Phil Simms
Encyclopedia
Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms (born November 3, 1955) is a former American football
quarterback
, and currently a television sportscaster
for the CBS
network. After a standout career at Morehead State University
, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants
of the National Football League
(NFL) with the number seven selection overall in the 1979 NFL Draft
. Simms played his entire professional career with the Giants and was named Most Valuable Player
(MVP) of Super Bowl XXI
, after he led the Giants to a 39–20 victory over the Denver Broncos
and set the record for highest completion percentage in a super bowl, going 22 for 25. He also was named to the Pro Bowl for his performances in the 1985 and 1993 seasons.
He finished his career with 33,462 passing yards and has since gone on to a career broadcaster of NFL games—first as an analyst for ESPN
, then as a in-game color commentator with NBC
, and currently with CBS
. He is the father of quarterback Chris Simms
and former University of Louisville
and current University of Tennessee
quarterback Matt Simms
.
on his grandfather's farm, a place now called Maple Hill Manor in Washington County, Kentucky
where he attended St. Dominic's Elementary. While an elementary school
student his family moved and Simms grew up in Louisville, Kentucky
. He attended Southern High School
in Louisville and was quarterback of the Southern Trojans, graduating in 1974. Simms chose to attend Morehead State University
in nearby Morehead, Kentucky
. The team featured a ball control offense, and Simms' numbers at Morehead State were unspectacular—in his senior season he completed 92 of 173 passes for a 53.2% completion percentage and totalled 6 touchdown
passes, 11 interceptions, and 1,229 yards. The team also finished with a paltry 2–6–1 record in his senior season and failed to make a bowl game during Simms' four years. Simms finished his career at Morehead State with 409 completions in 835 attempts for a 48.9% completion percentage. He also totalled 32 touchdowns, 45 interceptions, and a school-record 5,545 yards.
Before the 1979 NFL Draft, Bill Walsh
, who was the new coach of the San Francisco 49ers
, flew to Morehead State with Assistant Coach Sam Wyche
to work out Simms. Walsh was so impressed with him that he planned to draft Simms in the third round, actually preferring him over another young quarterback they scouted and ultimately drafted, Joe Montana
. But the New York Giants
decided to make Simms their first round pick to the surprise of many. As Simms acknowledged, "most people have never heard of me." When Simms's name was announced by Commissioner Pete Rozelle
in front of the audience at the draft (which was held in New York), his selection was booed loudly by the Giants fans in attendance. Simms was not happy being a Giant either, "All I was thinking was which teams I would rather play for—the Green Bay Packers
, the Kansas City Chiefs
, San Diego
, San Francisco..." Nonetheless, he became popular with his teammates who jokingly dubbed him "Prince Valiant
" in his rookie training camp.
Simms won his first five starts of his rookie year. He led the team to a 6–4 record as a starter, throwing for 1,743 yards and 13 touchdown passes and was named to the NFL All Rookie Team. He was runner-up in 1979 for Rookie of the Year
, losing out to future teammate, Ottis Anderson
.
with 15 touchdowns and 19 interceptions
, while completing a subpar 48.0% of his passes for 2,321 yards. In 1981, Simms threw for 2,031 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions on 54.4% completion percentage before suffering a separated shoulder in a November 15 loss to the Washington Redskins
. With Simms out, the Giants went on a run led by Scott Brunner and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Simms suffered a torn knee ligament in a preseason game against the New York Jets
, preventing him from playing the entire 1982 season
. Following the season, Ray Perkins resigned as head coach to take over the same position at the University of Alabama
, and was replaced by the team's defensive coordinator
Bill Parcells
. In the coming years this change would prove crucial to the Giants and Simms.
One of Parcells first decisions as coach was to replace Simms as the starting quarterback with Brunner. Simms asked to be traded after the benching, but his request was ignored. During the sixth game of the Giants' 1983 Season
, Simms came in to replace the struggling Brunner against the Philadelphia Eagles
. On his second drive, Simms suffered a season-ending injury when the thumb on his throwing hand hit a player's helmet on his follow-through. The injury was reported as a dislocation, but according to the book, Simms to McConkey, written by Phil McConkey
, Simms, and Dick Schaap
, the injury was much more severe, with the thumb literally hanging off after impact, and the bone sticking out through the skin.
