I can hear you thinking out there. The number 23? Do you mean the Jim Carrey movie where he plays a crazy person obsessed with the number 23? The answer is no. The significance of the number 23 here (about three weeks) is the amount of days until the first New York Giants preseason game. Which in a weird way, still contributes to the fictional star’s theory of the number 23. Jim Carrey was right about the movie because we are in fact, 23 days away. Hmmmm (scratches head) very interesting indeed.
I cannot believe we are this close to the start of a new season. It has been a long stretch for Giants fans who have become accustomed to seeing Big Blue in the playoffs. The players and coaches seem ready to get back to work after an extended off season. That is a good start and changing some of the bad habits in the locker room will help. I believe this will happen not only by the reality of a poor 2009 season still lingering but a genuine desire to return to the playoffs and make another Super Bowl run. The Giants are a very talented team and have only improved during the off season. I believe the Giants will return to the playoffs in 2010.
If we are now only 23 days away from the first preseason game, which is against the Jets in a Monday Night Football matchup, then how close are we to training camp? The Giants will begin training camp a week from Monday on August 1. July, was almost as slow as June was for news about the G-Men. Fans can expect things to happen more rapidly now that we are so close to training camp. I know that some will say preseason games don’t mean anything but I do not agree with those opinions. I enjoy watching the rookies and third stringers play the game. There is no greater measurement of a player, then to see them perform on the field and preseason games might be the only opportunity for them to do that all year.
I am particularly curious to see how backup QB’s Jim Sorgi and Rhett Bomar perform this preseason. The departure of David Carr has truly left a question mark at an important position. Hopefully, fans will never see the backup QB’s play during the regular season as QB Eli manning keeps his Iron Man streak going in 2010.
Who do you think will win the preseason Monday Night Football game between the Giants and Jets?
We are now about a week away from the start of the 2010 New York Giants training camp. I’m very excited for the coaches and the players. This must be a very hectic time in their lives because there really is no other break until the season ends. I hope the Giants are relaxing and enjoying some time with the family. Getting prepared mentally to take care of business and stay healthy in 2010. There is going to be some fierce competition for a starting role on defense this year. Still cameras are allowed inside but no camcorders.
Training camp is free and open to the public. There will be a $5.00 daily parking fee (Dutch Quad Parking Lot) and it costs $15.00 for one all-day pass, if there are two-a-day practices.
I saw a couple of interesting dates on the New York Giants training camp schedule and thought I would share them with you all. Some of the fans that go to training camp have kids and it is good to know that the G-Men do something for the kids on a specific date. Most of this information can be found at Giants.com. Remember that the Giants 2010 training camp runs from August 1, 2010 – August 20, 2010 this year. All practices will be held at the University of Albany, New York. The Camp Hotline number is 518-442-7340.
Friday, August 6, 2010 – “Autograph Night” – Following the Giants practice at 4:30 PM EST, the Giants will hold an autograph session with fans. The team does not specify what players will be available to the fans. This is a great opportunity to meet and greet the players and get the next generation of Giants fans interested in the team. This is a wonderful experience that every true Giants fan must do at least once in their lives. There are usually some players signing autographs after each practice but it is entirely up to the player.
Thursday, August 12, 2010 – “Youth Day” – Following the Giants afternoon practice, families and kids are allowed to stay and interact with the players and coaches. This is geared towards the kids and something they will never forget.
Here is a link to the entire 2010 New York Giants training camp schedule:
I’m sure the comparison has been done before but guess what? We are going to do it again. I want to take a look at the New York Giants leading WR Steve Smith and compare him with the Carolina Panthers WR Steve Smith. In case you haven’t noticed they share the same name and some might say the same game. Why do I hear a collective groan emerging from my computer, yes I know it is not the most interesting news to those outside of the Giants or Panthers community but some find it interesting.
The two star WR pro bowlers, league leaders, game breakers will meet in New Meadowlands stadium on September 12, 2010 (1:00 PM EST) to do battle. This is going to be a game that Giants fans will be calling for some blood. Without question, the Carolina Panthers have become hated by Giants fans. Almost as much as the teams in their own division. The Panthers seemed to have the Giants number every time they’ve met over the past five or six years. They beat the G-men particularly bad during the end of the 2009 season at the last home game at the old Giants stadium. That one hurt. That one still hurts. The Panthers also crushed the Giants in the 2006 playoffs adding another notch on the rivalry stick. The Giants fans would love nothing more, then to see the Panthers get thoroughly beat, during the New York Giants first home game/opener in the new stadium.
“There will be blood” will not be just a Daniel Day Lewis film come September 12th. The Giants fans will be fit to be tied and the Big Blue player pride will be riding high. I expect the G-men to crush the Panthers by twenty points. The players need to win this one to get that chip off their shoulders. I believe they will christen the new stadium the right way with a victory over John Fox and his boys.
Let’s take a look at the player statistic comparison for the two Steve Smiths.
1. WR Steve Smith – New York Giants – 25 years old – 5’11” 195 pounds – 2009 stats: 107 receptions 1220 yards 7 TD’s – 4 years NFL experience – 2009 Pro Bowl player
2. WR Steve Smith – Carolina Panthers – 31 years old – 5’9″ 185 pounds – 2009 stats: 65 receptions 982 yards 7 TD’s – 10 years NFL experience
Things have been extremely quiet in the football world lately, not including the usual Brett Favre chatter of course. I took a little mini-break during this quiet time and figured I’d enjoy the peace while it lasts. We haven’t heard any New York Giants news in a week but I anticipate this week to heat up by Friday. The Giants first round pick, DE Jason Pierre-Paul, still hasn’t signed with the team and that is something that can happen at any moment. Their second round pick, Linval Joseph has yet to sign also. The team is now only 10 days away from the beginning of training camp in Albany, New York.
Kenny, Kenny, Kenny. What is going on with Giants star safety Kenny Phillips? This is a question that has been lingering, like a thorn in my mind. I cannot overemphasize how important having Kenny Phillips on the field would be for Big Blue. He is a game changer and a very good athlete. If the front office has been coy about his status and he returns full boar, then the Giants have quietly put together the best safety tandem in the NFL.
Time heals all wounds they say, so I’m anxious to see how pro bowl DE Osi Umenyiora performs in 2010. The front office has clearly made a statement by drafting rookie DE Jason Pierre-Paul. I’m not sure why Giants writers feel the need to include this fact when Osi’s name is brought up. I think I understand why. Osi if you’re reading this, tell me if it makes sense to you. Giants fans still have Osi ranked the number one DE in their minds. Not everyone feels this way but a good portion of them do. The writers and fans haven’t given DE Justin Tuck the reigns completely yet and still know what you’re capable of. Osi is young and has had ample time to recover from his injury a couple of years ago.
I’m extremely curious to learn what defense new DC Perry Fewell intends to use. I found it promising that he was experimenting during minicamp this year. Some have mentioned a tampa 2 defense and others have said he will switch to a 3-4 defense. I’m not sure about those drastic changes but I would anticipate those scenarios to all be a part of the arsenal Fewell intends to employ. This guy looks like he mixes it up and keeps opposing offenses guessing. I do however expect him to be more aggressive then former DC Sheridan was. You cannot blame a guy for attacking when his back is against the wall and I think if Sheridan had done that a few times, he might still have his job. Probably not but you never know.
What I’m about to tell you is extremely disturbing, parental discretion is advised. Former Giants safety CC “Can’t Cover” Brown has come out in the news and said that the New York media controls the New York Giants. Really CC? Why would you want to go there? We understand your fighting to put food on the table in Detroit but let’s be honest, you had a poor year in 2009. In fact, the entire team has a poor year and yes, you were a part of that team. The New York Giants are one of the classiest organizations in all of sports with a deep history and tradition. You owe the team, front office, owners and the coaches an apology. I could have taken a very mean angle on this topic but I want to give CC the benefit of the doubt, because a lot of what happened last season was not his fault.
That’s all for now, let us know what you think in the comment area below. Be sure to check out the NYG Reporter “LIVE FROM NYG TRAINING CAMP” special in the near future.
The New York Giants continued to work on their roster today by making a couple of moves. The Giants cut WR Domenik Hixon and have signed WR Adam Jennings. Domenik Hixon would have missed the entire 2010 NFL season with a torn ACL injury he suffered during this years minicamp. Hixon was used primarily for special teams and served as a backup WR with the team. He ranked among the best in the NFL in 2009 for punt returns. Getting cut is not exactly a motivator to endure the painful rehab process but I’m sure he will be ok. I doubt that this is the last we will see of Domenik Hixon.
The entire Giants nation wishes Hixon a speedy recovery and best wishes in all of his future ventures. Hixon spent four years with the New York Giants and has a Super Bowl ring as a nice parting gift from Big Blue.
There isn’t much news on new WR Adam Jennings (5’9″ 176 pounds), except to say that he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 2006 and has not seen much NFL action. He played college ball at Fresno State and was drafted in the sixth round. He was particularly good as a kick returner and signed with the Detroit Lions in 2008. With the loss of Chad Jones, Domenik Hixon and Chris Davis it’s nice to see the team getting some muscle added to the special teams. Welcome to New York Adam.
Training camp begins in two weeks and you can be sure that the special teams will be under the proverbial microscope the entire time.
What do you think about the G-Men cutting WR Domenik Hixon? Do you know anything about new WR Adam Jennings?
This warm July night brings baseball fans the Major League Baseball all-star game. In fact, that game will be played tonight in Anaheim, California with a handful of Yankee players on the roster, including SS Derek Jeter. It seems fitting that Yankees owner George Steinbrenner would pass away on a date, that had historical meaning to the game of baseball. The Boss passed away this morning from a heart attack, he was 80 years old and had lived one of the fullest lives of any man on earth. Can you imagine waking up every morning and saying “I own the New York Yankees”. Can you imagine doing that since the seventies?
If you had to sum up George Steinbrenner in one word, it would have to be “Winner” because it was all he ever talked about. The Boss loved Championship rings and trophies more then anything else, other then his family of course and some might even question that.
I can’t stand to hear the haters saying, “The Yankees buy their championships” to which I always reply, “Excuse me but you do know that every single team owner is a billionaire right? You do understand that an owner who has made their money through selling toothbrushes or making condiments has a primary job? Every MLB team could do what the Yankees do financially but they don’t because they choose not to. The Yankees are in the business of the Yankees and not in the business of real estate conglomerates or dot com companies. The profits that the Yankees make go back into the Yankee system. The money other teams make could possibly go towards their primary non-baseball business. Steinbrenner was passionate about baseball and that’s a big difference, so get it right. He was also stubborn. Which is why he eventually told Cablevision to go to hell and created his own TV channel called “The YES Network” when he didn’t approve of how the Yankees were being handled. Let’s be honest, Steinbrenner got things done and who can hate a guy for doing his job well? The competition.
There will no doubt be a tribute to “The Boss” tonight at the all-star game and could there ultimately be a tribute song to “The Boss” by “The Boss”? Creative minds keep working through grief and sadness.
A spike was driven into the earth in 1925, creating a wide hole in order to place a pillar. The Mara family planted that pillar when they purchased the New York Giants for $500 dollars. Talk about pure “big blue” blood. For 85 years, the Mara family has been a light to the Tri-State area and the Giants have a reputation as one of the classiest organizations in sports. There are too many charities to list here and too many acts of kindness to mention. Some things go beyond sports and Wellington Mara was a larger then life man. “The Duke” passed away five years ago in October 2005, he was 89 years old God bless him and his legacy continues and has remained strong. The world needs more old school men like Mr. Mara is this era of being PC. With each passing year we can pick out one or two game changers or stand outs. In the football world, the Mara family is held in extremely high regard. Wellington “The Duke” Mara was born in New York and went to school in New York all the way through college. He was also enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
There is something to be said for family and fans will still be able to hold on to the familiar names of those who own the teams they cheer for. Both the Mara family and Steinbrenner family have blood running things. You have Hank and Hal in the Bronx and you have John and Tim in East Rutherford. Those are the more public names that people know of but trust me there are many more and why shouldn’t there be? Any one of us would be doing the same thing for family and friends if we were in that position. Nepotism sucks only for those outside of the circle right? The words nepotism and loyalty can become confused when applied to the same subject, such as who should be running these teams. Personally, I give both the Mara boys and Steinbrenner boys my full support. They own and operate the teams I have loved all of my life. Disagreements will happen but fans need to stand behind these men and give them a chance to show what they can do.
The passing of legendary announcer Bob Sheppard yesterday, who was the stadium announcer for both the Giants and Yankees for over 50 years, seems to add insult to injury. He takes with him the “voice of God” moniker that was bestowed upon him and a generations worth of loyalty and love from the fans. Even I cannot deny the chills I felt standing in a silent stadium, filled with tens of thousands of people listening to Sheppard speak. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.
The reader must understand that none of the men mentioned in this article can ever be replaced within the New York community. They have become that which all else is compared to and will forever hold a special meaning in the lives of fans around the globe. They are the benchmark, to which everyone must refer, in order to learn how to do things the right way.
