It Was Time

Thirty-four years was old enough. Giants Stadium's time came to an end this past week after over 3 decades of faithful service to the Meadowlands and surrounding community. To the city of New York, which has had the likes of Madison Square Garden and Yankee stadium grace its boundaries, that doesn't seem like a full lifetime. If we take a close look at its brethren of cookie cutter stadiums of the sixties and seventies, the multi-purpose stadium was in the elderly stage of its life span. Last Thursday, it met it's demolition.
Just look at nearby complexes such Veterans and Shea Stadium, that were both demolished withthin the last five years. They were both a little bit older but just as ready to face the wrecking ball. But Why? Are just architectual miscues and aged structure to blame. I say no. Far be it for me to blame a teams performance on its home field, but sometimes the magic is lost to banged up stadium and a tired, old playing surface. Veterans Stadium, could certainly tesity to that, as their carpet could never be aligned to the rest of the room. If that is the case, the Giants stadium is next in line.
We'll start with the field. Starting in the 1976 with astro turf, the New York Football Giants played on just astro turf until the 21 century, when it began a brief expirment with natural grass. Let's just say it didn't work out. So finally they temporarily installed field turf, and the state of the art artificial took them all the way to the promised land, which was the end of the 2009 season. Now that new stadium looms over the rubble, it can be confirmed that the stadium served in honorable death. Trudging through field troubles, notorious facilities, and mafia associations, the stadium did its job. Playing host to football teams, several soccer teams, and even a lacrosse franchise, Giants Stadium saw its fare share of action. But most importantly helped its landlords, the New York Giants, earn four trips to the super bowl and 3 lombardi trophies. The gridiron was roamed by Phil Simms and Lawrence Taylor in the 80's and 90's, and Michael strahan in the 80's. They were all time giants, and there fore never played a home game away from East Rutherford New Jersey.
But somewhere in the last decade, the mojo was lost and never recovered. Although the superbowl was won in 2007, and several home playoff appearances surrounded the championship season, the team hadn't won a playoff game at home since 2001. Even the 2007 champs were not feared on their home turf, earning the title "road warriors," excelling away from the tri state area.
It all came to a crashing end this past season, as the Giants lost their final home game to the vikings in an blowout, 44-9. It capped an epic collapse that included the Giants starting 5-0, and finishing 8-8, and on the outside looking in. The time had come to pull the plug. Luckily the legacy is continued, just a parking lot away.