I would like to talk about CB Aaron Ross for a bit today. This is one of the most intriguing issues the Giants will face in 2010. Ross was a budding star before his injury plagued 2009 season. Reports came out saying that he was unsure about his NFL career and if he even wanted to play anymore. Not exactly the type of talk you want to hear from your starting cornerback. Most of what came out of Ross’ mouth, was due to the depression he must have felt about not being able to play. He is an extremely competitive guy and I imagine that the frustration got the better of him that day and the media ran with his comments. Ross is a Super Bowl Champion and knows what it takes to get there again. He must know that he is an important part of the puzzle and that the team needs him. We know his heart is there, now we need to know that his body can do the work.
CB Terrell Thomas has emerged as the number one cornerback on the Giants defense and I’m curious to see who will be starting opposite him. If Ross is healthy, he will certainly get his starting role back but if he can’t go, things will get extremely interesting. There are only seven cornerbacks on the current roster and three of them are rookies. CB Corey Webster (the senior CB with five years of NFL experience) would seem to be the obvious choice to replace Ross if he can’t play.
Let me be clear, I am a fan of Aaron Ross. Like many Giants fans, I would love nothing more then to see him running around and making plays for Big Blue. When I spoke with Michael Eisen and John Schmeelk of Giants.com last week, I brought up the subject of Ross’ health and didn’t receive a definitive answer from them. I didn’t get the feeling that the guys were hiding anything but rather, they truly don’t know what will happen. Eisen said that Ross continues to work hard on his rehab and we will have to wait and see how that translates to the field. A bad hamstring can be a lingering problem and something that could resurface from time to time.
What do you think about the current cornerback situation in New York? Do you think the team needs to grab another free agent CB or are you confident with the players currently on the roster? How important is it that CB Aaron Ross return to the field?
The New York Giants signed two players today who were attending the rookie mini camp. This is quite an achievement for these two young men because it truly is a long shot to get signed when players take this route. The G-Men also released a player today as well. The roster is slowly beginning to take shape and with each new roster move, the Giants are showing the areas the feel need to be addressed.
The first player signed today is a linebacker from Kentucky named Micah Johnson (not to be confused with the WR prospect Micah Rucker). Johnson is 6’1″ 262 pounds and played most of last year with a strained MCL, something that might have kept teams from taking a closer look at him. The Giants must have seen something they liked or they would not have signed him. The linebacker position will be under a microscope this year and most fans are extremely curious to see who will be the starting MLB when the season starts.
The Giants also signed a quarterback from Wake Forest named Riley Skinner. The 24 year old QB is 6’0″ 210 pounds and is the winningest quarterback in the school’s history. The biggest knock on Skinner (as told by the player experts) will be his height. I have said it before and I will say it again, I’m not sure how well Jim Sorgi can perform on the field during crunch time. I am not calling the man out but when you are Iron Man Peyton Manning’s backup QB, you pretty much watch the game from the bench. Everyone knows he will be an incredible asset as Eli’s study partner but I am very curious to see what he can do when given an opportunity to play, something that all Giants fans hope will never be necessary. Who will eventually end up the true backup QB to Eli Manning is anyone’s guess at this point. QB Rhett Bomar seems to have the inside track for getting in the games.
QB Dominic Randolph was waived by the Giants today.
Two Big Blue linebackers Bryan Kehl and Phillip Dillard, have decided to switch jersey numbers. Kehl will wear No. 55 from now on, while Dillard will rock No. 53. There was no mention of any side payments or favors that were required in order to switch, which has become a custom in the NFL when vets deal with rookies.
George Martin is one of my favorite all-time New York Giants. He was a terrific athlete on the field and when his football career ended, he continued to be a leader in the community. George Martin has done extensive charity work in the tri-state area and has recently been named CEO of the NFL Alumni Inc. Martin will be in charge of looking out for all former NFL players and making sure that they are being taken care of. I can’t think of a better man for the job. George Martin is also the former president of the NFL Players Association. The 57-year old former defensive end has not slowed down one bit. He has been one of the most dedicated leaders in getting the 9/11 first responders to the front of Americans minds. Martin walked across the entire United States (New York to San Diego) raising millions of dollars for medical care, for the brave men and women who risked their lives to save others during the 9/11 tragedy. I have tremendous respect for Mr. Martin and the NYG Reporter gives him our full support.