The New York community will mourn one of their favorite sons today, as reports confirm the passing of legendary announcer Bob Sheppard. The “Voice of God” began his announcer career with the New York Yankees in 1951. Sheppard called his first Yankee game on April 17, 1951 (Yankees beat Boston 5-0) and his final Yankees game on September 7, 2007. He is famous for his classy style and mannerisms.
Personally, I can remember Mr. Sheppard calling both Yankee games and Giants games. There was something warm, familiar and comforting about Mr. Sheppards voice. He had a voice that sounded like home.
A lot of people outside of the New York area might not realize he was also the New York Giants announcer from 1956 to 2006.
The old man had an undeniable charm and eloquence in his tone and might have the most recognizable voice in Major League baseball. The sports world has lost a legend and a person who is woven into the very fabric of our national pastime. He could have easily earned the moniker of “New York’s Grandfather” or “The Voice of New York” but for a man with the unique style, the “Voice of God” was chosen by the players (Reggie Jackson) and continued by his peers (Derek Jeter). The name stayed with him throughout his career.
Sheppard, originally from Queens, New York called over 4,500 Yankee games in the Bronx and saw the Bombers win 13 Championships. He is one of only two people (Oakland’s Bill King is the other) who have both a World Series ring (from the Yankees) and a Super Bowl ring (from the New York Giants). He was a WWII veteran and his microphone was enshrined in Cooperstown in 2000.
Rest in Peace: Bob Sheppard, October 20, 1910 – July 11, 2010.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
New York Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon released the following video in memory of Bob Sheppard:
How will you remember Bob “The Voice of God” Sheppard?
While I wrote a previous article today on current events surrounding Big Blue, I began to think about two players that recently retired today. Both are former Giants players, MLB Antonio Pierce and P Jeff Feagles. There has been some mention by Giants fans of the team asking Jeff feagles to coach the punters. I cannot think of a better punting coach in the entire NFL, except maybe the coach that worked with Feagles himself.
Wouldn’t it be nice if Feagles were to take a year off, then come back as a Giants coach next season. It would probably sound something like this, assistant special teams coach. Feagles has played in 352 NFL games during his hall of fame career and punted the ball over 72,000 yards. He retired after 20 years in the NFL following the 2009 season. He spent seven of those years with the New York Giants.
No offense to current linebackers coach Jim Herrmann but Antonio Pierce would make a good coach someday himself. I’ve even heard some scuttlebutt about Pierce making a fine defensive coordinator one day. How much of this is true is up for debate but the man certainly knew the game of football. There isn’t a hater out there that can deny AP that respect. I’m not sure if he is ready to be a DC just yet, let the man get his feet wet first. I can absolutely see him as the Giants linebackers coach right away though, helping this young group of LB’s take their game to the next level. AP is a natural leader and I hope his TV career is short lived so he can return to New York as a coach next season.
Who knows if any of this will ever happen but it was worth checking out the possibility. I doubt if Pierce would give up good money on TV, to making less as a coach but you never know what can happen. I do believe that coaching will be in AP’s future no matter how the next couple of years turn out to be.
How would you feel about getting Antonio Pierce and Jeff Feagles back with the New York Giants as coaches? If you could chose only one coach between the two, who would you pick?
Hello Giants Fans, I thought we could take a look back on a busy week and make some notes. We are now only 3 weeks away from the beginning of training camp in Albany and still questions remain. Big questions. Like the annoying fly buzzing around a room, the middle linebacker position continues to evoke concern in Giants fans. The team has talked about LB’s Goff and Blackburn taking over for AP and have also mentioned rookie LB Phillip Dillard. Speaking of Antonio Pierce (AP), our former defensive general has officially retired from the NFL to work a gig at ESPN. Good Luck from the NYG Reporter AP!
We are now on the cusp of beginning training camp and the football news world is dead. This cruel summer dead zone happens every year. The floodgates will open for writers in three weeks, when the 2010 training camp starts. Until then, we will have the Pierre-Paul and Joseph contracts to discuss. We may have some roster moves to work with too. I expect the team to bring in another WR or CB before camp begins.
Another question people aren’t really discussing is, how will all of those 2009 injured players come back from their ailments? The G-men had a ton of players who were banged up and almost a dozen who landed on season ending IR. Two players that I’m very interested in seeing are DT Jay Alford and RB Andre Brown. Hopefully, they have both completely healed from their injuries and can contribute in 2010.