During his first few years on the team, Giants fans were merciless in their treatment of Simms, who they felt was a disappointment. He commented that his wife "had to sit up in the stands and listen to them cuss me." However, in 1984, after many seasons plagued by injuries and up-and-down play, Simms finally emerged as a team offensive leader. During his 1983 injury, offensive coordinator
Ron Erhardt
talked Simms into watching more game film, something he had not regularly done in college or the pros. He gained a better understanding of NFL defenses, his team's formations, and pass protection schemes, and improved his ability to audible at the line of scrimmage. He also changed his strength training regimen in an attempt to make his body more resistant to injury. He passed for 4,044 yards (second most in the National Football Conference
(NFC)), 22 touchdown passes, and led the Giants to a playoff berth.
He was voted to the Pro Bowl and named Pro Bowl MVP as he led the NFC to a comeback win over the American Football Conference
(AFC) by throwing three touchdowns. In 1985, he passed for 3,829 yards, 22 touchdowns, and led the Giants to 10 victories, the most for a Giants team since 1963
. In a game against the Cincinnati Bengals
during the 1985 season
, Simms passed for 513 yards—the fifth most passing yards in a single game in NFL history. In 1986, he passed for 3,487 yards and 21 touchdown passes during a season in which the Giants won 14 games
. In week 11, he completed a desperate fourth-and-17 pass to Bobby Johnson late in the game to set up Raul Allegre
's game-winning field goal, which gave the Giants a 22–20 victory over the Minnesota Vikings
. Simms later commented:
(150.9). In addition, he threw 3 touchdown passes and his passer rating set an NFL postseason record. "This might be the best game a quarterback has ever played," Giants coach Bill Parcells
later said. Two of the most famous plays from the game were the flea flicker
to McConkey, and the touchdown pass caught by McConkey off of the fingertips of Giants tight end
, Mark Bavaro
. The Giants defeated the Broncos 39-20, and Simms was named MVP
of Super Bowl XXI. He is credited for being the first to use the phrase "I'm going to Disney World!
" following a championship victory.
, finishing with the second highest quarterback rating in the NFC. He threw for 2,230 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. He passed for 3,359 yard, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while completing 54.9% of his passes in the 1988 season. The Giants rebounded from a 6–9–1 record in 1987 to finish 10–6 but missed the playoffs due to the NFL tie-breaker system. In 1989, the Giants started 8–1 and finished 12–4, Simms passed for 3,061 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions on 56.3% completion percentage. He performed consistently most of the season except for a two game stretch against the Eagles and 49ers where he produced seven turnovers
, six of which resulted in points for the opposition. He also struggled in the Giants playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams, and the Giants lost 19–13. In 1990
, Simms was having one of his finest seasons, leading the NFC with the highest quarterback rating (92.7) and the Giants to an 11–3 record
. But his season was cut short due to a broken foot suffered in the fourteenth game against the Giants' eventual Super Bowl XXV
opponent, the Buffalo Bills
. The Giants went on to defeat the Bills 20–19 in the Super Bowl.
After the Giants Super Bowl victory, Parcells resigned and was replaced by the team's running backs coach Ray Handley
. One of Handley's first decisions was to select Jeff Hostetler
, who had quarterbacked the team to a victory in Super Bowl XXV, as the team's starting quarterback. Simms only saw spot action in two games prior to Week 13, when Hostetler broke his back in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. Simms finished the game and reclaimed the starting job, but only won once in his remaining four starts as the Giants failed to return to the playoffs at 8-8. Simms was named starter for the 1992 season after beating out Hostetler, who Handley was still high on as a quarterback, in the preseason. However, Simms suffered a severe arm injury in a Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Raiders
and missed the remainder of the season. In those two seasons Simms only amassed a combined 1,905 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions while completing 59.3% of his passes. The Giants finished the 1992 season at 6-10, which led to the termination of the unpopular Handley and the hiring of former Denver Broncos coach Dan Reeves
. As part of an overall house cleaning, Reeves released Hostetler and named Simms his starting quarterback. He started all 16 games in 1993, being one of only seven quarterbacks to do so, and led the Giants to a resurgent 11–5 season including a victory over the Minnesota Vikings
in the playoffs. However, Simms underwent shoulder surgery after the 1993 NFL Season
to repair a torn labrum. The surgery was successful, and team doctor Russell F. Warren's prognosis for recovery was excellent, and Simms was expected to be ready in time for training camp. However, later during that offseason, Simms was released by the Giants, and subsequently decided to retire. Upon his release, co-owner Wellington Mara
called it "a day of overwhelming sadness."
