New York Giants Owner John Mara, Zero Panic During Lockout

March 13, 2011

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

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

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

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

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

RD – nygreporter.com

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

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

nygreporter.com and shop.giants.com forge Merchandising Partnership

March 11, 2011

NEW YORK – We have finally locked down a partnership with Shop.Giants.com. That means you can now find official New York Giants merchandise on our website. This is something that I have wanted to do for a while and think our readers will appreciate the convenience of going straight to the official New York Giants team store if they decide they want to buy something. If you want to learn how you can do this for your own website, using your own favorite team, I suggest you check out an affiliate program and learn how to Find a sponsor for your web site. Get paid for your great content.  You get a percentage for using team ads. You will need to get approved and once you do, just become a partner with a merchant, such as shop.giants.com. As you can see, there are no minefields of advertising to maneuver around on nygreporter and we intend to keep it way. However, we do want the fans to have access to Giants products.

You all know that too many advertisements can ruin a good website. Pop ups and the loud ones are avoided like the plague. That is why I will not let ads ruin our website. You will only be able to purchase New York Giants merchandise on this website. Of course, NFL gear for the NFL Draft, NFL Pro Bowl and the Super Bowls to be included too. But you will never find the clutter we have all come to loathe. You can be sure your getting official Giants gear when visiting us here. I mean, think of the possibilities, you have Eli Manning jerseys and  Steve Smith jerseys and you have a host of other Giants jerseys you can choose from as well. You can always get a team hat if you need a gift for a sports fan. You never see anyone get mad over getting a hat. Other items that nobody ever gets mad at receiving are team T-shirts, just make sure you know the right size.

It’s nice to know that you can always just go straight to specific catalog areas if you feel like browsing too. After all, it can get pretty cold in East Rutherford during the winter at New Meadowlands stadium and people will need to dress warm while they wait for the game to start, tailgate gear might be just the thing you’re looking for. I am proud to have Giants products available on my site, I know our readers are people who represent their team to the fullest. All of this talk about “stuff” has me wondering what your most prized Giants possession is? Mine revolve around meeting a player usually but what are yours? Feel free to leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

What is your most prized New York Giants possession? My favorite is a helmet that Michael Strahan personally signed for me.

RD – nygreporter.com

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

Leave a Comment » | 2010 Fantasy Football, 2010 New York Giants, 2010 NFL Preseason, 2010 NFL Pro Bowl, 2010 NFL Regular Season, 2011 Fantasy Football, 2011 New York Giants, 2011 NFL Draft, 2011 NFL Playoffs, 2011 NFL Preseason, 2011 NFL Pro Bowl, 2011 NFL Regular Season, 2011 NFL Training Camp, Big Blue, Bill Parcells, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, Ernie Accorsi, G-Men, George Martin, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Injuries, Giants Mini Camp, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Super Bowl History, Giants Training Camp, Giants Transactions, HELP SECTION, Interviews, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Josh Berman's Update, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, Monday Night Football, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Combine, NFL Draft, NFL New York Giants, NFL Playoffs, NFL Pro Bowl, NFL Super Bowl, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG All-Time Records, NYG Blog, NYG BREAKING NEWS, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Hall Of Fame, NYG Holiday, NYG Injury Report, NYG Interviews, NYG LIVE Updates, NYG Playoffs, NYG Preseason, NYG Pro Bowl, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Reporter Sports Special, NYG Site News, NYG Story, NYG Super Bowl, NYG Top Ten, NYG Trade News, NYG Training Camp, NYG Update, NYG Website, nygreporter, Padua's Time Out, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Roger Goodell, Steve Tisch, Sunday Night Football, Super Bowl XLII, Super Bowl XLV, Super Bowl XLVIII, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn, University of Albany, Wellington Mara | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

Steve Smith Interview 3/6/11, nygreporter Edition 0001

March 6, 2011

NEW YORK – Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, do we have a special treat for you today on our one year anniversary. Happy Anniversary! As the marquee reads above this article, we have New York Giants WR Steve Smith in the house. Steve was nice enough to take some time out of his busy schedule and answer a few of our questions and yes fans, this is the real Steve Smith (he has since added this story to his facebook wall). In fact, Steve Smith will forever go down in history as the first interview ever for nygreporter.com. We are thankful to Steve (and his agent) and very thankful for all of the good things happening to us lately.

