New York Giants: 2011 Training Camp Update

July 8, 2011

NEW YORK – The New York Giants have officially cancelled their annual training camp at the University of Albany in favor of holding it at the Timex Performance Center in East Rutherford. This is not surprising news at all and I actually expected this type of press release sometime this week. The Giants have to make their plans now and cannot afford to wait any longer for the lockout to give them answers. I’m sure this must have been a very difficult decision to make but at the end of the day, they made the correct choice. I applaud them for waiting right up to the last minute to try and salvage their agreement with Albany but ultimately they need to take care of business and they have done so with this decision.

The G-Men have spent the past 15 years up at the University of Albany and have helped support local business’ there during that entire time. The influx of Giants fans to that area during training camp cannot be understated. The biggest question fans have now is about the possibility of being locked out of the practices due to a lack of space. Attendance for these training camps generally bring out tens of thousands of fans annually. I’m not sure how much money the team makes during these summer sessions but I can tell you that they have a ton of Giants merchandise for sale up at Albany. The team has to be losing money by making this choice. However, there was really no other choice that could have been made when you sit back and think about it.

There hasn’t been much reaction from the players or coaches yet because this news is still very new. I’m sure fans will learn more about the team plans and if they will be able to attend a session or two this year. I’m sure that head coach Tom Coughlin isn’t happy about the situation but he will adapt and overcome as always. We are less then a month away from the Hall of Fame game, so getting the players in proper football shape has become the top priority. The 2011 NFL lockout has now reached 119 days and has affected tens of thousands of people during the worst economic crisis in American history.

What do you think about the Giants having to hold camp in East Rutherford this year?

RD – nygreporter.com

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Giants Owner John Mara Steps Up Once Again

May 21, 2011

NEW YORK – You have to love Giants owner John Mara. Here is a man that is a throw back to the old school days of NFL football. He was one of the first owners to address the media when this whole lockout started 71 days ago. He was one of the first owners to address his fan base directly with a letter explaining what was about to happen. Thursday, he stepped up once again and addressed the media about the current state of the lockout. He explained how silly this whole lockout is and expressed his feelings about getting back to work and coming to an agreement soon. The players lost their battle in the court system already but now we have what amounts to a staring contest between the team owners and the players. Of course, this is a $10 billion dollar staring contest and one that will not end without feelings getting hurt.

Mr. Mara urged everyone to come back to the bargaining table because nobody is making an effort to resolve the issue. He is right. The only way to end this thing is to get into a room and make a deal. One way or another, the resolution must be made soon or the very real possibility of a lost 2011 NFL season could become a reality. Mara is clearly trying to get something done before the point of no return. The point of no return is when it takes longer to go back to the beginning then it does to reach the end of something. We are now only 16 weeks away from the first scheduled regular season game against Washington on September 11, 2011. At some point, a cut off date will be given and that date will decide the fate of the 2011 season.

What do you think about owner John Mara stepping up once again? Are you proud to have an owner that consistently takes a leadership role among NFL owners or would you prefer to have an owner that stays in the background? I have already acknowledged that I prefer a leader with Mr. Mara’s style. Someone who can examine a situation and immediately know where he stands. Leadership like that seems to be rare these days but I am glad it is not completely nonexistent. What do you think?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org


The Voting Has Started for the Giants Fan Contest

May 18, 2011

NEW YORK – Tons of anxious fans will be hoping to win the New York Giants fan contest that ends next week. Voting for the contest began today after the team received all of the entries sent in by fans. The Giants are not accepting any more entries but instead have begun the voting process by fans. I’m very excited to see who the final 10 winners will be on May 24, 2011. Please remember fans that the contest ends on May 24, 2011 at 5:00 PM EST. The 10 winners will be announced sometime later that night on Giants.com and facebook. Anyone interested in reading some wonderful fan stories and seeing some very unique photo’s of Giants fans are encouraged to check out the Giants facebook page at the following link http://on.fb.me/msbHyP and vote!

