E-GIANTS
Dave Klein was the Giants' beat writer for The Star-Ledger from 1961 to 1995.
He is the author of 26 books and he is one of only four sportswriters to have covered all the Super Bowls. Dave has allowed TEAM GIANTS to reprint some of his articles.

THE CONTINUING SAGA OF LAWRENCE TAYLOR
HE'S AUCTIONING OFF HIS SUPER BOWL 25 RINGS

By Dave Klein
The continuing downhill slide of Lawrence Taylor reached another low point Thursday with the announcement that he has put his Super Bowl XXV ring up for auction.

Clearly in need of money, the troubled Pro Bowl linebacker who played for the Giants from 1981 through 1993 is expecting upwards of $100,000 for the ring. According to sources, the bidding reached $67,292 by Thursday afternoon with a deadline of Saturday.

In case you might be interested, you should contact the broker, SCP Auctions Inc., in Laguna Niguel, Cal. The phone: 813-421-0550; ask for Elizabeth McCollum at Brener Zwikel & Associates.

The ring, which according to the company "shows wear and tear but that only lends an air of aura," is clearly the most "famous" such pro football item ever auctioned. A notarized letter of authenticity signed by Taylor will accompany the ring.

The jewelry itself features two football-shaped diamonds on the face surrounded by worn blue enameling framed by 17 smaller diamonds. Design elements include the name "TAYLOR" on the left shank above a Giants' helmet and his number, 56. His name is also engraved on the interior band.

Information concerning the agreement between the seller (Taylor) and the broker (SCP Auctions) is that he will receive 85 percent of the total price. So if it fetches $100,000 he’ll walk away with $85,000.

You may also register a bid on line at www.SCPAuctions.com.

Trouble has followed Taylor ever since his retirement; indeed, before it as well. In 1993 he was named as the president of All-Pro Products, Inc., which sold health drinks. The stock opened at $5.00 per share and in less than a month zoomed to $15. Taylor's holdings in the company put his worth at just slightly more than $10 million.

But then the SEC decided the principals had manipulated the stock price, claiming a huge profit margin when it was instead deeply in debt, and it was closed down. LT lost hundreds of thousands of dollars of his own "start-up" money.

In 1990 he was charged with filing false income tax returns. In 2000 he was sentenced to three months of house arrest, five years probation and 500 hours of community service for tax evasion.

The police incident in New York a few years ago which accused him of patronizing a female minor and paying her for sexual services also resulted in probation and community service.

But he was a hell of a football player, right?

Another former Giant currently languishing in a Miami jail awaiting formal charges is defensive tackle William Joseph, the team's No. 1 draft pick in 2003. He played for the Giants for five years with an incredible lack of success and competence.

Joseph and two others are charged with stealing other people's identities and then filing false tax returns in their names, which allegedly resulted in thousands of dollars of illegal profits.

Isn't there any good news? Yes, and it involves the head coach you have come to admire, the same guy who has won two Super Bowls in the last four years. Reports are the Giants will soon formalize a contract extension for the 65-year-old Tom Coughlin.

"We're working on it," said team president John K. Mara, "and we expect it to get soon sooner than later."

Coughlin will be working on the final year of the four-year agreement he signed shortly after winning Super Bowl 42, and when the Giants won again in February he joined Bill Parcells as the only two head coaches two win a pair of World Championships for the Giants.

Despite his age, he has indicated he would like to coach "three or four more years," and that might be reflected in the terms of his new contract.

Team co-owner Steven Tisch added that the Giants were bolstered by Coughlin during their mid-season difficulties. "He really knew what to say to them, how to handle them, and it resulted in a Super Bowl," he said. "His team really pulled together for him."

Finally, registration is open for the NYRR New York Giants Run of Champions 5K and Walgreen's Walk, present by Walgreen's and Duane Reade.

The events will be held Sunday, June 24. The 5K run and the walk with Walgreen's start at 9 a.m. with the Play60 Kids races beginning at 11 a.m. The races will be held in the MetLife Stadium parking lot between lots J and L, continue on the roadways on the perimeter of the stadium parking complex and finish at the north end zone.

A special VIP Package will provide access to the stadium's MetLife 50 Club before and after the race, an air-conditioned area that will offer a buffet with soft drinks. Also available will be the opportunity to take a picture with the Super Bowl trophy. The event will benefit the Giants Foundation, which assists youth-related charities throughout the greater New York-New Jersey area.

For information and to register, log on to www.nyrr.org/run-with-us/ny-giants-5k.

Check out Dave's website at E-GIANTS where you can subscribe to his newsletters which run much more frequently than what is available here.
- Team Giants

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