2010 New York Giants: NYG Notes 08/04/10

August 4, 2010

Hello Giants Fans,

There have been some extremely interesting items in the news this past week or so regarding the Giants. The most recent being the news of Plaxico Burress’ release date of 2-3 weeks from prison on a work release program. The possibility of bringing Burress back to the Giants is very unlikely, unless he wants to play for the league minimum with zero guarantees. Would you take Plaxico Burress back if he could get in shape by the game, following the bye week? At the league minimum for eight games? What would you do?

Giants fans everywhere have been waiting all day for the Hakeem Nicks news. Nicks was sent to a Manhattan hospital to be checked out for a possible hyperextended leg. The team is expected to discuss this more when they know more about it. Losing Hakeem Nicks for any length of time would be a huge loss for the team. He is a favorite sleeper among fantasy football owners for 2010 and had a very good rookie year last season. So far, it looks like the MRI says he is fine.

I must also add that Mike Francesa did an absolutely wonderful show yesterday LIVE from the New York Giants training camp. What a treat is was for Giants fans to see all of those interviews with the players and coaches and owners. Mike always does it right and that is one show that every Giants fan looks forward to. The nygreporter was on his Giants training camp show last year as a call in. Mike and I talked about the Giants time of possession game and how it could effect their overall record. If you recall, the Giants defense on paper in 2009 was off the charts before all of the injuries started happening. Some like him and some don’t but I think he is a good guy.

– In other sports news today, New York Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez, hit his 600th home run today off of Shawn Marcum in the 1st inning of a day game against the Blue Jays, at Yankee Stadium. He is only the seventh player in MLB history to reach the No.600 HR plateau and he is also the youngest to ever do it at 35 (his birthday was last week). Congrats Alex!

RD – nygreporter.com

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Let’s take a look at some of the recent news about the New York Giants.

– WR Hakeem Nicks is sent to a Manhatten hospital from training camp. The MRI comes back fine.

– WR Plaxico Burress to be released from prison in 2-3 weeks on a work release program. He will seek to play in the NFL once again.

– QB Eli Manning looks as calm and cool as ever. He is having a good camp and I expect him to improve on his 2009 numbers.

– LB Phillip Dillard continues to impress his peers and coaches with his natural leadership abilities. Dillard is very animated and vocal when talking to the defense.

– DC Perry Fewell is an extremely good coach. He was very thorough when I saw him at camp on Monday. He confirms that he will be experimenting until the regular season begins.

– S Kenny Phillips begins the season of the PUP list. He dresses for practice but does not participate. He looks to return soon.

– LB Keith Bulluck is bringing some of the nasty back to Big Blue. If he remains healthy in 2010, the Giants got a steal. Plus, Bulluck really wants to play in New York.

– Rookie S Chad Jones was put on waivers, then cleared waivers and is now on the Giants non-football related injured reserve list.

– The Giants signed veteran S John Busing to bolster their safety corps.

– The Giants are awarded DE Alex Hall off waivers from the Eagles.

– OL Rich Seubert has not had a beer in five days.

– RB Andre Brown looked fast and fluid during the morning practice. He will be fighting for the third strong job for now.

– CB Aaron Ross has been back on the field and playing well so far. it was good to see him running around out there during practice.

– Rookie DE Jason Pierre-Paul continues to get rave reviews from the coaches and players.

– DE Osi Umenyiora has matured to a level where he can’t be touched. I expect a terrific year for the new and improved humble Osi.

– Rookie punter Matt Dodge continues to get some coaching from the legend Jeff Feagles. I hope the Giants hire him full time.

– Backup QB Jim Sorgi was a bit shaky when I saw him during the morning practice on Monday. The backup QB spot still concerns me.

– The YES network’s Mike Francesa Show, did a LIVE broadcast yesterday from the New York Giants training camp in Albany.

– Head Coach Tom Coughlin is impressed with how many players arrived at camp in shape. He also said the team has a lot of work to do in a very short period of time.

– The Giants did not practice on the field today. They remained indoors at meetings and the weight rooms.

– The Giants will have their first “full pad” practice tomorrow on 8/5/10 at the University of Albany.