There seems to be a renaissance of awesome 1980’s Giants players in the news this past week. Leonard Marshall was also in the papers for taking a job as the head coach of Hudson Catholic high school in Jersey City. Marshall was a part of the Big Blue Wrecking Crew of the 1980’s, just like Martin. Mr. Marshall is going to improve that team and instill some valuable football knowledge in those kids. We wish him the best of luck in his new venture.
They say that things usually happen in 3’s. The third installment of the 80’s flashback occurring recently is not a good tale at all. All world defensive star Lawrence Taylor was arrested yesterday for allegedly raping a minor in a New York hotel room. I want to be clear that this is an ongoing case and nothing has been confirmed and he has not been convicted yet. It is an ongoing investigation and will take months to gain some closure. Taylor was released on $75,000 bail today and is due back in court on June 10, 2010. Taylor is no stranger to having issues with the law. I think I can speak for most Giants fans when I say that he is making it very difficult to stick up for him, due to all of the problems surrounding his life. If the allegations are true, then it will be a very sad day for myself and many Giants fans because we can no longer praise a man who has raped a women. I truly hope that Taylor will be proved innocent and allow the fans to continue to enjoy his memory, as the greatest defensive player in the history of the NFL.
If there are any kids reading this story, I would encourage you to look at role models such as George Martin and Leonard Marshall, athletes who give back to the community and keep God very close to their hearts. There comes a time when you have to look at man’s life in it’s totality and not just what they do on the field, ice, ring or court. Their career’s will certainly end one day but the men and women will continue their lives in the world. Hopefully, the kids will realize that you will always be held accountable for your actions, no matter how talented you are or how high your star rises.
NYGReporter was representing on Tuesday, as we called into the Giants.com radio podcast “Eisen’s Insight LIVE” and talked to the guys over at the stadium. The show is hosted by Michael Eisen and John Schmeelk. I called in as “Robert from New York” and can be found at the halfway mark of the show. I asked the guys about safety Kenny Phillips’ injury status and how he is progressing. Michael Eisen said that he was coming along well but he will need to give it the final test on the field to really know for sure. He also said the team is being “cautious” about announcing anything definitive concerning Phillips. I’m sure that I am not the only Giants fan concerned about Phillips’ situation because he is one of the most promising athletes the Giants have. We all wish him a full and speedy recovery.
I also asked about RB Andre Brown (ruptured achilles) and CB Aaron Ross (hamstring) and how they were doing, after both had suffered injuries in 2009. Again, Michael Eisen said that both of them were coming along fine and that it was a good thing (as good as it can be) that Brown got injured last August, so he had time to fully heal. Eisen also mentioned that Ross will need to get on the field and see how the hamstring feels before he will know anything for certain. Aaron Ross plays a huge role in the Big Blue secondary and Brown was touted as a possible break out star when he was drafted in 2009. The fans certainly hope that both of these men will be good to go in 2010.
It was a brief talk during the podcast but I found both Eisen and Schmeelk to be good guys. I have followed their work for quite some time and had a lot of fun being on their show. I was going to ask if I could say a plug for NYGReporter.com but wasn’t sure if that would be a conflict of interest, maybe next time. Enjoy!
I will leave a link to the Giants Radio podcast below, so that our readers can listen to it for themselves. Remember to have the volume turned up on your computer when you click the link.
For some football players, even retirement can’t get the game out of their blood. Such is the case with former New York Giants legend, Leonard Marshall. Reports have confirmed that Marshall has accepted the head coaching position at a New Jersey high school. Mr. Marshall, who has no previous coaching experience, will take over as head coach for Hudson Catholic high school in Jersey City. Can you imagine coming home from school as a 16-year old kid and telling your Dad that Leonard Marshall will be your football coach? I would love to see the expression on some of these parents faces when they find out.
