Rodney Hampton Continues Giving Back with Hamps Camp

April 7, 2011

NEW YORK – Last weekend, I was fortunate enough to have an interview with former Giants RB Rodney Hampton. I found Rodney to be a genuine good man who is trying to make a difference in kids lives. He is very passionate about his charity Hamps Camp, which provides after school programs to kids and holds football camps during the summer. Hampton provides a safe environment for kids to express themselves freely and learn about the game of football from a 2x Pro Bowler. Rodney has been involved with charities in Texas, New York, New Jersey and Georgia for many years now and it’s about time he got some shine for it. On behalf of the Giants nation, I would like to say thank you Rodney.

They have some good things going on over there at Hamps Camp and I expect them to have another successful year in 2011. They accept donations for the kids in many ways. Some local area companies provide drinks or hats or snacks. Then of course there are companies that prefer to donate some money. Every little bit helps out the cause and specifically to local Houston companies, if you can donate something to Hamps Camp, please call 1-888-635-HAMP (4267). Get involved today

I cannot not tell you how many compliments I’ve received about that Rodney Hampton interview last week. So many fans were reminded about a player who they love and they had to share their opinions about him. It was a nice treat for our readers and something I will never forget. If you have any original ideas or suggestions for Rodney’s charity, please feel free to leave a comment below or contact them directly. Local Houston media outlets would acquire good karma, if they were to give a plug or two to Hamps Camp and let the locals know all about it.

RD – nygreporter.com

Please visit www.hampscamp.com to learn about how you can help.

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Posted by robdomaine

These So-Called Giants “Experts” Are Trying to Sell Newspapers

April 4, 2011

NEW YORK – If I hear one more New York Giants “expert” say that the G-Men “need” to draft an offensive tackle in the first round, I’m going to freak out on an embarrassing level. The Giants DO NOT need to use their first round pick on the OT position. I would draft a DT (very deep draft at DT) before I took an OT in the first round this year. Now, if they took an offensive lineman (center) I wouldn’t be surprised but it shouldn’t be an interchangeable OT/OG/C, it should be a true Center. I wouldn’t be surprised if they took C Mike Pouncey, who seems to be the best available center when the Giants draft at the 19th overall spot in round one. But to say that OT is the area of most need in this years draft and worthy of the 1st pick is insane. Don’t believe the hype! (thanks Chuck)

It makes me angry when I read about the lack of respect for the current group of Giants offensive tackles. I think they have some good young talent at the position and have enough experienced players to do just fine in 2011. OT William Beatty and OT Adam Koets will be better this season. OT David Diehl and OT Kareem McKenzie are veteran players and OT Shawn Andrews can contribute in certain situations very well. They also have a couple of guys on the reserve squad that will get work. Yes, the team will need to use a high draft pick on an OT one year but not this year.

Clearly, the center position needs to be addressed. To be blunt, it is because all-world C Shaun O’Hara, whom I have tremendous respect for, is getting a bit older. They need to get a young true center into the system this year. I am still hoping the team can get C Stefen Wisniewski. Maybe use the 19th overall pick on a LB or DT then trade back up into the back end of round one or frontside of round two to grab Wisniewski. Could you imagine if the G-Men were able to draft LB Akeem Ayers and C Stefen Wisniewski by trading a 2nd and 6th round pick to move up for Wisniewski? That would be a very successful first two picks for Big Blue.

If you are one of the believers that think the team needs to draft an OT in round one, you’re going to have to leave a comment below and explain why it needs to be done in this years draft. I’m sick of all these cliquey Giants websites who think they know everything and are never open to debate. Gimme some elbow room. They want to generate website traffic at any cost. These are the same websites that feel the need to monopolize the market and suppress any new talent that seeks their advice or council. Let’s have a debate and see who can come the closet to correctly calling the draft by position this year. Of course if RB Mark Ingram is available at the 19th pick, all bets are off.

Here are my draft picks by position. We can call this the “Damien Draft 2011” from the Omen film because of the three 6th round picks they have. I don’t like that omen and hope they trade away a pick or two, so they can move up for better talent in the early rounds. Of course, any trades before the draft could change everything entirely. This also includes if the Giants trade picks to move up, this list is based on todays roster only.

