1965 Giants Coaches Profiles

ALLIE SHERMAN

Head Coach
"The most famous left-handed quarterback ever to come out of Brooklyn College, Allie Sherman was almost wished into anonymity last year by the callous and short-memoried boo-birds at Yankee Stadium. After pitching a perfect three-for-three in division titles, Allie saw his legions topple into the NFL dungeon in '64, and he heard the disquieting and off-key strains of a tune titled, 'Good-Bye Allie.' He probably didn't take it very seriously, any more than he takes defeat lightly.
As an undersized football player since high school, he's a little used to adversity. Greasy Neale liked his spirit and intelligence and kept him around as a spare quarterback on the Eagles for five seasons. He later became backfield coach of the Giants, put in some time in Canada and then returned to New York in 1961 as head coach. He was named the NFL's Coach of the Year in 1961 and '62. His four-year record: 35 wins, 18 losses and three ties."

-Jack Zanger, Pro Football 1965

POP IVY

Defensive Line Coach

"Last year was his second as a coach, but Ivy is a long-time Cardinal, having been one of the team's top pass receivers as well as one of its top defensive ends.

An All-American at Oklahoma, Ivy served six years as the Sooners line coach. He coached Edmonton of the Canadian League to three consecutive national titles.

His new-fangled offensive formations- double and single wings, Split-T and spread- made the '58 club an exciting team to watch.

Born in Skiatook, Oklahoma, Frank is 43 years old."

-Pro Football Handbook 1959

"Ivy was born in Skiatook, Oklahoma and was a University of Oklahoma All-American end. He played with the Steelers and Cardinals (1939-47) and was the No. 2 pass catcher in 1942 and a top defensive flank in 1947.

He handled the assistant coaching job at Oklahoma (1948-53). He took over the Edmonton Eskimos (1954) and compiled the best coaching record in the Canadian League over four years.

Ivy became the head Cardinal coach in 1958. He's considered the most radical of all NFL mentors, introducing more offensive patterns than a mathematician can count."

-1960 Pro Football Handbook

"Frank (Pop) Ivy, innovator of the most spectacular, and difficult, of NFL offenses, is now in his fourth season as Cardinal ringmaster. He earned his early coaching spurs as an assistant to Bud Wilkinson at Oklahoma after starring as a defensive and offensive end with the Cardinals. Pop took over the head job with Edmonton of the Canadian League, winning 61 games and losing 18 in four years.

His sense of humor has helped in shaping the Cards into a reasonably efficient unit."

-1961 Pro Football Handbook

"Ivy comes to the Oilers after four years as the top coach of the Cardinals. He's famed for his double-wing offenses which proved spectacular but costly because of excessive ball-handling and a great number of fumbles.

He was a two-way playing end with the Cardinals before taking on an assistant coaching job at the University of Oklahoma. Ivy got his first pro teaching post with Edmonton in the Canadian circuit, winning 61 games in four years."

-Don Schiffer, 1962 Pro Football Handbook

"For imagination and resourcefulness, this Skiatook (Okla.) strategist goes to the head of the class. Ivy was an end at the University of Oklahoma and then played for the Cardinals. He passed six years as his alma mater's assistant coach, leaving to run Edmonton in the Canadian League.

The Cardinals hired him in 1958 and he introduced the most colorful offense in the NFL, specializing in the double-wing T. He left the Cards to accept employment at Houston for the '62 campaign.

Especially popular with the players, Ivy believes that the game should be fun."

-Don Schiffer, Pro Football 1963

"Frank (Pop) Ivy was under considerable criticism and many urged him to hand in his coaching reins after the fall in quality in play last year, but he'll be at the Houston helm for the third time because his bosses believe he did the best job possible with the many injuries and problems of 1963.

Born in Skiatook, Oklahoma, Ivy was an end at Oklahoma and with the NFL Cardinals. After serving as a Sooner assistant coach, he went to the Canadian League and then onto the Cards as head coach in '58. His offensive formations were the most revolutionary ever put into practice. Ivy was replaced as Cardinal pilot by Wally Lemm, the former Houston mentor, in an unusual coach-for-coach deal."

-Don Schiffer, Pro Football 1964