Happy Halloween to the Giants Fans and Kids Out There

October 31, 2011

NEW YORK – On behalf of the nygreporter, I would like to wish everyone a Happy Halloween. I hope that everyone has a great time and enjoys this spooky holiday. All of you kids be sure to have your parents check your candy before you eat it and be safe out there trick or treating tonight! In the old days, we went out in groups of kids with usually only one or two parents there watching us. I’m sure things are different now but all of you kids better have a parent with you while trick or treating. DO NOT go out by yourself and be careful scaring the older folks.

The Giants pulled out the win yesterday against Miami in a very sloppy game. They improve to 5-2 on the year and the second best thing to happen yesterday was the Eagles beating the Cowboys and knocking each other into mediocrity. The Cowboys, Eagles and Redskins are all tied with 3-4 records. I’m sure this could change rather quickly but for now the G-men are sitting pretty with a two game lead in the NFC East. Most fans are dumbfounded by this but will take it anyway. The really hard part of the schedule begins now with the Patriots coming up next Sunday (11/6/11 at 4:15 PM EST) in New England. The Giants better get their act together before this weekend in order to have a shot at competing with QB Tom Brady and the tough Pats at home.

The Giants played like zombies yesterday but still got the win. Ultimately, I realize that’s the only thing that matters but fans still have a right to be concerned. Big Blue seems to be playing from behind in most games this year and it would be nice to see them blow out a team or two before the year ends. Especially, these teams that are on the bottom of the NFL food chain. If they can win five of their last nine games, they have a god chance at making it back to the playoffs. They have missed the playoffs for the past two years and must want to break that cycle as much as the fans do. They could not have started the year any better in their efforts to do just that. And by the way, QB Eli Manning is playing at an elite level this year, where are the sports media “experts” now admitting they were wrong? They are invisible like ghosts in a dark room.

What are your plans for this Halloween? Boo!

RD – nygreporter.com

Please Support George Martin’s “A Journey for 9/11” Charity. Never Forget!


New York Giants Bye Week Survival Tips

October 21, 2011

NEW YORK – We here at nygreporter understand how difficult it can be for a true blue Giants fan to endure the dreaded bye week. It seems like it becomes much harder each year to sit out a weekend and root for whoever plays our rivals. So I thought we would give you some tips on how to make it through the worst week in the NFL season for Giants fans. Some of you may have read our article called New York Giants 2011 NFL Lockout Survival Kit and this article will be similar to that one. Try to stay sane and remember that it is only one week.

The first thing we will look at, is the opponents of our division rivals and who Giants fans will need to root for this weekend. The two teams that Big Blue fans need to root for this weekend are the Carolina Panthers and St. Louis Rams. The Panthers play the Redskins on Sunday at 1PM EST and the Rams face the Cowboys at 4:15 PM EST. We need both of these teams to lose so the Giants continue to lockdown the NFC East. The final team in the NFC East, the Philadelphia Eagles, are also on a bye week this weekend and probably “dreaming” about making the playoffs this year. Hopefully, QB Cam Newton will ball on Washington and knock them down a peg because believe it or not, the Redskins are a bigger threat to Big Blue this year.

I still say every Giants fan should own a copy of Super Bowl XLII on DVD for an occasion like this. Having copies of the glory days in 1986 and 1990 wouldn’t hurt either. Sitting down and watching those games is extremely uplifting and something that should be done once per year anyway. Check out the Giants shop for merchandise and gear. You can find a link to the Giants store on the sidebar of our website here. I know that some of the items there are expensive but they also have some reasonable prices on other items. Buying a piece of Giants merchandise might make you feel better. You can also hit twitter and talk Giants football with other fans. There is nothing better then having a good conversation with Giants fans who know what they are talking about. You can also go to Giants.com and check out any contests they may be running. This would be a perfect week (bye week) to hold an annual fan contest, don’t you think Giants? wink wink

Another possibility for this weekend is to get out of the house with your family or friends and take in some of this fall weather before it gets too cold. Once the boys get back on the field, it is unlikely that die hard fans will miss a single game. So take advantage of the break and go have some fun. Take your kids to the park or out for lunch. Take your girl to the mall. Take your man out to shoot some pool or go bowling. The most important thing is to enjoy yourself and figure out what suits you the best. I hope our readers find this helpful and I hope you enjoy your off weekend.

