Can you feel the electricity in the air Giants fans? The 2010 New York Giants training camp begins this Sunday!
It is now only four days away or roughly 95 hours away, whichever you prefer to use as a measurement of time. The point is that it is close and the players have begun preparing their minds to play football. Like Rocky Balboa, looking into the mirror in Rocky III, the players are searching their souls and asking if they have done all that they can do to be ready. If not, they can always put in the extra work at camp to get ready.
This is not a test, I repeat this is not a test. LIVE DRILLS will be held and players will be putting the pads back on in a matter of days. After, a light run through without pads the first couple of days (helmets only), the guys will be eager to hit something. Sort of like holding a pit bull back with a chain, waiting to be released. I normally do not write about the team in this manner but they have convinced me that they are not playing around this year. They are dead serious about making it back to the playoffs in 2010 and the journey begins this Sunday at training camp.
The Giants were embarrassed by what happened last season and when Mr. Mara became vocal, the message was clear. Changes were about to be made and people would lose their jobs. Not because Mr. Mara is a mean guy but because it was so painfully obvious where the problems existed and nothing could be done about it. It was best to severe ties with those individuals and move in another direction. The defense and special teams are the two areas with the most questions. There are some starting jobs still available and those jobs will be won through competition at camp. Writers are so focused on those two areas, that it might be easy to forget that the Giants have a very good offense.
QB Eli Manning didn’t get many new weapons this year and I doubt if he would even need another WR for 2010. In the 2011 NFL draft, sure I can see them grabbing another WR with in the first four rounds but not this year. Eli Manning had a career year in 2009 despite the poor overall outcome of the season. He will be even better this year. They are still trying to figure out the TE scenario. They have some quality TE’s in Kevin Boss and Travis Beckum and need to work them into the offense a bit more. This could be the area where Easy Eli creates the largest spike in production. The running backs will have their own mini battle for the third string slot. That would be RB’s Andre Brown and DJ Ware competing for that role, Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw have the number one and two spots locked down for now. RB Gartrell Johnson will also be in the mix but I expect Andre Brown to outperform them both for the third string spot. Johnson did show flashes of his ability in 2009 but will have a tough fight on is hands this season.
Be sure to check out our previous article on the 2010 New York Giants training camp for specific camp info. A must read if you are planning on attending one of the practices in Albany.
The New York Giants had a couple of players hit the newswire today. Rookie safety Chad Jones has finally left the hospital after weeks of painful surgeries and rehabilitation. Jones will not be able to play during the 2010 NFL Season and was placed on the IR list.
Jones’ situation (not you Jersey Shore Mike) reminds me of RB Andre Brown and what he had to endure his rookie season. Brown is healthy this year and eager to do his thing on the field. Do not sleep on Andre in 2010, he can still prove to be the steal of the 2009 NFL Draft, like some experts have predicted. Jones will also miss his entire rookie year and have to concentrate on a long rehab process. Get well soon Chad.
Going to the defensive side of the ball now, DE Osi Umenyiora was told by doctors that they recommend hip surgery. Osi took the recommendation and discussed things with the team but has decided to wait for the surgery. The doctor (Marc Philippon) is well known in the sports world and recently did A-Rod’s hip surgery, among other stars. This could explain why the front office drafted DE Jason Pierre-Paul in round one of the 2010 draft. That is a move that had some fans scratching their heads. Once again, there are things going on that we might not be aware of, so it’s best to trust the opinions of those who have the entire story. Have faith in the coaches and staff. I’m sure that all of the Giants fans are behind you Osi and want you to get healthy.
The Giants still have to concern themselves with the status of star safety Kenny Phillips. Kenny was quoted as saying he felt great and ready to hit the field during training camp. Big Blue will have an extremely dangerous tandem with Phillips and Rolle, proceed with caution NFL receivers.
– In other NFL news, WR Terrell Owens has signed a one year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals.
New York Giants QB Eli Manning and his wife Abby have donated $1,000,000 to Ole Miss. Both attended the college and Eli Manning held 47 school records when the Giants drafted him back in the day. Eli’s parents both attended the school as well.
It’s nice to see a positive story about a player giving back to the community. QB Eli Manning is worth every penny he gets in his contract. Besides improving his game on the field, he has been the consummate professional off the field. Clearly, the Manning boys were raised the right way by their parents. The entire Manning clan including Archie, Cooper, Peyton and Eli, were on hand for their passing academy recently as well. It is an annual event the family holds in Louisiana and yet another example of the guys giving back.
I think it is important for kids to hear about stories like this. The kids today need some positive role models in their lives. I think Eli Manning understands that star athletes become role models by default and players have a responsibility to do the right thing. It is part of the package when you live your life in the spotlight. It’s nice to see him embrace that role and live the good life. The Giants Nation tip our hats to you good sir.
Personally, I am glad that the Giants have a classy guy leading the team. We have all read the recent articles in 2010 about other NFL QB’s going off the deep end and being charged with some heinous crimes. It’s nice to know that Big Blue fans will be spared that kind of ridicule. To all of the kids reading this story, stay in school and follow your dreams. Stay out of trouble and remember that good things happen to good people.
Do you find it refreshing to hear a positive sports story for a change?
I’m sure the comparison has been done before but guess what? We are going to do it again. I want to take a look at the New York Giants leading WR Steve Smith and compare him with the Carolina Panthers WR Steve Smith. In case you haven’t noticed they share the same name and some might say the same game. Why do I hear a collective groan emerging from my computer, yes I know it is not the most interesting news to those outside of the Giants or Panthers community but some find it interesting.
The two star WR pro bowlers, league leaders, game breakers will meet in New Meadowlands stadium on September 12, 2010 (1:00 PM EST) to do battle. This is going to be a game that Giants fans will be calling for some blood. Without question, the Carolina Panthers have become hated by Giants fans. Almost as much as the teams in their own division. The Panthers seemed to have the Giants number every time they’ve met over the past five or six years. They beat the G-men particularly bad during the end of the 2009 season at the last home game at the old Giants stadium. That one hurt. That one still hurts. The Panthers also crushed the Giants in the 2006 playoffs adding another notch on the rivalry stick. The Giants fans would love nothing more, then to see the Panthers get thoroughly beat, during the New York Giants first home game/opener in the new stadium.
“There will be blood” will not be just a Daniel Day Lewis film come September 12th. The Giants fans will be fit to be tied and the Big Blue player pride will be riding high. I expect the G-men to crush the Panthers by twenty points. The players need to win this one to get that chip off their shoulders. I believe they will christen the new stadium the right way with a victory over John Fox and his boys.
Let’s take a look at the player statistic comparison for the two Steve Smiths.
1. WR Steve Smith – New York Giants – 25 years old – 5’11” 195 pounds – 2009 stats: 107 receptions 1220 yards 7 TD’s – 4 years NFL experience – 2009 Pro Bowl player
2. WR Steve Smith – Carolina Panthers – 31 years old – 5’9″ 185 pounds – 2009 stats: 65 receptions 982 yards 7 TD’s – 10 years NFL experience
Things have been extremely quiet in the football world lately, not including the usual Brett Favre chatter of course. I took a little mini-break during this quiet time and figured I’d enjoy the peace while it lasts. We haven’t heard any New York Giants news in a week but I anticipate this week to heat up by Friday. The Giants first round pick, DE Jason Pierre-Paul, still hasn’t signed with the team and that is something that can happen at any moment. Their second round pick, Linval Joseph has yet to sign also. The team is now only 10 days away from the beginning of training camp in Albany, New York.
Kenny, Kenny, Kenny. What is going on with Giants star safety Kenny Phillips? This is a question that has been lingering, like a thorn in my mind. I cannot overemphasize how important having Kenny Phillips on the field would be for Big Blue. He is a game changer and a very good athlete. If the front office has been coy about his status and he returns full boar, then the Giants have quietly put together the best safety tandem in the NFL.
Time heals all wounds they say, so I’m anxious to see how pro bowl DE Osi Umenyiora performs in 2010. The front office has clearly made a statement by drafting rookie DE Jason Pierre-Paul. I’m not sure why Giants writers feel the need to include this fact when Osi’s name is brought up. I think I understand why. Osi if you’re reading this, tell me if it makes sense to you. Giants fans still have Osi ranked the number one DE in their minds. Not everyone feels this way but a good portion of them do. The writers and fans haven’t given DE Justin Tuck the reigns completely yet and still know what you’re capable of. Osi is young and has had ample time to recover from his injury a couple of years ago.
I’m extremely curious to learn what defense new DC Perry Fewell intends to use. I found it promising that he was experimenting during minicamp this year. Some have mentioned a tampa 2 defense and others have said he will switch to a 3-4 defense. I’m not sure about those drastic changes but I would anticipate those scenarios to all be a part of the arsenal Fewell intends to employ. This guy looks like he mixes it up and keeps opposing offenses guessing. I do however expect him to be more aggressive then former DC Sheridan was. You cannot blame a guy for attacking when his back is against the wall and I think if Sheridan had done that a few times, he might still have his job. Probably not but you never know.