New York Giants 2011 NFL Mock Draft by Position

Round 1 (19th pick) – DT or Center/OL

Round 2 (52nd pick) – LB

Round 3 (83rd pick) – CB

Round 4 (117th pick) – OL

Round 5 pick – traded away for RB Darius Reynaud

Round 6 (185th pick) – LB

Round 6 (198th pick) – TE

Round 6 (202nd pick) – RB

Round 7 (221st pick) – CB

RD – nygreporter.com

Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org

1 Comment | 2011 Fantasy Football, 2011 New York Giants, 2011 NFL Draft, 2011 NFL Playoffs, 2011 NFL Preseason, 2011 NFL Regular Season, 2011 NFL Training Camp, Big Blue, Bill Parcells, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, Ernie Accorsi, G-Men, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Injuries, Giants Mini Camp, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Training Camp, Giants Transactions, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, Monday Night Football, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Combine, NFL Draft, NFL New York Giants, NFL Playoffs, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Playoffs, NYG Preseason, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Update, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Roger Goodell, Steve Tisch, Sunday Night Football, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn, University of Albany, Wellington Mara | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

Rodney Hampton Interview 4/2/11, nygreporter Edition 0002

April 2, 2011

NEW YORK – They say all good things come in time. This is one of those moments they talk about. I am very happy to have a special guest for our readers today. An absolute certified New York Giants legend. This is the rare treat that will have fans talking all weekend about how good this gentleman was at playing football in New York. You’ve read the title of this article and you know the man, Mr. Rodney Hampton. The real Rodney Hampton is answering questions about his experiences in the NFL and his life for our readers here today.

This former running back for Big Blue is a fan favorite and has been for decades. Hampton gets love on a level reserved for very few New York Athletes in any sport. He was drafted by the Giants (1st round pick) and played his entire NFL career with New York. Just those two facts alone elevate him to another level in Giants lore. He was known for running hard and knocking people down. He is second on the Giants all-time record list for career rushing yards (6,897 yards) and had a five year streak of 1,000 yard seasons in the NFL. He made the Pro Bowl twice and Oh yeah, Rodney is also a Super Bowl champion and he has the ring to prove it. He went to college at the University of Georgia and was born in Texas. In 2008, he was named the New York Giants Alumni Man of the Year.

Enough about the facts and numbers. Let’s get right to the man himself now. Ladies and gentleman, please welcome Rodney Hampton.

The nygreporter Rodney Hampton Interview

RD/Q1: Thank you very much for joining us at nygreporter.com and doing this interview Mr. Hampton. Let’s start this interview the same way that I have started all of my other interviews, at the beginning. Tell us a little about your rookie season and how it felt to be a first round pick?

Rodney Hampton: My rookie season was very exciting. For me, it was so exciting to be picked in the first round. That was like a dream to me and it took me a while at first to digest that. Being picked in the first round was also a big relief for me because I was so nervous. Before the actual draft begins, there is so much speculation over where a player may go and it all depends solely on the needs of each NFL team at the time. Overall, it was a great experience and prepared me for my future with the New York Giants.

RD/Q2: Talk about falling into a good situation. After being drafted out of Georgia, you fall into a wonderful situation playing for the New York Giants, who had just won a Super Bowl a few years earlier. What did it feel like to be surrounded by all of those pro bowl players?

Rodney Hampton: It felt good to be around a veteran team with proven winners. It felt like my freshman year at the University of Georgia, coming into a big program as a freshman, playing with the seniors and excelling my first year. I did the same thing my first year with the Giants, while I was surrounded by all of those legendary players on the team. They were quick to take me under their wings and show me the ropes on and off the field. I truly learned how to be a professional. One player in particular who showed me a lot was my fullback, Maurice Carthon. He was quick to reprimand me when he saw me slacking. Initially, I thought he was a bit harsh but I quickly came to appreciate him for that because I was young in a big city and needed a true mentor.

RD/Q3: What was the transition like going from Bill Parcells in 1990 as your head coach, to Ray Handley in 1991? In essence the difference between your rookie year and sophomore season. How about getting Dan Reeves in 1993? Who taught you the most about football?

Rodney Hampton: For me it wasn’t hard. My duty as a running back was to do my job and to do it to the best of my ability. It really didn’t make a difference who the coaches were because I had to work hard and do my job regardless. During my rookie year I was sidelined for the Super Bowl, so I had to work hard and get through my sophomore season to see if I really belonged in the NFL. I had a lot to prove to myself and my team. I needed to prove that I could really excel in the NFL. I rushed for over 1,000 yards my second year which was a huge accomplishment after being out the latter part of my rookie season.