Hudson Catholic has had their football program go downhill in recent years. The addition of Marshall should make a significant difference in getting kids interested in playing and boost ticket sales to the games. It’s nice to see this humble man with nothing left to prove give back to the kids and bless them with his valuable football knowledge.
I can’t think of a better time to take the opportunity to reminisce on Mr. Marshall and what he means to the history of the New York Giants. Leonard Marshall was an outstanding defensive end for the G-men who won two Super Bowl rings in 1986 and 1990. He also went to the Pro Bowl on three occasions when he was a part of the famous Big Blue Wrecking Crew. Marshall spent ten years with Big Blue after they drafted him in the second round of the 1983 NFL Draft. When he retired at the age of 33, he was playing for the Washington Redskins. In 1996, he signed a contract with the Giants so that he could officially retire a New York Giant. He will forever be a true blue New York Giant. He has also done extensive charity work since leaving the game.
Do you remember the days when Marshall would harass opposing QB’s? If you are too young to remember that and your a Giants fan, I strongly suggest doing a search for some video of this man, he was one of the greats in Giants history. Good Luck at Hudson Catholic Mr. Marshall!
Hello Giants Fans, I don’t know about you but my head is still spinning from last weeks 2010 NFL Draft. There were some significant roster moves made by the New York Giants this past week. I will give a brief breakdown of the actions taken by Big Blue and give you my thoughts on them. I like what the Giants are doing this off season. I believe the front office has made the team better with a very good draft and by bringing in some valuable free agents. The team also lost some very good players including Antonio PIerce and Fred Robbins, we have yet to see how the team reacts to those losses. I firmly believe the New York Giants will return to the playoffs in 2010 but I am unsure how far they can go beyond that.
Please feel free to leave your own opinions in the comment area and let us know how you think the player moves will effect the team.
– Jeff Feagles has officially retired from the NFL after 22 years. Feagles is a guaranteed Hall of Famer and he will be impossible to replace. Hopefully, either Jy Bond or Matt Dodge can step up and give the team some peace of mind.
– The New York Giants signed 13 players this past week. These are players that will be on the team during training camp and possibly the practice squad. It would be wonderful to see one of these young players step up and make a name for themselves. I’m rooting for them to do well in an unlikely situation. The players include CB Seth Williams, LB Lee Campbell, DT Nate Collins, QB Dominic Randolph, TE Jake Ballard, WR Tim Brown, WR Duke Calhoun, WR Victor Cruz, OT Dennis Landolt, C Jim Cordle, CB Leon Wright, DE Ayanga Okpokowuruk and S Michael Greco.
– Gerris Wilkinson was re-signed by the Giants to a one year contract. This is a good signing for the Giants but Wilkinson will need to play well this season if he wants to be on the team in 2011.
– The New York Giants began their rookie minicamp this past week with 56 players trying to prove that they belong on the team.
– The New York Giants training camp dates have not been announced yet but should be soon. I will include the dates in our “Events” section here on the top toolbar when they are available.
What do you think about all of the Giants actions from this past week? How do you feel about Jeff Feagles retiring?
The first draft class of the New Meadowlands stadium is currently settling in. What a treat for these young players to end up in a situation where the team has brand new state of the art equipment and facilities. These kids today, I’ll tell yaahh! While they were settling in, someone came up to them and said, hey rookie, pick a jersey number. If the number is available, they will get it, if not, then they won’t. Some of them were lucky enough to get the same numbers they wore in college, something I’m told is like a link on a chain to some players. It is extremely important to some and doesn’t mean anything to others.
This is a very exciting time for these rookies. I expect the team to harass them during the training camp and pre-season days. Hopefully, there aren’t any fights that break out this year. These rookies will need to earn the respect of the team, the coaches and the fans. That’s a tall order for anyone to attempt at such a young age. I am confident that the front office has systems in place (Charles Way) to help these young men transition into the pros. They will begin by having every Giants fan rooting for them, while the team and coaches test them. I hope they perform well.
