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Big Blue Wrecking Crew: Smashmouth Football, a Little Bit of Crazy, and the '86 Super Bowl Champion New York Giants
A marauding linebacker who changed the game of football, a tough-as-nails quarterback, and a fiery head coach helped the 1986 New York Giants leave an indelible mark on the NFL. Big Blue Wrecking Crew is the no-holds-barred story of the team that created Giant Football, the pound-you-into-submission, quarterback-crushing defense, coupled with a powerful ball control offense that resulted in a 1986 Superbowl Championship―the first in team history. In a gripping narrative of the season that changed the course of a franchise, author Jerry Barca takes readers on a wild journey filled with improbable characters. Linebacker Lawrence Taylor partied with the same level of recklessness and violence he put forth when he donned his jersey. Bill Parcells motivated his team in an unrelenting Jersey Guy way, and quiet defensive genius Bill Belichick would go on to greatness.
Based on years of research and hundreds of interviews, Barca chronicles the Giants’ rise out of rock bottom to their status as a premiere NFL franchise. From behind-the-scenes personnel discussions of general manager George Young to the meeting rooms with Parcells and defensive coordinator Bill Belichick, Big Blue Wrecking Crew is filled with the riveting exploits of unforgettable players. It is an unfiltered look at how enormous egos came together to win a championship, playing hard and partying equally as hard along the way.
Based on years of research and hundreds of interviews, Barca chronicles the Giants’ rise out of rock bottom to their status as a premiere NFL franchise. From behind-the-scenes personnel discussions of general manager George Young to the meeting rooms with Parcells and defensive coordinator Bill Belichick, Big Blue Wrecking Crew is filled with the riveting exploits of unforgettable players. It is an unfiltered look at how enormous egos came together to win a championship, playing hard and partying equally as hard along the way.
- GenresSportsFootballNonfiction
336 pages, Paperback
Published August 22, 2017
12 people are currently reading
256 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 24, 2016
I received this book from Goodreads Giveaways. As a Giants fan who lived through the 86 season it was a wonderful journey back. The book, though, is more than just about the 86 season, it is a history of how the Giants rebuilt the franchise in the aftermath of the "fumble." It has great insight into the the major building blocks, such as George Young, Parcells, LT, and Simms, but it also discusses people like Ray Perkins and there contribution to turning around a franchise in a downward spiral. I have read a lot of Giants books and I would put this in the upper echelon, not only is it well-written, but it was well researched. The author spoke with almost everyone involved with the team that was still alive with the notable exception of LT. I highly recommend this book for both Giants and football fans alike.
October 19, 2016
Fun story of how the Giants rose from the lower ranks of the NFL when they were a dysfunctional organization to Super Bowl champs. Crucial ingredients to their success included hiring Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick and drafting the likes of Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms. The ascent was not without pitfalls and bumps in the road including the more widespread use of cocaine, and clashes with Parcells over his aggressive coaching style.
A must-read for Giants fans but any football fan will enjoy the anecdotes and behind-the-scenes insights.
A must-read for Giants fans but any football fan will enjoy the anecdotes and behind-the-scenes insights.
August 27, 2016
As a "long-suffering" Giants fan, I really enjoyed this book. It took me back to my senior year in high school when my beloved Giants erased the years of suffering. I thought the book was really well researched and offered a number of stories and perspectives I hadn't understood before. Great read. Would be great to have a sequel on the 1990 championship team.
August 26, 2016
Great book, great stories on the cast of characters that came together to win. Giants fan or just an old time football fan will enjoy.
December 23, 2021
Big Blue Wrecking Crew's job was to educate you on the 1986 New York Giants football season. And after finishing this book two days ago I have to say that this book accomplished its goal. You're not going to get a better analysis of the 1986 Giants than this book, or actually sitting down and watching regular season and playoffs film of that team.
Jerry Barca is a descriptive writer, and he really likes to delve into his book subjects. I appreciated his full bore and objective analysis of a team that was destined to win Super Bowl XXI.
Some of the things that I appreciated about this book was the pages that were dedicated to the state of the franchise in the early 1980s before their magical 1986 season and how the 1986 Giants were built, which included some analyses of the franchise's early 1980s drafts.
One of my favorite parts of this book was a chapter near the end of the book that talked about how the Giants fared after the 1986 season. From 1987 to 1989 the Giants had to deal with Strike '87; no playoffs in 1988 despite a 10-6 record and a 2nd place finish in the NFC East; and getting upset at home 16-13 in the second round of the 1989 playoffs by the Los Angeles Rams.
