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.

COREY WEBSTER THE ULTIMATE STEREOTYPE
OF THE OLD-FASHIONED NFL CORNERBACK

By Dave Klein
Once upon a time, long, long ago, a San Diego psychologist named Dr. Arnold Mandell wrote a book that outlined personality characteristics for each position player in professional football.

While some of the data is out-of-date, much of it still applies, and the subject for today is the defensive backfield.

"A cornerback and a safety will never accept blame," he wrote (and after all this time much of it is paraphrased). "They are the guys who stand out there all alone, while someone very fast and very smart runs at them and forces them to react to a move that might or might not be real. Cornerbacks are arrogant and will never admit defeat. If a guy beats them, they blank it out of their minds instantly."

Over the years, that has held true. Similarly, Dr. Mandell suggested that a linebacker would be the perfect guy to go behind enemy lines with during times of war. "They'll do what they have to do, they'll do it efficiently and sometimes ruthlessly, and then won't have any memory or pangs of guilt afterwards."

So cornerbacks don't have to carry the memory of being beaten - nay, embarrassed - by a wide receiver. They just shrug it off and move on to the next play, the next challenge.

Which is a kind of perfect introduction to Giants' cornerback Corey Webster, whose 2012 season was as ghastly as his 2011 season was spectacular.

"Do you think you played well last season, personally?" he was asked Tuesday at training camp.

"Well, we didn't collect [championship] rings last year, so I don't think anybody played well," he said.

Then someone asked him whether the defense took the bulk of the blame for last season's collapse and did that sit well with him.

"We fell to one of the worst defenses in the league [it was 31st]," he said, chin high, eyes staring straight ahead. "That's not us. We want to be in the top five, even the best. So we do have a lot to prove, and a lot of work to do."

A welcome addition is cornerback Aaron Ross, who left the team last season for, as he said (to his regret) "a vacation in Jacksonville." Ross is contesting for a starting job opposite Webster, with Prince Amukamara decidedly in the mix - and slightly in the lead. "It's nice to see an old-new face back there," Webster said. "It helps with the communication we have to keep doing."

Was he saying there was a lack of communication last season? "No, nothing like that."

See? Dr. Mandell's cornerbacks neither accept blame nor share it. It's a mano-a-mano psychology, and it's what helped Webster become one of the best corners in the league two years ago, right before he slipped into that comatose stage of 2012.

Now? "Everything will be just fine," he says. "We are getting ready."

And he won't even consider discussing the fact that Super Bowl 48 will be played in MetLife Stadium. "Never enters my mind," he said. "I don't make the schedule."

Yeah, right. For a cornerback set in this classic mold, it would be more than vindication.

EXTRA POINTS - Not a great day for star wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, who "took it easy" again during practice so as not to risk re-injuring his groin pull. ... "Yeah, he turned it down," said head coach Tom Coughlin, "but it's scheduled, there was nothing else that happened" ... Not so for free agent wide receiver Jeremy Horne, from the University of Victor Cruz (that's UMass), who was carted off the field. ... "It was some kind of foot injury," Coughlin said. "We don't know any more than that right now."

Defensive line coach Robert Nunn offered the opinion that veteran end Justin Tuck has had "as good a preseason as he has ever had," which might mean that he is ready for what might be a contract year as well as a chance to regain his reputation. ... Nunn also expects second-round draft pick Jonathan Hankins "to contribute often" and said free agent veteran Cullen Jenkins has the potential to be a major participant. ... "I spent four seasons with Cullen in Green Bay," he said, "and he can be an explosive big guy." ... Jenkins, 6-2 and 315, is an 11-year veteran signed via the Philadelphia Eagles.

Quarterback Eli Manning is mentoring rookie quarterback Ryan Nassib - "it's obvious," smiled Coughlin - while Curtis Painter battles with holdover David Carr for the backup job. ... Someone asked Nassib, the fourth round pick via Syracuse, how he felt when general manager Jerry Reese said, "he's a good quarterback and you hope he doesn't have to play." ... Nassib smiled. "For now," he said, "that the way it is."

The team wore shoulder pads for the first time this summer, which brought a smile to Coughlin's face. ... So, too, did another circus catch by wide receiver Reuben Randle and an interception by Aaron Ross.

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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