Dan Reeves was great. He was a players coach, a disciplinarian and a fun guy who I absolutely loved playing for. He was my all-time favorite coach. But it all started for me back in Houston, Texas at a small neighborhood park called Apache Park. I was a part of a football little league on a team called the All Stars. I will never forget my coaches, Coach Scales, Coach Ellis and Coach Miller. They provided me with the foundation and fundamentals of football that I will never forget. Since then, there have been other coaches who have helped me and provided me with different techniques that made me a well rounded athlete. From middle school all the way through the pros, I was constantly learning and perfecting my game.

RD/Q4: You have a nice resume Rodney. You are a Super Bowl Champion, a 1st round pick and a 2x Pro Bowler. Was there anything else you wanted to accomplish in the NFL that father time would just not allow?

Rodney Hampton: No. I must say that I am happy with all of my accomplishments. I wish I could have won a few more Super Bowls (smile) but I’m happy with my career and I enjoyed my time with all of my team mates.

RD/Q5: You held the Giants all-time record for career rushing yards (6,897) until Tiki Barber broke the record in 2004. With the recent news that he has un-retired, is there anything you would like to say directly to Tiki? Any tips for him on how to win the fans back in New York?

Rodney Hampton: I wish Tiki the best of luck, go for it Tiki! I believe in him as a player. He is a great running back and I’m sure there are a few teams out there who feel he would be an asset. There are still many Giants fans out there that love Tiki Barber. Some are displeased with a few of the comments he has made in the past. The fans in New York are great and I’m sure once he is back out there on the field he’ll have their support. He provided a lot of excitement for the fans and I know they will forever appreciate that.

RD/Q6: A players number is a big deal in sports. Some feel the number represents the man inside. Was the No.27 jersey picked by you or was it given to you? Is that your lucky/favorite number and if not, what is? How do you feel about Brandon Jacobs wearing the No.27 jersey now?

Rodney Hampton: The number 27 was given to me. In my opinion, the jersey number is just a number. The most important thing is how well one performs while wearing the jersey. Since I wore the number 27 jersey, it makes me feel proud to see Brandon Jacobs “Bringing it” while wearing the number 27.

RD/Q7: What have you been working on lately Rodney and do you have any interesting plans for the near future?

Rodney Hampton: I do appearances throughout the year for the Giants and attend many charity events. I have been extremely busy lately with my own charity, Hamps Camp. Over the years, I have hosted many football camps during the summer for underprivileged kids in New York, New Jersey, Georgia and Texas. Through my nonprofit organization Hamps Camp Inc, we have now started providing after school programs for kids. We have two programs that we currently offer, Fundamentals of Football and All Sports Program. It seems like this is the perfect time for us to do these after school programs because of all the layoffs in the education system. We have brought back the fire in many of the kids that we work with. Currently, we are only in Houston but we’re planning to expand. It has been so exciting to see the kids now that I’ve worked with grow so much both physically and mentally.

RD/Q8: If you had to sum up your entire NFL career in a sentence, what would it be? What is the greatest single life lesson you have ever learned the hard way? Is there anything you would do differently?

Rodney Hampton: The NFL was the best experience of my life because it not only allowed me to be a part of footballs most elite, it also prepared me for life after the game.

My career in the NFL was very smooth. I was blessed to have a family that made sure my business was handled correctly, which allowed me to be at ease and concentrate on my job as a running back. Looking back now, I would do everything the same. Any of the mistakes that I made helped me to become the man that I am today and I’m very proud to say that I love the man who I’ve come to be.

RD/Q9: Texas, Georgia and New York all played a big role in your life. Who has the best food? The best fans? and the best vibe? If home is where the heart is, then where is home to you Rodney?

Rodney Hampton: Texas has the best food. My best friend Jarrett Scales, owns a great restaurant there called Triple J’s BBQ that has the best BBQ in town. Now they’ve added burgers to the menu since he knows that is one of my favorite dishes. New York has the best fans by far. They’re loyal, passionate and die-hard fans for the New York Giants. It’s so amazing to me that no matter how many times I’m there working or visiting, I always have fans that express their gratitude for my service with the team. I love the New York Giants fans! As far as your question about the best vibe, I would have to say it is a tie between Georgia and New York. Georgia has a laid back, southern friendly vibe and New York is the city that never sleeps. New York always has something exciting to get into and it’s the city that is so nice, they had to name it twice, New York, New York!

