Apr 9 Before the Giants' wild-card game at Tampa Bay, Tom Coughlin told his players that teams that don't turn the ball over in the playoffs win 86-87 percent of the time. The Giants didn't have a turnover until the Super Bowl, when Steve Smith's tip of an Eli Manning pass was intercepted. Coughlin insisted he wasn't surprised that the Giants were able to rebound from a 0-2 start. He wasn't stunned that they won 11 consecutive road games. To him, nothing the Giants did last season seemed improbable or impossible. And that included beating an overwhelming favorite in the Super Bowl.

Apr 8 A 6-foot-3, 266-pound fullback, Madison Hedgecock emerged early last season as a hard-hitting success story for the Giants. Having joined the team for the second game after being released by the Rams, he quickly displayed his knack for plowing over defenders and creating running lanes for Brandon Jacobs.

Tiffany & Co., after plenty of creative input from Giants ownership and players, designed the team's official Super Bowl championship ring, but all or at least a good portion of the rings themselves are being produced for Tiffany at E.A. Dion, Inc., located in Attleboro, Mass.

Apr 7 The Giants tight end questions begin and end with Jeremy Shockey. Before breaking his leg in week 14, Shockey was on pace for his fourth straight 60-catch season, and he had already surpassed 600 yards. He finished 2007 ranked 8th among tight ends with 57 catches but would have probably finished 5th or 6th if his season wasn't cut short. TE Jeremy Shockey looks to rebound in '08 after a season-ending injury in 2007 Though his receiving numbers aren't as impressive as the Tony Gonzaleses, Kellen Winslow Jrs. and Antonio Gates of the world, he is a far better blocker and does more of it than those players.

Apr 6 Giant quarterback Eli Manning is set to wed college sweetheart Abby McGrew in New York in the next few weeks. The Super Bowl XLII champion and his blond bride-to-be were spotted at the Manhattan Municipal Building apparently picking up a marriage license Tuesday. Manning, 27, proposed to McGrew, 24, in March 2007, less than a year before he threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final seconds of the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots to earn himself the Most Valuable Player award. The lovebirds have been inseparable since they were students together at the University of Mississippi. McGrew's main passion is fashion. When not rooting for the Giants, she is an account executive with wedding-dress and evening-wear designer Pamela Roland.
From January 20, 2008 - Eli's squeeze ready to freeze at Lambeau.

Apr 5 Michael Jennings, the fleet wide receiver - who ran track, but never played football at Florida State - was cut five times by three different teams before joining the Giants' practice squad in 2004. Jennings is an attention-grabber with a mouth full of gold teeth and a love of old Chevrolets. But his strongest desire is to be a productive, reliable football player.

Kevin Boss said he never thought there would be a day when someone asked for his autograph. Believe it. The fans are asking for it. And paying a lot for it. In a Super Bowl offseason, the Giants continued to cash in last night in an event put on by Steiner Sports, the New Rochelle-based sports marketing and memorabilia company. For $2,999, Giants fans could buy a helmet autographed by 30 Giants, including Eli Manning, Michael Strahan and Plaxico Burress, and participate in a question-and-answer session yesterday at the New Rochelle Public Library, followed by a reception across the street at Mo's New York Grill.

New York Giants 2008 Draft Preview - The biggest need on offense is on the line, which overachieved last season but can't expect the left-side tandem of tackle David Diehl and guard Rich Seubert to hold up forever. Don't be surprised to see New York use an early pick on a trench guy.

Former Giants
George Martin walks west across New Mexico this week on his cross-country "a Journey for 9/11," Mr. Martin's 3,500+ walk is a charitable initiative to benefit thousands of seriously ill rescue and recovery workers of Ground Zero.

Apr 4 A nationally-televised home game against the Cleveland Browns and a Super Bowl rematch against the New England Patriots will highlight the Giants' four-game preseason schedule. The NFL released the list of each team's preseason opponents, as well as the preseason national television schedule. The Giants will host the Browns on Monday night, August 18, in a game that will be televised by ESPN.
The Giants will travel to Charlotte to face the Carolina Panthers in preseason Week 1. After hosting the Browns, they will be the visiting team in their annual preseason game against the Jets in Week 3. The preseason will conclude with a home game against the Patriots. The dates and times for the Panthers, Jets and Patriots games will be announced in the future. The Giants will face two of their preseason opponents - the Panthers and Browns - in the regular season.
HOME: San Francisco, Seattle, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Carolina, Washington, Philadelphia, Dallas.
AWAY: Arizona, St. Louis, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Washington, Philadelphia, Dallas.