After reading that sort of postscript chapter, I did some research. You could tell that the party was over for the Giants by 1991. Their stars and front-line players were aging (Lawrence Taylor, Phil Simms, Carl Banks, and Leonard Marshall); Bill Parcells and defensive coordinator Bill Belichick were gone; and etc. By 1991, that 1986 Giants team was a distant memory as 32 players from that team weren't on the 1991 active roster. Only 19 players from that '86 team were on the '91 roster.
Pros of Big Blue Wrecking Crew: Barca's analysis of the ups and downs of the 1986 Giants; his passion for wanting you to really get to know that 1986 team through game-by game capsules and background stories on that teams' players and some of its coaches; and more.
Cons of Big Blue Wrecking Crew: Did Barca have to wait more than 180 pages to get into the 1986 season? Granted, I enjoyed the pre-1986 Giants history, but did it have to take more than 60 percent of the book to get to that '86 season? No.
In conclusion, Big Blue Wrecking Crew was a very well written and descriptive book on one of the better all-around teams in NFL history. Buy this book if you are a Giants football fan who cares about their team history, an NFL historian, or you want to be educated on the 1986 New York Giants.
Jerry Barca is a descriptive writer, and he really likes to delve into his book subjects. I appreciated his full bore and objective analysis of a team that was destined to win Super Bowl XXI.
Some of the things that I appreciated about this book was the pages that were dedicated to the state of the franchise in the early 1980s before their magical 1986 season and how the 1986 Giants were built, which included some analyses of the franchise's early 1980s drafts.
One of my favorite parts of this book was a chapter near the end of the book that talked about how the Giants fared after the 1986 season. From 1987 to 1989 the Giants had to deal with Strike '87; no playoffs in 1988 despite a 10-6 record and a 2nd place finish in the NFC East; and getting upset at home 16-13 in the second round of the 1989 playoffs by the Los Angeles Rams.
After reading that sort of postscript chapter, I did some research. You could tell that the party was over for the Giants by 1991. Their stars and front-line players were aging (Lawrence Taylor, Phil Simms, Carl Banks, and Leonard Marshall); Bill Parcells and defensive coordinator Bill Belichick were gone; and etc. By 1991, that 1986 Giants team was a distant memory as 32 players from that team weren't on the 1991 active roster. Only 19 players from that '86 team were on the '91 roster.
Pros of Big Blue Wrecking Crew: Barca's analysis of the ups and downs of the 1986 Giants; his passion for wanting you to really get to know that 1986 team through game-by game capsules and background stories on that teams' players and some of its coaches; and more.
Cons of Big Blue Wrecking Crew: Did Barca have to wait more than 180 pages to get into the 1986 season? Granted, I enjoyed the pre-1986 Giants history, but did it have to take more than 60 percent of the book to get to that '86 season? No.
In conclusion, Big Blue Wrecking Crew was a very well written and descriptive book on one of the better all-around teams in NFL history. Buy this book if you are a Giants football fan who cares about their team history, an NFL historian, or you want to be educated on the 1986 New York Giants.
February 2, 2022
Most complete book I've read on the 1986-87 Super Bowl winning New York Giants. Has chapters starting with the fumble game in 1978 leading up to the drafting of key players like Phil Simms and Lawerence Taylor as well as Leonard Marshall and Carl Banks. Then discusses the playoff losses in 84 and 85 before talking about every game in decent detail on the 1986 season, including the playoffs and Super Bowl. You'll read good stories on LT, Simms, Bill Parcells, Joe Morris (remember him!) Marshall, Banks, Jim Burt (remember him!), Bart Oates, Sean Landeta, Phil McConkey (remember him!), Mark Bavarro, Zeke Mowatt, Ottis Anderson, George Martin (no the other one) and Harry Carson. Not too long at about 285 pages and a good trip down memory lane. Also has interesting stories about what happened during that era off the football field. I've read two books by this author lately and really like his writing style. Hope to read more in the future.
January 26, 2023
I've read every book associated with the '86 Giants with the exception of those by LT (not that interested in what he had to say, frankly.... loved the on field performance!) and I still learned a lot of interesting new things and stories. Thumbs up to Jerry Barca for his extended research, which was evident throughout and verified in the Author's Notes. If you are a diehard Giants fan or rather just an NFL fan that remembers this team and the arc of the NYG franchise, I would recommend Big Blue Wrecking Crew.
February 2, 2018
Really fun and enjoyable look back at an era of sport I wish I could have witnessed first hand. A great easy read to get myself ready for the super bowl this weekend, and ease the pain of the end of another season.