New York Giants Make Roster Moves 7/29/10

July 29, 2010

The New York Giants have signed another defensive player in LB/DE Alex Hall today. Hall (6’5″ 250 pounds) was a seventh round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2008. The Giants picked him up off the waiver wire from Philadelphia today, where he was traded by the Browns last year. He is a young guy who has played linebacker as well as defensive end. The Giants have reportedly shown interest in using him as an end. Hall could end up becoming a utility man of sorts this year splitting time between LB and DE and I will need to investigate his special teams abilities. Something tells me he will see some time there as well.

The Giants also waived recently injured safety Chad Jones today. Many have speculated that the move is simply so they can put the rookie on the Non-Football Injury list that would shut him down for the season, while making roster space in the meantime. This happened with WR Domenik Hixon a few weeks ago and everything worked out. Chad Jones might be a different story because teams might be willing to take a shot on Jones, particularly some of the west coast teams. This could also mean that the team has received some bad news and felt it would be best to do things quickly. We need to get some more info on this part of the story.

What do you think about the Giants adding yet another defensive end into the mix? Does the recent news of Osi’s inevitable surgery mean he could be forced to get it sooner by the team?

RD – nygreporter.com

PLEASE SUPPORT THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT!!


New York Giants Training Camp News 7/28/10

July 28, 2010

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.

New York Giants Training Camp News 7/22/10

RD – nygreporter.com

PLEASE SUPPORT THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT!!


The Autumn of Two Smiths in New Meadowlands Stadium

July 21, 2010

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

RD – nygreporter.com

PLEASE SUPPORT THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT!!!


Just Talking About New York Giants Football

July 21, 2010

Hello Giants Fans!

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.

RD – nygreporter.com

PLEASE SUPPORT THE WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT!!!


New York Giants Are 30 Days Away From Day 1

July 2, 2010

The New York Giants are now officially 30 days away from the first day of training camp. The 2010 training camp dates for Big Blue are August 1, 2010 – August 20, 2010 and will be held at the University of Albany once again. This is going to be a particularly exciting off season with some incredible battles expected on the defensive side of the ball. There will be a brawl at the linebacker position between ten guys looking to start. There still isn’t a clear leader in the middle linebacker group. This is one of the most important jobs on the team and a slot that most thought would have been filled already by a free agent at this point in the year.

I would not be surprised if our readers saw another article from us by the end of the day, discussing a new free agent pick up or player signing.

The defensive end position will be next on the list with four quality (three proven) defensive ends and only two starting roles. Giants DC Perry Fewell has been experimenting with four down defensive ends and I applaud him for it. I would not use that as a standard formation but it might not be a bad idea to mix it into both, first and third down situations. Great start versus drive killer. We have seen this before with Coach Spags back in the day and it works. Both equally good elements to throw into the game and the G-men certainly have the talent to use this set up.

The defensive tackles are solid players and getting DT Jay Alford back this year will bolster an already strong group. The rookie DT Linval Joseph might contribute right away I’ve heard and  I’m anxious to see him on the field. I talked a lot of junk at this point last year about the Giants defensive line having the talent to be the best in the NFL. The team as a whole performed below expectations and I was wrong about the d-line. That was mostly due to the injuries the team had to endure. In 2010, I think this group can perform beyond the bar I set for them in 2009. The Giants defense is stacked.

The defensive backs are going to have their own little skirmish going on back there. The Giants prize signing of 2010, Antrel Rolle, will be a starting safety but who will be the other? Michael Johnson and Deon Grant will be battling it out for that role now that rookie safety Chad Jones is out for the year. If safety Kenny Phillips is healthy, all bets are off and he gets the starting role but questions still remain about his health. We all hope that Phillips can start but nobody knows for now. CB Aaron Ross participated in minicamp on a limited basis and will be returning from an injury plagued year that had him sidelined for almost all of 2009. It would not surprise me to see Giants GM Jerry Reese sign a cornerback, safety or linebacker within the next week or two. Possibly even tonight. What do you think?

Will you be attending any of the 2010 New York Giants training camp practices? Which position do you think will have the biggest battle?

