Giants: Old logo brings state of shock

04/06/00

By Kevin Manahan
STAFF WRITER

NEW YORK -- With the old "ny" logo back on their helmets, the Giants are ready to knock heads. But the first ones lining up are the politicians.

Yesterday, at the ESPN Zone in Manhattan, the NFL team with an ongoing identity problem unveiled its new look: Retailored jerseys, slick gray pants, shiny metallic blue helmets and those two oh-so-controversial letters.

A week after announcing they want to move their training camp from Albany, N.Y., back to Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison next summer, the Giants dusted off their old logo and slapped it back onto their helmets.

To state politicos, it was a slap in the face, but, then, the Giants and the state have been kicking around this political football for 25 years.

"Calling them the New York Giants is like Diana Ross going out on tour without Mary Wilson and trying to say it's the Supremes," Senate Minority Leader Richard Codey (D-Essex) said. "It's time for them to face it: They're the Jersey Giants no matter what it says on their helmets. New York? The closest they've ever come to being in New York is when they look at it."

When told the Giants had held their eight-player fashion show in the city, Codey quipped, "Oh, that's probably the first time they've been in New York since 1974."

In deference to New Jersey, the Giants changed the "ny" helmet logo to "GIANTS" in 1975, a year before they moved into Giants Stadium, but "New York" remains in its corporate name. The N.Y. vs. N.J. argument resurfaced yesterday with their throwback uniforms. Retro fashion, retro debate.

"We're not trying to make a political statement," club vice president John Mara said. "This is part of our history, part of our heritage. This was our logo while I was growing up, so it has a special meaning for me personally. Somebody once said to us that the 'ny' logo was the greatest logo not being used. We happen to agree."

At least one fan thought it was better left on the shelf, however.

"I am disappointed by the Giants' decision to return to their old helmet insignia," Gov. Christie Whitman said yesterday. "While the retro look of the uniform does celebrate one part of the Giants' heritage, it overlooks the fact that for a quarter-century the Giants have called New Jersey their home."

Codey wondered if the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which operates Giants Stadium, objected to the logo change. But Authority spokesman John Samerjan said the contract with the Giants doesn't allow the Authority input on uniforms or logos.

"But you'd hope that someone called the Giants and said, 'Hey, this is embarrassing,'" Codey said.

While the Giants want to turn the clock back, it's hard to understand why they want to return to one of the bleakest times in franchise history. In the 14 seasons the Giants used the "ny" logo, their record was a combined 88-105-5. From 1964 to '75, they had just two winning seasons.

In the following 25 years without the "ny" logo, the Giants were 199-198-2, and won two Super Bowl championships.

Mara said the logo change was not motivated by the hope of generating more marketing revenue. Since money created by the sale of caps, jerseys and other team products are split among the 31 NFL teams, the Giants' share "is marginal," Mara said. Instead, the change was prompted by nostalgia.

The home uniform's blue jersey, slightly darker than its predecessor, has white block numbers with a red outline. The away jersey is white with red numbers outlined in blue. The "GIANTS" logo, removed from the helmet, is tiny and located below the jersey's V-neck. Players' numbers are also located on the shoulders and the front of the helmets. Lycra in the seams allows the players to move freely, but keeps the jersey snug and tackle-resistant.

Players who modeled the new look for the media gathering shrugged at the controversy.

"It's not the uniform or the logo, it's the players wearing them," running back Tiki Barber said. "I think it's a cool new look, but it's not going to help us win football games."

It's not going to win friends in the state legislature, either.

"We know where we play our games," Mara said. "We've never hidden the fact that we play our games in New Jersey. But we've never hidden the fact that our name is the New York Giants and always will be. We just happen to like the logo and we think the majority of our fans like the logo, too. We've always maintained that we represent the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, not just New Jersey."