Crunch Bunch
Encyclopedia
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team's defensive linebackers in 1981, 1982 and 1983, one of the NFL's best group of linebackers.
They worked together as a unit and were known for their punishing, bone-jarring tackles and quarterback sacks. The individuals included:
- Strongside linebacker Brad Van PeltBrad Van PeltBrad Alan Van Pelt was an American football linebacker who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League....
, 5x Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980) - Inside linebacker Harry CarsonHarry CarsonHarold Donald Carson is a former American football inside linebacker who played his entire professional career for the NFL's New York Giants...
, 9x Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selections (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987), Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees... - Weakside linebacker Lawrence TaylorLawrence TaylorLawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
, 10x Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection (1981, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90), Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees... - Weakside linebacker Brian Kelley, No Pro BowlPro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selections
The linebackers invented their own moniker, then created a company, The Board of Dewreckers, whose sole product was a 16x20” color poster of the four players on a bulldozer, wearing hard hats and looking mean. According to a New York Times article, the profits from the $5 poster became “pocket money” for the Giant’s linebackers. The Crunch Bunch was a bright spot for the otherwise dismal Giants, who had just one winning season between 1964 and 1983.
The four men developed bonds of friendship that lasted long after their football careers ended. They talked on the phone frequently and got together several times each year to play golf, sign autographs, attend charity events and just talk. Van Pelt was quoted in 2004:
I feel as comfortable with (Carson, Kelley and Taylor) as I do with my brothers. Obviously, your brothers are your brothers. But these three are probably the closest thing to them. Brian and I played 11 years together. I played nine with Harry. Lawrence being the guy (he is), it didn't take long for him to fit right in and become one of the guys. I can't really explain why but they're the only three I stay close with.
The Crunch Bunch went to Puebla, Mexico
Puebla, Mexico
Puebla, Mexico, may refer to:*Puebla, one of the 32 component federal entities of the United Mexican States*Puebla, Puebla, capital city of that state...
on October 26, 2004 to promote Habitat for Humanity and assist 3,000 volunteers who were building 150 houses. While there, they met and talked with former president Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
and his wife, Rosalynn.
The quartet attended many Giant games after they retired, but on September 30, 2007, the "Crunch Bunch" guys were introduced prior to the game and recognized for their contribution to Giants football. They were also named honorary Captains and watched the game from the Giant's sideline. The team's new defense, dubbed the "Sack Pack" put on a show and recorded 12 sacks of Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback Donovan McNabb
Donovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...
.
Van Pelt's death on February 17, 2009 was a shock to the guys. Harry Carson commented, "I am just so glad that I got to know the man more so than the athlete." Brian Kelley stated:
It was total devastation. I've known Brad since '73 -- 36 years. I've known him longer than my wife and my kids. Football was 11 years of our life. We had 25 other years when we were together, did things together and still are doing them together, us and LT and Harry Carson.
It's sort of like losing a limb because the four of us are so close. To lose one of us is tough. It's even tough to believe it happened. ... I'm just going to miss him, miss seeing him at Giants games, miss him calling me about stupid stuff.