What I’m about to tell you is extremely disturbing, parental discretion is advised. Former Giants safety CC “Can’t Cover” Brown has come out in the news and said that the New York media controls the New York Giants. Really CC? Why would you want to go there? We understand your fighting to put food on the table in Detroit but let’s be honest, you had a poor year in 2009. In fact, the entire team has a poor year and yes, you were a part of that team. The New York Giants are one of the classiest organizations in all of sports with a deep history and tradition. You owe the team, front office, owners and the coaches an apology. I could have taken a very mean angle on this topic but I want to give CC the benefit of the doubt, because a lot of what happened last season was not his fault.
That’s all for now, let us know what you think in the comment area below. Be sure to check out the NYG Reporter “LIVE FROM NYG TRAINING CAMP” special in the near future.
This warm July night brings baseball fans the Major League Baseball all-star game. In fact, that game will be played tonight in Anaheim, California with a handful of Yankee players on the roster, including SS Derek Jeter. It seems fitting that Yankees owner George Steinbrenner would pass away on a date, that had historical meaning to the game of baseball. The Boss passed away this morning from a heart attack, he was 80 years old and had lived one of the fullest lives of any man on earth. Can you imagine waking up every morning and saying “I own the New York Yankees”. Can you imagine doing that since the seventies?
If you had to sum up George Steinbrenner in one word, it would have to be “Winner” because it was all he ever talked about. The Boss loved Championship rings and trophies more then anything else, other then his family of course and some might even question that.
I can’t stand to hear the haters saying, “The Yankees buy their championships” to which I always reply, “Excuse me but you do know that every single team owner is a billionaire right? You do understand that an owner who has made their money through selling toothbrushes or making condiments has a primary job? Every MLB team could do what the Yankees do financially but they don’t because they choose not to. The Yankees are in the business of the Yankees and not in the business of real estate conglomerates or dot com companies. The profits that the Yankees make go back into the Yankee system. The money other teams make could possibly go towards their primary non-baseball business. Steinbrenner was passionate about baseball and that’s a big difference, so get it right. He was also stubborn. Which is why he eventually told Cablevision to go to hell and created his own TV channel called “The YES Network” when he didn’t approve of how the Yankees were being handled. Let’s be honest, Steinbrenner got things done and who can hate a guy for doing his job well? The competition.
There will no doubt be a tribute to “The Boss” tonight at the all-star game and could there ultimately be a tribute song to “The Boss” by “The Boss”? Creative minds keep working through grief and sadness.
A spike was driven into the earth in 1925, creating a wide hole in order to place a pillar. The Mara family planted that pillar when they purchased the New York Giants for $500 dollars. Talk about pure “big blue” blood. For 85 years, the Mara family has been a light to the Tri-State area and the Giants have a reputation as one of the classiest organizations in sports. There are too many charities to list here and too many acts of kindness to mention. Some things go beyond sports and Wellington Mara was a larger then life man. “The Duke” passed away five years ago in October 2005, he was 89 years old God bless him and his legacy continues and has remained strong. The world needs more old school men like Mr. Mara is this era of being PC. With each passing year we can pick out one or two game changers or stand outs. In the football world, the Mara family is held in extremely high regard. Wellington “The Duke” Mara was born in New York and went to school in New York all the way through college. He was also enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
There is something to be said for family and fans will still be able to hold on to the familiar names of those who own the teams they cheer for. Both the Mara family and Steinbrenner family have blood running things. You have Hank and Hal in the Bronx and you have John and Tim in East Rutherford. Those are the more public names that people know of but trust me there are many more and why shouldn’t there be? Any one of us would be doing the same thing for family and friends if we were in that position. Nepotism sucks only for those outside of the circle right? The words nepotism and loyalty can become confused when applied to the same subject, such as who should be running these teams. Personally, I give both the Mara boys and Steinbrenner boys my full support. They own and operate the teams I have loved all of my life. Disagreements will happen but fans need to stand behind these men and give them a chance to show what they can do.
The passing of legendary announcer Bob Sheppard yesterday, who was the stadium announcer for both the Giants and Yankees for over 50 years, seems to add insult to injury. He takes with him the “voice of God” moniker that was bestowed upon him and a generations worth of loyalty and love from the fans. Even I cannot deny the chills I felt standing in a silent stadium, filled with tens of thousands of people listening to Sheppard speak. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.
The reader must understand that none of the men mentioned in this article can ever be replaced within the New York community. They have become that which all else is compared to and will forever hold a special meaning in the lives of fans around the globe. They are the benchmark, to which everyone must refer, in order to learn how to do things the right way.
The New York community will mourn one of their favorite sons today, as reports confirm the passing of legendary announcer Bob Sheppard. The “Voice of God” began his announcer career with the New York Yankees in 1951. Sheppard called his first Yankee game on April 17, 1951 (Yankees beat Boston 5-0) and his final Yankees game on September 7, 2007. He is famous for his classy style and mannerisms.
Personally, I can remember Mr. Sheppard calling both Yankee games and Giants games. There was something warm, familiar and comforting about Mr. Sheppards voice. He had a voice that sounded like home.
A lot of people outside of the New York area might not realize he was also the New York Giants announcer from 1956 to 2006.
The old man had an undeniable charm and eloquence in his tone and might have the most recognizable voice in Major League baseball. The sports world has lost a legend and a person who is woven into the very fabric of our national pastime. He could have easily earned the moniker of “New York’s Grandfather” or “The Voice of New York” but for a man with the unique style, the “Voice of God” was chosen by the players (Reggie Jackson) and continued by his peers (Derek Jeter). The name stayed with him throughout his career.
Sheppard, originally from Queens, New York called over 4,500 Yankee games in the Bronx and saw the Bombers win 13 Championships. He is one of only two people (Oakland’s Bill King is the other) who have both a World Series ring (from the Yankees) and a Super Bowl ring (from the New York Giants). He was a WWII veteran and his microphone was enshrined in Cooperstown in 2000.
Rest in Peace: Bob Sheppard, October 20, 1910 – July 11, 2010.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
New York Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon released the following video in memory of Bob Sheppard:
How will you remember Bob “The Voice of God” Sheppard?
While I wrote a previous article today on current events surrounding Big Blue, I began to think about two players that recently retired today. Both are former Giants players, MLB Antonio Pierce and P Jeff Feagles. There has been some mention by Giants fans of the team asking Jeff feagles to coach the punters. I cannot think of a better punting coach in the entire NFL, except maybe the coach that worked with Feagles himself.
Wouldn’t it be nice if Feagles were to take a year off, then come back as a Giants coach next season. It would probably sound something like this, assistant special teams coach. Feagles has played in 352 NFL games during his hall of fame career and punted the ball over 72,000 yards. He retired after 20 years in the NFL following the 2009 season. He spent seven of those years with the New York Giants.
No offense to current linebackers coach Jim Herrmann but Antonio Pierce would make a good coach someday himself. I’ve even heard some scuttlebutt about Pierce making a fine defensive coordinator one day. How much of this is true is up for debate but the man certainly knew the game of football. There isn’t a hater out there that can deny AP that respect. I’m not sure if he is ready to be a DC just yet, let the man get his feet wet first. I can absolutely see him as the Giants linebackers coach right away though, helping this young group of LB’s take their game to the next level. AP is a natural leader and I hope his TV career is short lived so he can return to New York as a coach next season.
Who knows if any of this will ever happen but it was worth checking out the possibility. I doubt if Pierce would give up good money on TV, to making less as a coach but you never know what can happen. I do believe that coaching will be in AP’s future no matter how the next couple of years turn out to be.
How would you feel about getting Antonio Pierce and Jeff Feagles back with the New York Giants as coaches? If you could chose only one coach between the two, who would you pick?
Hello Sports fans, I would like to welcome you all to a new segment here on the nygreporter called the “nygreporter Sports Special”. This will be a rare non-Giants article that will be put out when something extraordinary happens in the world of sports. These articles will be exceptionally rare and something of a treat for our readers. Consider this LeBron James article, edition 0001. I cannot think of a better way to kick things off then with the LeBron James story coming to a screeching halt last night, LIVE on ESPN. The basketball world has waited two years for this day to come. Make no mistake about it, all eyes were on LeBron James on July 8, 2010 at 9PM EST. In case you haven’t heard, LeBron is leaving Cleveland to play for the Miami Heat.
LeBron James set up shop at a boys and girls club in Connecticut last night while filming “The Decision”. While James was sitting inside a comfortable room, police were sweating in the heat while protecting the star players house in Ohio. They were also expecting riots in Akron, if James were to leave the team. Well, James did leave the Cavs and I saw something that actually made me cringe and had to shock LeBron. ESPN cut to footage of a Cavs fan, burning a James jersey in the streets. I would have thrown up if I had eaten dinner last night and could not believe my eyes. The city of Cleveland was described by reporters as feeling like a bomb went off. When asked why he chose Miami, James said “He felt it was the best situation for him to win Championships and that winning is very important to him”.
First of all, I am a Knicks fan and would have loved to have seen Lebron (James will wear No.6) in a Knicks uniform. I would like to personally wish LeBron well in Miami and the best advice I can give him would be to stay close to family while down there, things can get crazy in a hurry in Miami. You should be fine with getting quality schools for the kids and will probably end up living on Star Island, which has all kinds of perks of it’s own. Maybe Shaq will sell you his old house. Have someone set up a photo shoot and interview with Ocean Drive magazine to introduce yourself to the local community.
I can now understand everything LeBron must have been thinking. Put yourself in the best position to win long term. After 25 years in the same place, he is ready for a change. Avoid the crazy city life, in the ultimate city on Earth, New York City. Avoid ruining a friendship with Jay Z and becoming a star on a new franchise in Brooklyn. Avoiding the second city Chicago and cold weather, must have been a family choice. Taking his family to the beach communities of South Florida will improve their quality of life. Hey LeBron, check out some houses on A1A in Boca Raton. Be sure to introduce yourself to the local church as well and check out Mizner Park in Boca Raton for a good steak. I must say that when Lebron said he was taking his game to South Beach, I was a part of that collective gasp that shook the country for a moment. I truly thought James would stay in Cleveland but we support him in Miami and we wish him all of the best.
James will be teamed up with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, forming the newest “Big 3” of the NBA. It’s going to be a long decade for teams in the East.
How many NBA titles will the Miami Heat win over the next 7 years?
Hello Giants fans, let me ask you a question. What is wrong with WR David Tyree? Besides owning the greatest play in Super Bowl history, many might have forgotten that David Tyree was a pro bowl player at one time. Not only that but he went to the pro bowl based upon his special teams performance. The guy is not over the hill having just 7 NFL seasons under his belt and can be an electrifying game changer at the strangest moments (see SB XLII). He is 30 years old, 6’0″ 206 pounds and has won on the biggest stage in the world.
There must be something wrong with him physically for the team not to be grabbing him for a one or two year deal. There are no illusions here, he would serve as a backup WR and a special teams leader. I’m not sure if he can run as fast as he did in 2005, when he went to the pro bowl but he is certainly worth taking a look at. Invite him to training camp at the very least. The New Jersey native and former 6th round pick (2003) knows the local area and knows the G-Men very well.
I would like our readers to participate in this article and tell me what you think. Our previous article listed some possible free agent acquisitions. I find it difficult to believe that WR Chris Brown, offered Big Blue more then what David Tyree can offer. Give the man a chance to fail his own physical I say. He is a fan favorite and it shows that you gave him the respect of a physical and training camp invite. I would love to know once and for all what the main reason is for David Tyree not getting a shot at making the team. Could this be over something personal? Sure it can be but I doubt it. It has to be something regarding Tyree’s physical condition (most likely his knee).
We all know that he was hanging around the locker room earlier this year and it seemed like he had the itch to play. I know one thing for certain, if he were to come back to the Giants, the fans would welcome him with open arms.
Would you take a chance on signing former New York Giants WR David Tyree for the 2010 NFL season?
This site was born on 03/06/10 in the state of New York. nygreporter is a home for New York Giants fans and writers. We are a family friendly website and keep the comments clean. Remember that kids read this stuff too. This is a place where football fans can come and go as they please, without any headaches. We are a destination for NFL fans who want real analysis and original opinion articles about the New York Giants. The idea is to continue publishing solid work and to build on the existing good reputation we have within the Giants community. Ultimately, leading to a full time paid job writing or partnership of this website with someone who can see the light and see the social media value of working with values.
THE 2011 NFL LOCKOUT IS OVER AS OF 7/25/11. The lockout lasted (136 days). **A judge ordered the end of the NFL lockout for 4 days on 4/25/11 but I do not subtract those 4 days from the total.
Can you feel the electricity in the air Giants fans? The 2010 New York Giants training camp begins this Sunday!
Posted by robdomaine 
nygreporter.com 