I’d like to officially start this column by paying dues to one of my personal heroes, Mr. Jeffrey Allan Feagles, the best punter in the history of the NFL.
Feagles started his NFL career back 1988, when he was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks. He came to Big Blue in 2003, and had 7 successful seasons for us. He and former Giant John Carney were the last remaining NFL players from the 1980s.
A real highlander, Feagles never missed a game in his 22-year career, and holds the record for most consecutive games played in history, with 352, which is incredibly impressive. His strong play lead us Giants fans to simply stop worrying about the punter position, as Feagles would consistently place the ball inside the 10-yard line, keeping opposing offenses with their backs against the wall.
Among the reasons Jeff decided to retire at age 44, he stated that his body was telling him it couldn’t do it anymore. Additionally, he is now going to be able to spend more time with his wife Michele, and be able to attend his sons’ games, the eldest of which is C.J. Feagles, who is a punter at the University of North Carolina at Chappel Hill. Let’s hope he is as good as daddy.
Master Feagles retires holding the following NFL records:
• Most consecutive games played;
• Most punts;
• Most punts inside the 20;
• Most punting yards.
Thanks for everything Jeff, be happy wherever you go, and please come back as the punters coach one day!!!!
Throwing into Coverage:
The Giants draft this season followed the trend set by Jerry Reese of adding value over need. Overall I like the players Reese got us, however, I really question the Pierre Paul pick. Not that JPP is not going to be a good player in this league, but just that I don’t think he was the best guy around for our team.
It is a fact the Reese needed to upgrade his defense, but it is also a fact that we did not need another defensive end. We have a gaping hole at MLB, so why not get Sean Wheatherspoon, who was picked by the Falcons at 19, and then still go and get Phillip Dillard in the 4th round? Reese made a decision not to resolve the MLB situation via free agency, and to do it through the draft instead, so why in Jeff Feagles’ name didn’t he try harder to get more playmakers at that spot? Maybe even trading up to get Rolando McClain wasn’t a reach. For these reasons I think Jerry Reese threw into coverage with the first pick.
Now, with that being said, I really like Phillip Dillard. There is something about the way he speaks that really calms me down, and the fact that he is a compulsive film studier almost gives me tears of joy. Add that to the fact that all our other guys are mediocre at best (I hope they prove me wrong, though) and we have an heir to Antonio Pierce’s kingdom.
Automatic First Down
The Matt Dodge pick was a smart move. Knowing about Feagles’ retirement, and having only an Australian who doesn’t even understand the rules of the NFL as the punter, I was pretty nervous about this position, so Jerry Reese got an automatic first down on this.
Finally, another great move by Big Blue was the signing of undrafted free agent LT Dennis Landolt. Dennis was a 3-year starter at Penn State, playing 39 consecutive games, and never missing a practice. Moreover, Landolt is extremely smart, having achieved two degrees in five years of college (Supply Chains & Information Systems and Economics).
This is the kind of player the Giants need in their squad: smart, hard-working guys who will provide depth for our veterans, pick their brains, and maybe in a few years even become full time starters.
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?
The New York Giants have selected OG Mitch Petrus from Arkansas with the 147th overall pick in round five. He is 6’3″ 310 pounds and athletic. Jerry Reese must have a crystal ball or lucky horseshoe on him at all times, because this guy knows how to draft football players. Besides surprising a lot of the Big Blue faithful with taking four straight defensive players, Jerry Reese has also won over the majority in his fourth straight year as the Giants GM. There is a future GM of the Year award in your future Jerry, leave an open space for it over the mantle. I love watching the methodical War Room do their thing. This is one big chess game and the Giants have been addressing areas of need with surgical precision. There has not been a dull moment once this year.
The Giants needed to grab an offensive lineman (Yes, I have been talking about it all weekend) and they pulled the trigger. They take an offensive guard in round five and inch closer to closing out the final day of the 2010 NFL Draft. I would not be surprised to see another offensive lineman taken or a cornerback. The Giants next draft pick is 184th overall in round six. There is no way to know what Jerry Reese is going to do. The man is in the zone this year and it’s a pleasure to watch it unfold. Welcome to New York Mitch!
What do you think about the New York Giants fifth round selection of OG Mitch Petrus? Here is a link to his CBS Sports player profile.
As a special surprise to the New York faithful, former Giants TE Mark Bavaro announced the Giants fourth round pick, LB Phillip Dillard. He is 6’0″ 245 pounds and played the ILB position with Nebraska. The Giants continue their defensive assault by grabbing a fourth consecutive defensive player. This was certainly a need for the team and something I knew would come sooner or later. We will have to do a little homework on Dillard and see where this inside linebacker fits into the scheme. I’m more convinced the Giants will make the current LB’s fight it out in training camp for the starting role. It’s nice to see a new player thrown into the mix.
Jerry Reese is having an outstanding draft so far through four picks. This might actually be a record for the Giants though. I cannot remember them ever taking four defensive players in a row. It is clear that Jerry Reese wants new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell to succeed. This is a wonderful example of a GM setting up his DC for success. Once again, Mr. Reese does not hesitate to attack a problem area and close the book on it. By Monday morning, Giants fans will have to nitpick at player depth at certain positions, because we all know that Jerry Reese has done everything he can do to improve this squad.
The Giants next pick in the fifth round at the 147th pick overall. I don’t see how Big Blue doesn’t go with an offensive lineman in round five. I have been saying this since round three though, so don’t mind me. I didn’t see them taking a DE in round one and it messed up the rest of my picks. With the remaining 3 picks, a CB is almost guaranteed for new DC Perry Fewell. Does that mean that the team will come away with only two offensive picks out of seven? Welcome to New York Phillip!
What do you think about the New York Giants selecting LB Phillip Dillard in the fourth round. Here is some video of him on the CBS Sports player profile.
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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’d like to officially start this column by paying dues to one of my personal heroes, Mr. Jeffrey Allan Feagles, the best punter in the history of the NFL.
Posted by Padua 
nygreporter.com 