There are so many interesting stories to read that I think you will be surprised. This contest really knocks out two birds with one stone. First, they provide an incredibly unique opportunity for true blue fans to win something you literally cannot buy with money anywhere. You must win the votes in order to have your photo adorning a New York Giants home game ticket. The second thing this contest does is give true fans the chance to read some of the most interesting stories I have ever heard and to see some of the craziest photo’s I’ve ever seen. All of this of course is done with class and with good intentions. The Giants are a classy organization and would not allow anything to be out of line. They understand that a lot of their fans are kids and try to keep everything as family friendly as possible, just like we do here at nygreporter.com.

Will you be voting for the top 10 winners on facebook for the Giants ticket contest? Are you a Giants fan who has already entered the contest yourself? Let us know what you think. We will also be listing the top 10 winners here on our site for all to see. I want to wish everyone luck and remember that you are still a winner even if your entry isn’t chosen. You’re a winner simply because you are a New York Giants fan!

Once again, the contest ends on May 24, 2011 at 5:00 PM EST. Facebook.com/NewYorkGiants or http://on.fb.me/msbHyP

RD – nygreporter.com

Please visit www.hampscamp.com and donate/contribute to Rodney Hampton’s charity for the kids!


Giants CB Prince Amukamara LIVE Chat on Eastbay 5/18

May 17, 2011

NEW YORK – Hello fans, are you interested in getting to know the New York Giants first round pick a little better? Do you have a question you would like to ask rookie CB Prince Amukamara? If so, you will have your chance tomorrow. Prince will be doing a LIVE Chat on Eastbay at 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST (links will be provided below). The guy already has his own sneaker coming out, can you believe that? Not too bad for a rookie in New York.

The truth is New York expects big things from Prince in the future. This is a city that loves to win but also a city that has some of the smartest fans in the world. They will be with him every step of the way and I’m sure by the end of his rookie year, kids all over the five boroughs will be wearing his new Adidas sneaker (adiZero 5 STAR).

Giants fans have already had a glimpse of the Prince from his NFL Draft press conferences. Personally, I found him to be a very nice young man who will fit right into the Giants system and there is absolutely no question about his talent. He believes in faith, family and football. I like that. I don’t know how GM Jerry Reese does it but he seems to come away with classy rookies every year. I suggest all of New York come out and support this young man and check out his chat on Eastbay. I feel bad that these rookies have to deal with all of this lockout nonsense during one of the happiest times of their lives. Hopefully, they can get on the field soon and begin working with their new team mates.

I have two questions I would like to ask Prince. My first question is will he be attending any of QB Eli Manning’s “player practices” at Hoboken high school in New Jersey? My second question is what jersey number he would like to wear as a New York Giant? What are your questions for Prince?

Here is a link to the LIVE chat with Prince Amukamara at 7:00 PM EST on Wednesday 5/18/11.

Will you be checking out the Prince of New York during his LIVE chat on Eastbay? I know I will be there! www.eastbay.com/adidas

RD – nygreporter.com


New York Giants: Playbooks of the Future

May 15, 2011

NEW YORK – Everyone has seen a photo of an NFL playbook. Some may have even been lucky enough to hold one in their hands (highly unlikely) and flip through the secret pages. The thing is as thick as a telephone book and must be guarded very closely by players. If a rival team happens to get their hands on your playbook, you would be in for a very long season. I was thinking about this old school way of doing business and wondered what the future holds for NFL players (can you tell I have too much time on my hands due to the lockout?) and the precious NFL playbook.

I began to wonder why nobody has suggested (maybe someone has) integrating the technology of the Madden NFL video games with actual playbooks? I am certain there will be pros and cons to doing something like this but heck, if the military is using video game technology to train the finest armed forces on the planet, it might not be a bad idea to look into it. Let’s face it, the players are spending quite a bit of time on their Playstation, Wii and Xbox consoles anyway. Why not make it somewhat productive? I can honestly say that I was the first person to suggest that “one day in the future”, coaches would send the plays into the huddle with microphones and headphones placed into the quarterbacks helmet. Of course, I was probably not the first person to invent the idea but I was certainly the first person to suggest it out loud among my friends back in the early 1990’s.

