Former New York Giants head coach Jim Fassel, who led the franchise to three playoff campaigns and Super Bowl appearance during a seven-year reign, has died, the team said Tuesday. He was 71. A statement on the Giants website said Fassel died after suffering a heart attack in a Las Vegas hospital after being admitted for chest pains on Monday. "On behalf of the Mara and Tisch families and our entire organization, I would like to express our condolences to the Fassel family and Jim's friends," Giants president and chief executive officer John Mara said. "We were all saddened to hear of Jim's passing. Jim was a good man and his record as our coach speaks for itself ... The players respected Jim and enjoyed playing for him and his coaching staff." Fassel coached the Giants from 1997-2003. His most successful season came in 2000, when the team topped the NFC East with a 12-4 record before advancing to the Super Bowl where they were beaten 34-7 by the Baltimore Ravens. He stepped down at the end of the 2003 campaign after the Giants finished fourth in the division with a 4-12 record. rcw/td