In his 14 seasons with the Giants, Simms completed 2,576 out of 4,647 passes for 33,462 yards and 199 touchdowns. His career passing yardage total ranks him twenty first in NFL history. He added 349 carries for 1,252 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground. Simms owns many of the New York Giants passing records, along with Kerry Collins
. He set team records for most passes completed and attempted in one game (40 and 62, respectively), season (286, 533) and career (2,576, 4,647), most career touchdown passes (199) and most 300-yard games in a career (21). Sports Illustrated
considered him to be the "Most Underrated Quarterback" in NFL History in their August 27, 2001 issue entitled, "The Most Overrated and Underrated".
. They have three children: Chris Simms, Deirdre and Matthew (former freshman QB at Louisville, now at Tennessee). Simms is fond of New Jersey, remarking in 1987; "I wasn't overjoyed about coming to New York. When I thought of New York I thought of New York City. But out here, it's just like anywhere else."
On September 4, 1995, Simms' jersey was retired in a halftime ceremony of a game versus the Dallas Cowboys. During an emotional speech, Simms stated that he wanted to don his jersey one final time, and throw "one more pass" to teammate Lawrence Taylor
. Simms later commented, "[a]ll of a sudden it kind of hit me, I've put Lawrence in a really tough spot; national TV, he's got dress shoes and a sports jacket on, and he's had a few beers and he's going to run down the field and I'm going to throw him a pass." Simms then motioned for Taylor to run a longer pattern, and after 30–40 yards, threw him the pass. Taylor later stated that the situation made him more nervous than any play of his career, "I'm saying to myself (as the pass is being thrown), 'If I drop this pass, I got to run my black ass all the way to Upper Saddle River because there ain't no way I'm going to be able to stay in that stadium'." Taylor caught the pass however, and the capacity crowd in attendance cheered in approval. Since he has been retired for more than five years, Simms is eligible for selection into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
; he has yet to be inducted, however.
After his retirement as a player in 1994, Simms first joined ESPN then went on to join NBC's lead broadcast crew
, teaming with Dick Enberg
and Paul Maguire
on that network's coverage of Super Bowl XXX
and Super Bowl XXXII
. Simms also announced Weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics
and served as a sideline reporter on the NBA on NBC for NBC Sports
. In 1998, he moved to CBS with the AFC package, teaming first with Greg Gumbel
(through the end of the 2003 season
) and currently with Jim Nantz
on the CBS's lead broadcast team
. He also worked with Armen Keteyian
, Bonnie Bernstein and Lesley Visser
. He hosts Inside the NFL on Showtime (another CBS holding) with Warren Sapp and Cris Collinsworth. He has appeared on CBS Daytime since joining CBS, with a 2007 appearance as himself on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns
, and in February 2010 an appearance on The Price Is Right
(with Nantz) to present a Super Bowl XLIV
Showcase, including saying the show's signature A New Car.
Key to Abbreviations
GP= Games Played
Att= Passes attempted
Com= Passes Completed
Pct= Completion percentage
Yds= Yards
TD= Touchdown
s
Int= Interceptions
Rate= Passer rating
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...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, and currently a television sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
for the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
network. After a standout career at Morehead State University
Morehead State University
Morehead State University is a public, co-educational university located in Morehead, Kentucky, United States in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County, midway between Lexington, Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia. The 2012 edition of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S...
, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants
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...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) with the number seven selection overall in the 1979 NFL Draft
1979 NFL Draft
The 1979 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1979...
. Simms played his entire professional career with the Giants and was named Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
(MVP) of Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
, after he led the Giants to a 39–20 victory over the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and set the record for highest completion percentage in a super bowl, going 22 for 25. He also was named to the Pro Bowl for his performances in the 1985 and 1993 seasons.
He finished his career with 33,462 passing yards and has since gone on to a career broadcaster of NFL games—first as an analyst for ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, then as a in-game color commentator with NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, and currently with CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. He is the father of quarterback Chris Simms
Chris Simms
Christopher David Simms is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas.Simms has also played for the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
and former University of Louisville
Louisville Cardinals football
The Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship...
and current University of Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers football
The Tennessee Volunteers football team are an American college football team at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville . The NCAA Division I team is also a member of the Southeastern Conference ....
quarterback Matt Simms
Matt Simms
Matt Simms is an American football quarterback who plays for the Tennessee Volunteers football team.-Early life and high school:...
.
