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

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Easy Eli Manning is Going to Make the 2010 Pro Bowl

June 3, 2010

What do you think about the title of this article? Do you think QB Eli Manning will make the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl roster for the NFC? If you agree, tell us why. If you disagree, tell us why. New York Giants Quarterback Eli Manning (6-4 225 pounds) is a Super Bowl MVP & Super Bowl Champion. Eli Manning has already been to a Pro Bowl in 2008 and has made the playoffs for four of his five years as the leader. We have seen him make incredible comebacks and we’ve seen him win 11 straight on the road. Why people still doubt Manning is beyond me. He improved again in 2009, cracking the 4,000 yard passing yard mark with 4,021 yards. He also threw a very good TD to INT ratio of 27 to 14. It must also be noted that Manning was sacked 30 times in 2009, the most of any year in his career.

He had a solid year in 2009 but the team still finished with a disappointing 8-8 record to close out the season. Injuries can be written in history as the reason why they had a poor season in 2009. 2010 will be a whole other story. Eli Manning has some dangerous receivers and tight ends in his arsenal. It’s clear that the team has the offensive lines future in mind with youngsters William Beatty, Adam Koets and Mitch Petrus in the mix. Protecting Eli will become the theme for next years 2011 NFL draft. I would bet they choose at least two offensive linemen within the first four rounds of the draft.

How would you grade the 29 year old Manning at this point in his career? Personally, I give him an “A” and could not see anyone giving him less then a “B” from everything he has accomplished since being drafted in 2004 in the first round. The crazy trade with San Diego during the 2004 NFL Draft to get him. Ernie Accorsi doing his thing and making things happen. Eli Manning is ready to take things to the next level and I expect him to do so with the arsenal of talented wide receivers he is throwing to. Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, Ramses Barden, Kevin Boss, Travis Beckum, Derek Hagan and Sinorice Moss are a lot to deal with. Eli Manning is going to go on a three or four year tear beginning this season. He will become the Derek Jeter of New York football by the end of his career. This includes at least one more Super Bowl ring either this year or next year. Next year makes the most sense logically given the team needs some time to mesh with each other. They had some things to work out but I’m confident Eli will lead this team to the next level.

My official prediction for QB Eli Manning during the 2010 NFL regular season is: 4,347 passing yards and 36 TD’s 18 INT’s.

Eli Manning’s official career numbers are: 18,644 passing yards, 125 TD’s 88 INT’s.

RD – NYGReporter.com

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New Meadowlands Stadium Wins Bowl Bid

May 25, 2010

The NFL, in the annual owners meetings; this year being held in Dallas, voted today between Miami, Tampa, and New York as the host cities for the 2014 Super Bowl. As I mentioned yesterday, all indications pointed to the New Meadowlands Stadium as the victor and indeed it was. Reports indicate that Miami was eliminated for the discussion first and after four ballots New York came out on top. The real significance is that it will be the first outdoor cold weather Super Bowl and for that many doubters are upset. They do have a fair point, I mean could you really see David Tyree making the catch if the field was covered in snow? But, the game was designed outdoors in the bitter cold and for football purists everywhere this is indeed a victory.

There is no way to tell if this ruling will have any implication on the  future of the game as far as Super Bowl locations. Who knows maybe 2015 goes to Green Bay. My gut tells me this was a call made by the owners in an effort to show of the fruit of the stadiums owners Woody Johnson, John Mara, and Steve Tisch labor. It seems as though the league really wants to show off the brand new stadiums teams are building, and it could go along way to attracting bidders for the stadiums still not purchased naming rights. Either way, this is very exciting news for all three owners and nothing but good things can come of this.

Josh Berman- 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


New York Giants Re-Sign WR Derek Hagan

May 13, 2010

The New York Giants continued to tweak their roster by signing five year NFL veteran WR Derek Hagan to a one year contract. Hagan (6’2″ 215 pounds) hasn’t done much for Big Blue since he came to the team from the Miami Dolphins in 2008. In 2009, Hagan had 101 receiving yards and 1 touchdown. I expect to see Hagan used primarily on special teams but he could get into a few games, if he can impress the coaches. Most Giants fans would prefer to see him do well (myself included), so that the team can be even more effective in the passing game. QB Eli Manning can use all of the help he can get and the re-signing of Hagan shows that Jerry Reese is very intent on keeping Easy Eli happy. A deep group of wide receivers ensures that the team will not be without a backup in that particular area.

There will be a lot of talented receivers on the team in 2010. Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks will more then likely take the one and two spot, while the battle for the third slot will be between Mario Manningham and the rest of the wide receiver group. Ramses Barden is still a very intriguing prospect because of his size and strength. One could say that this year’s first round pick, Jason Pierre-Paul could be viewed in the same light as Barden. Barden was brought in as a project because he came from a small school, exactly the same situation as Pierre-Paul finds himself in. QB Eli Manning had a career year in 2009, even though the team finished with a disappointing record. The WR corps was a big part of his progress and they should all flourish once again in 2010.

What do you think about the G-Men re-signing WR Derek Hagan? What do you think about the entire wide receiver group for the 2010 NFL season?

RD – NYGReporter.com

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The New York Giants Youth Movement

May 11, 2010

The New York Giants are a very young team. I was extremely surprised to see just how young, when I checked out the roster this morning (courtesy of Giants.com). I decided to look deeper into the college career of Linval “The Anvil” Joseph today and was going to write an article about him (I’ll get to you soon Linval), when I noticed the “years of NFL experience” next to each players name. Needless to say, I was very surprised at what I read. I started to wonder if I was just getting old and if things had always been this way or if this truly was a youth movement going on in New York. I understand that a player with five years of NFL experience is technically a veteran but I would hardly say that he was an old player. In fact, I would say a player at the five year experience mark is just hitting his prime. I used the five year mark as a starting point and worked my way up the ladder of experience. Players at the four year mark and below would certainly be considered “young” in football terms.

The one thing I learned by taking a closer look at the roster was, the oldest three players and spots on the list, all belong to the offensive line. The New York Giants offensive line is one of the best in football and I am not suggesting that they can’t play anymore, I want to make that clear. There is only one player on the team with ten years of NFL experience and only two players on the team, with nine years of experience. All three of them are starting offensive linemen. Giants GM Jerry Reese addressed the offensive line last year by drafting OT William Beatty and again this year by drafting OG Mitch Petrus. I would love to see the current offensive line play for another decade but it is just not going to happen. There are currently 37 players on the roster with four years or less NFL experience.

Personally, I do not look at this as a bad thing. I think the team is doing exactly what they need to do, in order to make another run at the Super Bowl. I have complete faith in Jerry Reese and the rest of the Giants staff. I also disagree with all of the media hype about Tom Coughlin’s job being in jeopardy this year. The man won the Super Bowl in 2007, coached the team to a 12-4 record in 2008 and was plagued by injuries in 2009. Last year was not coach Coughlin’s fault in my opinion. But enough about my opinions, let’s take a look at what the Giants roster tells us.

The Number of players with NFL experience, by years.

10 years of NFL experience – 1 player

9 years of NFL experience – 2 players

8 years of NFL experience – 1 player

7 years of NFL experience – 2 players

6 years of NFL experience – 4 players

5 years of NFL experience – 6 players

What do you think about the youth movement going on in New York? Is this something that will help or hurt the team during the 2010 NFL season?

RD – NYGReporter.com