RD/Q10: This is my last question for you Rodney, if you were lost in the vast ocean on a broken submarine for years and could only take three people with you, to help you survive the ordeal, who would they be?

Rodney Hampton: I really can’t answer this question because I could never see myself in this situation!

RD: Thank you very much for this interview Mr. Hampton and best wishes to you in the future. God Bless.

What a great guy. I really enjoyed this interview and I hope that all of our readers did as well. Please visit www.hampscamp.com and try to contribute to Rodney Hampton’s charity for the kids if possible. You can also call them if you prefer at 1-888-635-HAMP (4267) to find out how to donate, volunteer or become a sponsor. Thanks!

photo courtesy of www.hampscamp.com

RD – nygreporter.com

Copyright 2010-2011

The Rodney Hampton Interview: nygreporter Edition 0002

4 Comments | 2010 New York Giants, 2010 NFL Regular Season, 2011 Fantasy Football, 2011 New York Giants, 2011 NFL Draft, 2011 NFL Playoffs, 2011 NFL Preseason, 2011 NFL Regular Season, 2011 NFL Training Camp, Big Blue, Bill Parcells, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, Ernie Accorsi, G-Men, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Mini Camp, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Training Camp, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, Monday Night Football, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL New York Giants, NFL Playoffs, NFL Pro Bowl, NFL Super Bowl, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG All-Time Records, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Hall Of Fame, NYG Interviews, NYG Playoffs, NYG Preseason, NYG Pro Bowl, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Super Bowl, NYG Training Camp, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Roger Goodell, Steve Tisch, Sunday Night Football, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn, Wellington Mara | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

New Meadowlands Stadium Renamed I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Field

April 1, 2011

NEW YORK – I couldn’t believe what I read just now. It looks like the owners of New Meadowlands stadium, which is home to the New York Giants and New York Jets, have sold the naming rights today. From this day forth, the brand new multi-billion dollar stadium will be called, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Field. Sources close to those involved say that the bid to name the stadium was just too much money to pass up. Apparently, the “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter” people offered $1 billion dollars for the naming rights and free butter for life for the owners and a 10% discount card for all of the staff and players.

I know some of you are outraged by this blatant “sellout” to the corporate world and non-violent Giants fans are said to be arriving at the stadium with butter knives and arranging them into words, spelling out “Just Say No” on the parking lot ground. Giants fans have also organized a petition and will be voicing their displeasure to the owners later this afternoon during a press conference. They are also raising money for legal costs and plan on letting their season tickets lapse in payment until their voices are heard. The NFL lockout entered it’s 21st day today and may lend fans more time to fight this atrocious name and get the victory in the court of public opinion.

Jets fans are arriving wearing Joe Namath jerseys (the last time they won a Super Bowl) and supposedly think they were invited to vote on the stadium name. After the more informed and intelligent Giants fans let them know the deal has already been done, Jets fans threw their arms up in the air and have been wandering aimlessly in the parking lot yelling J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets to themselves. It’s not pretty at all and I would suggest that any other Jets fans, who plan on traveling to the stadium, should just stay home because you’re not helping the situation.

Most Giants fans wanted to keep the same name “Giants stadium” when the new one was built but the Jets felt like the name should be neutral. After letting the Jets stay in their house for 30 years, the Giants agreed to give it a neutral name since the Jets would now be paying for half of everything. At the end of the day, what does this say about us as human beings? Are we willing to sell our dignity to the highest bidder and allow tradition to be replaced by a butter product that isn’t even butter? That in itself is bizarre and strange. Fans can expect a press conference later this afternoon announcing the new stadium name. As if it helps at all, they say the stadium can now be called ICBINBF for short. How do you even pronounce that? Am I going crazy?

Gotcha! This entire article is an APRIL FOOLS joke!!

In all seriousness though, I hope the owners of New Meadowlands stadium drop the word “new” from that name and just call it Meadowlands stadium. There is nothing “new” about the Meadowlands at all, anyone in the tri-state area can tell you that.

RD – nygreporter.com

Be sure to come back tomorrow and check out a real interview with a New York Giants legend, this part is not an April Fools joke.

Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org

3 Comments | 2011 Fantasy Football, 2011 New York Giants, 2011 NFL Draft, 2011 NFL Preseason, 2011 NFL Regular Season, 2011 NFL Training Camp, Big Blue, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, G-Men, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Mini Camp, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Training Camp, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL New York Giants, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG BREAKING NEWS, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Steve Tisch, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

New York Giants Get 2 Compensatory Picks in 2011 Draft

March 26, 2011

NEW YORK – After a news drought on NFL news the past couple of weeks, fans finally learned about the compensatory picks yesterday. Because the Giants lost QB David Carr and DT Fred Robbins in 2010, the NFL has awarded the team two 6th round picks (No.198 and No.202 overall). Not very exciting considering the level of talent that will be available in round six but none the less some good news. Having three 6th round picks tells me that the likelihood of a trade or moving up to get a coveted player is better then average now. Personally, I would have rather gotten one third or fourth round pick instead of two sixth round picks but the world doesn’t revolve around me.

Losing David Carr and Fred Robbins were both big blows to the team. The Giants have not been able to replace Carr yet with a backup QB of equal caliber and Robbins was a fan favorite who could have easily contributed to the team in 2010. The Giants are much deeper at the defensive tackle position then they are at the backup quarterback spot. They will need to correct that before the season begins. Even though QB Eli Manning has an Iron Man streak going for most consecutive starts (behind only big brother Peyton Manning), the team will still need to be prepared in case the worst possible scenario plays out.

Giants GM Jerry Reese will take what he can get. I’m sure he will turn these extra picks into something special on draft day by using his jedi mind tricks. Hopefully, this silly NFL lockout will be over in time for fans to see these rookies play in a game. The lockout has entered its 15th day and there seems to be no end in sight. How will this effect the draft, minicamp and training camp? Nobody knows. One thing I know for sure is the fact that the fans are really fed up with this lockout business. Let’s hope they settle their differences and get back to work soon.

– Everyone here at nygreporter.com would like to say Congratulations to Eli & Abby Manning on the birth of their first child this week. The Manning’s had a baby girl they named Ava. Something tells me that Easy Eli will be playing with a new purpose this season and I fully expect him to have a career year. CONGRATS!

RD – nygreporter.com

Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org

Leave a Comment » | 2011 Fantasy Football, 2011 New York Giants, 2011 NFL Draft, 2011 NFL Preseason, 2011 NFL Regular Season, 2011 NFL Training Camp, Big Blue, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, G-Men, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Mini Camp, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Training Camp, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, NBA, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL New York Giants, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Preseason, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Roger Goodell, Steve Tisch, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

New York Giants 2011 NFL Lockout Survival Kit

March 23, 2011

NEW YORK – There have been many New York Giants fans that contacted me about being upset with this lockout. Some find themselves wandering aimlessly around the house or driving around their neighborhoods with no place to go. Some have taken up alternative hobbies such as painting or cooking. It’s really sad. We are going to take a look at some of the things that Giants fans can do during this lockout to keep from going insane.

There should be something for everyone and if you feel something should be added to this list, we encourage you to leave a comment below with that information.

I understand that times are tough and some fans might not be able to afford some of the items listed below. That is why I included a couple of things that you can do that are free or cost very little. Since computers weren’t as prevalent during the last lockout as they are now, it has become much easier to survive the lockout in the digital age. The NFL is also changing game rules as we speak and some of the fans are not liking what they are hearing. Changes to the kick off rules have been the most public. Why? Why are they messing with the billion dollar system? I’m not going to go into all of this because it just upsets me but I thought I would share a little here. We will cover everything once all of this madness is over with. I hope we can provide you with a little rain water during this football drought.

I fully expect the NFL to run with my original idea here and make even more millions. Just remember where you heard about the “Lockout Survival Kit” first football fans. Now, let’s take a look at the list.

2011 NFL Lockout Survival Kit: New York Giants Edition

1. Buy and watch the New York Giants Super Bowl XLII (2007) DVD  New York Giants Super Bowl XLII Champions DVD

2. Buy and watch the New York Giants Super Bowl XXI (1986) DVD America’s Games: 1986 New York Giants

3. Buy and watch the New York Giants Super Bowl XXV (1990) DVD Warner Brothers New York Giants Super Bowl XXV America’s Game DVD

4. Collect New York Giants trading cards from your local sports memorabilia store.  New York Giants 50-Pack Collectible Cards

