NEW YORK – What a crazy year it has been in the world of sports. I can’t believe we have been up and running for a full year already. I was trying to get our readers an interview with a Giants player for this special occasion and got very lucky, because I have one of the best players on the team answering a few questions for us. I will publish the article tomorrow (Sunday 3-6-11) of an interview I had with a “surprise” New York Giants player (he has since been revealed as WR Steve Smith). I suggest you all come back tomorrow and see who it is that I’m talking about. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Hopefully, we will be able to get more interviews now with Giants players and coaches. I know these are exactly the types of articles Giants fans want to read with their coffee in the morning or at home at night. Some of the other writers here like Josh and Saulo, have been with the website since we first went live. Others such as Andrew joined us last year. I would like to say thank you for all of your contributions and as always guys, I look forward to reading your next articles. What a strange journey it has been to get us here today. At the stroke of midnight tonight it will be one year.
Things will continue to get interesting during the next few weeks with the upcoming NFL Draft, The CBA talks (extended another week), free agency and trades. We will be here to cover it all and give our unique perspective on the team. When Saulo takes a moment from his world travels and gets on his laptop, he usually blesses us with an informed article. We need to read more from Saulo! When Josh isn’t studying for mid-terms or finals, he also blesses our readers with well thought out stories concerning the current state of Big Blue. I am sure we will see more of Josh over the summer. Andrew has been busy lately but he also gives us a great perspective on the team through his work. Thank you once again writers for all that you do and thanks especially to all of our readers who are making nygreporter a respectable family friendly website. We have not wavered from our clean chat policy or managing a safe environment for sports fans.
If any of our readers have a website suggestion, please feel free to leave a comment below. You do not need to be a member of nygreporter (although we hope you will become a member) to leave a comment but you do have to have a wordpress account. To become an nygreporter member, make a wordpress account, then make a separate account for nygreporter.com on wordpress. You can also subscribe to our email list or RSS feed if you prefer. We are always open to hearing new ideas about projects our readers might like to share and we always encourage participation.
Here are some of the more interesting things that happened during the past year.
– The shout out we got from Mike Garafolo of the Star-Ledger on NJ.com for correctly picking the final score of a game. Here is a link to the story and video, Mike Garafolo Gives nygreporter a Shout Out on NJ.com
– Attending the New York Giants 2010 NFL training camp at the University of Albany. Here is a link to the pics, Images
– Going on the “Eisen’s Insight Live” podcast and talking Giants football with Michael Eisen and John Schmeelk. Listen for “Robert from New York” at the 16 minute mark of the show. Here is a link to the podcast, NYGReporter Calls “Eisen’s Insight LIVE” on Giants.com
– Calling the “Mike Francesa Show” and talking football with Mike while he was at Giants training camp in Albany. No links are available but it was a good 5 minute talk about the Giants defense.
– COMING SOON: We are working on a partnership that will allow nygreporter.com to sell New York Giants merchandise. We will ONLY promote New York Giants products on our website.
Feel free to leave your comments below, we would love to hear from some of our readers. Once again, thank you to the Giants community for all of your support.
The New York Giants, looking to increase their first winning streak in a year, face the NFL’s punching bag of the last few seasons, the Detroit Lions (1-4), at home in the new Meadowlands Stadium. Easy matchup, one might think. That is where a mistake can be made. As I said, this is a trap game.
The Lions, although having only one win in the season, have more fight in them than meets the eye. Just looking at the games this season, out of the 4 losses, it is very easy to see that those games were not decided until the very end.
In the season opener against Chicago, a blown call nullified a Calvin Johnson touchdown that would most likely assure the win for Detroit.
Then you move on to analyze the Eagles game, and the story continues. The Lions scored a touchdown with 1:55 left, made the two-point conversion, putting the game at 35-32, then on the ensuing kickoff they recovered an onside kick. They were not able to capitalize on that, but again the game was decided on the final seconds.
Against Green Bay, a team that is supposed to be one of the finest in the NFC, once again Detroit was able to push the game until the fourth quarter, the final score being 28-26. These three games could have easily gone either way, and Detroit could be, say, a 3-2 team, just like our beloved Giants.
With that in mind, it is paramount to stay focused and duly prepare for this game. As it is said quite frequently in this organization, “every game is important“. The way the Giants have been playing is impressive and inspiring, however, paraphrasing Antrel Rolle, it is always better to win three in a row than two in a row.
NEW YORK – Hello Giants fans, are you interested in meeting some of your favorite football players? For the first time ever, Lord and Taylor in Manhattan will hold it’s inaugural Chalk Talk series dealing with professional sports athletes. They will be celebrating the launch of former Giants linebacker Carl Banks’ clothing line called GIII. So of course, two-time Super Bowl champion Carl Banks, will be on hand for the fans to meet. For the youngsters out there who don’t know who Carl Banks is, all I can say is read about NFL history. Mr. Banks played on one of the best defenses in the history of the NFL. He played alongside Lawrence Taylor, George Martin, Pepper Johnson, Leonard Marshall and Phil Simms just to name a few.
Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora will also be in attendance. I expect a lot from Osi during the 2010 campaign and see no reason why he cannot dominate from the end position. He certainly looked like the Osi of old, when he helped the Giants christen their brand new $1.6 billion dollar stadium last night with a victory. The Giants beat the Panthers 31-18 in their inaugural home opener at the new stadium. Osi had a sack and forced fumble in the game, not too shabby.
Both Carl Banks and Osi Umenyiora are Super Bowl champions and have three rings between them. If the fans are lucky, maybe the guys will be wearing their bling at the appearance, so all of the kids can see what a Super Bowl ring looks like up close. Both of these men have also made a trip to Hawaii as pro bowl players, a big honor for NFL players. On another note, NBC’s Bruce Beck will be attending the launch as well, just in case there are any media groupies out there.
