Third and Longchamp

Lunch with a legend





...and pasta salad wasn't the only dish I got.

Monday at work I had the opportunity to attend a luncheon with former Giants great Michael Strahan. He was a defensive end for 15 years, holds the record for sacks in a single season (22.5) and lead the Giants to their 2008 Superbowl win over the undefeated New England Patriots. Michael was in our office to promote his new fall TV series Brothers, but the conversation quickly turned to the field as he graciously answered all of our burning football questions. Let’s recap:

 

He likes the Giants this year (though he admits his inherent bias). He also thinks the Jets are much improved and likes Eagles, Packers and Pats.

 

He says talking to Eli Manning is like watching paint dry. BUT he’s the hardest working member of the team and a great QB.

 

He thinks Brett Favre might have ruined his legacy. No one but Mike Ditka remembers Dan Marino’s last game (in which he played so poorly he was benched in the second half) but Michael doesn’t think Favre fans will forget this betrayal as easily.

 

Speaking of the Midwest… “When the team bus pulls into Philly or Pittsburg or Washington we get spit on, things thrown at us, and generally abused. When the team bus pulls into Minnesota or Wisconsin, we get the thumbs down.” : )

 

Which brings me to the best part of the interview— his feelings on the Dallas Cowboys. Now don’t get me wrong, Michael has hate for the Eagles and the Redskins, but at least he respects them. The Cowboys on the other hand are a whole other beast. “America’s team? What kind of shit is that? I’m from Houston and I ain’t never been a Cowboy’s fan. They’re just so F’ing full of themselves. Oh, the whole thing about the hole in their roof so that God can watch… Jerry Jones just didn’t want to pay the extra ten bucks to have it completed.” Ok, so I might have added a few expletives, but the point is that it was an impassioned hate that I think much of football loving America can relate to. $5 to the next punter who hits the screen.