NFC title game press call excerpts
by FOX Sports
On Sunday's show, Long presents a feature on Green Bay running back Ryan Grant as he prepares to face his former team in the NFC Championship Game. In addition, reporter Pam Oliver looks at the Giants' seemingly improbable run and why they are not the same team Green Bay trounced in Week 2 this season at Giants Stadium.
Following pregame coverage, Aikman, Joe Buck, Oliver and Chris Myers call the action.
NFL ON FOX LEAD GAME ANALYST TROY AIKMAN ON THE REPORTED SINGLE DIGIT TEMPERTURES IN GREEN BAY EFFECTING SUNDAY'S GAME: "It's going to be a factor for both teams but it will impact the Giants the most. Eli [Manning] has acknowledged that the weather is a factor and it will be interesting how the wind is on Sunday at Lambeau Field. If it is blowing, it will be a factor for Brett [Favre] to some degree as well. We just tend to see Favre play better in those conditions for the most part. He has a much longer track record of having done so."
FOX SPORTS PRESIDENT ED GOREN ADDED: "I think the real heroes for us will be our camera people, who will be out in the elements for three-plus hours and our two sideline reporters, Pam Oliver and Chris Myers. And the pregame guys are going to be out there too."
AIKMAN ON BRETT FAVRE'S RECORDS AND ABILITY: "Coming into the season, I felt that Brett would break all the records except the yardage record, which he needed about 3,800 yards to break it and then he goes and throws for over 4,100 yards. It's amazing for a guy in his 17th season. He still has great escape ability, is able to avoid the rush and make all the proper throws at full strength. We should enjoy the great performances and enjoy the time that we have to watch the great players and not be so quick to push them out the door so I hope he continues to play as long as he wants to."
GOREN ON BRETT FAVRE'S ENTHUSIASM: "Here's a 38 year-old, future Hall of Fame quarterback playing in the snow last Saturday and throwing snowballs as if he was a 12 year-old. His love of the game is so natural and that translates through the cameras. He's a joy to watch. Any athlete who shows that kind of emotion and has that much fun playing a game is great television."
AIKMAN ON NORV TURNER'S OFFENSIVE STRENGTHS: "I never played for Norv as a head coach, but as an offensive coordinator he was terrific in terms of knowing what a player's strength was. You'd be amazed at how reluctant a lot of coaches are to get away from what they want to do. They say, ‘This is our offense, this is what we do and this is what you're going to do in order for us to be successful.' Norv's not like that. For example, Norv came to Dallas from the Los Angeles Rams where he had Jim Everett, who throws a post-corner route very well, so they ran that route a lot. For me, it was a route that just never seemed to time up real well. I wasn't comfortable throwing it; I didn't like it so we didn't throw it very much. Instead we threw a lot of square-ins. They didn't throw that route a lot with Jim and the Rams but for me, that was strength. He's just remarkable in how he calls a game, how he sets things up and makes opposing defensive coordinators work hard. That's a big reason for my success and why he was my presenter at the Hall of Fame."
AIKMAN ON COWBOYS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR JASON GARRETT'S FUTURE JOB PROSPECTS: "He has as much integrity and is one of the most ethical people that I have ever been around. Money doesn't motivate this guy, fame doesn't motivate him and power doesn't motivate him. He goes through life with a smile on his face and looks at the positive in everything and I think he would come back [to Dallas] because of the quality of the job and the quality of the life. He would be in no rush to take anything that he didn't feel was in his best interest or in his family's."
AIKMAN COMPARES 2004 DRAFT PICKS GIANTS QB ELI MANNING & CHARGERS QB PHILIP RIVERS: "Right now, it would be a coin toss. Eli Manning has impressed a lot of people over the last three ballgames. There have been various times throughout his career where he has been exceptional. Last year, Philip Rivers got his chance to be the starter and they went 14-2. There is still a lot of football for these two guys to play and I think the jury is still out. I would have to believe that right now, both being very young quarterbacks, it's a little bit like the question that has been asked all season long; who do you take Peyton Manning or Tom Brady? I think you can get into a similar discussion when talking about Eli and Philip."
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