Giants Mandatory Mini Camp: Morning Session Notes 6/15/10

June 15, 2010

The New York Giants began their mandatory mini camp this morning. Coach Coughlin did an interview (the video can be seen on Giants.com) with reporters a little while ago and seemed very calm and cool. He mentioned what a beautiful day it was (75 degrees, sunny, little humidity) for football and even joked around with one of the reporters. I am glad that was captured on film. The veterans and rookies will be playing together and getting aquatinted. This is a great time of year for Giants fans and things will begin to happen more quickly now that we are closing in on July. Training camp in Albany is only 6 weeks away now.

The afternoon practice will begin at 2:50 PM EST (come back for updates on the afternoon practice) and it is open to the public. We mentioned how to get free tickets in one of our previous articles. They are expecting between 20,000 and 30,000 fans to show up. Coughlin also mentioned that he hopes the fans know that the team will not be wearing pads today. He wants the fans to have a good experience and thinks the fans will fire up the players a little bit.

Let’s take a look at some of the fine points Coach Coughlin mentioned during his interview and overview of the morning practice.

– DT Jay Alford sat out of practice today because he tweaked his MCL last week. They say he will be fine.

– S Kenny Phillips was brought up again and there was nothing new to report. He is working hard and making progress.

– S Antrel Rolle received a lot of praise from Coughlin. Coughlin said he loves his “good energy” and his aggressive play on the field.

– LB Clint Sintim is labeled as a guy whom Coughlin has “big expectations” for this year. Sintim agrees.

– Former Giants punter Jeff Feagles was at the practice this morning working with new punters, Matt Dodge and Jy Bond.

– RB Andre Brown seems to be performing well on the field. Brown had season ending surgery last year and has yet to play in an NFL game.

– DE Osi Umenyiora is working his way back into the groove and hopes to put 2009 behind him.

– The players are responding well to new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. Fewell is energetic and extremely vocal on the practice field.

Are you excited about the mandatory practices starting today?

RD – nygreporter.com


New York Giants sign Rookie Safety Chad Jones

June 12, 2010

The New York Giants signed 2010 3rd round pick S Chad Jones to a 4-year contract on Friday. The former LSU standout is 6’2″ 218 pounds. He was asked to lose some weight when he first arrived at 230 pounds. He has cut 12 pounds since then and seems to be a sponge when it comes to learning the system. He is a tremendous athlete who could have played in the MLB if he decided to stick with baseball. He was a two sport athlete in college playing football and baseball.

Jones will wear No.35 for the New York Giants.

The New York Giants had one of the worst defensive backfields in the game of football in 2009. It was absolutely atrocious and painful to watch. The coaches and front office made swift and harsh changes to the team after one of the worst overall defensive performances in years. They signed safety Antrel Rolle via free agency and picked up safety Deon Grant. They also drafted safety Chad Jones in the third round. Jones is a player that I featured as a possible super star on the next level, so I was very happy to see the team steal in in the third round. I have big expectations for this kid and want to welcome him to New York.

I think it is safe to say that the defensive backfield has been thoroughly addressed. Let’s not forget new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell who is known as a DB coach. The 2010 New York Giants will look nothing like the team that took the field in 2009. Chad Jones will just add to the mix, in what is becoming a crowded backfield talent wise. If S Kenny Phillips can return to the team fully healthy, he will start opposite S Antrel Rolle. One of the three safeties, Johnson, Jones and Grant will surely not be with the team next season and possibly even this season. Kenny Phillips is the wild card in the whole DB scheme.

– Kicker Sam Swank was also waived by the team yesterday.

What do you think about the New York Giants signing rookie safety Chad Jones to a 4-year deal? Do you think he will become a solid NFL player?

RD – nygreporter.com


The NY Giants Will Stay in Albany Through 2012

June 8, 2010

The New York Giants have made a deal with the University of Albany, that will keep the team’s training camp there through 2012. Perhaps the team is taking heed to the ancient aztecs warning of impending doom and avoided making any commitments beyond that notorious 2012 year. More then likely, they just have become accustomed to holding training camp there and see no reason why they should add more “new things” (such as getting use to a new facility) into the mix this season. I truly believe the front office has done all it could to get the talent on the field and now we will see who rises to the occasion. I would not have minded seeing another LB brought in but I understand that one of the current young LB’s will need to step up and take charge.