Early life and rookie season
Simms was born in Springfield, KentuckyKentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
on his grandfather's farm, a place now called Maple Hill Manor in Washington County, Kentucky
Washington County, Kentucky
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 10,916. Its county seat is Springfield. The county is named for George Washington. Washington County was the first county formed in the Commonwealth of Kentucky when it reached statehood...
where he attended St. Dominic's Elementary. While an elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
student his family moved and Simms grew up in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. He attended Southern High School
Southern High School (Kentucky)
Southern High School Magnet Career Academy was built in 1951, and the first graduating class was in 1952. Its mission is to prepare students to be "productive members of a technologically advanced society."...
in Louisville and was quarterback of the Southern Trojans, graduating in 1974. Simms chose to attend Morehead State University
Morehead State University
Morehead State University is a public, co-educational university located in Morehead, Kentucky, United States in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County, midway between Lexington, Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia. The 2012 edition of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S...
in nearby Morehead, Kentucky
Morehead, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 6,845 people, households, and families residing in the city. The population density was 726.2 people per square mile. There were 2,356 housing units at an average density of 253.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 93.2% White, 3.2% African...
. The team featured a ball control offense, and Simms' numbers at Morehead State were unspectacular—in his senior season he completed 92 of 173 passes for a 53.2% completion percentage and totalled 6 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
passes, 11 interceptions, and 1,229 yards. The team also finished with a paltry 2–6–1 record in his senior season and failed to make a bowl game during Simms' four years. Simms finished his career at Morehead State with 409 completions in 835 attempts for a 48.9% completion percentage. He also totalled 32 touchdowns, 45 interceptions, and a school-record 5,545 yards.
Before the 1979 NFL Draft, Bill Walsh
Bill Walsh (football coach)
William Ernest "Bill" Walsh was a head coach for the San Francisco 49ers and Stanford Cardinal football team, during which time he popularized the West Coast offense....
, who was the new coach of the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, flew to Morehead State with Assistant Coach Sam Wyche
Sam Wyche
Samuel David "Sam" Wyche is a former American football player and head coach, who is best known as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL...
to work out Simms. Walsh was so impressed with him that he planned to draft Simms in the third round, actually preferring him over another young quarterback they scouted and ultimately drafted, Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
. But the New York Giants
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...
decided to make Simms their first round pick to the surprise of many. As Simms acknowledged, "most people have never heard of me." When Simms's name was announced by Commissioner Pete Rozelle
Pete Rozelle
Alvin Ray "Pete" Rozelle was the commissioner of the National Football League from January 1960 to November 1989, when he retired from office. Rozelle is credited with making the NFL into one of the most successful sports leagues in the world....
in front of the audience at the draft (which was held in New York), his selection was booed loudly by the Giants fans in attendance. Simms was not happy being a Giant either, "All I was thinking was which teams I would rather play for—the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
, San Diego
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, San Francisco..." Nonetheless, he became popular with his teammates who jokingly dubbed him "Prince Valiant
Prince Valiant
Prince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur, or simply Prince Valiant, is a long-run comic strip created by Hal Foster in 1937. It is an epic adventure that has told a continuous story during its entire history, and the full stretch of that story now totals more than 3700 Sunday strips...
" in his rookie training camp.
Simms won his first five starts of his rookie year. He led the team to a 6–4 record as a starter, throwing for 1,743 yards and 13 touchdown passes and was named to the NFL All Rookie Team. He was runner-up in 1979 for Rookie of the Year
NFL Rookie of the Year Award
Since 1967, the Associated Press has given two annual Rookie of the Year Awards to National Football League players: one for an offensive player and one for a defensive player. These two are often regarded as the "official" awards...
, losing out to future teammate, Ottis Anderson
Ottis Anderson
Ottis Jerome "O.J." Anderson is a former American football running back. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1979, and the MVP of Super Bowl XXV in 1991 when playing with the New York Giants...
.
Early career: 1980–1986
Simms' next four years were marred by injuries and inconsistent play. He finished the 1980 season1980 NFL season
The 1980 NFL season was the 61st regular season of the National Football League.After the league declined to approve the proposed move by the Raiders from Oakland, California to Los Angeles, the team along with the Los Angeles Coliseum sued the NFL for violating antitrust laws...
with 15 touchdowns and 19 interceptions
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
, while completing a subpar 48.0% of his passes for 2,321 yards. In 1981, Simms threw for 2,031 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions on 54.4% completion percentage before suffering a separated shoulder in a November 15 loss to the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. With Simms out, the Giants went on a run led by Scott Brunner and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Simms suffered a torn knee ligament in a preseason game against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, preventing him from playing the entire 1982 season
1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
. Following the season, Ray Perkins resigned as head coach to take over the same position at the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
, and was replaced by the team's defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
. In the coming years this change would prove crucial to the Giants and Simms.
One of Parcells first decisions as coach was to replace Simms as the starting quarterback with Brunner. Simms asked to be traded after the benching, but his request was ignored. During the sixth game of the Giants' 1983 Season
1983 NFL season
The 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:...
, Simms came in to replace the struggling Brunner against the 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...
. On his second drive, Simms suffered a season-ending injury when the thumb on his throwing hand hit a player's helmet on his follow-through. The injury was reported as a dislocation, but according to the book, Simms to McConkey, written by Phil McConkey
Phil McConkey
Philip Joseph McConkey attended Canisius High School where he played wide receiver for the varsity football team and graduated in the class of 1975, is a former American football wide receiver who played for the New York Giants , Green Bay Packers , Phoenix Cardinals , and San Diego Chargers of...
, Simms, and Dick Schaap
Dick Schaap
Richard Jay Schaap was an American sportswriter, broadcaster, and author.-Early life and education:...
, the injury was much more severe, with the thumb literally hanging off after impact, and the bone sticking out through the skin.
During his first few years on the team, Giants fans were merciless in their treatment of Simms, who they felt was a disappointment. He commented that his wife "had to sit up in the stands and listen to them cuss me." However, in 1984, after many seasons plagued by injuries and up-and-down play, Simms finally emerged as a team offensive leader. During his 1983 injury, offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Ron Erhardt
Ron Erhardt
Ron Erhardt is a former football coach at both the collegiate and professional levels, and from 1979-1981 served as head coach of the National Football League's New England Patriots.-College assistant and high school head coach:...
talked Simms into watching more game film, something he had not regularly done in college or the pros. He gained a better understanding of NFL defenses, his team's formations, and pass protection schemes, and improved his ability to audible at the line of scrimmage. He also changed his strength training regimen in an attempt to make his body more resistant to injury. He passed for 4,044 yards (second most in the National Football Conference
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
(NFC)), 22 touchdown passes, and led the Giants to a playoff berth.
He was voted to the Pro Bowl and named Pro Bowl MVP as he led the NFC to a comeback win over the American Football Conference
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
(AFC) by throwing three touchdowns. In 1985, he passed for 3,829 yards, 22 touchdowns, and led the Giants to 10 victories, the most for a Giants team since 1963
1963 NFL season
The 1963 NFL season was the 44th regular season of the National Football League. On April 17, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle indefinitely suspended Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras for gambling on their own teams, as well as other NFL games;...
. In a game against the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
during the 1985 season
1985 NFL season
The 1985 NFL season was the 66th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XX when the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots.-Major rule changes:...
, Simms passed for 513 yards—the fifth most passing yards in a single game in NFL history. In 1986, he passed for 3,487 yards and 21 touchdown passes during a season in which the Giants won 14 games
1986 New York Giants season
The 1986 New York Giants season was one of the most successful seasons in the professional American football franchise's history. The Giants, who play in the National Football Conference of the National Football League , won their fifth championship—and first Super Bowl—in franchise history during...
. In week 11, he completed a desperate fourth-and-17 pass to Bobby Johnson late in the game to set up Raul Allegre
Raul Allegre
Raul Enrique Allegre is a former football placekicker in the National Football League. In his career he kicked for the Baltimore Colts, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, and the New York Jets. Although he was not known for a having a strong leg, he was a clutch kicker for the Giants from...
's game-winning field goal, which gave the Giants a 22–20 victory over the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
. Simms later commented:
Super Bowl XXI
On January 25, 1987, the Giants met the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI. In the biggest game of his life, Simms had one of the finest performances in Super Bowl history. He completed 22 of 25 passes (with 2 of his 3 incompletions being drops by receivers) for 268 yards, setting Super Bowl records for consecutive completions (10), accuracy (88%), and passer ratingPasser rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
(150.9). In addition, he threw 3 touchdown passes and his passer rating set an NFL postseason record. "This might be the best game a quarterback has ever played," Giants coach Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
later said. Two of the most famous plays from the game were the flea flicker
Flea flicker (American football)
A flea flicker is an unorthodox play in American football designed to fool the defensive team into thinking that a play is a run instead of a pass...
to McConkey, and the touchdown pass caught by McConkey off of the fingertips of Giants tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
, Mark Bavaro
Mark Bavaro
Mark Bavaro is a former American football tight end who played for the New York Giants , Cleveland Browns , and Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League...