December 28, 2021
A treat for the Giants faithful
I had a blast reading this book. The 1986 New York Giants were champions of a every different kind of football than what we watch on Sundays today. Barca fleshes it all out here in uncensored form; its required reading for fans of Big Blue.
I had a blast reading this book. The 1986 New York Giants were champions of a every different kind of football than what we watch on Sundays today. Barca fleshes it all out here in uncensored form; its required reading for fans of Big Blue.
July 20, 2022
A great book about the greatest Giants team ever.
September 30, 2016
I received an advance reading copy of this book, for free, through Goodreads First Reads program in exchange for my honest review.
Although I am not a Giants fan, I thoroughly enjoyed Jerry Barca’s book, Big Blue Wrecking Crew: Smashmouth Football, a Little Bit of Crazy, and the ’86 Super Bowl Champion New York Giants. The story of the 1986 New York Giants begins in 1978, with a game in which the Giants improbably blew a late lead against the Eagles. Giants fans remember that game simply as “The Fumble”. Eagles fans remember it as the “Miracle at the Meadowlands”. The game exemplified how far the once proud football franchise had fallen, and it precipitated a changing of the guard in the front office, on the sidelines, and on the field. Within 3 seasons, the Giants would return to the playoffs for the first time in 18 years. Within 8 seasons they would win their first championship in three decades.
Through extensive research and interviews with nearly all of those involved with resurrection the franchise, Barca provides the definitive story of one of the most dominant teams of that era. En route to their Super Bowl victory over the Denver Broncos, the ’86 Giants compiled a 14-2 record in the regular season, and then steamrolled their opponents in the playoffs. The Big Blue Wrecking Crew defense maimed numerous opposing quarterbacks such as Joe Theismann, Danny White, and Joe Montana. Various players on the Giants consorted with mobsters, partied with strippers, snorted cocaine, fought with teammates, and invented the postgame Gatorade shower. All of the stories, and all of the characters, are featured in this book.
Big Blue Wrecking Crew is a fun read, which pulls back the curtain on one of the most memorable teams of the 1980s. I highly recommend this book to any fan of the NFL, but it is a must-read for fans of the New York Football Giants.
Although I am not a Giants fan, I thoroughly enjoyed Jerry Barca’s book, Big Blue Wrecking Crew: Smashmouth Football, a Little Bit of Crazy, and the ’86 Super Bowl Champion New York Giants. The story of the 1986 New York Giants begins in 1978, with a game in which the Giants improbably blew a late lead against the Eagles. Giants fans remember that game simply as “The Fumble”. Eagles fans remember it as the “Miracle at the Meadowlands”. The game exemplified how far the once proud football franchise had fallen, and it precipitated a changing of the guard in the front office, on the sidelines, and on the field. Within 3 seasons, the Giants would return to the playoffs for the first time in 18 years. Within 8 seasons they would win their first championship in three decades.
Through extensive research and interviews with nearly all of those involved with resurrection the franchise, Barca provides the definitive story of one of the most dominant teams of that era. En route to their Super Bowl victory over the Denver Broncos, the ’86 Giants compiled a 14-2 record in the regular season, and then steamrolled their opponents in the playoffs. The Big Blue Wrecking Crew defense maimed numerous opposing quarterbacks such as Joe Theismann, Danny White, and Joe Montana. Various players on the Giants consorted with mobsters, partied with strippers, snorted cocaine, fought with teammates, and invented the postgame Gatorade shower. All of the stories, and all of the characters, are featured in this book.
Big Blue Wrecking Crew is a fun read, which pulls back the curtain on one of the most memorable teams of the 1980s. I highly recommend this book to any fan of the NFL, but it is a must-read for fans of the New York Football Giants.
January 23, 2017
As a long suffering fan of the New York Jets, it is always refreshing to read about a topic little known to me: Winning. Big Blue Wrecking Crew is a stupendously researched book about the early history of the NY Giants leading up to and through their 1986 Super Bowl win. This is a must read for any Giants fan and I believe a must read for any fan of the game. (I however would not recommend it to those who are not into football. I can't see this converting them.)
I commend author Jerry Barca on two major things. 1) The early chapters about the start of the franchise and the sport in general did a fantastic job of showing what an abysmal team the Giants really were. This gives the rest of the book such an impact because their 80's run was not just about winning, but changing the face of the culture in the greatest city in the country. It also shows what is meant by building a solid franchise and how many working parts need to come together to achieve this. Which leads me to 2) Lawrence Taylor, despite his many (self inflicted) flaws, is quite possibly the greatest defensive player of all time. However, he is a supporting character in the book. Just as Phil Simms, the Mara Family, and Bill Parcells are. There was never a time in the book where it wasn't about the team. Attention was paid to and credit was given to everyone. There were many pages devoted to coordinators, fans, unheralded offensive linemen, and sometimes cut players. The spread approach in the writing mirrored the team concept of the game.