Steve Smith comes from an elite college football program at USC. I forgot to mention that I was at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 6th, 2003 and saw USC beat BYU 35-18, Smith was on the USC roster at the time and so was Terrell Thomas. They went on to win the Rose Bowl that season and both eventually made it to the NFL. Not surprisingly, the two former/current teammates are two of the best players on the team. Clearly products from an elite program under the tutelage of solid coaches.

Smith has done quite a bit in his short career with Big Blue. This includes getting himself out of the shadow of another NFL player in Carolina who shares the same name. He is breaking Giants WR records and he’s been to the Pro Bowl. Smith has become QB Eli Manning’s favorite target when the team needs a big play and he never complains when asked to sacrifice for the team. He has a Super Bowl ring and has established himself as a top tier NFL wide receiver. He is also a fan favorite for his laid back and cool style which compliments his skills on the field. No.12 jerseys (Steve Smith Jerseys and Collectibles) be seen all over the tri-state area and you have to sit back and wonder what Smith could possibly do in 2011, that will have fans rooting for him even more? Will he break another record or get back to the pro bowl in Hawaii? We will all have to wait and see but one thing is for sure, Steve Smith is going to play hard and be a huge asset for the New York Giants. Please join us, as Steve shares his thoughts on the G-Men and his NFL career right now.

I cannot think of a better way to say thank you to our readers, then by having Steve Smith do this interview. So, here he is (you get the Apollo Creed intro Steve) the Super Bowl Champion, Giants Record Holdin’, All American First Teamer, Ice Cold Pro Bowl Player, Number 12 Wearin’, Ten Table Ring Havin’, silent assassin Wide Receiver who catches everything in sight, Mr. Steve “One Two” Smith. (you can use the “One Two” nickname Steve)

The nygreporter Steve Smith Interview

RD/Q1: Hello Steve, welcome to nygreporter.com and thank you for doing this interview. With the 2011 NFL Draft coming up next month, my mind always wanders to the rookies and what they have to go through during the transition process. When you first arrived in the NFL after playing football at USC, what were your personal expectations during that rookie season?

Steve Smith: My expectations were to come in and make an impact. Just like I did at USC. Unfortunately, injuries set me back for most of the year but once I got healthy towards the end of the season, I showed what I could do.

RD/Q2: Winning a Super Bowl ring in your rookie season is crazy and something very few NFL players can own. What is your favorite memory from that entire life experience?

Steve Smith: Yeah, it was crazy. It was an unbelievable experience and I enjoyed the whole ride, from beating the Cowboys on the road to beating the Packers and Brett Favre and of course beating the Patriots. I remember it all like it was yesterday and it makes me hungry to get back and win another ASAP.

RD/Q3: By now, the fans have all seen what the Giants XLII Championship ring looks like, it is magnificent. Other then Michael Strahan (with all do respect of course), what player from the 2007 team shows off their ten table bling the most? Is it Sam Madison lol?

Steve Smith: You know what, that’s a good question. I feel like most guys keep it in a safe place, as I do and don’t show it off too much. It’s something we all treasure and don’t want to lose.

RD/Q4: The amount of recent injuries endured by the G-Men has been staggering from a fans perspective. Steve, you are inside the locker room, how frustrating has it been for you personally and for the other players to have to deal with the wave of injuries the past two seasons?

Steve Smith: It has definitely been frustrating but it’s a part of the game and everybody realizes that. That’s why it is important to have good depth and good leadership.

RD/Q5: How are you feeling yourself, Steve? The team was not the same without you on the field last season and we all hope you are back to 100% soon. I would also like to point out, that I believe I was the first person to call you Steve “the silent assassin” Smith. Did you know this was one of your nicknames (do you like it?) and do you have any other interesting nicknames the fans might not know about?

Steve Smith: I am feeling great! I am working hard everyday in rehab and I’m right on schedule. I’ve never heard of that nickname (the silent assassin) and I am not as silent as you may think. Another nickname I’ve gotten from fans is “3rd and Smith” (in reference to all of my 3rd down catches) and then “Scuba Steve” is one from my college days.

RD/Q6: You have seen some drastic player moves since you were drafted by the Giants back in the day (you’re a veteran now). What are the top player acquisitions you have seen since your arrival in New York in 2007? Also, which young Giants player is on the rise in your opinion?

Steve Smith: I think bringing in veteran safety Antrel Rolle was a great move because he is a Pro Bowler at a position we needed help with. I think that one stands out the most but there are a ton of other moves that were important as well. All of which contribute to making us a very dangerous team in 2011.

RD/Q7: What are your goals for the 2011 NFL season? I have practically guaranteed that the Giants will not miss the playoffs for a third year in a row. I do not apologize for my aggression in that statement. Do you feel the same way? Do you think the Giants will return to the playoffs in 2011?

Steve Smith: There is no doubt in my mind that we will return to the playoffs in 2011 and do some damage when we get there. Our one and only goal is to win the Super Bowl, so nothing else matters. Personally, my goal for 2011 is to be 100% healthy for the entire season and help my teammates matter as well.

RD/Q8: The Wide Receiver group has a ton of talent. I can’t remember the last time this group was so deep with good players. How do you get along with your fellow WR’s and who is your best friend on the team?

Steve Smith: They’re my best friends. Hakeem, Mario and I are very close and hang out a lot off the field.

RD/Q9: The Giants have 21 free agents to work on this off season. That is a lot of work to do and something the team has been addressing this past week with a few signings (Ware, Hixon and Reynaud). Do you want to play your entire NFL career with Big Blue? Also, how does it feel to have the Giants all-time record for receptions (107) in a single season?

Steve Smith: Of course I want to stay in New York my entire career. Having the record feels great but it is not something I really think too much about because I am focused on the future and not the past. I’m sure I will appreciate it more when I look back after my career is over.

RD/Q10: Last question Steve, if you were trapped on a deserted island and could only take 3 people with you to help you survive, who would they be?

Steve Smith: My Mom, my brother and Eli Manning.

RD/EI: Thank you so much for the interview Steve and Giants fans look forward to seeing you return strong in 2011.

What a classy guy. What do you think fans? I think he was very generous with his answers and very firm in his beliefs. We learned a little bit about his state of mind and health status, as well as some cool facts from his college days. I am even more convinced now that Steve Smith will be ready for the 2011 season and he will be looking to make big plays for Big Blue. If you’re interested in learning more about Steve or the charities he supports, be a sport and follow/friend Steve on his facebook account http://www.facebook.com/SteveSmith and his twitter account @SteveSmithNY.

RD – nygreporter.com – 1 year anniversary 3-6-11

Here is a link to the photographs we have of WR Steve Smith at the 2010 training camp in Albany.

WR Steve Smith, No.12 – photographs

All photographs are the property of nygreporter.com.

copyright 2010-2011

The Steve Smith Interview: nygreporter Edition 0001

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

nygreporter Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary at Midnight!

March 5, 2011

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.

– Getting to do our first big time interview with New York Giants WR Steve Smith, Steve Smith Interview 3/6/11, nygreporter Edition 0001

– Being a “featured” blog on Giants.com and working towards developing a partnership, Giants.com features nygreporter on their Website

– 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

– Doing the LIVE updates for the 2010 NFL Draft on the Giants via nygreporter, New York Giants 2010 NFL Draft RECAP

– 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.

– Getting involved with multiple charities and promoting their causes on our website, American Red Cross – Wounded Warrior Project – A Walk To Believe – A Journey for 9/11

– 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.

RD – nygreporter.com – 1 year anniversary 3-6-11

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

6 Comments | 2010 Fantasy Football, 2010 New York Giants, 2010 NFL Preseason, 2010 NFL Pro Bowl, 2010 NFL Regular Season, 2011 Fantasy Football, 2011 New York Giants, 2011 NFL Draft, 2011 NFL Playoffs, 2011 NFL Preseason, 2011 NFL Regular Season, 2011 NFL Training Camp, A Journey for 9/11, American Red Cross, Big Blue, Bill Parcells, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, Ernie Accorsi, G-Men, George Martin, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Mini Camp, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Super Bowl History, Giants Training Camp, Giants Transactions, HELP SECTION, Interviews, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Josh Berman's Update, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, Monday Night Football, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Combine, NFL Draft, NFL New York Giants, NFL Playoffs, Nilay Shah, NY Giants, NYG, NYG All-Time Records, NYG Blog, NYG BREAKING NEWS, NYG Charity, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Hall Of Fame, NYG Holiday, NYG Interviews, NYG LIVE Updates, NYG Playoffs, NYG Preseason, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Site News, NYG Story, NYG Top Ten, NYG Training Camp, NYG Update, NYG Website, nygreporter, Padua's Time Out, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Roger Goodell, Steve Tisch, Sunday Night Football, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn, University of Albany, Wellington Mara, Wounded Warrior Project | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

2011 NFL Draft: New York Giants Top 15 Prospects

March 2, 2011

NEW YORK – The closer we get to the NFL Draft in April, the more analysis you will read about or watch on your television. What we have done here today, is to take the top 15 draft prospects for the New York Giants and list them below. The player names will be in no particular order. Now when I say top 15 prospect, what I mean is information floating around the internet and mock drafts everywhere. Also, included are main stream media breakdowns and nygreporter member input on the area they see as having the most need. All of this information is current as of today 3-2-11.

I have not changed my mind about drafting a true OL/C or LB in round one, although the DT position is starting to look awfully good too. I do not think the team will take a RB or CB in the first round. However, I do think both of those positions will be addressed within the first five rounds. Which of the 21 free agents should the team sign? You have to ask yourself, is the need at LB greater then the need for a new CB? Is filling in a blatant weak spot on the offensive line at Center, a bigger need then getting another RB? Well, I’ll tell you that RB is going to be an issue soon. What the Giants need in my diagnosis is a middle bear. You have Brandon Jacobs as the papa bear big and strong. Then you have Bradshaw as the smaller type RB, what we need now is the middle sized one at 6’0 230 pounds. RB Mikel LaShoure seems to fit that mold perfectly physically but a round one pick?

I love most of the changes that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has made. I extremely dislike the changes made to the NFL Draft however. Starting the 1st round of the NFL Draft on a Thursday is a fan failure. Go back to the original format of having it over the weekend. Make it convenient for the working man and family man to get inside Radio City Music Hall with his kids or watch it on TV live. If the CBA talks breakdown for some reason, the NFL Draft will be the highlight of a lockout laden season for many fans. The NFL Combine coverage is great as usual by the way.

As I have mentioned in the past, everyone has an opinion. What you have below is an honest assessment and pool of players of whom I expect one, to be the New York Giants top pick this year. Unless the team makes some drastic transactions for players at certain positions this off season, I would venture to say that the player who will be at training camp in Albany is listed below.

Let’s take a look at the top 15 prospect names and positions.

1. Akeem Ayers, LB – 6’4″ 255 pounds – This guy seems to be one of the top 5 fan favorite picks. You see Ayers name all over the boards but I’m not sure he will be around come the 19th pick the Giants have in round one.

2. Mike Pouncey, OL/C – 6’4″ 310 pounds – Pouncey is a solid player who would also fill a need at the Center position. The G-Men don’t take offensive linemen in the first round very often so this might be a stretch.

3. Tyron Smith, OT – 6’5″ 285 pounds – This guy seems to be a big pick among the draft “experts”. I do not see the Giants taking a OT in the first round when the team has a handful to workout already.

4. Mark Ingram, RB – 5’10” 215 pounds – Ingram comes from a football family and was named the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner. There are a ton of people who think this guy will be one heck of an NFL player. He is the highest rated RB in the draft. Would the Giants trade up for him? Possibly.

5. Anthony Castonzo, OT – 6’7″ 305 pounds – Castonzo is another main stream media favorite. I just don’t see the Giants taking another OT in round one unless they plan on converting him to OL/C.

6. Nate Solder, OT – 6’8″ 314 pounds – Solder is a mix between fan favorite and media pick. He is a huge man and will certainly help out any NFL offensive line, once he gets the pro game down.

7. Nick Fairley, DT – 6’4″ 298 pounds – This is my long shot pick. The Giants would have to give up about 3 picks total to move up and grab Fairley. Getting Fairley is very unlikely to happen but an exciting prospect anyway. He is the top ranked DT in the draft and some would argue that he is the best player available in the entire NFL Draft.

8. Justin Houston, LB – 6’3″ 260 pounds – This is a new guy on my radar and someone the fans have pointed out to me. The Giants are looking for a LB and if this guy is rated high on their boards, Jerry Reese will surely grab him if he’s available. He looks to be a possible hybrid player.

9. Jimmy Smith, CB – 6’2″ 205 pounds – Smith is considered the third best CB in the draft. He has good size and comes from a good program. I’m not sure the team will take a CB in round one.

10. Brandon Harris, CB – 5’11” 195 pounds – Harris is right behind Smith on the talent chart and if Big Blue takes him in the first round I would be surprised.

11. Aldon Smith, LB – 6’4″ 258 pounds – This is one of the quite guys, staying just below the radar but a guy who could help the Giants. The G-men might have to pull the trigger and grab this kid.

12. Prince Akumamara, CB – 6’0″ 205 pounds – Just like with Fairley, the Giants would have to move up to get the Prince before their 19th pick came around. CB Patrick Peterson should be gone well before this guy too.

13. Corey Liuget, DT – 6’3″ 300 pounds – The 2011 NFL Draft is stacked at the DT position. The  talent in round one might be too deep to pass on. The team seems to be preparing for changes at the DT spot this year too over free agency.

14. Marcell Dareus, DT – 6’3″ 309 pounds – Dareus will probably be gone by the 19th pick but you can bet the Giants will take him if he is still around. This guy will plug up the middle for years.

15. Stefen Wisniewski, OL/C – 6’3″ 313 pounds – This is a favorite pick of mine. Some think he will drop to the Giants in round two. I hope he does drop that low because he is a 10 year NFL Center from everything I’ve read. If all 14 names above were taken, do you grab him?

Out of all of the 15 players listed above, please tell me who you would like to see most. Players like Fairly are a long shot, so try to stay reasonable.

RD – nygreporter.com – 1 year anniversary 3-6-11

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

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

New York Giants Face Trap Game

October 14, 2010

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.

 

Saulo Padua – nygreporter.com

4 Comments | 2010 Fantasy Football, 2010 New York Giants, 2010 NFL Preseason, 2010 NFL Pro Bowl, 2010 NFL Regular Season, Big Blue, Bill Parcells, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, Ernie Accorsi, G-Men, George Martin, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Injuries, Giants Mini Camp, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Super Bowl History, Giants Training Camp, Giants Transactions, HELP SECTION, Interviews, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Josh Berman's Update, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, MLB, Monday Night Football, NBA, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Playoffs, NFL Pro Bowl, NFL Super Bowl, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Update, NYG Website, nygreporter, Padua's Time Out, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Steve Tisch, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn, University of Albany, Wellington Mara | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Padua

New York Giants Make Roster Moves 8/31/10

August 31, 2010

NEW YORK – Hello Giants Fans, the team began the process of trimming their roster down on Tuesday by making some moves. Some of them are a bit surprising to me and other Giants fans but we will need to have faith in the front office and trust that they know what they are doing. The Giants got down to the 75 player limit by making these moves and have until this Saturday by 6 PM to cut down to the league limit of 53 players.

The G-men placed three players on season ending IR today. Those players include QB Jim Sorgi (shoulder), who was brought in to be QB Eli Manning’s backup once QB David Carr bolted the team in search of a starting role elsewhere. WR Sinorice Moss (hernia) was placed on IR and this might be the most suspicious move of them all. Moss is a heck of a guy, let me make that perfectly clear but his on field production just has not been there since he arrived in New York. How he continues to be on the team is nothing short of a miracle at this point. Finally, the last player to be placed on IR is rookie LB Adrian Tracy (elbow). Both Moss and Tracy have already had surgeries and will be on the road to recovery over the course of the 2010 season.

The final two moves involved the G-Men cutting rookie WR Nyan Boateng and placing OL Kevin Boothe on the PUP list. Boothe should be able to return by week six if everything turns out to be fine with his injury (torn pec). It will be interesting to see who makes the final roster come Saturday. One thing is for sure, the fans will go atomic if rookie WR Victor Cruz does not make the final cut. The Giants play their final preseason game this Thursday at 7 PM EST against the Patriots in New Meadowlands stadium.

Are you starting to get concerned about all of the injuries plaguing Big Blue so early on in the 2010 NFL season?

RD – nygreporter.com

PLEASE SUPPORT THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT!!

1 Comment | 2010 Fantasy Football, 2010 New York Giants, 2010 NFL Preseason, Big Blue, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, G-Men, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Exclusive, NYG Preseason, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Update, NYG Website, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Steve Tisch, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn, University of Albany | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

Possible NFL Schedule Change; 16 to 18 Games

August 25, 2010

Well hey there New York Giants fans and NYGReporter Supporters (has a nice ring to it huh?), no this article is not specifically Giants related, it effects the entire league. So, I am stepping outside my usual shell and reporting on a larger scale. Well, not so much reporting, more addressing. The difference? Reporting I might say “The NFL is considering changing the schedule from 16 to 18 games” (which it is), but in addressing that I am going to say “The NFL should change the schedule from 16 to 18 games”. See the difference?

While this almost seems like a thesis statement (do you like the scholarly new college goer wording?) it is not. However, I do strongly believe that in order for the National Football League to progress forward it is necessary to expand to 18 games. And here’s why:

  1. Preseason Games: There are too many of them! Everyone knows the 3rd one counts the most, but none of them actually count at all and considering 3 Giants have had head injuries in this preseason alone I think we can all do without two of them.
  2. Injuries: Everyone keeps saying it will create more, but did anyone stop to think it will create less? Well not exactly, but it may give guys enough time to get back, especially if the season still starts the same date it will allow two extra weeks of healing time. Just a thought.
  3. Competitiveness: If we push more division games toward the end of the season it will ensure competition. Plus, who knows maybe it will allow some bubble teams to make up ground.
  4. NFL Expansion: Everyone knows Goodell’s plan to bring the NFL world wide, the extra games could mean an extra bye week or even just more time to go more places.
  5. Competing with other Leagues: No, no other football league has a chance, but the MLB and NBA and NHL all have longer seasons and less offseason waiting around time. I know the waiting builds suspense but right around now I just don’t want to wait any longer for football and the thought that I could be watching games that matter is enticing.

So anyways, this is simply my opinion, I don’t claim to be an expert on the matter but from a fan’s perspective, I would like to see more hard hitting, meaningful football. ESPN reports that owners are “eagar” while the players “aren’t so sure”. There is a lot that goes into this change. Ultimately, I wish we would all focus on the collective bargaining agreement rather than the schedule. Schedule changes are aimed to take place in 2012, the bargaining agreement is due up this year. Prioritize league, prioritize.

Josh Berman – nygreporter.com

1 Comment | 2010 New York Giants, 2010 NFL Preseason, Big Blue, Bill Parcells, Chris Mara, Eli Manning, Ernie Accorsi, G-Men, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Front Office, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Josh Berman's Update, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFL, NFL Playoffs, NFL Super Bowl, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Preseason, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Update, NYG Website, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Steve Tisch, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn, University of Albany | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Josh Berman

Giants vs. Steelers Preseason Game Notes 8/22/10

August 22, 2010

Hello Giants Fans,

This is going to be difficult to say but the Giants lost their first ever home opener in the new stadium to the Steelers last night 24-17. I thought the team looked a lot better as a whole, then they did against the Jets last week. The defense seemed to be getting in the backfield at will. Backup QB Rhett Bomar did a nice job handling the starter duties. The special teams still need improvement but I would give the team a B- grade for this game.

The Giants will travel to Baltimore for their next preseason game against the Ravens on August 28, 2010 at 7:30 PM EST. Ray Ray is still down there doing his thing and remains a very dangerous man on the field. Most Giants fans still have a bad taste in their mouth about the Ravens beating the G-Men in the Super Bowl back in 2000. Real Giants fans want to beat the Ravens every single time they play them. This is a category that the Carolina Panthers have also now fallen into and hey look at that, the Giants play them in week one.

Let’s take a look at some of my game notes.

– WR Hakeem Nicks got into a fistfight with Ike Taylor in the first quarter. Both were ejected. Coughlin said cooler heads must prevail in those situations.

– DE Justin Tuck had a sack (shared with Kiwi) and played a great game. He looked very fast and light on his feet last night.

– CB Corey Webster had an interception against Big Ben in the game.

– Can we please stop using CB Aaron Ross as a returner (my second request).

– DE Mathias Kiwanuka had a terrific game and seemed to be in on every play, even if he wasn’t the one who got the tackle credit.

– RB Brandon Jacobs was a late scratch from a neck injury he suffered while lifting weights (he was doing shrugs).

– Rookie WR Victor Cruz had another good game with 2 receptions for 30 yards (15 yard average).

– Backup QB Rhett Bomar had a decent game under the circumstances and is clearly not afraid to run the ball. He was 13/26 for 167 yards 0 TD’s 1 INT in the air and had 3 rushes for 21 yards on the ground.

– RB Andre Brown had an up and down game but finished strong with 61 yards and a TD on 13 carries.

– RB DJ Ware was injured early in the game and was carted off.

– Rookie LB Adrian Tracy lead all tacklers with nine on defense.

– LB Keith Bulluck and S Kenny Phillips saw their first action last night.

– RB Ahmad Bradshaw scored a TD early in the game and had 28 yards on 6 carries.

– K Lawrence Tynes hit a 42 yard FG and made both of his extra point attempts. He has been having a good year so far.

– The special teams still need a lot of work. This is going to be crucial now that there are only two more preseason games remaining.

– Giants DC Perry Fewell had a solid game plan and was making the right calls during the game.

– Backup QB Jim Sorgi will most likely miss the remainder of the Giants preseason games.

– DE Osi Umenyiora had a very good game and seemed to have his burst back. If he is healthy, he should be starting opposite Tuck.

– The secondary still seemed a bit disorganized back there but they turned things around by the end of the game.

– WR Steve Smith lead all receivers with 53 yards on two receptions and also had the play of the game for Big Blue.

– The time of possession was pretty close with Big Blue grabbing 28:25 of the game.

– The Giants defense gave up 412 total offensive yards to the Steelers.

– The New Meadowlands stadium is amazing when lit up in Giant Blue.

Did you watch the Giants play the Steelers last night? What did you think about the game?

RD – nygreporter.com

PLEASE SUPPORT THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT!!

4 Comments | 2010 Fantasy Football, 2010 New York Giants, 2010 NFL Preseason, Big Blue, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, G-Men, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Injuries, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Training Camp, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Preseason, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Update, NYG Website, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Steve Tisch, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn, University of Albany | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

New York Giants 2010 Camp Photo Album Vol.03

August 20, 2010

Hello Giants Fans,

This will be the final installment of photos for the 2010 Giants training camp. I hope that our readers enjoyed the photos we have posted in our Camp Photo Album. If some of you were unable to attend camp yourselves, I hope we were able to bring you a little closer with the visuals.

If you have a Giants website of your own and would like to use the photos we took at camp, please send us an email with your request.

We here at the nygreporter understand how difficult it can be to have good pics to use with your articles. We had the very same issues when we started this site and would like to offer some help. Although it is not very much, it will at least be a few photos that can accompany your stories. Enjoy!

Let’s take a look at the final installment of photos for the 2010 New York Giants training camp.

RD – nygreporter.com

PLEASE SUPPORT THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT!!

Leave a Comment » | 2010 Fantasy Football, 2010 New York Giants, 2010 NFL Preseason, Big Blue, Chris Mara, East Rutherford, Eli Manning, G-Men, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Training Camp, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Jonathan Tisch, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Preseason, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Website, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Steve Tisch, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn, University of Albany | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by robdomaine

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »