Coughlin’s comments.
The real question is whether NFL Films persuaded the Giants to permit the clip to be used, or whether the Giants and/or Coughlin wanted the video and audio to be played.
Given the message, we assume it’s the latter.
And, frankly, we’re not all that impressed by 10 wins and no playoffs. The Giants could have and should have qualified, but just like the Bucs, who somehow blew their shot at an 11th win against a Lions team that hadn’t won on the road in 26 tries, the Giants failed to deliver victory in a winnable game against the Eagles, which they happened to be winning by 21 points.
Like we said last year when Brett Favre tried to get the media to accept his “going out on top” baloney, only one team goes out on top. And only 12 of them make the playoffs. For the other 20, does the number of wins and losses really matter?