Imagine handing out CD’s to the players instead of those cumbersome phonebook sized playbooks. You could integrate true learning technology into the game that notifies a wide receiver when they run a wrong route or tells a running back when they fail to pick up a block. This would basically create an entirely new industry for the gaming world and put thousands of people to work overnight. The timing would be crucial and they would need to use CD’s that couldn’t be copied. There would also be an annual overhaul of the plays and new CD’s would need to be created before each season. They could even use secure internet connections that allow teammates to play each other in cyberspace (I’m not so sure about this idea yet), the way they do with other online games such as World of Warcraft or Call of Duty.

The term VP (virtual practice) would become a household name in America and the players might even enjoy studying their playbooks. Having a video game CD played on a dedicated TV in each players home can’t be anymore dangerous then leaving a huge playbook on the coffee table in the living room. If you take out the online capabilities, it would be virtually impossible for anyone to monitor the video game use. Each team would need to create their own “video game squad” that solely deals with individual team business. I’m guessing that this would be the area of most concern for teams. Can these video game creators be trusted and will they keep their mouths shut?

Do you think making playbooks into video games would help NFL players learn the plays faster? Is this something you think we will see come to fruition in our lifetime?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please visit www.hampscamp.com and donate/contribute to Rodney Hampton’s charity for the kids!


Can Fantasy Football Survive a Cancelled 2011 Season?

May 12, 2011

NEW YORK – I have been a fantasy football player since 1999. I have seen that industry grow into a $15 billion dollar a year beast. There are only a handful of websites that can claim to be big time in that industry. Among them are CBSSports.com, ESPN.com and NFL.com to name the big three in my opinion. If the 2011 NFL season is cancelled, I am sure that those three sports sites will be fine. But what about the smaller websites that offer fantasy games or the emerging fantasy sites people don’t know about yet? I’m sure this is the furthest thing on the NFL’s mind but it is just another issue that will arise from the 2011 lockout that has now reached 62 days.

Could the 2011 NFL lockout actually benefit the larger sports sites, by creating a monopoly on fantasy football by eliminating competition through attrition? I know there are a lot of people out there who could care less about fantasy football but the fact remains that thousands of people have jobs working on the game. The economy is bad enough right now without adding a few thousand more people to the unemployment line. Sure there will be fantasy basketball and hockey that will emerge in the fall but everyone knows the bread and butter of fantasy sports is football. If the NFL cancels the 2011 season, fantasy staffs all over the country will be cut in half or laid off. The reality of “no football” until September 2012 would set in immediately and effect the economy instantly.

Personally, I do not think they will cancel this season. The amount of money is so great that the players or owners will eventually give in. The players I feel bad for are guys like New York Giants DT Barry Cofield who get stuck in the middle. Here is a guy who has played his heart out since being drafted by New York and he could wind up getting the shaft over politics. Free agents are the walking dead right now with zero options. I am a big Cofield fan and hope the team does the right thing with him. We all understand it is a business but giving Chris Canty almost 3 times the money Cofield makes is a joke. I have nothing against Mr. Canty but even he knows Cofield had a better season then he did last year. There is no denying that fact. Barry Cofield is a Giant through and through and deserves some respect for his contributions to the team. Cofield expressed his frustration in an article this week that I found to be honest and truthful. What do you think about his situation?

Top New York Giants for 2011 Fantasy Football

1. WR Hakeem Nicks

2. QB Eli Manning

3. WR Steve Smith

4. NYG Defense

5. RB Ahmad Bradshaw

6. RB Brandon Jacobs

7. WR Mario Manningham

8. TE Kevin Boss

Would you add or subtract anyone from the list above? Do you think there will be a 2011 NFL season?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org


2011 NFL Training Camp: New York Giants

May 11, 2011

NEW YORK – The 2011 NFL lockout has now reached 61 days and the powers that be still haven’t worked anything out. Fans are completely sick of this situation and I know a lot of them that might not watch another NFL game as long as they live. I have to be honest, I originally thought the lockout would be over before the NFL draft, I was wrong. The NFL has to realize they are really mucking up the waters with each and every day the lockout continues. It’s time for men to act like men and get a deal done.

