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
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Here we are, at last, at the end of this seemingly interminable summer season.

The NFL dabbles in this sort of summer stock every year, but instead of being able to pick up tickets for a couple of bucks, you pay regular-season prices. What you don't get is regular-season teams and players, or strategies and that unique level of competition.

This is exactly what the word exhibition describes and defines, but the league doesn't care for the use of "exhibition games." Rather, they are preseason games.

Oh, well.

Tonight (Thursday) the Giants will host the New England Patriots, coached by yet another of those guys fans thought should have ascended to the head coaching job of their team but were allowed to walk away. Tonight's specimen is Bill Belichick, as opposed to Bill Parcells, John Fox and Romeo Crennel.

But listen, Tom Coughlin was one of Parcells' Guys, too, and he is the head coach of this stronger-than-you-may-think band of Giants.

What you won't see tonight (7:30 on WNBC Ch. 4 in New York; WNYT Ch. 13 in Albany, N.Y.) are the starters for any appreciable length of time. They'll get a token appearance, probably even enough to work up a mild sweat, and then the game will be given over to the "twos," the second team, and the "threes," assorted substitutes and replacements.

What the Patriots do is something else entirely. Belichick piled up a 41-0 victory over the Washington Redskins a week ago, and the second and third teams aren't nearly that good, especially this year.

But for the Giants, it is a question of getting final questions answered before final cuts are made. The roster is currently at 75 and must be trimmed to 53 by Saturday.

Coughlin asserts that he'll use his regulars "for about 10 or 12 plays," and then let the fun begin. Most of the players who figure to be vying for one of those roster spots will get their chances to prove they belong or, conversely, that their absence will not wreak damage on the team's chances.

"This [game] is a great opportunity for a lot of guys," says Coughlin. "We have certain games where certain players are featured and you have opportunities like this, where the backups will play extensively."

He then hammered on a point he has hammered on all summer. "You can't imagine how important [contribution to the] special teams is and how much we rely on what players do on special teams as we put together the rest of the roster. They'll get some good chances, some good opportunities."

You'll see the new second team quarterback, Jared Lorenzen, but he has already locked up his roster spot. On the other hand, he may be handing off to such running backs as Mike Jemison and James Sims, who are on that bubble, and he may throw passes to Willie Ponder, Anthony Mix and Michael Jennings. Not all of them can make the team. Jennings appears to be the front-runner now.

There are still four tight ends on the roster and no more than three will be retained. Two we know -- Jeremy Shockey and Visanthe Shiancoe. But who wins between rookie Darcy Johnson and Columbia product Wade Fletcher, who was on the eight-man practice squad last season?

There are other such players dotted throughout the roster -- offensive linemen Matt Lentz and Todd Londot and fourth round tackle Guy Whimper, who hasn't played well at all this summer. There are defensive linemen and linebackers, defensive backs and, well, you get the idea. Going from 75 to 53 is a major cutdown. That's 22 players who will suddenly be out of work -- or at least out of the active roster consideration.

So this game is important to them, more than the rest of us can know or imagine. Still, as several veterans say, the most important thing about the final preseason game is "getting out of it healthy," and to that end the decision to use the regulars for just a handful of plays makes great sense.

After this one, the next time the team plays it will count. The opposition will be the Indianapolis Colts, it will be Sunday night, Sept. 10, and it will be the opening game of the 2006 season.

Those not expected to get even their 10 to 12 plays are rookie wide receiver Sinorice Moss (quad), offensive tackle Luke Petitgout (back spasms), guard-center Rich Seubert (toe), running back Derrick Ward (foot) and center Shaun O'Hara (knee). On the other hand, linebacker Carlos Emmons (neck) has practiced all week and will see his first summer action.

There was a crowd of about 1,000 in attendance at the 40th annual Giants Kickoff Luncheon held in Manhattan yesterday. The awards, presented annually, went to Tiki Barber (Offensive Player and MVP), Osi Umenyiora (Defensive Player), Jay Feely (Special Teams Player) and Justin Tuck (Rookie of the Year).

During his address, Coughlin incited the fans to become the "12th man" again. "What I would like," he said, "is that our stadium becomes the most difficult place in the world to play the New York Giants.

Our goal, as always, is to make all fans proud of the New York Giants." Bob Sheppard, who retired after the 2005 season ending 50 years as the Giants' public address announcer (he serves in a similar capacity with the Yankees), was honored and presented with a crystal statue by team president John K. Mara.

His speech produced a standing ovation. "Way back," he said, "when the Giants left the Polo Grounds and came to Yankee Stadium, Wellington Mara met me, put out his hand, shook my hand and said, 'You are the new public address announcer.' And that was it. For 50 years I had no contract. I'm sorry, football players. Nothing written. NO agents. Fifty years later we were still shaking hands. And I miss him deeply, Wellington Mara. I also miss the players I announced. Most of you are too young to remember. That's a compliment. Charlie Conerly, Frank Gifford, Alex Webster, Andy Robustelli, Sam Huff. Remembering lines like a pass play, 'Tittle to [Del] Shofner, complete, touchdown.' Memories, memories, memories. Fifty years. Maybe 500 games. And I never felt any absence of joy or pleasure. My thanks to all of the Mara family and the [Bob] Tisch family for this opportunity to say to all of you, 'thank you and God Bless You.' "

You know, this cannot be ended any better than that. Let the season begin.

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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