RD – nygreporter.com

THE NYG REPORTER WISHES EVERYONE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND!!


Josh Berman’s Giants Update: Edition 2

May 5, 2010

Not too much in the news this week Giants Fans. Rookie mini camp was this past weekend, but surprisingly not much news came out from it.  Matt Mosley reported on the progress of Linval Joseph. The second round defensive tackle out of East Carolina apparently had a very impressive weekend. Supposedly, he was great at encouraging teamates throughout the camp, so maybe on a defense that is really looking for a voice of leadership this kid can provide a spark.

Speaking of defensive leadership, I think it may be the one issue no one is talking about. Who is going to step up and replace Pierce’s voice? Osi certainly won’t and Tuck has never been out spoken. I personally am hoping Rolle can step in, or maybe Boley, whoever starts at MLB or maybe even Joseph.

Back to this past weekends camp, reports indicate that Jason Pierre-Paul is athletically impressive but that Linval should have a more immediate impact. I think the best case scenario is for JPP to really learn this year and then next year, when either Osi or Kiwi leave, (and one of the certainly will) he can step into the rotation and play a big role.

Final note, Herm Edwards appeared on ESPN after a “Sports Nation” poll revealed Giants’ Fans believe the team will go 12-4 this season. Herm disagreed believing the NFC East will be too strong and the middle of the schedule will be too brutal. He seems to believe the team will be a 10-6 wild card team. Sounds reasonable. In the next edition I’ll try and give a very early schedule break down and maybe do a few more as the offseason progresses.

Josh Berman – NYGReporer.com


NYG Reporter Gives Support to the American Red Cross

April 12, 2010

As of April 12, 2010, the NYG Reporter fully supports and promotes the American Red Cross on our website. You can find a link to the site on the right side bottom. I have personally done volunteer work for the Red Cross during the 2005 hurricane season (Wilma) in South Florida and another time in the late 1990’s. I know what it feels like to have no power, electricity or water for two weeks. Disaster relief and preparedness are things that no one generally thinks about until it’s too late. I would urge all Americans to have a proper kit ready for all disaster type situations. One of our community leaders Saulo Padua, who is practicing law in Brazil, just recently experienced first hand what the devastating storms can do. Brazil was hit very hard last week. Hopefully, Saulo can leave a comment here and tell us a little about what he has seen there. The Red Cross was founded in 1881 and has been helping with disaster relief for 129 years.

It doesn’t take much to contribute to the American Red Cross. The socialvibe company has made it even more simple to donate some time to them. If you click the American Red Cross banner on the bottom right hand side of the screen, it shows you that all you need to do, is spend some time (literally) looking around as a donation. It’s very simple and shows a “counter” with exactly how many minutes are being donated by those browsing. Everyone who checks out the American Red Cross from the NYG Reporter site will counted but not named, with respect to our community privacy policy. We will select a new charity to support every three months. It doesn’t mean we longer support the previously posted charity, it just means we are giving some other charities a chance to be promoted. We will settle on four charities to support and promote them seasonally. The American Red Cross is the first to be chosen but not the last.

I urge all parents and people alike, to take the time to make a disaster preparedness plan. Every home should have a small bag with the following items in it. Keep this bag in a place where you know it will always be ready to go if something should happen. Going over a “what to do if…” scenario with children and spouses. It takes one night of sitting and talking. Having the bag ready to go, takes a lot of thinking out of the process when trying getting back to normal. The thing with a disaster is you never really know what you are going to need, until you need it.

Here is the link to the American Red Cross website: http://www.redcross.org/

The NYG Reporter Disaster Preparedness Starter List:

1. Two Flashlights with extra batteries.

2. Hand Crank Weather Radio, no batteries needed.

3. Can Opener

4. Lighters/Matches

5. Water (as much as possible)

6. Leatherman Tool/Small Knife

7. Candles – enough for one week

8. First Aid Kit/Medications – size depends on actual family size

9. Bottle of Aspirin

10. Snack Bars – a couple of small boxes, granola, protein.

11. Hand Sanitizer – a couple of small bottles

12. State Map, Notebook and Pens

13. Canned Food (7) Jar of Coffee (1)

14. Important Papers Copies. Family and Friends contact information. Hand written copies of all phone numbers, email and home addresses.

