May 15, 2011
NEW YORK – Everyone has seen a photo of an NFL playbook. Some may have even been lucky enough to hold one in their hands (highly unlikely) and flip through the secret pages. The thing is as thick as a telephone book and must be guarded very closely by players. If a rival team happens to get their hands on your playbook, you would be in for a very long season. I was thinking about this old school way of doing business and wondered what the future holds for NFL players (can you tell I have too much time on my hands due to the lockout?) and the precious NFL playbook.
I began to wonder why nobody has suggested (maybe someone has) integrating the technology of the Madden NFL video games with actual playbooks? I am certain there will be pros and cons to doing something like this but heck, if the military is using video game technology to train the finest armed forces on the planet, it might not be a bad idea to look into it. Let’s face it, the players are spending quite a bit of time on their Playstation, Wii and Xbox consoles anyway. Why not make it somewhat productive? I can honestly say that I was the first person to suggest that “one day in the future”, coaches would send the plays into the huddle with microphones and headphones placed into the quarterbacks helmet. Of course, I was probably not the first person to invent the idea but I was certainly the first person to suggest it out loud among my friends back in the early 1990’s.
Imagine handing out CD’s to the players instead of those cumbersome phonebook sized playbooks. You could integrate true learning technology into the game that notifies a wide receiver when they run a wrong route or tells a running back when they fail to pick up a block. This would basically create an entirely new industry for the gaming world and put thousands of people to work overnight. The timing would be crucial and they would need to use CD’s that couldn’t be copied. There would also be an annual overhaul of the plays and new CD’s would need to be created before each season. They could even use secure internet connections that allow teammates to play each other in cyberspace (I’m not so sure about this idea yet), the way they do with other online games such as World of Warcraft or Call of Duty.
The term VP (virtual practice) would become a household name in America and the players might even enjoy studying their playbooks. Having a video game CD played on a dedicated TV in each players home can’t be anymore dangerous then leaving a huge playbook on the coffee table in the living room. If you take out the online capabilities, it would be virtually impossible for anyone to monitor the video game use. Each team would need to create their own “video game squad” that solely deals with individual team business. I’m guessing that this would be the area of most concern for teams. Can these video game creators be trusted and will they keep their mouths shut?
Do you think making playbooks into video games would help NFL players learn the plays faster? Is this something you think we will see come to fruition in our lifetime?
RD – nygreporter.com
Please visit www.hampscamp.com and donate/contribute to Rodney Hampton’s charity for the kids!
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Posted by robdomaine
May 12, 2011
It truly feels good to be writing this article. A lot has happened not only with the Giants but the NFL in general. We received a bit of a tease a couple of weeks ago, thinking the lockout would be resolved. Players were allowed inside facilities but couldn’t use the resources. I strongly believe the NFL learned that an athlete doesn’t like it when you flirt with talent or progression. Next, we had the NFL Draft, many of you would agree that it had more than a handful of surprises. In my opinion, it was one of the best drafts we have had in recent years. I have stated previously to friends and colleagues that I didn’t agree with Commissioner Roger Goodell hosting the draft. I believe the proof is in the pudding. The Commissioner’s reception was awful and it played out all night. It would have been better and shown more class if an NFL great hosted the Draft to maintain its tradition of fun and excitement. However, that’s just my opinion.
I have faith in all of our draft picks. Beginning from the first to the last pick. The first pick was a wise pick. The last pick was a safe bet. The New York Giants draft displayed careful research and consideration of both character and talent. We have good young men coming into the organization. Whenever there is a training camp, it will be filled with competition. I’m excited to see what happens at cornerback and the linebacker positions. In my best estimate, I believe it’s almost safe to say we have seen the last of DT Barry Cofield’s services.
Eli Manning is showing maturity. Very impressive for a player who many thought was timid. The franchise QB organized a few workouts with a solid number of players. It’s not just the workouts but the response of the players that shows how much respect he has earned. These workout sessions will go a long way for players like Kevin Boss and Victor Cruz. Hakeem Nicks has bulked up and Mario Manningham proved a lot last season but he will surprise a few more people this upcoming season.
Giants Country is growing. I believe we will surprise not just the NFC East but the entire NFL. We have great talent. However, the Giants have always been known for great coaching. With great coaching, preparation, and healthy players the sky will be the limit. The NFL can’t lock out passion. The players are ready to compete and get back to work. Hopefully the lockout ends soon, so both the NFL fans and Giants fans can finally breathe.
“Heaven Yes”
Andrew G. – nygreporter.com
1 Comment | 2011 New York Giants, 2011 NFL Draft, 2011 NFL Minicamp, 2011 NFL Preseason, 2011 NFL Regular Season, 2011 NFL Training Camp, Big Blue, Eli Manning, G-Men, Giants, Giants Coaches, Giants Draft, Giants Front Office, Giants History, Giants Mini Camp, Giants Roster, Giants Stadium, Giants Training Camp, Jerry Reese, Justin Tuck, Kevin Gilbride, New Jersey, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Lockout, NFL New York Giants, NY Giants, NYG, NYG Blog, NYG Draft, NYG Exclusive, NYG Fantasy Football, NYG Minicamp, NYG Preseason, NYG Regular Season, NYG Reporter, NYG Story, NYG Training Camp, NYG Website, nygreporter, Perry Fewell, Tom Coughlin, Tom Quinn | Tagged: 2011 New York Giants, Big Blue, blogs giants, blogs nyg, Eli Manning, Football, football giants blog, G-Men, giants blog, Giants Stadium, giants website, Jerry Reese, John Mara, Kevin Gilbride, National Football League, New Meadowlands Stadium, New York Football Giants, New York Giants, New York Giants blog, New York Giants blogs, New York Giants Website, NFC, NFC East, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, ny giants blogs, ny giants website, NYG, nyg blog, NYG Reporter, nygreporter, Pat Hanlon, Perry Fewell, Players, Tom Coughlin, website ny giants, website nyg | Permalink
Posted by apollojewels
May 12, 2011
NEW YORK – I have been a fantasy football player since 1999. I have seen that industry grow into a $15 billion dollar a year beast. There are only a handful of websites that can claim to be big time in that industry. Among them are CBSSports.com, ESPN.com and NFL.com to name the big three in my opinion. If the 2011 NFL season is cancelled, I am sure that those three sports sites will be fine. But what about the smaller websites that offer fantasy games or the emerging fantasy sites people don’t know about yet? I’m sure this is the furthest thing on the NFL’s mind but it is just another issue that will arise from the 2011 lockout that has now reached 62 days.
Could the 2011 NFL lockout actually benefit the larger sports sites, by creating a monopoly on fantasy football by eliminating competition through attrition? I know there are a lot of people out there who could care less about fantasy football but the fact remains that thousands of people have jobs working on the game. The economy is bad enough right now without adding a few thousand more people to the unemployment line. Sure there will be fantasy basketball and hockey that will emerge in the fall but everyone knows the bread and butter of fantasy sports is football. If the NFL cancels the 2011 season, fantasy staffs all over the country will be cut in half or laid off. The reality of “no football” until September 2012 would set in immediately and effect the economy instantly.
Personally, I do not think they will cancel this season. The amount of money is so great that the players or owners will eventually give in. The players I feel bad for are guys like New York Giants DT Barry Cofield who get stuck in the middle. Here is a guy who has played his heart out since being drafted by New York and he could wind up getting the shaft over politics. Free agents are the walking dead right now with zero options. I am a big Cofield fan and hope the team does the right thing with him. We all understand it is a business but giving Chris Canty almost 3 times the money Cofield makes is a joke. I have nothing against Mr. Canty but even he knows Cofield had a better season then he did last year. There is no denying that fact. Barry Cofield is a Giant through and through and deserves some respect for his contributions to the team. Cofield expressed his frustration in an article this week that I found to be honest and truthful. What do you think about his situation?
Top New York Giants for 2011 Fantasy Football
1. WR Hakeem Nicks
2. QB Eli Manning
3. WR Steve Smith
4. NYG Defense
5. RB Ahmad Bradshaw
6. RB Brandon Jacobs
7. WR Mario Manningham
8. TE Kevin Boss
Would you add or subtract anyone from the list above? Do you think there will be a 2011 NFL season?
RD – nygreporter.com
Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org
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Posted by robdomaine
May 11, 2011
NEW YORK – The 2011 NFL lockout has now reached 61 days and the powers that be still haven’t worked anything out. Fans are completely sick of this situation and I know a lot of them that might not watch another NFL game as long as they live. I have to be honest, I originally thought the lockout would be over before the NFL draft, I was wrong. The NFL has to realize they are really mucking up the waters with each and every day the lockout continues. It’s time for men to act like men and get a deal done.
It is now going to affect the real work. The OTA’s, minicamps, film work, weight room workouts, free agency and most importantly training camp. Training camp is clearly the most important of all the activities I’ve listed. Everything is backed up along the process line. I’m sure head coach Tom Coughlin will adapt to the situation as best he can. The Giants organization will not make excuses and they will absolutely roll with the punches. As a fan, I’m happy to see QB Eli Manning and a handful of players take matters into their own hands by practicing at Hoboken high school in New Jersey. They were the first players that I’ve heard of doing this, holding their own little training camp during the lockout. This will be their second week of “players camp”. I applaud these professionals for demonstrating how important it is to them to improve their game and prepare for the upcoming season.
Still, the importance of training camp cannot be understated. We are just about 90 days away from the usual starting dates for training camp. It is beginning to enter a very uncomfortable period of time for both the players and owners. Something has to give soon or they will face ruining the 2011 NFL season at a time when Americans are suffering more then ever. Americans are hurting on a biblical scale right now and the fact that the NFL is considering canceling the 2011 NFL season shows how out of touch they are with society these days. They have left teams with about 90 days to accomplish everything I listed above, which isn’t very much time at all, until training camp is supposed to begin. Let’s hope the front office can figure out how to make it work and applaud them for staying calm and cool during this madness.
RD – nygreporter.com
Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org
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Posted by robdomaine
NEW YORK – Everyone has seen a photo of an NFL playbook. Some may have even been lucky enough to hold one in their hands (highly unlikely) and flip through the secret pages. The thing is as thick as a telephone book and must be guarded very closely by players. If a rival team happens to get their hands on your playbook, you would be in for a very long season. I was thinking about this old school way of doing business and wondered what the future holds for NFL players (can you tell I have too much time on my hands due to the lockout?) and the precious NFL playbook.
nygreporter.com 