What will you be doing during the bye week?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please Support George Martin’s “A Journey for 9/11” Charity. Never Forget!


NFL Week 4: Giants vs. Cardinals, Game Notes

October 2, 2011

NEW YORK – The G-Men traveled all the way across the country to Arizona to play a pretty good Cardinals team today. After beating up the “Steam Team’ Eagles last week and improving to 2-1 on the season, the Giants needed this win to gain some ground in the NFC East. This was a tough battle between two teams and neither team wanted to lose. The Giants pulled out the comeback victory late in the 4th quarter by the score of 31-27. The G-Men improve to 3-1 on the year and this was by far the most entertaining game to watch so far this season.

The first half was pretty sloppy by both teams and considering the Giants were playing up and down football, a bit embarrassing. The first quarter was all about the Cardinals and they seemed to be pushing the Giants around. The Giants came to life in the second quarter and changed the momentum going into the locker room at halftime with a 10-6 lead. The Giants could have very easily have been losing the game at this point but some key defensive plays allowed them to jump ahead. Arizona came back to life in the third quarter and scored pretty quickly to give them the 13-10 lead. But the fourth quarter is where all of the action happened with both teams combining for 28 points and 21 of those points going to the G-Men. Giants fans were going crazy on twitter when they realized the Giants were actually going to win.

This was really a very exciting game to watch as I mentioned before. The only thing that concerns me is the fact that Big Blue had some trouble with a team they were supposed to beat easily. I’m not taking anything away from a really tough Cardinals team that played their hearts out but I had the Giants winning this game by 10 points. The other issue that caught my attention was the amount of penalties Big Blue had again. They finished the game with 7 penalties for 55 yards and really need to work on their discipline. The Giants will play the Seahawks at 1PM EST next weekend at home.

Let’s take a look at my notes from the game. 

QB Eli Manning – Easy Eli kept his cool and finished with 321 yards, 2 TD’s and 0 INT’s. Manning has played extremely well the past 2 weeks.

WR Hakeem Nicks – Nicks led all WR’s and had an outstanding game finishing with 162 yards and 1 TD.

RB Ahmad Bradshaw – Bradshaw ran hard as usual and finished with 39 yards on the ground, 11 yards in the air and 1 TD.

DE Justin Tuck – Tuck was not able to play in this game and had to watch from the sidelines. Get well soon Justin!

WR Mario Manningham – Super Mario had a quiet game but that was expected in his first game back after a concussion.

LB Mathias Kiwanuka – Kiwi was the second leading tackler in this game and seemed to be all over the field. Great game for Kiwi.

DE Dave Tollefson – Tollefson had a great game and finished with 2 sacks. This guy has become an invaluable asset to Big Blue.

LB Greg Jones – The rookie Jones quietly had a nice game and finished in the middle of the pack with tackles.

DE Osi Umenyiora – Osi returned to the field for the first time this season and all he did was record 2 sacks and 1 forced fumble. Welcome back Osi!

RB Brandon Jacobs – Brandon was having trouble getting it going on limited carries but still finished with 18 yards and 1 TD.

S Antrel Rolle – Rolle knows the Cardinals very well and had a great game by leading all tacklers and getting 1 INT.

LB Michael Boley – Boley continues to be the strong, young veteran leader who just continues making big plays.

TE Jake Ballard – Ballard had a nice game and finished with 33 yards and 1 TD. Congrats on the TD Jake!

C David Baas – Baas had a good game despite getting a little banged up early in the game. It looks like he was a solid signing this offseason.

WR Victor Cruz – Cruz continues to make noise on the field and finished with 98 yards. He also had a weird play in the 4th quarter that Coach will question.

LB Jacquian Williams – Williams had his first quiet game of the year. Keep an eye on this guy and watch his star rise.

DE Jason Pierre-Paul – JPP had a quiet game by his standards and some think it is because he had to switch sides on the defensive line when Osi returned.

CB Aaron Ross – Ross had a decent game and is doing the best job he can do for Big Blue.

P Steve Weatherford – The weatherman had another good game and fans are starting to really like this guy.

K Lawrence Tynes – Tynes had a good game and finished with 1 FG and he made all 4 extra point attempts. He was also banged up in the 2nd quarter when a player ran into him.

Giants Defense – The G-Fense had a very good game finishing with 4 sacks, 1 INT and 1 forced fumble.

Giants Offense – The Giants offense started the game a bit slow and sloppy but finished strong and thats really all that matters right?

Giants Special Teams – This group had a decent game but still needs a ton of work.

How would you rate the Giants performance against the Cardinals on Sunday?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please Support George Martin’s “A Journey for 9/11” Charity Walk. Never Forget!


Giants Must Shut Up the Eagles by Winning on Sunday

September 22, 2011

NEW YORK – I don’t know when it became cool to talk trash in the media but the old school football players know that you let your skills do the talking. There have been a few Eagles players who think it is cute to talk trash about the Giants. The G-Men need to step up and play their most physical game of the year so far. Win or lose, the Giants must leave that game with the respect of the Eagles players and media. I’m tired of listening to both of them bad mouth Big Blue at will and show no respect. If the Giants do not get pumped up for this game, I don’t know if they can for any other game this entire season.

It started a month or two ago when Eagles RB LeSean McCoy called DE Osi Umenyiora soft and overrated. Then we heard more chatter from the Eagles players about QB Eli Manning and most recently we had Eagles player Jeremy Maclin talking trash about S Antrel Rolle. He said that Rolle is insecure or scared but didn’t know which one it was. I fully expect Antrel Rolle to take issue with that comment and separate Maclin’s head form his helmet at some point. I want our younger readers to understand that I do not support playing dirty or taking cheap shots. That is not what I’m talking about here. I’m talking about the Giants taking their game to another level and hitting the Eagles players with everything they’ve got. I’m talking about playing with a chip on your shoulder and shutting up the loud mouth Eagles players with superior game play on the field. I hope the media gives the Giants as much coverage for destroying the Eagles on Sunday as they have about how funny it is for the Eagles to disrespect the Giants or how bad it is for the G-men to fake injuries.

I find it funny that a team that has won zero Championships can talk trash about a team that has won three. The Eagles need to be put in their place and I can only hope that Big Blue can do it this weekend. The Giants lost WR Domenik Hixon for the year with a torn ACL after his circus catch against the Rams. The team announced it yesterday and he is the latest Giants player to go down for the year. The amount of injuries (for a third straight year) that the G-Men have had is dumbfounding. Is it any wonder why they missed the playoffs the past two years, when they were decimated by injuries, just as they are this year. Something needs to be done about this. Make a change on the staff or do something to show you’re concerned about the complete collapse in the health of our players. I don’t think fans realize that we are starting rookies and second string players in crucial spots on the field. You cannot fake talent or replace superior talent with inferior talent. This is in no way disrespectful for the guys who are trying to step up, I’m simply talking about depth charts and where players fall on that chart. The Giants will play the Eagles in Philly on Sunday at 1:00 PM EST.

How do you feel about the Eagles talking so much trash this year?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please Support George Martin’s “A Journey for 9/11” Charity Walk. Never Forget!


Giants Need to Break Out the Ugly Stick Against Rams

September 19, 2011

NEW YORK – It doesn’t matter how the Giants win tonight against the Rams, they just have to win. All that matters is that they avoid the dreaded 0-2 start and build some confidence going into their second divisional battle next Sunday against the Eagles. I’m not advocating any dirty play by Big Blue mind you, I am simply saying they need to man handle those guys and take the victory. I have already said that I believe the team needs to win every game from here on out leading up to the bye week (week seven). If the Giants lose tonight, things are going to get very interesting in New York.