The Giants and Patriots will meet for the first time since Super Bowl XLII when they face each other in late August at Giants Stadium in the preseason finale. The game hardly will be a rematch of the Giants' 17-14 win in Arizona in early February, since few regulars play much in the fourth preseason game, but it's one of the highlights of the short schedule released yesterday.

Apr 3 The way the NFL works these days, the Giants can repeat or slip to 8-8. The year-to-year volatility is at an all-time high. Coughlin will have to deal with all of the roadblocks that are constructed annually in front of the Super Bowl champion: Complacency, holdouts, the ego battles for credit. But there seems little doubt that the Giants would not be getting fitted for their rings this week if Coughlin didn't make some serious changes to his approach last season.
The Coughlin phenomenon, especially as it has played out at this week's meetings, is fascinating. It includes his willingness to discuss how he has changed from a martinet into a man whose players now truly seem to like and respect him. He talked about that Wednesday, saying he reflected on how to change last season after the Giants started 6-2, finished 8-8 and lost a playoff game to Philadelphia with a locker room filled with me-first players and malcontents. Coughlin almost lost his job then, and the prevailing opinion going into the 2007 season was he was no more than a one-year placeholder on a team unlikely to finish better than .500.

A busy NFL owners meetings ended Wednesday with a show of hands that made it obvious reseeding the playoffs wasn't such a good idea. So the league's competition committee withdrew the proposal Wednesday after an informal vote sent it "down in flames," according to New York Giants co-owner John Mara.
The Giants and Jets were among teams voting Tuesday to approve radio helmets for the defensive signal caller to receive the plays from the sideline, bringing it equality with the coach-to-quarterback system used since 1994 and eliminating any chance of SpyGate II. Each team will be allowed two players per game to be equipped with helmets with the device, but only one of those helmets is allowed to be on the field at any time.

An exlcusive interview with CB Sam Madison by Michael Eisen, Giants.com.
Madison on Spagnuolo - "I think the one thing is that we trust him and he trusts us. He lets us go out and we play and we play very well together. He asks us what we think, how we feel, he gives us some input, and when a guy gives you input you kind of feel the love from him and you want to go out and do extra, you want to do more."
Madison on Coughlin - "I don't know what happened, but he did a 360 and he gave us a little more leeway, he gave us a little more support in whatever we were doing. You look at Plaxico (Burress), Plaxico was a guy that worked extremely well and extremely hard to get back from having surgery on his ankle. He missed a lot of practices but coach said, 'Okay, let me sit back, Plaxico is a veteran, he understands the system, take your rest, come out and play football.' We didn't really have any problems and everybody understood where coach was coming from and just went out and had a great time and performed very well."

Former Giants
New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, once an assistant coach in New York, believes the New York Giants provided inspiration to the rest of the NFL last winter. New York already was set to be at Tampa Bay in the first round of the playoffs and had little to gain from playing its regulars, but did anyway.
Ray Smith Poole, a former New York Giants All-Pro end and three-sport star at the University of Mississippi, died Wednesday. He was 86. He played for the Giants from 1947-52 and the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League in 1953-54. He was an All-Pro in both leagues.

Apr 2 The Giants unveiled the design of their Super Bowl championship ring, a white gold sparkler that will feature about 1.5 carats in diamonds. The ring’s shanks celebrate the Giants’ season, noting the team’s “Eleven Straight on the Road,” an NFL record; the NFL shield; and player name, along with player number in raised letters appear on one shank. The final score, “Super Bowl XLII,” date (02.03.08) and ’AZ’ appear on the other shank.
"There was some discussion about maybe one of the rings was too big," Shaun O'Hara said. "I threw out the fact that it was a big win, it was a huge win, so the ring should be designed accordingly. Michael said it best when he said he wanted a 10-table ring. I think everybody is going to be very pleased with the design. It is very clean, very classy, but at the same time it is very strong." It is also very fitting the Giants chose Tiffany & Co. After all, their victory over the Patriots was a colossal upset by a New York institution over an NFL dynasty. The Giants kept that theme going by choosing Tiffany over Jostens, which produced 27 of the first 41 Super Bowl rings -- including all three of the Patriots'.
Players attending the Giants' voluntary off-season workout program were fitted for the rings this week. The rings will not be ready for the Giants' visit to the White House, which a source said was tentatively scheduled for April 30. They will be honored that day by President Bush in the traditional Rose Garden ceremony for professional and collegiate sports champions. An official announcement of the visit is expected from the White House in the near future.
The ring's top is covered in diamonds and features three Super Bowl trophies accented with marquise diamonds signifying the team's Super Bowl XXI, XXV and XLII victories, along with the team's "NY" logo in bead set round diamonds. "World Champions" is emblazoned in raised letters on the top and bottom bezel, with channel set diamonds on left and right bezel.
The Giants will hold their 6th annual Draft Day party on Saturday, April 26. Details of the entire day are still being finalized, but one element already in place is that the Lombardi Trophy, which was presented to the Giants following their Super Bowl XLII victory over New England, will be on display for fans to see and have their photos taken with.