I commend author Jerry Barca on two major things. 1) The early chapters about the start of the franchise and the sport in general did a fantastic job of showing what an abysmal team the Giants really were. This gives the rest of the book such an impact because their 80's run was not just about winning, but changing the face of the culture in the greatest city in the country. It also shows what is meant by building a solid franchise and how many working parts need to come together to achieve this. Which leads me to 2) Lawrence Taylor, despite his many (self inflicted) flaws, is quite possibly the greatest defensive player of all time. However, he is a supporting character in the book. Just as Phil Simms, the Mara Family, and Bill Parcells are. There was never a time in the book where it wasn't about the team. Attention was paid to and credit was given to everyone. There were many pages devoted to coordinators, fans, unheralded offensive linemen, and sometimes cut players. The spread approach in the writing mirrored the team concept of the game.
September 6, 2016
Another great book from one of my favorite writers. A must read for Giant fans and any fan of Pro Football. The 86 Giants were one of the classic, dominant teams of my youth and Jerry brings the story to life with great detail and top-notch reporting. Like most books of this kind, there are stories of wild parties and reckless behavior, but more importantly this is about an organization made up of many parts working toward a common goal. Barca takes you into the front offices during the lowest times as they rebuilt the organization piece by piece, he takes you into the war rooms drafting and signing the players, and he takes you into the locker room as the team gelled together. There is deep insight into players I never knew and icons like Simms, Parcells, and Belichick. This is highly recommended for any football fan to see an organization come together in pursuit of greatness.
January 16, 2017
I received this book as part of the Goodreads program. It is a well written and very engaging read throughout.
It is amazing to read about the politics' of a sport that's supposed to be a game but is really a business. This book is very detailed and describes many situations that the Giants dealt with during this season with blunt clarity. From the many coaches who were assistants that are now head coaches in the league to the many players and their issues (family, drugs, money, etc.) this books lays bear the essence of what happens in the National Football League with nothing held back.
If you are a sports fan this is a very entertaining book and well worth the read.
It is amazing to read about the politics' of a sport that's supposed to be a game but is really a business. This book is very detailed and describes many situations that the Giants dealt with during this season with blunt clarity. From the many coaches who were assistants that are now head coaches in the league to the many players and their issues (family, drugs, money, etc.) this books lays bear the essence of what happens in the National Football League with nothing held back.
If you are a sports fan this is a very entertaining book and well worth the read.
October 2, 2016
In depth look at the NY Giants 1986 Super Bowl winning season. Nothing like reading a good sports story of a team that was at rock bottom and climbed their way up to the top. I've never been a fan of the Giants, but even I can appreciate all the hard work and dedication to turn things around in the organization and win.
Lots of quotes and info about the management, coaches and players. Good read for any football fan!
I won this book in a giveaway and that in no way influenced my review.
Lots of quotes and info about the management, coaches and players. Good read for any football fan!
I won this book in a giveaway and that in no way influenced my review.
April 9, 2017
I have to thank my son Steven for giving me a copy of this book. I rated it with 4 stars b cause my blood runs Giant Blue. Even so, there was so much I didn't know about that season, yet I would have thought I could have remembered every detail of that season. Those Giants were certainly less than choirboys but they were rich 20 somethings. With the NY Mets, they gave me the greatest sports year of my life, and this book brought it all back.
Deduct a star if you aren't part of the NY Giants fandom.
Deduct a star if you aren't part of the NY Giants fandom.
November 24, 2016
Decent book that reads really easy. The parts before the '86 season begins were better than the season itself, which tends to veer into game-recapping at times. Also, while it gives an account of almost every game of the season, Barca basically skips the last few games of the regular season - which is especially weird because the Giants played better then than any other point in the regular season.
September 28, 2016
Jerry Barca gives the reader a detailed account of the 1986 Super Bowl football champions. The New York Giants. Lawrence Taylor, Phil Simms, Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, to name a few, united to win a championship. w/color photos>>>>THANK YOU GOODREADS FIRSTREADS FOR THIS FREE BOOK!!!!!
September 29, 2016
won this book in the Goodreads first-reads giveaway program.
Very breezy and fun read.
Very breezy and fun read.
October 13, 2016
Good history of a great team. Brought back lots of memories.
January 1, 2017
Easy read. All Giant fans should read.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews