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.

By DAVE KLEIN
ALBANY, N.Y. -- Luke Petitgout, despite what you may think of him, is a quality offensive left tackle in the NFL and, as such, is defined as a rare commodity.

Sure, he could be more physical and less cutesy, but he is 6-6 and he weighs 310 and he can be more than just passably physical when he chooses to be. He has had some outstanding games during his seven-year career in which strength and power took the place of finesse.

He is the dean of the Giants' offensive line, at least among the starters, and it is that subject that he warmed to yesterday afternoon on the steaming, sweltering campus of UAlbany, where the team is conducting its annual sauna in the sun training camp.

"This is the second season in a row that our line has returned intact," he said, "and that makes a big difference. We all know what we're going to do. We know each other. We know each other's moves. And it's another year of playing experience, which is important. It's also the third year in this new [Tom Coughlin] system, and we know it pretty well now."

The starters are Petitgout and right tackle Kareem McKenzie, left guard David Diehl, right guard Chris Snee and center Shaun O'Hara. The reserves, unless someone unexpected does something totally unexpected, are guards Rich Seubert and Grey Ruegamer, tackles Bob Whitfield and rookie Guy Whimper. Seubert and Whimper can play center.

Petitgout has witnessed bad Giant teams and good ones. He has been part of the transition between Jim Fassel and Coughlin. He has seen others play positions along the offensive line while he remained -- for the most part -- at left tackle. The Giants who went to Super Bowl XXV had veteran Lomas Brown at left tackle, Glenn Parker at left guard, Dusty Zeigler at center, Ron Stone at right guard and Petitgout at right tackle. By 2002 Luke was the left tackle, and there he has stayed.

"I have learned a lot," he said. "I always thought my natural position was left tackle, and I was glad when the change was made. You know, a lot of guys here have been starters, and while that doesn't mean they were all good, at least they have the experience. So I think this team is going to be pretty good. It is way too early to predict anything, and I never do that anyway, but the changes we made have involved guys who started elsewhere."

The defense shows such "other team starters" as cornerback Sam Madison, free safety Will Demps and linebacker LaVar Arrington. By comparison, the offense shows the same starters at every position as the ones who closed out last season. "We're a year better," he said, "and the fact that we were all here, and all starters, makes us more experienced."

Where the offense has improved -- and Petitgout nods in agreement -- is with the experience acquired by such as quarterback Eli Manning and a second year of exposure to the Giant offense for wide receiver Plaxico Burress.

"Are we better? I think so," Petitgout responded. "I will say that it's only the second day that we put on pads and I think we're ahead of last year in general performance."

He was asked about the incident Monday night, when Seubert got into a fight with defensive end Eric Moore. He just smiled. "That's Richie being Richie," he said. "It's his way of toughening up the other guys, the defensive guys. You'll probably remember his famous practice fights with [defensive tackle] Keith Hamilton." And they were, indeed, memorable.

"Well, that was 'Hammer's' way of trying to get the young offensive guys started, and Richie was a young guy then. He knew what a young lineman needed to get competitive. I think he taught him very well."

And of course, being so close to the team's resident loose cannon, tight end Jeremy Shockey, a question had to be asked.

"Did you hear that Shockey called the coach an ass?"

Petitgout laughed. He actually laughed. "Yeah, I heard that," he said. "Look, Coughlin is the man in charge here. He has his way of doing things. Not everybody will like him, but we're all going to play for him."

EXTRA POINTS -- Middle linebacker Antonio Pierce, apparently immune to the heat, showed up for lunch wearing a long sleeved, hooded, black sweatshirt and long sweatpants. Running back Brandon Jacobs, who is as impressive as he was last summer as a fourth round draft pick, admits his goal is to become the next featured back when Tiki Barber retires. "If it doesn't happen this year, I'm good with that," he said. "It's just that the harder I work and the more I learn, I'm getting closer to that time when it will be my job."

The 6-4, 265-pound Jacobs, who said that among several criticisms of his style is that he runs too high, partially admits to that. "I'm going to have to get down a little bit [lower], and still keep my feet moving. It's something I'm going to have to do." He says he has studied film of recently retired Eddie George, who was 6-3 and 225, and even spoke to him for some tips.

Oh, Richie Seubert. On his fight with Moore: "It's just a result of going against the same guy in training camp every day," he says. "It's just training camp. Everybody is trying to make the team and in a way that's how we [the offensive linemen] can help. This defense will be very good this year. The fights don't mean a thing."

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

NEW - Send a request to davesklein@aol.com for a free week's worth of news!

Stop in and visit "Mike's Keys to the Internet"
Links to every newspaper and magazine that's available on the net. 

Website by Mike