NY Giants Fans: You’re Never Alone

Jim O’Connor-USA TODAY Sports

When Big Blue fans move away from New York – which is only out of dire necessity, of course – the question then arises: How do you follow your team when you are miles away from you familiar environs?

Of course, there are many reasons to move away from the area. You could be chasing down a new job, looking for better weather, moving to a retirement home or going away to college. Whatever the reason, for a true-blue New York Giants fan panic will set in at some point. How can you follow the team of teams if you move to Florida, Hawaii, San Francisco, Alaska, Moscow, Johannesburg, Iceland, Paris or Peru?

Granted, panic is not what Giant fans do. But a small, tiny, wee bit of panic is likely to set in, anyway. After all, it’s the Giants we’re talking about – the Mighty Giants, the Big Blue Blitz, the Bronx Marauders and all the above.

First, take 10 deep breaths, breathing out slowly. Then perk up. In today’s Internet-dominated world, the chances are you have the whole team – players, coaches, trainers and everybody – right in your own pocket on a smart phone and not even be aware of it. Once you become Internet savvy, you’ll find dozens of ways to follow the Giants no matter where you live.

Secondly, the options for television programming is stratospherically better than it was when the legendary Y.A. Tittle ran the team in the early 1960s. Back then there were three channels on the tube. Back then, everybody in the country watched the same three networks and when they all showed one event, you were out of options.

Third – yes, there’s a third option – you shouldn’t forget the radio. That still works and the games are still aired on the flagship station WFAN 660 AM and 101.9 FM and their affiliate stations.

Radio

The Giants games this year on WFAN will feature Bob Papa doing play-by-play, Carl Banks handling feature commentary and Howard Cross on the sidelines, keeping up with injury news and the tone of the franchise on the ground.

Pre- and post game hosts are Lance Meadow, Jeff Feagles, John Schmeelk and Paul Dottino, and remember, broadcasts start an hour and a half before the opening kickoff.

A list of affiliate stations are available at https://www.giants.com/media-vault/Giants-Radio-Network.html.

Television at Home

The options for television, as mentioned, certainly, you should be dialing up Fox Sports, which has the rights to the Giant’s games.

Not only that, but Fox is busy in the Internet, as well. Find all you need from blogs to highlight footage and commentary.

Sports bars

Thank a random blogger for mentioning that sports bars are, in spirit, like going to the game itself. Minus the tailgate party in the parking lot, sports bars allow you to down a few beers, eat some spicy food, grab some nachos, slap a few friends on the back, make new friends and not have to clean up afterward.

TV service in Charlotte, N.C., Seattle, Wash., or Bangor, Maine, should be able to keep your local sports bar revved up for game nights.

The Internet

This is the mother lode.

That’s right, you can watch full games on a delayed schedule and keep up with blogging until you’re blue in the face if you can find your way around the Wide World Web.

The listings are nearly endless. I recommend, however, starting at the Giant’s official Web site. That works for me.

Here’s an option from SNY.tv that will lead you to an infinite number of useful sites. In one listing, the site directs you to blogs and other great Giants information at NY Giants Rush, Big Blue Interactive, Big Blue View, Big Giants Boom, Bluenatic, ESPN’s Giant’s Page, Football Outsiders, G-Men HQ, Giants 101, Giants Team Shop, Grizlr – Giants, Kissing Suzy Kolber, New York Football Giants, Team Giants, The Fifth Down – NY Times, Ultimate NYG and USA Today’s Giants Page.

Hard to imagine you’ll be lonely or lacking in Giants’ news, no matter where you go.