5. Play Madden video games using the New York Giants as your team. Madden NFL 12

6. Study the history of New York Giants football. New York Giants History

7. Get some New York Giants player autographs. Player Appearances

8. Buy and watch America’s Game: New York Giants DVD. Warner Brothers America’s Game: New York Giants DVD

9. Buy and watch the History of the New York Giants DVD. Warner Brothers History of New York Giants DVD Collection

10. Buy and watch the New York Giants 10 Greatest Games DVD. Warner Brothers New York Giants 10 Greatest Games DVD

11. Buy yourself a new jersey (authentic or replica). New York Giants Jerseys

12. Take a tour of New Meadowlands stadium with the kids. Stadium Tours | New Meadowlands Stadium

13. Check out the New York Giants Ring of Honor once again (video included). Giants Ring of Honor

14. Try to win the chance to buy two Super Bowl tickets. Events

15. Tweet Pat Hanlon with any questions you may have about the New York Giants. @giantspathanlon

Whatever you decide to do fans, I would suggest one thing, don’t panic! Things cannot continue this way for very long and sooner or later everything will work out. So keep your heads up and stay strong through this horrible situation and try to remember better days in the NFL. Good luck!

RD – nygreporter.com

Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org

1 Comment | 2011 Fantasy Football, 2011 New York Giants, 2011 NFL Draft, 2011 NFL Preseason, 2011 NFL Regular Season, 2011 NFL Training Camp, Big Blue, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, G-Men, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Mini Camp, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Training Camp, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL New York Giants, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Preseason, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Roger Goodell, Steve Tisch, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn, University of Albany | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

NFL News Flatline Has Locked Out Fans Fed Up

March 22, 2011

NEW YORK – The NFL lockout has entered its 11th day and the fans are beginning to feel lonely. The lack of NFL news or even more specifically, team news, has fans openly questioning what the heck is going on? The truth is that there isn’t anything to report. The NFL owners and players still have not come to any agreement and it looks like this lockout may take longer then most expected. At a time when the entire world has gone crazy and wars are being fought all over the globe, it amazes me that this lockout is just another issue people have to deal with. To some, the NFL is an escape from the realities of life going on around them for a few hours. Now that escape has been taken away too.

The reality is that nobody cares about the reasons for this lockout or the excuses. There are a lot of people unemployed in this country and compared to the regular guy, every employee in the NFL is paid well. Now, I’m not suggesting that the salaries of players shouldn’t be fair but once you cross the million dollar a year threshold, is there really anything else to talk about? I don’t want to suggest that I am on the side of ownership because those guys are billionaires. If the players are the big shots to the regular guy, then the owners are the really big shots to the players. The simple fact that the NFL is actually considering taking America’s game and moving it overseas for certain games tells me that we may be near “peak NFL” in the USA. They can say that they are just looking to make new fans overseas but we all know that it is about money. I do not include John Mara in my rant about ownership because he is the one person who is constantly in the media trying to get this thing done.

The world is on fire and countries are collapsing all around us. The fans need the NFL now more then ever. Let’s not forget the soldiers stationed all over the world who really need the distraction of some good ole’ football news back home. How do you think the grunt feels after walking a 12-hour patrol with sixty pounds on his back, who finally gets some down time in his tent to check the internet and finds the NFL arguing over millions of dollars while he gets $24,000 a year to risk his life?

There are plenty of examples I can give about the regular guy and the struggles they have to go through everyday (myself included) but it will do no good. This lockout is going to last as long as it takes for the owners to get what they want. The question is how much is enough? Do you replace morals with smart business when you already have a billion in the bank? What if the fans locked YOU out and boycotted the 2011 NFL season? That’s something that could never happen right? You never know. Wrap up this lockout and get back to work quickly before the fans fall out of love with you.

RD – nygreporter.com

Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org

Leave a Comment » | 2011 Fantasy Football, 2011 New York Giants, 2011 NFL Draft, 2011 NFL Preseason, 2011 NFL Regular Season, 2011 NFL Training Camp, Big Blue, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, G-Men, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Mini Camp, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Training Camp, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL New York Giants, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Roger Goodell, Steve Tisch, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

Happy St. Patricks Day New York Giants Fans

March 17, 2011

NEW YORK (nygreporter.com) – I would like to wish everyone a Happy St. Patricks Day because as the saying goes, everyone is Irish on St. Patricks day. I won’t use the cliche that the NFL needs the luck of the Irish to have a 2011 NFL season but the truth is that the Giants will need to luck of the Irish to stay healthy in 2011. At full strength, the Giants will go deep into the playoffs and they won’t need luck. Maybe the owners and player reps should try the simple approach of sitting around a table and having a few Guinness beers. They most likely will not however and it looks like a one way ticket to Palookaville for the fans.