Let’s take a look at what jersey numbers were selected. I will list the rookie players below in the same order in which they were drafted over the weekend during the 2010 NFL Draft.
Round 1 – DE Jason “Wild Thing” Pierre-Paul will wear No. 90
Round 2 – DT Linval Joseph will wear No. 97
Round 3 – S Chad Jones will wear No. 35
Round 4 – LB Phillip Dillard will wear No. 55
Round 5 – OG Mitch Petrus will wear No. 62
Round 6 – LB/DE Adrian Tracy will wear No. 98
Round 7 – P Matt Dodge will wear No. 6
Do you own any authentic New York Giants jersey’s or any kind of Giants jersey at all? What players did you get?
The 2010 NFL Draft is officially over and we can now step back and take a look at what the team has. Like a child ripping through his/her Birthday presents like a chainsaw, fans were getting one surprise after another. This was one of the most fulfilling drafts in recent memory. Even though my player predictions were wrong fifty percent of the time this year, I am still walking away from it knowing that the team got better. With that in mind, the joy of doing the research and scouting fades away. The New York Giants have seven new players to welcome and see what works best. This is about as exciting a group of players as the team has had in a long time. Training camp in Albany can’t come soon enough if you ask me. There are going to be some epic battles on the defensive side of the ball at the linebacker and defensive lineman positions.
My thoughts on each player selected this year. DE Jason Pierre-Paul could be the new Javon Kearse. The guy is a tremendously gifted athlete who is eager to learn. That is the kind of combination that spells solid NFL career. I can’t wait to see him on the field. DT Linval Joseph can be as good as he wants to be. The big guys in the middle have one of the toughest jobs in the NFL. There is a lot to absorb both physically and mentally in the trenches and I think Joseph is up to the task. S Chad Jones, who I believe was a steal in the third round, will prove to be a very valuable pick in the future. This kid has been on my radar for months and I’m very happy that Jerry Reese was able to grab him where they did. I think it’s safe to say that the safety position has been addressed by the G-men. LB Phillip Dillard seems to be a player that will get some time to show what he can do. He had a very good combine workout and should be in the LB fight for a starting role. OG Mitch Petrus is a big guy who fills a need area. The Giants definitely needed some depth on the offensive line and now that have it. I thought the team would have come away with a Center as well but one thing at a time I guess. LB/DE Adrian Tracy is a guy who they will be experimenting with in a couple of different positions. He also had a good combine workout and is a gifted athlete. P Matt Dodge was brought in to add some fire in the Punter competition. All-World punter Jeff Feagles is uncertain if he can continue for another year after 22 in the NFL. Jy Bond and Matt Dodge will battle it out in training camp, if Feagles can’t go another year
I want to be clear about my feeling on the new three day draft event too. I do not like this new system at all and I hope the NFL goes back to the traditional 2-day draft weekend schedule. It was a nice experiment but really way too drawn out. Having a 3-day draft weekend is like staying that extra day in Las Vegas, nothing good can come from it. Not to mention the fans on the West Coast who were probably really upset that it was 3:00 PM when the draft kicked off Friday. Please go back to the 2-day draft weekend NFL, why mess with something that wasn’t broken?
Here is a recap of who the New York Giants selected. Nicknames provided by the NYG Reporter (you heard the nicknames here first, spread the word).
ROUND 1 – DE Jason “Wild Thing” Pierre-Paul, 6’5″ 270 pounds, South Florida
ROUND 2 – DT Linval “The Anvil” Joseph, 6’4″ 328 pounds, East Carolina
ROUND 3 – S Chad “Keepin’ Up With The” Jones, 6’2″ 221 pounds, LSU
ROUND 6 – LB/DE Adrian “Yo” Tracy, 6’3″ 248 pounds, William and Mary
ROUND 7 – P Matt Dodge “Viper”, 6’1″ 225 pounds, East Carolina
What do you think about the New York Giants 2010 NFL Draft? What grade would you give them for this year? I am giving Jerry Reese and Co. an “A”. Welcome to New York!