Let’s take a look at some of the recent summer news about the New York Giants.
– The 2010 New York Giants training camp begins in 3 weeks.
– Antonio Pierce officially retires from the NFL to join the ESPN TV crew.
– Rookie safety Chad Jones continues to recover from his season ending car accident. Get well soon Chad.
– Giants LT David Diehl rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Friday 7-9-10.
– The New York Giants have signed five of seven 2010 draft picks so far.
-The Giants still haven’t signed their first round pick DE Jason Pierre-Paul.
-The Giants second round selection in the 2010 NFL Draft Linval Joseph remains unsigned as well.
– The Giants Special Teams have lost two players for the season already.
– The Manning family held their annual passing camp in Louisiana.
– Giants WR Steve Smith has asked for a new contract. He is scheduled to make $550,000 in 2010.
– The 18 game expansion for regular season games is still a hot topic in New York.
– Questions still remain about safety Kenny Phillips’ status and condition. Get well soon Kenny.
– Giants WR Hakeem Nicks has been putting in some extra work during the offseason.
– New defensive coordinator Perry Fewell continues to win the respect of his players and earn praise from the front office.
When do you think rookie DE Jason Pierre-Paul will sign his contract? Do you think he could be a possible hold out?
Hello Sports fans, I would like to welcome you all to a new segment here on the nygreporter called the “nygreporter Sports Special”. This will be a rare non-Giants article that will be put out when something extraordinary happens in the world of sports. These articles will be exceptionally rare and something of a treat for our readers. Consider this LeBron James article, edition 0001. I cannot think of a better way to kick things off then with the LeBron James story coming to a screeching halt last night, LIVE on ESPN. The basketball world has waited two years for this day to come. Make no mistake about it, all eyes were on LeBron James on July 8, 2010 at 9PM EST. In case you haven’t heard, LeBron is leaving Cleveland to play for the Miami Heat.
LeBron James set up shop at a boys and girls club in Connecticut last night while filming “The Decision”. While James was sitting inside a comfortable room, police were sweating in the heat while protecting the star players house in Ohio. They were also expecting riots in Akron, if James were to leave the team. Well, James did leave the Cavs and I saw something that actually made me cringe and had to shock LeBron. ESPN cut to footage of a Cavs fan, burning a James jersey in the streets. I would have thrown up if I had eaten dinner last night and could not believe my eyes. The city of Cleveland was described by reporters as feeling like a bomb went off. When asked why he chose Miami, James said “He felt it was the best situation for him to win Championships and that winning is very important to him”.
First of all, I am a Knicks fan and would have loved to have seen Lebron (James will wear No.6) in a Knicks uniform. I would like to personally wish LeBron well in Miami and the best advice I can give him would be to stay close to family while down there, things can get crazy in a hurry in Miami. You should be fine with getting quality schools for the kids and will probably end up living on Star Island, which has all kinds of perks of it’s own. Maybe Shaq will sell you his old house. Have someone set up a photo shoot and interview with Ocean Drive magazine to introduce yourself to the local community.
I can now understand everything LeBron must have been thinking. Put yourself in the best position to win long term. After 25 years in the same place, he is ready for a change. Avoid the crazy city life, in the ultimate city on Earth, New York City. Avoid ruining a friendship with Jay Z and becoming a star on a new franchise in Brooklyn. Avoiding the second city Chicago and cold weather, must have been a family choice. Taking his family to the beach communities of South Florida will improve their quality of life. Hey LeBron, check out some houses on A1A in Boca Raton. Be sure to introduce yourself to the local church as well and check out Mizner Park in Boca Raton for a good steak. I must say that when Lebron said he was taking his game to South Beach, I was a part of that collective gasp that shook the country for a moment. I truly thought James would stay in Cleveland but we support him in Miami and we wish him all of the best.
James will be teamed up with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, forming the newest “Big 3” of the NBA. It’s going to be a long decade for teams in the East.
How many NBA titles will the Miami Heat win over the next 7 years?
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 can hear you thinking out there. The number 23? Do you mean the Jim Carrey movie where he plays a crazy person obsessed with the number 23? The answer is no. The significance of the number 23 here (about three weeks) is the amount of days until the first New York Giants preseason game. Which in a weird way, still contributes to the fictional star’s theory of the number 23. Jim Carrey was right about the movie because we are in fact, 23 days away. Hmmmm (scratches head) very interesting indeed.
Posted by robdomaine 
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