My personal opinion about this event is simple. This is clearly a great opportunity for fathers and sons to bridge the gap between generations. Having a Giants player from Dads generation, LB Carl Banks and one from the current generation, DE Osi Umenyiora in the same room, is a rare occurrence. I would like to thank Lord and Taylor for keeping us in the loop and for confirming that they are true blue nygreporter fans!
I have taken the liberty of reading the fine print and would like to let you know exactly what you need to do if you plan on attending. First, there is a $50 minimum purchase involved with getting past the velvet ropes to the players and the fine print also stated that the purchase needs to be made beginning at 5PM EST at the Chalk Talk area.
The address where the players will be on Tuesday 9/14/10 at 6PM EST:
NEW YORK – Today is September 11, 2010. Exactly nine years ago to the day, the United States endured the worst tragedy in American history. The pieces of which are still being picked up to this day. Either emotionally, physically or literally, we have all been changed by the experience. I keep the families and friends of those loved ones lost in my prayers. I personally knew two people who died in the World Trade Center on September 11.
This topic technically falls into the “charity” category of the site but I do not want you to think of it that way. The people who receive help and benefit from these services deserve to be taken care of. I know that I am not alone in my feelings on this subject. Nine years later and the towers still aren’t re-built yet, that doesn’t mean the men and women should be neglected over being forgotten.
Former New York Giants defensive lineman, George Martin, has been an unstoppable force in helping the 9/11 first responders. He has continued to step up and take action for the people who risked their lives to save others. These are some of the bravest Americans any of us will ever know. I can think of no greater honor for Mr. Martin to receive, then the title of true American hero for everything he has done and continues to do.
George Martin will be holding his 2nd annual walk on October 17, 2010 where volunteers will walk from the George Washington Bridge (Fort Lee NJ side) to Fairleigh Dickinson University in Hackensack. Registration begins in Fort Lee at 8AM EST. There is more information to peruse on the website. I hope you will take a moment to click the link at the bottom of this story and find out how you can help. The nygreporter fully supports George Martin and this incredible charity. Never Forget!
Will you be attending the “Journey for 9/11” walk on October 17, 2010 or contributing in some other way?
This has been a day full of blasts from the past. Two former New York Giants decided to retire with the G-Men and have it go down in the record books that they are part of the family forever. They are Ike Hilliard and David Tyree. The fans hold both of these players in very high regard, especially WR David Tyree who helped the team win a Super Bowl. Ike Hilliard is a fan favorite because he was with the Giants for most of his career after playing at the University of Florida. Both WR’s David Tyree and Ike Hilliard, were drafted by the New York Giants. Hilliard in 1997 and Tyree in 2003.
I had the pleasure of seeing Hilliard play at the Swamp during the nineties (1996) at the University of Florida. Ike (5’11” 210 pounds) spent eight years with the Giants after they drafted him and then the next four years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was a gifted wide receiver and a fan favorite, just as David Tyree was/is. Two former Giants WR’s coming back to the team, signing with the team, then retiring with the team. This is something that does not happen everyday in the world of football.
Ike played alongside Amani Toomer for a lot of years and I’m sure that Toomer would have nothing but good things to say about No.88 Hilliard. Ike took the heat off of Toomer on more then one occasion allowing Toomer to flourish. Toomer can hold his own in any situation and I do not want to sound like Toomer needed help. It was just a good fit to see them both on the field doing their thing.
Everyone here at the nygreporter wishes Ike Hilliard and his family all of the best!
Are you happy to see that WR Ike Hilliard has retired as a New York Giant?
Sometimes, I feel like the Giants organization checks out our work here on this site. I’m sure that isn’t the case but we did write an article a week or so ago called “Hey Giants, what’s wrong with David Tyree?”. I did not see this report yesterday when they broke the news about signing DE/LB Alex Hall or putting rookie safety Chad Jones on waivers. These reports showed up this morning. Now this could have meant one of two things. First, the team feels like the have someone who can contribute solely on special teams and do some work. Secondly, Tyree signed a one day deal so he can retire as a New York Giant.
The reality is that No.85 WR David Tyree has officially retired from the NFL. He signed a one day deal that would allow him to go down in the record books as retiring with Big Blue. I love that Tyree did this and I cannot think of a better way to leave the game for him. One of our contributors here, Kyle L, had mentioned this is exactly what would happen and he was dead right within weeks of it happening, nice call Kyle.
WR David Tyree will forever be remembered for “the greatest play in Super Bowl history” during the greatest upset in Super Bowl history. The New York Giants beat the New England Patriots 17-14 in the most exciting Super Bowl of the decade. He is a Super Bowl Champion and a Pro Bowler, nothing can ever change that. I had the pleasure of meeting David at the NFL draft party in the old Giants stadium. He was a very cool guy and very genuine. He signed a football for me, we shook hands and as I was leaving I said “thanks man, God bless”, he stopped what he was doing, looked right at me and “Thanks, God bless you too”. I knew at that moment that this was a spiritual guy. Kyle tells me that Tyree is very happy with his life and has no regrets. Good for him I say.
Everyone here at the nygreporter, wishes David Tyree and his family all of the best in all that they do.
How do you think WR David Tyree will be remembered in Giants folklore?
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.
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?
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.
NEW YORK – What a crazy year it has been in the world of sports. I can’t believe we have been up and running for a full year already. I was trying to get our readers an interview with a Giants player for this special occasion and got very lucky, because I have one of the best players on the team answering a few questions for us. I will publish the article tomorrow (Sunday 3-6-11) of an interview I had with a “surprise” New York Giants player (he has since been revealed as WR Steve Smith). I suggest you all come back tomorrow and see who it is that I’m talking about. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Posted by robdomaine 
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