It is now going to affect the real work. The OTA’s, minicamps, film work, weight room workouts, free agency and most importantly training camp. Training camp is clearly the most important of all the activities I’ve listed. Everything is backed up along the process line. I’m sure head coach Tom Coughlin will adapt to the situation as best he can. The Giants organization will not make excuses and they will absolutely roll with the punches. As a fan, I’m happy to see QB Eli Manning and a handful of players take matters into their own hands by practicing at Hoboken high school in New Jersey. They were the first players that I’ve heard of doing this, holding their own little training camp during the lockout. This will be their second week of “players camp”. I applaud these professionals for demonstrating how important it is to them to improve their game and prepare for the upcoming season.

Still, the importance of training camp cannot be understated. We are just about 90 days away from the usual starting dates for training camp. It is beginning to enter a very uncomfortable period of time for both the players and owners. Something has to give soon or they will face ruining the 2011 NFL season at a time when Americans are suffering more then ever. Americans are hurting on a biblical scale right now and the fact that the NFL is considering canceling the 2011 NFL season shows how out of touch they are with society these days. They have left teams with about 90 days to accomplish everything I listed above, which isn’t very much time at all, until training camp is supposed to begin. Let’s hope the front office can figure out how to make it work and applaud them for staying calm and cool during this madness.

RD – nygreporter.com

Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org


Giants Players Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands

May 8, 2011

NEW YORK – QB Eli Manning organized a practice with some of the players this past week. He took the initiative after the lockout flip flopped back and forth and is still currently about to enter it’s second month. It is an absolute shame that the players have to go to Hoboken high school in New Jersey (we love Hoboken) to get some work in. The New York Giants had nearly a quarter of a billion dollars playing on a high school field so they could get some work in. That’s crazy. It is also awesome. It shows Manning’s maturation into the true leader we all knew he would be one day. He crossed that line years ago but more importantly he has maintained it. I say bravo to Eli and the players who went out and played ball for a couple of days to get the blood flowing. Now that is old school!

Former WR Plaxico Burress was also in the news this past week. Burress will be released from prison in a month and the $64,000 question remains, will he play for Big Blue? There have been a ton of reports saying he will not be with the Giants. My perspective on the matter has not changed. I say the man deserves another chance since he has paid his debt to society for a crime (it was really an accident) where the only person injured was himself. For those not familiar with the story, Burress shot himself in the leg at a NYC nightclub with an unregistered gun. The guy had been a bit of a problem child before the incident but I am confident he has learned to appreciate the blessing of playing football for millions of dollars. The Giants truly have nothing to lose with giving him a league minimum contract for one year to see how well he does. Reports had Eagles QB Michael Vick very interested in speaking with Burress. Giving Burress a one year deal is worth it just to keep him from going to the Eagles as a scorned man. He is reportedly in terrific shape and could still be a very dangerous wide receiver in the NFL.

The rest of the NFL news has been extremely quiet. The lockout is now in it’s 58th day and still nothing has been worked out. It is now going to effect the minicamps and is getting close to messing with the OTA’s scheduling. Tom Coughlin will adapt and adjust but wouldn’t it be nice if he could follow the schedule he had planned all along. They still have to work on free agency, where I expect there will be a feeding frenzy among teams who are just waiting for the light to turn green before taking off.  Free agency is going to be a ton of fun once the lockout is over for all of the NFL teams and NFL fans.

Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom and all of the Moms out there!

RD – nygreporter.com

Please visit www.hampscamp.com and donate/contribute to Rodney Hampton’s charity for the kids!


Giants Coaches and Staff Keep Busy Prepping for 2011

May 5, 2011

NEW YORK – The New York Giants staff and coaches are staying busy during the 2011 NFL lockout (55 days now). Head Coach Tom Coughlin was sure to point that out during his press conference earlier this week where he discussed their draft picks. Both GM Jerry Reese and Coach Coughlin expressed their desire to get the ball rolling and start digging into free agency. They cannot have contact with any of the rookies either until this mess is cleaned up. So they plan, they work on the schedule, OTA’s and opponents. They work on the playbook, and make plans for minicamp, and training camp. They watch video and try to decide who stays and who goes once the lockout is over. They are staying very busy working on what they can.