Get your four leaf shamrocks out and cross your fingers because the fans know a pot of gold is waiting at the end of the table. Sign the deal and get back to work. We live in fickle times and the fans attention span is much shorter then it used to be. I remember when my computer crashed a couple of years ago and I kept wondering what I was going to do without a computer until I got a replacement. How did people function without computers back in the day? Oh wait, I’m old enough to remember that. But you know what happened? I adapted to not having a computer rather quickly and replaced the time I had spent on the computer with doing with more activities. I also began to read more. Well, I began to read more books to be specific. I read pages of text daily spreading the current news or sports updates. Do you get the point NFL? It would not be good for business if 10%-15% of your fans realize they like life better without the NFL. Don’t be arrogant and think it can’t happen.

Not much news on the football front. The players are banned from all team facilities and the lockout continues on going into day six. I want to remind all of our readers to drink responsibly and don’t be stupid and get into a car drunk.  Anyone who drives a car while drunk is a fool. Do the right thing, not just for yourself but for the innocent people (kids too) crossing a street. Other then that, have a wonderful day and a ton of fun. If you see a leprechaun swinging from a Save-More convenience store neon sign, calling your name and cursing at you, then it’s time to go home. Just put down the drink and call a cab. Good Luck!

Have one for us!

RD – nygreporter.com

Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org

4 Comments | 2011 Fantasy Football, 2011 New York Giants, 2011 NFL Regular Season, 2011 NFL Training Camp, Big Blue, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, G-Men, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants Mini Camp, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Training Camp, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL New York Giants, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Holiday, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Roger Goodell, Steve Tisch, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

New York Giants Field of Dreams at the Meadowlands

March 16, 2011

NEW YORK (nygreporter.com) – The New York Giants christened their brand new stadium this past season in 2010. It was a 10-6 year and they missed the playoffs in a year when an NFL team made it into the playoffs with a 7-9 record, no I’m not kidding. Makes you wonder. The new Giants stadium (which all Giants fans will call it forever) is a massive structure and outfitted with all of the newest technology. This stadium should stand strong for many decades and it looks like all of our dreams were dashed at the news that the Jets wanted to split the costs and continue to stay in the guest bedroom for the next few decades. That is the New York Giants house and always will be.

The story gets better. New Meadowlands stadium (official name) won the bid to host the 2014 Super Bowl. This will be the experiment of a lifetime to see how a cold weather Super Bowl performs against their warmer climate counterparts. It sounds like it is a long way off but the truth is that it’s 3 short years away from being a reality. I predict that the physical ticket sales to the game will be the highest price tickets (this includes the street value) in Super Bowl history and it will hold that record for quite some time. New York and New Jersey are going to go absolutely nuts once this event rolls around. The parties at the surrounding bars and hotels will be seen from space. Talk about field of dreams, can you imagine the city if the Giants are playing in that Super Bowl? What if they were playing the Jets? The thought of a subway series at the New Meadowlands stadium is a big idea and a big deal. It would be off the charts.

I know the topic of the new stadium has been discussed many times before but I have been hearing extra chatter from the Jets fans lately and wanted to be sure to mention how the Giants let them stay there for over 30 years. Giants fans are not talkative or obnoxious. They revel in the fact that the Mara and Tisch families have kept things classy and remain committed to the sport in general. We will include a message below to the fans from the owners that was posted on Giants.com over the weekend, after the 2011 NFL lockout began. Will the Giants get to play on that brand new field once again in 2011 or will the lockout ruin this season? I remain optimistic that they will work something out soon. What do you think?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org

Message to Giants fans from John Mara and Steve Tisch

We are as disappointed as you are in the developments of the past week and the current state of negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. For there to be no CBA in place today is extremely disappointing, given the amount of time and hard work and the numerous conversations devoted to achieving an agreement, not just in the last two weeks but over the last two years. We are not happy about that and we certainly understand and appreciate your unhappiness and frustration. Where we are today serves no positive purpose for you, for our players and for the National Football League. Although we had hoped and expected to have an agreement by now and are disappointed that we do not, we remain as committed as ever to returning this process where it belongs, which is the negotiating table. We are convinced that what we have stated many times remains true, that there will be a new agreement and there will be a 2011 NFL season. It is just a matter of when we are able to reach an accord on the current issues. The impatience and the displeasure we know you are feeling is completely understandable. We can only assure you that the point of the entire process is to make our game as strong as it can possibly be and to enable it to continue to grow for the good of everybody – the league, the players and the fans. The last thing we wanted is for the business end of our sport to play out this way. We know people frankly don’t care how owners and players manage their business. These negotiations distract and detract from what is most important to all of us: the game.