The 2010 Training Camp will begin August 1, 2010 for Big Blue and run through August 20, 2010. This will be a shorter training camp then the Giants have had in the past. There will be seven double sessions (two-a-days) and a total of 16 practice days. This is good news for the team and will lend some stability to the players while they go through the transitions with new coaches and players. Keeping training camp is a familiar setting was a smart move by Jerry Reese and Tom Coughlin.

I expect to see the biggest battles on the defensive side of the ball. Keep an eye out for the defensive linemen and linebackers in particular. We will surely see the most work coming from those two groups. The middle linebacker position will be under a microscope and there is still no true leader at that spot, even though reports are coming out about players getting in work there. The entire team need to remain healthy and I hope the trainers are aware of what needs to get done. Keep the players fresh as much as possible and get them in there for treatments. Last year was horrific from an injury standpoint.

What do you think about the New York Giants continuing to keep their training camp at the University of Albany? Will you be attending any of the practices this off season?

RD – NYGReporter.com


Free Tickets to Watch Giants Practice in New Stadium

June 4, 2010

Hello Giants fans, I just took a look at the Giants.com homepage and noticed that the team is offering free tickets to watch a mini camp at the New Meadowlands stadium. I will leave all of the information below so if you decide to attend you can get your ticket. The best way to go about this would be to send a friend an email so he can get a free ticket too because they give out only one per email address. So be sure to call up a friend or shoot him an email before they stop running the promotion. What a great oppurtunity to go out and see some of the rookies and veterans on the field together. It will also give fans the opportunity to check out the new stadium, since a lot may not be able to afford season tickets during this down economy. The sign up is really simple and you get a ticket via email almost instantly. Check it out!

I don’t know how long they will be running this promotion so I suggest everyone send out the email as quickly as possible! Maybe we will see you there at the stadium. I’m sure the Big Blue faithful will be out in record numbers to see the G-men on their new field. Enjoy!

The fine print says: You must be over 21 years old to get a ticket, otherwise have a legal guardian get a ticket as well and go with you. Food and drinks are not included with the ticket but they will be on sale.

The date and time of the practice is Tuesday June 15, 2010 @ 2:50 PM EST – 4:30 PM EST (100 minutes)

Here is the link to sign up and get a free ticket to a New York Giants practice at the New Meadowlands stadium.

http://www.giants.com/minicamp.asp

Have you ever attended a New York Giants practice or training camp in the past?

RD – NYGReporter.com

SUPPORT THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT!!


Super Bowl XLVIII in the Year 2014 Exclusive

May 27, 2010

I’m so excited about the Super Bowl coming to the New York/New Jersey area that I had to write a story myself on this topic. One of our writers, Josh Berman, broke the news when it hit the wire and reading his article was the first I heard of it. We have to try and get tickets somehow (see the events tab up top for Super Bowl ticket lottery info). The Giants begin their 2010 season in their new stadium, which is tremendous from what I have heard about it. Josh Berman has been there and confirms that the place is awesome. The New York City and Hudson County, New Jersey areas will be rocking. Wouldn’t this be a great story if the New York Giants find themselves playing at home for the Super Bowl in 2014? I truly believe that Giants GM Jerry Reese has already decided to get the team there by any means necessary and if the Jets make it too, I will have to find a way to get to the game. A subway series in football would be historical (with the Giants winning of course).

I can tell you right now that Hoboken, New Jersey (check W Hotel in Hoboken for booking info soon) will be a hot spot during the 2014 Super Bowl. There will be some other areas such as Atlantic City which is a few hours away and all of Manhattan that will surely be celebrating. Actually, all five boroughs in New York will be celebrating I’m sure and upstate too. Grandfathers who haven’t left the house in three years will be on line for tickets to this Super Bowl. I can only pray that the true fans have an equal opportunity to get some tickets and they aren’t all given to the corporate world. This should be a game for the fans who have waited a lifetime for this chance to see a LIVE Super Bowl. Remember that subway service will be available and should be considered in traveling plans. I would hope that the Giants and Jets ownership take heed to my call. Put this one aside for the true fans and your rewards will be endless. If this is made up to be a bling event then it will be doomed, if it returns to good old hometown football then it will succeed, this advice is free.

Here is another part to that question, what if it does snow during Super Bowl XLVIII? What happens next? How do they prepare for it? Let me ask you something, what happens if this turns out to be the worst Super Bowl in history? How much of that blame would be placed on the location? What if the weather is clear but there is still a poor game played? Is that the location’s fault as well? Do you see what I’m getting at here? Personally, I think it will be a great game. The fans will energize both teams like never before in this area. Will there be jet packs for fans to get to the stadium in time for tailgating, in the year 2014? I guess we will have the wait and see Giants fans.

What do you think bout the New York/New Jersey area getting Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014? Are you concerned about the possibility of snow?

RD – NYGReporter.com


NY Giants Top Ten: Single Season Record, Receiving Yards

May 23, 2010

Here is a new segment that we will be doing here on the NYG Reporter, we will call them the unoriginal name of the “top ten” lists. Yes, we understand the cliche but it is still an effective means for communicating pertinent information about the team. The previous article we wrote before this, where we took a look at the fantasy football possibilities got me thinking. I mentioned that I thought WR Hakeem Nicks would break the single season Giants record for receiving yards in 2010. The current all-time record is 1,343 receiving yards, in a single season, set by WR Amani Toomer in 2002. During Hakeem Nicks’ rookie season in 2009, he had 790 receiving yards and six touchdowns, even though he only started in six games.

It will be interesting to see how the Smith/Nicks WR duo compliment each other. We could be on the verge of something big here in 2010. Let’s not forget about WR Mario Manningham, WR Ramses Barden, WR Derek Hagan, WR Domenik Hixon, WR Sinorice Moss and the rookie WR Tim Brown that Coughlin has mentioned during interviews. They will be competing with each other during the current OTA’s going on and even more so, come training camp in Albany this summer.

We will be doing the running backs and quarterbacks records during this week as well, so be sure to come back and check them out.

Let’s take a look at the top ten all-time receiving yards records for the New York Giants.

New York Giants all-time receiving yards, per single season, record standings.

1. WR Amani Toomer, 1,343 receiving yards in 2002.

2. WR Steve Smith, 1,220 receiving yards in 2009.

3. WR Plaxico Burress, 1,214 receiving yards in 2005.

4. WR Homer Jones, 1,209 receiving yards in 1967.

5. WR Amani Toomer, 1,183 receiving yards in 1999.

6. WR Del Shofner, 1,181 receiving yards in 1963.

7. WR Earnest Gray, 1,139 receiving yards in 1983.

8. WR Del Shofner, 1,133 receiving yards in 1962.

9. WR Del Shofner, 1,125 receiving yards in 1961.

10. WR Amani Toomer, 1,094 receiving yards in 2000.

Are you surprised by the amount of wide receivers on this list that have played  in the 1960’s? Do you think that WR Hakeem Nicks can re-write the record books in 2010?

RD – NYGReporter.com


2010 Fantasy Football: New York Giants Breakdown

May 23, 2010

Hello Giants Fans, I’ve noticed that the 2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft rooms have been heating up. I know it is difficult to believe but ESPN already has their mock draft rooms up and running. It’s the same story with CBS Sports and their fantasy mock drafts. We are almost into June now and things are sure to heat up over the summer. The real 2010 NFL Draft has been over a couple of months now and the next significant time period will be training camp. There hasn’t been a release of those dates and locations as of yet but we know that the G-Men will be attending Albany this season for certain.

I am going to give you a list of the New York Giants players that will be worth having on your fantasy roster for the 2010 NFL season. I believe that the Giants wide receivers offer the best shot at making a difference on your team. I expect Easy Eli to have an improved year in 2010 and make the Pro Bowl. Clearly, the wide receiver group will benefit the most from Manning’s production on the field. I think drafters can get the New York Giants defense as a steal in the mid-to-late rounds. I expect the Giants defense to finish in the top ten for 2010. These are simply my thoughts on the 2010 possibilities for Big Blue. I’m sure this will help someone who reads this and decides they want to take a shot on some of these guys. Remember, this is designed to be a fun game, so don’t take it too seriously and enjoy yourself.

2010 Fantasy Football players on the New York Giants.

1. WR Steve Smith Smith is coming off a career season with Big Blue and he also made the pro Bowl in 2009. He is going to lose some passes to Hakeem Nicks but will still get enough to build on his numbers from last year. Look for 1,200 plus receiving yards and 10 TD’s from Smith in 2010.

2. QB Eli Manning – Manning is also coming off of a career year and I expect him to outperform 2009’s numbers and also make it to the Pro Bowl in 2010. I expect 4,000 plus yards and at least 30 TD’s from Manning in 2010.

3. WR Hakeem Nicks – I expect Hakeem Nicks to have a breakout season, by setting a new Giants record for receiving yards in a single season (currently 1,343 yards by Amani Toomer in 2002). This is another guy who could prove to be a steal around the 5th or 6th round of your draft.

4. RB Brandon Jacobs – Look for Brandon the Bull to return to form in 2010 with 1,000 yards rushing and 10 TD’s. You can easily get Jacobs in the 5th round in most drafts, I suggest you grab him or pay later.

5. RB Ahmad Bradshaw – Bradshaw will prove to have the skills to be a number one running back on any team. I predict he will have a 200 plus yard game during the 2010 NFL Season. I’m predicting 1,000 plus rushing yards and 5 TD’s in 2010.

6. TE Kevin Boss – Boss is about to have surgery on his ankle but should be ready for training camp. He is working his way up a short ladder of NFL tight ends. I’m guessing 600 receiving yards and 5 TD’s in 2010 for Boss.

7. New York Giants Defense/Special Teams – I am predicting the New York Giants defense will finish the 2010 NFL season in the top 10.

8. Wild Card Players – WR Mario Manningham, WR Ramses Barden, RB Andre Brown WR Victor Cruz and TE Travis Beckum.

Which New York Giants players do you deem worthy of a fantasy football roster spot? Do you play fantasy football? Check out the link in the comment area for a brand new fantasy sports site.

RD – NYGReporter.com


New York Giants Have Some Injured Players

May 22, 2010

The New York Giants have some players who are banged up and could miss playing time. The most serious of them all is backup offensive lineman Kevin Boothe. Boothe will be having surgery next week to repair a torn pectoral muscle and he will miss at least 4 months. This should open up an opportunity for one of the younger players to step up and give the team some depth at the offensive lineman position. It would not surprise me to see Giants GM Jerry Reese grab a free agent before the season started either. Protecting Eli Manning is priority number one when it comes to the offense.

Speaking of Eli Manning, one of his favorite targets will be going under the knife as well. Giants tight end Kevin Boss will be having surgery on his ankle and is expect to miss 4-6 weeks during his rehabilitation process. The reports are saying that he should be ready for the start of training camp. This is good news for Giants fans because Kevin Boss is more then just a safety valve for the offense. Boss showed his toughness last year by making some very difficult catches in traffic and holding onto the ball. Getting that kind of skill and toughness from the tight end position is a rarity. It sounds like Boss will not miss any playing time but if he has a set back, it could mean that Travis Beckum could see an increased role in 2010.

DT Jay Alford and RB Andre Brown are two players who missed the entire 2009 season, they were back at practice and reportedly feeling good. This is extremely good news for the fans and team because those guys just make us deeper and stronger at two positions that require depth. I’m curious to see what Andre Brown can do on the field and I hope that Jay Alford can return healthy and motivated. RB Brandon Jacobs and RB Ahmad Bradshaw also participated in practice, which is great news since they both had off season surgery as well.

The Giants have been very quiet when it comes to discussing safety Kenny Phillips. The fact that the team addressed the safety position so much during this off season doesn’t comfort fans in the least. Phillips is a difference maker and someone the G-men cannot afford to lose. If Phillips is unable to pay during the 2010 season, it would be a huge loss. If it goes deeper then that and Phillips’ career is in jeopardy, then this might be one of the saddest stories in recent NFL memory. One thing is for certain, Kenny Phillips is working his tail off to get back on the field.

What do you think about the latest New York Giants injury reports? Will Kenny Phillips play in 2010?

RD – NYGReporter.com


New York Giants 2010 NFL Season Predictions

May 18, 2010

Hello New York Giants fans, I thought we could take a look at current team and make some predictions. That means we hope to get some interaction with our readers and hear your opinions as well. You may not agree with us or some of the comments you read here but we ask that everyone remain respectful. I am going to be as honest and respectful as I can about the upcoming season. Let’s keep in mind that these are predictions and this is simply an exercise in entertainment. Enjoy!

– The New York Giants will finish the 2010 NFL season with a 11-5 or 12-4 record.

– The New York Giants will finish in 2nd place of the NFC East (Dallas wins out).

– New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning will improve on his career year numbers in 2009 (4,021 yards and 27 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, 93.1 QB rating) and make the NFL Pro Bowl in 2010.

– The New York Giants will make the playoffs in 2010.

– The New York Giants will win their first game of the 2010 NFL Playoffs.

– The New York Giants will lose their second game of the 2010 NFL PLayoffs.

– New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks will set a single season record for receiving yards and yards after catch (YAC yards).

– New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks will make the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl.

– New York Giants linebacker Clint Sintim will have a break out season.

– New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs will rush for over 1,000 yards and have 10 touchdowns in 2010.

– New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell will give Big Blue a top five defensive backfield in 2010.

– New York Giants safety Antrel Rolle will make an immediate impact on the team.

– New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora will man up and have a career season in 2010.

– New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw will have 200 plus rushing yards in a single game.

– New York Giants wide receiver Steve Smith will beat his receiving numbers from the 2009 NFL season and make the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl.

– New York Giants wide receiver Ramses Barden will finish the 2010 NFL Season with 10 or more touchdowns.

– New York Giants will have a new punter named Matt Dodge when the 2010 NFL Season starts.

– The New York Giants will cut kicker Lawrence Tynes at some point during the 2010 NFL Season or immediately following it.

– New York Giants defense will rank in the top 10 during the 2010 NFL Season.

– New York Giants cornerback Terrell Thomas will make the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl.

– New York Giants will have five players make the 2010 NFL PRo Bowl.

– New York Giants General Manager Jerry Reese will win “GM of the Year” for the 2010 NFL Season.

Let’s hear what your predictions are for the New York Giants 2010 NFL Season. Do you agree with my predictions? Do you think we are wrong or most? Let’s hear your opinions.

RD – NYGReporter.com


The Curious Case of Barry Cofield

May 16, 2010

The 2010 NFL Draft ended three weeks ago and there are still some unanswered questions in my head. There is something that I still can’t wrap my mind around. Why in the world would the New York Giants consider trading defensive tackle Barry Cofield for a second round pick? At first, I thought it was a rumor or pure speculation but reports confirmed that the G-Men did indeed pursue a trade with the New Orleans Saints. I consider GM Jerry Reese to be a top five General Manager in the entire NFL but this trade makes absolutely no sense to me. The Giants drafted Cofield (6’4″ 306 pounds) in 2006 and he has only missed one game in his four years with New York. The 26 year old has been steady and strong in the middle.

What makes this even more bizarre is the fact that the team is in disarray at the DT position. Former Giant Fred Robbins left for the Rams, Jay Alford is returning from a season ending injury, Rocky Bernard is still a question mark and Chris Canty is still a mystery. Bernard and Canty were both plagued by injuries for most of the 2009 season as well. The rest of the DT group are strictly depth players or possible future stars. Why would the team consider trading their only reliable defensive tackle for an unproven prospect? Even if Jerry Reese knew he would be taking a rookie defensive tackle early in this draft, why wouldn’t he have offered someone else for the trade? I can think of half a dozen players (perhaps not worth a second round pick) that could be offered up instead of Cofield. This is the first time I can honestly say that Jerry Reese might have slipped up. I’m very happy that this trade did not go through and the fans can only hope that Cofield doesn’t take this personally, although I don’t know how you can do that as a player, who has been as loyal to a team as Cofield has. Hopefully, all of the parties involved can move past this and prepare for another run at the playoffs in 2010.

DT Barry Cofield was re-signed to a one year contract. I don’t know what the team is looking at that we don’t see but I would have given him a three year contract.

Do you think that trading Barry Cofield for a second round pick would have been a good move? Do you find this attempt to be curious to say the least?

RD – NYGReporter.com