15. Nylon Duffle Bag – weatherproof and large enough to carry all of your items. Extra Set of Keys.

SUPPORT THE AMERICAN RED CROSS TODAY!

RD – NYGReporter.com


2010 New York Giants: Pre Draft Diagnosis

April 10, 2010

After taking a look at the current New York Giants roster, I believe the team can do well in 2010. They are a young football team that should have some good competition come training camp time. I was surprised at some of the number of players per position. Some of the areas where I thought the G-men were thin, they weren’t. Using the current roster, if it doesn’t change again before the draft, you can begin to see what the team might be thinking since they are so close (12 days away from the 2010 NFL Draft) to getting down to business. The Giants War Room will be rocking and I would not be surprised to see some deals getting done. The G-Men have been very aggressive this off season.

Giants fans are left with more questions then answers. The team has addressed the safety position thoroughly and made some other basic roster moves. Jerry Reese is a man who always has a plan and I am sure he can see the future better then any of us. I’m on the fence currently about drafting either a linebacker or offensive lineman in round one. Linebacker is the bigger need but if the ones they targeted are off the boards, then I would go offensive lineman here. Getting Eli Manning some help during his prime, can only benefit the team long term.

I expect the defense to be better in 2010 without a doubt. They are young and fast and I believe they are going to surprise a lot of teams. I’m excited to see who is going to step up on offense and if the team is ready to invest in another big weapon for Manning. Look for RB Brandon Jacobs to have an improved year and get back to knocking people down, north and south. DE Osi will have some reassuring to do after his 2009 season, by playing his heart out and convincing coaches and fans he wants to stay with the team. WR Steve Smith will prove that 2009 was not a fluke by mimicking his success this season. LB Clint Sintim and WR Ramses Barden should get more playing time and OL William Beatty could be starting by the end of the year.

There are a lot of exciting possibilities in 2010. I expect a real battle at the linebacker position during training camp. I believe that will be the most interesting of them all. Will DE/DT Chris Canty and DT Rocky Bernard make a difference? What do you think about the 2010 New York Giants situation as of today, right now?

Here is a list of questions that I am asking myself about the New York Giants prior to the 2010 NFL Draft. Feel free to leave your comments below.

1. Backup QB situation. Is Jim Sorgi “game ready”? Is Rhett Bomar the answer?

2. Who will play the Middle linebacker position for Big Blue in 2010?

3. Will the running backs be healthy? Will RB Andre Brown emerge?

4. Will safety Kenny Phillips be healthy and ready to play?

5. How will new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell do in his first year with the team?

6. How will some of the other coaching changes effect the plays on the field?

7. Who will the Giants take with the number one pick in the 2010 NFL Draft?

8. Will CB Aaron Ross be healthy and ready to play mentally?

9. Will K Lawrence Tynes still be on the team for the 2010 season?

10. Will P Jeff Feagles have a better season then in 2009?

11. Will TE’s Kevin Boss and Travis Beckum get more work on the offense?

12. Will WR Hakeem Nicks have a breakout season in 2010?

13. Why are WR Sinorice Moss and RB DJ Ware still on the roster based on their career numbers?

14. Will OL William Beatty be starting at left tackle by the end of the season?

15. Can the New York Giants make it back to the playoffs in 2010?

RD – NYGReporter.com


Welcome to the NYG Reporter!

March 6, 2010

This is a website for New York Giants fans and writers to come and discuss New York Giants football. There is nothing left out of the discussion here concerning the G-Men during the season and off season. We are looking to build a strong network of solid New York Giants writers.

We have been featured on CBS Sports, USA Today, Giants.com, Giants 101, SB Nation and bleacher report just to name a few. The goal was to create a stress free environment for Giants writers to come and share their thoughts and strategies, without feeling suffocated or pressured to constantly write new material for the site. All are welcome here, from the established and seasoned sports writer, to the beginner trying to make sense of it all. Welcome to the NYG Reporter!

This site was born on March 6, 2010. I hope you decide to check us out and stay a while!

Robert Domaine – nygreporter.com