Gigantes Not Worthy?

Writer Will Leitch contributes to The Sporting News in a column he calls Will's World.
He has good insights but in his piece for the November 24, 2008 edition entitled Change You Can Believe In he omits the orange and black.

Here's some excerpts from that article.

Technically, your team is in one of five (5) states:

(1) Champion/Perpetual Contender
The Patriots, Red Sox, Phillies, Colts, Cardinals(St.Louis), Spurs, Lakers, Celtics, Steelers, Giants (New York). Their coaches are at the top of their games and are considered among the best in their field.

(2) A Step Away
The Buccaneers, Titans, Hornets, Cavaliers,Eagles, Dodgers, Cubs, Panthers. By any measure a success but unable (so far) to reach that upper rung. Their coaches' jobs are safe, at least for another couple of years.

(3) Reeling
The Chargers, Jaguars, Mets, Blue Jays, Saints, Rockies, Browns, Mavericks, Brewers, Nuggets, Warriors. Expectations have not been met. Their coaches know better than to turn on sports radio.

(4) Rebuilding/On the Way Up. The Blazers, Royals, Thunder, Cardinals (Arizona), Falcons, Dolphins. Fans who are accustomed to losing see some light, thanks largely to new coaches with new visions. Why couldn't this include the 49ers? Or for that matter the Celtics? Up until last season the Celtics emitted an odor that was skunk-like and the organization itself was in a funk. The 49ers appear to be heading in the right direction. As are the San Francisco Giants. But no mention. Oh, the 49ers get mentioned in #5, but it's inaccurate.

(5) Bottoming Out. The Mariners, Wizards, Nets, Rams, 49ers, Seahawks, Bengals, Lions, Chiefs, Pirates, Nationals. The nightmare you imagined has arrived. Their coaches have been fired or are on their way out. There appears no end to the suffering.

Word to Will. You claimed in one article that you were an Arizona Cardinal fan. And how tough it's been being so loyal to a team so bad. Well, they slipped into the playoffs by default moreso than anything one could derive of as positive. They're in the worst division in the National Football League and then when it did appear the Cardinals were worthy of positive acknowledgement they go back to stinking up the joint. Their success is at best a fluke.

For you not to mention that the Giants far exceeded anyone's expectations during the 2008 season is a failure to recognize what is happening to the orange and black. To leave them completely out of your article, like the Oakland Raiders, well it's a mockery.

I truly believe the Giants belong in the A Step Away category. The same way I believe the Arizona Cardinals are a step away from mediocrity.

Kevin Marquez