RIP Wellington Mara

[Andrew Longman]

All of sport, and especially the NFL, lost a great, generous and classy man today.

http://www.giants.com/news/press_releases/story.asp?story_id=10302

Until illness slowed him this Fall, I don't think he has missed a practice or game since his father bought the team when he was nine. But unlike other owners he never meddled or muscled in on the spotlight. He cared deeply for his players and took the time to know each of them. Every Giant player to a man has nothing but respect and fondness for Mr. Mara.

Owner of the richest team in the league in the 60's he had the vision and enlightened self interest to overrule other more selfish owners and insist on completely equal TV revenue sharing. He was instrumental in ending the war with the AFL and forming a true merger of equals.

Sadly, he is a dying breed. Modern owners in all sports, including a little place in Indiana, are too many and too often about greed, selfishness, and ego. Mara understood it is just a game and it is intended for the fans. The men who play the game with success only do so with great dedication and sacrifice. He honored that and was honored and repected in return.

Ironically, in today's paper I read a story from New Orleans. It was about an ruined fridge put out on curb. It was taped shut and spray painted with the message, "DO NOT OPEN. (Saints owner) BENSON INSIDE"

He's made it pretty clear he does not intend to move the Saints back to NO if he can do it

[dando]

Mara = greatness! :thumbup:

Another of the old guard (ala Paul Brown) passes away. :cry:

RIP, Mr. Mara.

-Kevin

[Ankf00]

Gee, sharing TV revenue around so the little teams can stay afloat. That could NEVER work in F1... :gomer:

:( about Mara though. He preferred the team to be built w/ the draft rather than free agents, more loyalty, and he rewarded the loyalty. Also let us keep cheering for Simms, Anderson, LT, Banks, Strahan, Tiki without worrying about them wearing another jersey next season...

[Andrew Longman]

Gee, sharing TV revenue around so the little teams can stay afloat. That could NEVER work in F1... :gomer:

:( about Mara though. He preferred the team to be built w/ the draft rather than free agents, more loyalty, and he rewarded the loyalty. Also let us keep cheering for Simms, Anderson, LT, Banks, Strahan, Tiki without worrying about them wearing another jersey next season...

How did you leave Carson, Van Pelt, Lockhart, Bavaro, Morris, Marshall and so many others. I guess its because there are so many others :)

Seriously though, I think Mara took a serious lesson from the Sam Huff trade. Allie Sherman is still persona non-grata for making the trade and Wellington understood to the end that the real fans are rooting for the men not the jersey. The cap didn't always allow everyone who should to play out their careers with Big Blue, but a great many did.


I love this quote from Simms. It so much defines who the man was, what he understood about the link between character and sport and what fan's should take from sport:

“His sense of pride was tremendous,” said Phil Simms, one of many former Giants who keep in touch with Mara. “I’ll never forget this – we were coming out of training camp – it might have been 1986. Somebody got an interview with him. He didn’t make a prediction. He said, ‘I’m happy. The team was organized, the coach worked them hard and they conducted themselves well.’ I went, ‘Wow, that’s it.’ I remember thinking that is so cool – that’s the essence of what we are. And that’s what makes him happy. Why? That’s the way he wanted his team to act and be. But he also knew that’s what’s going to lead you to victory.”

Keeping it as simple as that, it's the reason why players like TO have never been part of Giants teams. Shockey is as close as the Giants have come to signing a goofball, (and was/is considered an embarassment by many) but even he has learned to tone it down and adopt Mara's way.