Coughlin was sure to add his opinion on players remaining in shape during this lockout. He said the players should be prepared to hit the field as soon as this squabble over money subsides. The Giants staff has their work cut out for them with re-stacking the boards, as GM Jerry Reese would say, with all of the college rookie free agents available out there, nevermind all of the pro players who will be ripe for the picking as they look for a new home. I am one of the people who thinks the team will get a veteran offensive lineman via free agency and possibly more additions for special teams. The possibilities could also include a tight end and a linebacker.

Fans who have been starving for any morsel of NFL news will have to wait a little longer. Of course, no one knows when the lockout will end, but I can pretty much guarantee it will end the moment the owners lose some significant amount money. That will be the beginning of the end. After almost 2 months of this lockout crap, I am beginning to sound robotic even to myself. I’m tired of talking about the same subject when there are so many other interesting things we could be discussing if the lockout were to end. Either get a deal done, or cancel the entire 2011 season, but stop holding the fans hostage. I’m sorry to put it so bluntly, but I’m on my last nerve with the lockout and ready for it to end one way or another. What do you think?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please support the Eric LeGrand charity walk this June 4, 2011! Check it out at http://www.awalktobelieve.org


2011 NFL Draft Recap: New York Giants

May 2, 2011

NEW YORK – What a weekend it has been. The 2011 NFL Draft is over and the Giants have acquired some very talented players. I’m starting to understand the true meaning of the phrase “you can’t please everybody” because there have been some Giants fans who flat out think this draft was a failure. I’m not sure what they were watching, because I think GM Jerry Reese and his staff nailed the draft once again.

After taking some time to digest all of the picks, I have to give Jerry Reese a solid “A” grade. Some of the picks seemed a bit confusing to me initially, but not anymore. You can clearly see what the team was doing, and I find it brilliant. The Giants literally stole CB Prince Amukamara and DT Marvin Austin from the rest of the NFL. I expect both to be pro bowl players within three years if they can get playing time and perform well enough to stay on the field full time. Without question, these two guys were the best picks of the bunch for Big Blue. Only time will tell how good these two rookies can become, but their potential is off the charts.

The Giants 3rd round selection of WR Jerrel Jernigan was a big shock at first, until I did some research on the guy and realized how good he is going to be on special teams. The Giants are sick of all of the issues on special teams and addressed that area thoroughly in the draft. Most rookies usually start their NFL career on special teams anyway, so I don’t want to sound like Jernigan cannot become an outstanding NFL wide receiver. He was clearly taken for his lightning speed, playmaking abilities, and what he can bring to the table in 2011. The Giants 4th round pick, OT James Brewer, is a project player who will need to learn the NFL system and work on his technique. If he can get that part of the game down, this massive man could become quite an asset for Big Blue in an area of need. The Giants did not have a 5th round pick this year because they traded it away when they acquired RB Darius Reynaud last season.

All of the players from the 6th round (The Giants had three 6th round picks this year) and beyond are the biggest question marks of all. We know that you can draft some future stars in the latter rounds, but it remains to be seen who that star might be. Some experts are in love with LB Greg Jones and think he can be a very productive NFL player one day. Personally, I am rooting for all of these rookies to do well and make the team. Their success only makes the G-Men a better team in the end. The Giants minicamp will be the next event on most fans radar, followed by training camp. The NFL lockout reached it’s 52nd day today and will need to be resolved before any football activities can resume. You can find the full list of 2011 NFL Draft picks below. Enjoy!

New York Giants 2011 NFL Draft Picks 

Round 1 – CB Prince Amukamara – 6’0″ 206 pounds

Round 2 – DT Marvin Austin – 6’2″ 309 pounds

Round 3 – WR Jerrel Jernigan – 5’9″ 185 pounds

Round 4 – OT James Brewer – 6’6″ 323 pounds

Round 5 – No Draft Pick (Traded away for RB Darius Reynaud)

Round 6/A – LB Greg Jones – 6’0″ 242 pounds 

Round 6/B – S Tyler Sash – 6’0″ 211 pounds

Round 6/C – LB Jacquian Williams – 6’3″ 235 pounds

Round 7 – RB Da’Rel Scott – 5’11″ 211 pounds

How would you grade the Giants selections in the 2011 NFL Draft?

RD – nygreporter.com

Please visit www.hampscamp.com and donate/contribute to Rodney Hampton’s charity for the kids!