The Giants are still dealing with a ton of injuries and will need the younger players to step up. This is your wake up call, you are an NFL player now and the team needs you. I believe the team has enough talent to win this game but there a few factors that need to come together. First, the special teams group needs to play better. They need to play like their jobs are on the line because they should be at this point. Second, the offensive play calling needs to be more aggressive and less predictable. Third, QB Eli Manning needs to get out of the funk he has been in since the preseason and get back to the player we all know he can be. I’m beginning to wonder if he is getting enough rest at home after having his first child. He seems sluggish and unfocused at times out there. If the three factors I’ve mentioned here can come together, I think the Giants will win the game tonight and get back on the right track for the season.

I recommend that all Giants fans watch this game tonight. I’m sure I do not need to tell the “true blue” fans that but there is an extra incentive for fans to check it out. The Giants will be honoring the 25th anniversary of the 1986 New York Giants Championship team that won Super Bowl XXI. That 86′ team is widely considered one of the best NFL teams ever. It is without question a top three all-time team and some may argue they are number one overall. The Giants will have a special halftime ceremony to honor the players and fans can even grab an autograph if they attend the game. Former Giants players will be located at all four entrances and available for autographs from 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM EST. Be prepared for long lines and additional security measures.

The game itself starts at 8:30 PM EST and the weather is expected to be clear and around 60 degrees. If you have kids, you might want to bring a jacket for them (and yourself) if you plan on attending the game. My final score prediction is Giants 27 – Rams 21.

What is your final score prediction for the Rams game tonight? Leave comments below.

RD – nygreporter.com

Please Support George Martin’s “A Journey for 9/11” Charity Walk. Never Forget!


Giants Open Season Tomorrow on Infamous Date in U.S. History

September 10, 2011

NEW YORK – The Giants 2011 NFL season will finally open tomorrow. Fans, including myself, have been waiting all year for this day to arrive and I’m very excited. The NFL carefully planned this opening schedule because of the date in which it falls on. September 11, 2001 is the most infamous date in United States history since the December 7, 1941 date, when Pearl Harbor was attacked. The NFL has scheduled a game between the New York Giants and Washington Redskins, representing two of the cities that were attacked a decade ago on the same infamous date. They also scheduled the New York Jets to play Americas team, better known as the Dallas Cowboys (and called much worse by Giants fans) at MetLife stadium in East Rutherford.

I can still very clearly remember the Giants playing the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football on September 10, 2001. They lost a close game 31-20 that night and when I woke up the next morning, my entire life changed forever. I watched the towers get hit by those planes, like so many other Americans and also knew someone who died in the attacks. He was a Port Authority cop and died running into the buildings to save lives. His story is so courageous that Hollywood made him one of the main characters in the film World Trade Center. His memory is kept alive by those of us in the community that tell people his story each and every year and through the fund raisers given in his name to help kids. You might know someone too who passed away during the attacks ten years ago, I hope you keep their memory alive as well. Former Giants player George Martin has done a ton of work to support the 9/11 first responders and I have promoted his cause since day one. I ask all of our readers to click the link A Journey for 9/11 and contribute in anyway you can, even if it means simply participating in the walk itself. For some reason you may have to click the link twice before it goes through. You can also call 1-877-WALK-911 if you prefer for more info.

The preseason games and training camps are over. The time has come to put up or shut up. The Giants have a very talented football team and I truly believe they can compete with any team in the NFL. I think they will beat the Redskins tomorrow by the score of 21-17 in a close game. Washington will be fired up from playing in DC on such an emotional day and I expect them to give it their best. These games against division rivals are always the most fun to me because the teams play with a little extra spunk when doing battle. I will be keeping a close eye on the defense and watching how they react to the recent surge in injuries that have decimated their squad. Get ready Giants fans, the season is about to begin!

What are your plans to watch the Giants season opener on Sunday?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please Support George Martin’s “A Journey for 9/11” Charity Walk. Never Forget!


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


A Journey for 9/11, George Martin Unstoppable

September 11, 2010

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?

RD – nygreporter.com

CLICK ME TO GO TO GEORGE MARTIN’S, A JOURNEY FOR 9/11 WEBSITE

Here are some fun facts straight from the Journey for 9/11 website about George Martin’s inaugural walk across the country.