Happy Easter New York Giants Fans

April 4, 2010

Hello Giants Fans,

On behalf of the NYG Reporter, I would like to wish you all a very Happy Easter Sunday. This is a time for family to come together every April and enjoy each others company. I hope that you and your families enjoy this day together. This year, Easter is also a reminder that the NFL Draft is now three weeks away. Soon all of the guessing and analyzing will be over and Giants fans will finally know the answers to all of their questions. Will it be LB McClain or LB Weatherspoon? Will it be DT Price or RB Spiller? No matter who the G-men take with the 15th overall pick, you have to like the moves that Jerry Reese has already made. The team wasted no time in addressing the areas of most concern and continue to surprise many by signing players, as early as a couple of days ago. I have faith in Jerry Reese and the staff. I know that they obviously have the teams best interest in mind and will make the right choices, according to the plan, when the time comes. That is still three weeks away, so for today, Happy Easter!

RD – NYGReporter.com


New York Giants: Feagles, Boothe re-sign with the team

April 1, 2010

The New York Giants re-signed two players on this April Fool’s Day (I hope everyone got a laugh from my Eli Manning post earlier in the day, it’s all in good fun lol). This in NOT a joke. Punter Jeff Feagles and Guard Kevin Boothe re-signed with the team today, terms were not disclosed as of yet. This will be Feagles eighth season with the Giants, in a career that began way back in 1988. Feagles is widely known as the best directional punter to ever play the game. The recent rub on his game, has been the fact that his punts have lacked the distance of past years. I am glad we were able to retain his services and I’m curious to see how he responds after having one of the worst seasons of his career. You could do a lot worse then having this future Hall of Famer on your team.

The signing of G Kevin Boothe shows that Jerry Reese is aware of the fact that the team needs to get deeper on the offensive line. Boothe is a serviceable player who can come in as a backup or in certain situations. This will be the native New Yorker’s (he was born in Queens) fourth season with Big Blue, after playing one year with the Raiders back in 2006. I expect Jerry Reese to draft at least one offensive lineman during the 2010 NFL Draft later this month. He may even draft two OL’s, one in the top three picks and one in the bottom three picks. The NFL Draft is about 3 weeks away now and I’m sure all of you Giants fans can’t wait for that. Personally, I can’t wait for the draft to come either.

RD – NYGReporter.com


Giants Eli Manning traded to Eagles for Donovan McNabb

April 1, 2010

BREAKING NEWS: Eli Manning has been traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for veteran quarterback Donovan McNabb. McNabb was signed this morning in New York for a reported 3-years and $42 million dollars. A press conference has been scheduled for 5 PM EST on Thursday. Reports coming out of Philadelphia are mixed, fans on the street have been burning both McNabb and Manning jerseys in the streets. A small group of people were seen running down the block in south Philly, throwing cheesesteaks at any car with New York license plates. McNabbs agent has said that his star QB will have no comment until the press conference later today.

In New York, Giants fans have reportedly begun gathering outside of the ESPN ZONE restaurant in midtown Manhattan. A local television station has reported that hundreds of Giants fans have arrived at the restaurant, all wearing blue Lawrence Taylor jerseys (No.56) in an apparent symbol of unity. One of the leaders of the group has said they plan to head to Philadelphia this evening but would not specify the reason for the trip. Dozens of female Giants fans have met in the new Meadowlands Stadium (Giants stadium) parking lot, apparently holding a candlelight vigil for Eli Manning. Other reports have come out that twin engine airplanes have been spotted over New York, pulling large banners that read “Bring Back Eli, We bELIeve!!”

One last piece of information, you might want to check out is today’s date, April 1, 2010. It’s APRIL FOOLS DAY!!!! LOL Gotcha!!!

RD – NYGReporter.com


NFL Pre-Season Schedule announced…Sort Of

March 31, 2010

Hello Giants Fans,

The NFL released a partial list of pre-season games today. That means there is good news and bad news. The good news is, we will know who the Giants play during the four weeks of pre-season football. The bad news is, we do not have all of the dates or times locked down yet. The really good news is that the Giants play the Jets (the Jets are the home team) for the first Monday Night Football game of the pre-season, in the brand new Meadowlands Stadium. This is going to be a good game, even if it is a pre-season game. These teams have chips on their shoulders when it comes to NFL supremacy of the New York Metropolitan area. I expect a fight to the end and a great game. Here is what I have learned so far about the up coming games.

Week 1 – 8-16-2010 – Monday – 8PM – ESPN – New York Giants @ New York Jets

Week 2 – Date: TBA – Time: TBA – Pittsburgh Steelers @ New York Giants

Week 3 – Date: TBA – Time: TBA – New York Giants @ Baltimore Ravens

Week 4 – Date: TBA – Time: TBA – New England Patriots @ New York Giants

RD – NYGReporter.com


Incredible Interview with former Giant George Martin

March 29, 2010

I wanted to post this tonight, so that members could view this great Steve Adubato interview with George Martin. Some of you have known me for a very long time and know how much I support what this man is doing for the 9/11 first responders. I have written 2 full articles about Big George and unfortunately, my efforts to get him a key to New York City did not work out. George Martin is just an incredible man and I hope you enjoy checking out this interview. I will add another full story, at a later time, with all of my opinions and thoughts about this true American Hero. I hope you will also visit his non-profit charity website and make a donation for the 9/11 first responders, if you are able to.

The link to the interview can be found in the comment area below. Enjoy!

RD – NYGReporter.com


New York Giants: Voluntary Workouts Going Well

March 27, 2010

The New York Giants have been back in the stadium for about a week now getting ready for next season. They have been attending the voluntary off season workouts (I use the term voluntary loosely here) in preparation for the 2010 campaign. The official site of the New York Giants had a bunch of videos recently posted there showing brief interviews with players. Everyone seemed very up beat and happy to get back to work. There was a great sense of pride on behalf of the players, who were interviews in the new facilities. The new locker room caught my attention on more then one occasion because it is so much of an upgrade from the old Giants stadium locker room (I had the pleasure of checking out the old locker room before they tore down the old stadium).

The best news I heard from all of the interviews, was the fact that the running backs seem to be doing much better. We talked about the Running back situation a little bit in our previous story called New York Giants: Danny Ware are you? Hearing that kind of positivity straight from the mouths of the players helped me relax. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw in particular, seemed to be ready to get going, almost eager to start the season. These guys play with a lot of pride and you could almost see the enormous chip on their shoulders as they spoke to the reporters. I like that, in fact I think the whole team will be playing with a chip on their shoulders this season. Last year was an embarrassment to the team and something they will surely rectify in 2010.

Did you get a chance to watch the short videos on Giants.com? What did you think about them?

RD – NYGReporter.com


New York Giants: The Young & The Restless Osi

March 26, 2010

The soap opera surrounding All Pro Giants DE Osi Umenyiora is becoming distracting. Giants fans are reading reports about him participating in the voluntary off-season program, otherwise known as, get to the stadium if you know what’s good for you. The coaches are giving him praise and have clearly said that they want him to remain on the team. Tom Coughlin not guaranteeing Osi a starting position is nothing new. Every year you can count on one thing when training camp starts and that is a sound byte of Coughlin saying that “competition is good”. Coach Coughlin believes in fair and honest competition and there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, I am on Coughlin’s side with this one. The only person on the team, who I think you can honestly say is guaranteed a starting position, is QB Eli Manning.

I think the media is turning Osi into an issue. I think Osi is very happy in New York and just needs to shrug off a bad year in 2009. It happens to the best of them and how he conducts himself from this moment forward, will show what his character is made of. It seems like these media guys are constantly trying to get a “money shot” or “money quote” from Osi. Leave the man alone and let him go about his business is what I say. These same media guys will be all over his jock when he gets 15-20 sacks this season and re-emerges as a top tier defensive end. The guy missed an entire season not too long ago and needed some time to get his mojo back. His ego was bruised with embarrassment because of his down year and that is why reporters got some crazy statements from him at the end of last season. I think he will prove a lot of people wrong this year and I am glad the Giants organization will be keeping him.

What do you think about the Osi situation?

RD – NYGReporter.com


Oh, the smell of a new season….

March 17, 2010

After the beginning of free agency and since last Monday, when the players went back to work, there is a fresh smell in the air. Us Giants fans can all try and forget about the 2009 season and focus on what lies ahead in 2010.

Will the roster moves, the coaching staff changes and even more importantly, the rehabilitation of several players be the catalyst to jumpstart a playoff season for Big Blue? Will Eli Manning continue his growth with new quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan, and the help of new backup Jim Sorgi, the very man who helped his older brother prepare for games?

Can Brandon Jacobs return to his bruising self, who terrorized linebackers with his low shoulder blow? Will our defense become respectable again under the guidance of new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell? What about Chris Canty proving his value, Osi Umeniyora showing what he is really made of, and Justin Tuck being able to use both arms again, will that happen? Moreover, can Kenny Phillips return at 100% and fulfill his star potential and will Antrell Rolle become the leader that this defense needs him to be?

So many questions…amongst all these doubts, there is only one thing that is certain: I can’t wait until September!

Saulo Padua – NYGReporter.com


Lawrence Taylor: The Greatest Football Player Ever?

March 13, 2010

The NFL has started to do something very interesting, in honor of the 75th anniversary of the NFL Draft. They have started a versus section on NFL.com, where fans can vote on one player versus another. You could have Joe Montana facing off against Phil Simms or Ray Lewis squared up against Mike Singletary. I know this is a question that has been asked for years and something that has been dissected and examined by all fans. But for all of our efforts, we still don’t know the answer.

How is it possible to figure out who was the greatest NFL player of all time? It’s impossible to me. I am a Giants fan, so of course I am going to say LB Lawrence Taylor. A Bears fan will most likely say RB Walter Payton. A 49ers fan might say WR Jerry Rice. It seems like for all of the effort put into this question, the best we can all do collectively, is choose a top 5 or top 10 list. Taylor, Payton and Rice are all on that list by the way. Some have to break it down by offense and defensive players. Some just roll their eyes when asked for their choice. I’m not sure what scientific formula could produce the answer but I am going to stick with Lawrence Taylor as the greatest football player of all time.

We all know he changed the game forever with his unique style of attacking. We all know that he has had off field issues that make some doubters dismiss his superiority on the field. If we start small, say at the linebacker position, can you give me the name of a better linebacker in NFL history then LT? OK I didn’t think so. On to the next question, can you tell me the name of any defensive player who is better then LT? Again, you would be hard pressed but here is where it gets tricky. When we begin to look at the NFL as a whole and include offensive players into the mix, the picture becomes cloudy. Payton and Rice to be specific are just as talented and athletic as LT was. The difference is what they made their bodies do with that athleticism. A running back, a wide receiver and a linebacker. I’m sure some of you have your own choices to throw into the mix and please feel free to do so. But out of the three players I mentioned, I’m picking LT because defense wins championships. I would love to hear what you think. Is LT the greatest football player of all time?

RD – NYGReporter.com


Final Goodbye to Giants MLB Antonio Pierce

March 12, 2010

Many fans wanted Antonio Pierce to be cut this upcoming 2010 season. I have had many discussions with fans about this topic and could not let the subject go without a final word on the Giants defensive general, Antonio Pierce. I understand that his skills have declined with age (33) but he was still a New York Giant. It seems to me like fans are forgetting all that he has done for the team. Without sounding sappy or mushy about the subject, the man deserves some respect now that he has moved on. He also left the team with a lot of class by publicly praising the organization and saying he understands the business move. He said he will cherish the time he had in New York and wished them well. What more do you want from the guy?

He has proven to be a great team mate and friend to his fellow players. He is a Super Bowl Champion and Pro Bowl player. He commanded the defense on the field and did his job extremely well, even if he lost a step due to father time. Personally, I was sad to see him go. Now here we are without a middle linebacker and we’re creeping up to the NFL Draft. I am confident that Jerry Reese has a plan and he will execute it shortly. You don’t get rid of a player like AP without having some sort of a backup plan. Perhaps, the team feels like it is time to give someone on the roster currently a shot, but who? Chase Blackburn? Jonathan Goff? No one knows the plan and we must all sit back and wait for it to unfold. I wish AP luck in everything he does in the future and nothing but success in his life in general.

What do you think about the departure of MLB Antonio Pierce and who do you think a good replacement would be via free agency, trade or the draft?

RD – NYGReporter.com