. The Giants defeated the Broncos 39-20, and Simms was named MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of Super Bowl XXI. He is credited for being the first to use the phrase "I'm going to Disney World!
I'm Going to Disney World!
"I'm going to Disney World!" and "I'm going to Disneyland!" are advertising slogans used in a series of television commercials by The Walt Disney Company that began airing in 1987...
" following a championship victory.
Later career: 1987–1993
Simms performed well in the strike-shortened 1987 NFL season1987 NFL season
The 1987 NFL season was the 68th regular season of the National Football League. A 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15. The games that were scheduled for the third week of the season were canceled, but the games for weeks 4–6 were played with replacement players...
, finishing with the second highest quarterback rating in the NFC. He threw for 2,230 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. He passed for 3,359 yard, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while completing 54.9% of his passes in the 1988 season. The Giants rebounded from a 6–9–1 record in 1987 to finish 10–6 but missed the playoffs due to the NFL tie-breaker system. In 1989, the Giants started 8–1 and finished 12–4, Simms passed for 3,061 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions on 56.3% completion percentage. He performed consistently most of the season except for a two game stretch against the Eagles and 49ers where he produced seven turnovers
Turnover (football)
In American football, a turnover occurs when the team with the ball loses possession of the ball, which is then gained by the other team. The two events that are officially classified as "turnovers" are fumbles or interceptions In American football, a turnover occurs when the team with the ball...
, six of which resulted in points for the opposition. He also struggled in the Giants playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams, and the Giants lost 19–13. In 1990
1990 NFL season
The 1990 NFL season was the 71st regular season of the National Football League. To increase revenue, the league changed the regular season so that all NFL teams would play their 16-game schedule over a 17-week period...
, Simms was having one of his finest seasons, leading the NFC with the highest quarterback rating (92.7) and the Giants to an 11–3 record
1990 New York Giants season
The 1990 New York Giants season was one of the most successful seasons in the professional American football franchise's history. The Giants, who play in the National Football Conference of the National Football League , won their sixth championship—and second Super Bowl—in franchise history...
. But his season was cut short due to a broken foot suffered in the fourteenth game against the Giants' eventual Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV was an American football game played on January 27, 1991 at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1990 regular season. The National Football Conference Champion New York Giants defeated the American Football Conference ...
opponent, the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The Giants went on to defeat the Bills 20–19 in the Super Bowl.
After the Giants Super Bowl victory, Parcells resigned and was replaced by the team's running backs coach Ray Handley
Ray Handley
Ray Handley is a former American football player and coach who is best remembered for his stormy two seasons as head coach of the National Football League's New York Giants in the early 1990s.-Collegiate career:...
. One of Handley's first decisions was to select Jeff Hostetler
Jeff Hostetler
William Jeffrey Hostetler is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the New York Giants, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, and Washington Redskins. His nickname is "Hoss".-Penn State:...
, who had quarterbacked the team to a victory in Super Bowl XXV, as the team's starting quarterback. Simms only saw spot action in two games prior to Week 13, when Hostetler broke his back in a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
. Simms finished the game and reclaimed the starting job, but only won once in his remaining four starts as the Giants failed to return to the playoffs at 8-8. Simms was named starter for the 1992 season after beating out Hostetler, who Handley was still high on as a quarterback, in the preseason. However, Simms suffered a severe arm injury in a Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and missed the remainder of the season. In those two seasons Simms only amassed a combined 1,905 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions while completing 59.3% of his passes. The Giants finished the 1992 season at 6-10, which led to the termination of the unpopular Handley and the hiring of former Denver Broncos coach Dan Reeves
Dan Reeves
Daniel Edward Reeves is a former American football player and head coach. He has participated in more Super Bowls as player/assistant coach/Head Coach than anyone else...
. As part of an overall house cleaning, Reeves released Hostetler and named Simms his starting quarterback. He started all 16 games in 1993, being one of only seven quarterbacks to do so, and led the Giants to a resurgent 11–5 season including a victory over the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in the playoffs. However, Simms underwent shoulder surgery after the 1993 NFL Season
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
to repair a torn labrum. The surgery was successful, and team doctor Russell F. Warren's prognosis for recovery was excellent, and Simms was expected to be ready in time for training camp. However, later during that offseason, Simms was released by the Giants, and subsequently decided to retire. Upon his release, co-owner Wellington Mara
Wellington Mara
Wellington Timothy Mara was the co-owner of the NFL's New York Giants from 1959 until his death, and one of the most influential and iconic figures in the history of the National Football League. He was the younger son of Tim Mara, who founded the Giants in 1925...
called it "a day of overwhelming sadness."
In his 14 seasons with the Giants, Simms completed 2,576 out of 4,647 passes for 33,462 yards and 199 touchdowns. His career passing yardage total ranks him twenty first in NFL history. He added 349 carries for 1,252 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground. Simms owns many of the New York Giants passing records, along with Kerry Collins
Kerry Collins
Kerry Michael Collins is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the fifth overall pick of the 1995 NFL Draft, the first choice in the franchise's history...
. He set team records for most passes completed and attempted in one game (40 and 62, respectively), season (286, 533) and career (2,576, 4,647), most career touchdown passes (199) and most 300-yard games in a career (21). Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
considered him to be the "Most Underrated Quarterback" in NFL History in their August 27, 2001 issue entitled, "The Most Overrated and Underrated".
Life off the field
Simms and his wife Diana live in Franklin Lakes, New JerseyFranklin Lakes, New Jersey
Franklin Lakes is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,590. As of the 2000 Census, Franklin Lakes had the 18th-highest per-capita income of all 566 municipalities in the state. Nationwide, Franklin Lakes ranked 17th among the...
. They have three children: Chris Simms, Deirdre and Matthew (former freshman QB at Louisville, now at Tennessee). Simms is fond of New Jersey, remarking in 1987; "I wasn't overjoyed about coming to New York. When I thought of New York I thought of New York City. But out here, it's just like anywhere else."
On September 4, 1995, Simms' jersey was retired in a halftime ceremony of a game versus the Dallas Cowboys. During an emotional speech, Simms stated that he wanted to don his jersey one final time, and throw "one more pass" to teammate Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence 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...
. Simms later commented, "[a]ll of a sudden it kind of hit me, I've put Lawrence in a really tough spot; national TV, he's got dress shoes and a sports jacket on, and he's had a few beers and he's going to run down the field and I'm going to throw him a pass." Simms then motioned for Taylor to run a longer pattern, and after 30–40 yards, threw him the pass. Taylor later stated that the situation made him more nervous than any play of his career, "I'm saying to myself (as the pass is being thrown), 'If I drop this pass, I got to run my black ass all the way to Upper Saddle River because there ain't no way I'm going to be able to stay in that stadium'." Taylor caught the pass however, and the capacity crowd in attendance cheered in approval. Since he has been retired for more than five years, Simms is eligible for selection into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The 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...
; he has yet to be inducted, however.
After his retirement as a player in 1994, Simms first joined ESPN then went on to join NBC's lead broadcast crew
NFL on NBC
NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS...
, teaming with Dick Enberg
Dick Enberg
Richard Alan "Dick" Enberg is an American sportscaster. He currently provides play-by-play for telecasts of San Diego Padres baseball on 4SD, following a long career calling various sports for such networks as NBC, CBS, and ESPN...
and Paul Maguire
Paul Maguire
Paul Leo Maguire is a former American football player and current television sportscaster.-Early sports career:Maguire attended Ursuline High School in Youngstown,Ohio and was recruited to play at The Citadel by the late Al Davis who was then an assistant coach and chief recruiter...
on that network's coverage of Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX
Super Bowl XXX was an American football game played on January 28, 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona to decide the National Football League champion following the 1995 regular season...
and Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII was an American football game played on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1997 regular season...
. Simms also announced Weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Weightlifting at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The weightlifting competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta consisted of ten weight classes, for men only. The range of each weight class was adjusted by 1–4 kg for these Games, marking the first redefinition of Olympic weightlifting weight classes since they were introduced in...
and served as a sideline reporter on the NBA on NBC for NBC Sports
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
. In 1998, he moved to CBS with the AFC package, teaming first with Greg Gumbel
Greg Gumbel
Greg Gumbel is an American television sportscaster. He is best known for his various assignments on the CBS network...
(through the end of the 2003 season
2003 NFL season
-Milestones:The following teams and players set all-time NFL records during the season:-Team:-Individual:-Awards:-External Links:**-References:*NFL Record and Fact Book *...
) and currently with Jim Nantz
Jim Nantz
James William Nantz, III is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his work with CBS Sports television.-Early life:...
on the CBS's lead broadcast team
NFL on CBS
The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:...
. He also worked with Armen Keteyian
Armen Keteyian
Armen Keteyian is an American television journalist and author. He is currently CBS News' Chief Investigative Correspondent based out of New York, reporting primarily for the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley, while also contributing to 60 Minutes.-Early life and career:Keteyian was born in...
, Bonnie Bernstein and Lesley Visser
Lesley Visser
Lesley Candace Visser is an American sportscaster, radio personality, and sportswriter. Visser is the first female NFL analyst on TV, and the only sportscaster in history, male or female, who has worked on Final Four, NBA Finals, World Series, Triple Crown, Monday Night Football, the Olympics, the...
. He hosts Inside the NFL on Showtime (another CBS holding) with Warren Sapp and Cris Collinsworth. He has appeared on CBS Daytime since joining CBS, with a 2007 appearance as himself on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
, and in February 2010 an appearance on The Price Is Right
The Price Is Right (U.S. game show)
The Price Is Right is an American game show which was created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Contestants compete to identify the pricing of merchandise to win cash and prizes. The show is well-known for its signature line of "Come on down!" when the announcer directs newly selected contestants to...
(with Nantz) to present a Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
Showcase, including saying the show's signature A New Car.
Passing statistics
| Year | Team | GP | Att | Com | Pct | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | New York Giants | 12 | 265 | 134 | 50.6 | 1743 | 13 | 14 | 66.0 |
| 1980 | New York Giants | 13 | 402 | 193 | 48.0 | 2321 | 15 | 19 | 58.9 |
| 1981 | New York Giants | 10 | 316 | 172 | 54.4 | 2031 | 11 | 9 | 74.0 |
| 1983 | New York Giants | 2 | 13 | 7 | 53.8 | 130 | 0 | 1 | 56.6 |
| 1984 | New York Giants | 16 | 533 | 286 | 53.7 | 4044 | 22 | 18 | 78.1 |
| 1985 | New York Giants | 16 | 495 | 275 | 55.6 | 3829 | 22 | 20 | 78.6 |
| 1986 | New York Giants | 16 | 468 | 259 | 55.3 | 3487 | 21 | 22 | 74.6 |
| 1987 | New York Giants | 9 | 282 | 163 | 57.8 | 2230 | 17 | 9 | 90.0 |
| 1988 | New York Giants | 15 | 479 | 253 | 54.9 | 3359 | 21 | 11 | 82.1 |
| 1989 | New York Giants | 15 | 405 | 228 | 56.3 | 3061 | 14 | 14 | 77.6 |
| 1990 | New York Giants | 14 | 311 | 184 | 59.2 | 2284 | 15 | 4 | 92.7 |
| 1991 | New York Giants | 6 | 141 | 82 | 58.3 | 993 | 8 | 4 | 87.0 |
| 1992 | New York Giants | 4 | 137 | 83 | 60.6 | 812 | 5 | 3 | 83.3 |
| 1993 | New York Giants | 16 | 400 | 247 | 61.8 | 3038 | 15 | 9 | 88.3 |
| Career Totals | |164 | 4647 | 2576 | 55.4 | 33462 | 199 | 157 | 78.5 |
Key to Abbreviations
GP= Games Played
Att= Passes attempted
Com= Passes Completed
Pct= Completion percentage
Yds= Yards
TD= Touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s
Int= Interceptions
Rate= Passer rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
See also
- History of the New York Giants (1979-1993)
- List of NFL Quarterbacks who have passed for 400 or more yards
- List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a perfect passer rating
- List of NFL quarterbacks who have posted a passer rating of zero
- List of 300-Yard Passing Games by NFL Quarterbacks
- List of NFL on NBC commentator pairings
- List of NFL on CBS commentator pairings
Sources
- McConkey, Phil, Simms, Phil, and Schaap, Dick. Simms to McConkey: Blood, Sweat, and Gatorade, New York: Random HouseRandom HouseRandom House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
. 1987 ISBN 0517567032 - Neft, David S., Cohen, Richard M., and Korch, Rick. The Complete History of Professional Football from 1892 to the Present. New York: St. Martin's Press. 1994 ISBN 0312114354
- Pervin, Lawrence A. Football's New York Giants: A History. McFarland 2009 ISBN 0786442689
- Pooley, Eric. True Blue, New YorkNew York (magazine)New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
, New York Media LLC, January 26, 1987 issue ISSN 0028-7369 (available online) - Schwartz, John. Tales from the New York Giants Sideline, Sports Publishing LLC, 2004 ISBN 1582617589
- Simms, Phil and Meier, Rick. Phil Simms On Passing, New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. 1998 ISBN 0688161081
- Whittingham, Richard. What Giants They Were. Chicago: Triumph Books 2000 ISBN 157243368X