We are doing all we can to return the focus as quickly as possible to where it belongs, the field of play.

Read more: http://www.giants.com/news/headlines/story.asp?story_id=44796#ixzz1GmD5aDD6
Giants Club Seats: For the best seats in the NEW GIANTS STADIUM, CLICK HERE

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Posted by robdomaine

New York Giants Owner John Mara, Zero Panic During Lockout

March 13, 2011

NEW YORK – The Mara family has been around football since the beginning and the name holds a lot of weight around these parts. The NFL and media deem it newsworthy to mention that John Mara was one of the first to reach out during the CBA talks and prior to it. He tried to work out a deal and it’s all over the news? That means something. The NFL is in lockdown mode and who knows when the final deal will be worked out. Fans are scratching their heads wondering why these talks aren’t on CSPAN as well as the NFL Network 24 hours a day. If both sides want to be recognized and heard (the same as the MLB steroid hearings), then both sides should be heard by all. The fans know what is fair, let them be the judge since they are paying for everything anyway. Get your primary investors more involved.

I have an idea on how to save money on the salary commitments by owners. Simply adding the jersey rights program to the players, as a salary option. Generate additional revenue by using what is in front of you. Jersey sales. There must be reasons why players haven’t started charging to use their name and number more (as long as they rep their current NFL team). For example, Rebook is simply the hired hand that provides the New York Giants with their authentic NFL team jerseys. The New York Giants sell the jerseys separately as the official final product. In some cases a player will have something worked into their contracts about jersey sales. But where is the majority of that money going? I say it is time to give the players a bigger cut of that money since it is licensed through the team. This will eliminate some of the pressure the owners feel to pay their players and some of the players could make more then their initial investment. This is a win for both sides involved.

Mr. Mara has a ton of smart people around him I’m sure. I don’t know what the Giants jersey sales numbers look like, so they will have to look into it themselves. But if there are no rules against substituting $1,000,000 on 53 player contracts for apparel sales, why not give it a try so you can free up cap space. Using these numbers, the Giants had to sell a minimum of $53,000,000 worth of player jerseys (roughly 212,000 authentic or replica jerseys) in 2010 and would have to do so every year. It seems like a big number but might be worth while in certain isolated situations. If even half of these number were to work out, that would still be $26,500,000 saved in salary commitments or $1,250,000 per every 5,000 physical jerseys sold. There would be virtually no paper work if the NFL and teams hooked up with a merchant/affiliate program such as Football Fanatics. That program handles all the paper work and even mails out the money to the individual players or they can use direct deposit if preferred.

PJR – Player Jersey Rights could be worked into the contracts at a $1 million dollar annual fee, which would be deducted from the players base salary. When the player retires, he will retain 25% of the Jersey Rights permanently, as part of each players retirement package. Players must be enrolled into the annual Jersey Rights program to qualify for jersey rights at 25% for life.

Whatever the outcome or length of the lockout, I know that John Mara will not panic or make an irrational decision. I’m confident he is working hard to get things back on track. Some of the leaked issues seem to be workable, it’s the issues the public does not know about that have me concerned. What can we do? Have a lockout party of course and wait it out. Remember what I said about things happening before the 2011 NFL draft, if the lockout goes beyond that, we might be in trouble.

RD – nygreporter.com

Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org

Leave a Comment » | 2011 Fantasy Football, 2011 New York Giants, 2011 NFL Draft, 2011 NFL Playoffs, 2011 NFL Preseason, 2011 NFL Regular Season, 2011 NFL Training Camp, Big Blue, Bill Parcells, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, Ernie Accorsi, G-Men, George Martin, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Mini Camp, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Training Camp, Giants Transactions, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, Monday Night Football, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Combine, NFL Draft, NFL New York Giants, NFL Playoffs, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Preseason, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Update, NYG Website, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Roger Goodell, Steve Tisch, Sunday Night Football, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn, University of Albany, Wellington Mara | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

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