The New York Giants select Punter Matt Dodge from East Carolina with the final pick of the 2010 NFL Draft. He is 6’1″ 224 pounds. The 2010 NFL Draft is now officially over for Big Blue. We will need to take a closer look at what the Giants have done this year. Be sure to come back and check out the recap article to come tomorrow. Please feel free to leave your comments below with your opinions. I would love to hear what some of you think about the Giants 2010 NFL Draft. This has been one of the most surprising (in a good way) drafts in recent memory. it could prove to be right up there with the likes of the 2007 NFL Draft.
I’m not sure how most of the other Giants fans are going to take this but this kid may be the cream of the crop for punters in 2010. I don’t remember seeing any punters or kickers get drafted before this one. If the guy is worth it and can perform, I think this was a smart pick by the team to get some depth and competition for training camp.
I can’t say that I even remember the last time the Giants drafted a punter but I would be happy to lock one down for the next 5 years here and now if that’s the case. Recent reports say that Feagles and Coach Coughlin have been talking about feagles future and if he can continue after 22 years in the NFL. feagles will be in the Hall of Fame one day for certain. We here at the NYG Reporter wish him well with whatever he chooses to do.
What do you think about the New York GIants selecting punter Matt Dodge in the final round of the 2010 NFL Draft?
The New York Giants select LB Adrian Tracy with the 184th overall pick in round six. He is 6’3″ 248 pounds and played at William and Mary college. Jerry Reese has been killing his picks all weekend. He gave the linebacker position a double tap to be sure it was taken care of. This 2010 NFL Draft reminds me of the 2007 NFL Draft. The Giants will be walking away with playmakers and extremely strong young men. Reports have swirled about DT Joseph and OG Petrus being two of the strongest physical players in the entire draft. It is a shame that the media isn’t giving Jerry Reese more credit for this draft. It seems like I have heard very little about the New York Giants all weekend while watching it LIVE.
I really like the team taking a chance on a linebacker this late in the draft. Hitting this position twice just shows how serious the front office is about creating some competition during training camp in 2010. I’m extremely excited to see which player rises to the occasion and becomes the new middle linebacker on Big Blue. I am confident that the G-men have drafted no less then three future starters for the team.
What do you think about the New York Giants sixth round pick of LB Adrian Tracy? Check out his impressive combine workout on NFL.com before you make your decision.
RD – NYGreporter.com
PS – ESPN has cut to commercial on three different New York Giants draft picks. Roger Goodell needs to explore his options about who airs the NFL Draft from now on. I was mad enough in round two but you have got to be kidding me now? Really ESPN?
This site was born on 03/06/10 in the state of New York. nygreporter is a home for New York Giants fans and writers. We are a family friendly website and keep the comments clean. Remember that kids read this stuff too. This is a place where football fans can come and go as they please, without any headaches. We are a destination for NFL fans who want real analysis and original opinion articles about the New York Giants. The idea is to continue publishing solid work and to build on the existing good reputation we have within the Giants community. Ultimately, leading to a full time paid job writing or partnership of this website with someone who can see the light and see the social media value of working with values.
THE 2011 NFL LOCKOUT IS OVER AS OF 7/25/11. The lockout lasted (136 days). **A judge ordered the end of the NFL lockout for 4 days on 4/25/11 but I do not subtract those 4 days from the total.
I would like to talk about CB Aaron Ross for a bit today. This is one of the most intriguing issues the Giants will face in 2010. Ross was a budding star before his injury plagued 2009 season. Reports came out saying that he was unsure about his NFL career and if he even wanted to play anymore. Not exactly the type of talk you want to hear from your starting cornerback. Most of what came out of Ross’ mouth, was due to the depression he must have felt about not being able to play. He is an extremely competitive guy and I imagine that the frustration got the better of him that day and the media ran with his comments. Ross is a Super Bowl Champion and knows what it takes to get there again. He must know that he is an important part of the puzzle and that the team needs him. We know his heart is there, now we need to know that his body can do the work.
Posted by robdomaine 
nygreporter.com 