Apr 1 The Giants began preparation for the 2008 season and their title defense yesterday with the first day of the team's offseason conditioning program. "I am anxious to get back and get started," defensive tackle Fred Robbins said. "When you come out as Super Bowl champs, you have to step your game up even more. People are going to be hunting for us, so it is good to come back and see some faces again and get the camaraderie going again.
David Tyree said the first day of the Giants' voluntary off-season program was like a family reunion. But when the reigning Super Bowl champs convened Monday, key members of that family were absent, including the patriarch, oldest brother and the two prodigal sons. Coach Tom Coughlin was attending the NFL owners' meetings in Florida. Defensive end Michael Strahan still was vacationing in Africa while his running mate, Osi Umenyiora, remained home in Atlanta. Wide receiver Plaxico Burress and tight end Jeremy Shockey apparently have decided to spend their time in Florida again. Even quarterback Eli Manning was among the missing, although he is expected to show up by the end of the week..
According to a source close to Osi Umenyiora, he is considering a lengthy holdout if the Giants don't agree to renegotiate his contract, which is not due to expire until after the 2012 season. That holdout could include part of training camp, which begins in late July. For nearly a year, Umenyiora has added to the holdout speculation by refusing to deny the possibility of one. Monday at the NFL owners' meetings in Palm Beach, Fla., Giants GM Jerry Reese said he is not expecting Umenyiora to hold out. "As far as I know, it's all speculation," he said.
When the Giants open the season Sept. 4 against the Redskins, GM Jerry Reese expects Strahan to be there for his 16th season. "We haven't had any conversation right now," Reese said Monday. "We'll sit down and he'll let me know if he wants to play or not. My gut feeling is I think he will play another year. That's just my gut feeling. That may be out in left field somewhere." Strahan, 36, is due to make $4 million this season, the final year of his contract. Giants co-owner John Mara has indicated the team is willing to give him a raise.

For most of the Giants, it's been a whirlwind eight weeks. They have traveled to their hometowns or exotic vacation spots, made promotional or charitable appearances and generally enjoyed life as a champion. "It was interesting when I went home (to Alabama)," defensive lineman Justin Tuck said. "You couldn't go anywhere without people asking for your autograph or telling you congratulations or how proud they were of you and things like that."

The Giants will have an extra sixth-round pick in this year's NFL draft - 33rd pick of the sixth round (199th overall). Basically - and very simply - the pick is compensation for free agents lost the year before, though it also takes into account free agents signed, how much they all made and how good they all are. The Cowboys got no comp picks, but the Eagles and Redskins got three each. The Redskins, in fact, hit the jackpot, with the highest comp pick of them all - a third-rounder (96th overall). Their other two picks are in Round 7. The Eagles got a fourth-rounder and two sixths.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced the league's "Kickoff Weekend" from the pro football circuit's annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.today. As has become tradition since 2004, the NFL will open the 2008 season with a Thursday night home game for the Super Bowl titlist. This year, the Giant will begin defense of their Super Bowl XLII crown against division rival the Washington Redskins.
NBC's inaugural Sunday night game on Sept. 7 is a rematch of Super Bowl XLI, pitting the Chicago Bears and the other Manning brother with a Super Bowl MVP and his Colts taking from their new girdiron digs, Lucas Oil Stadium. The game begins at 8:15 p.m.
ESPN again kicks off its Monday Night Football game coverage with a twinbill. Aaron Rodgers, who succeeds the legendary Brett Favre as the leader of the Pack, goes against NFC Central rival Minnesota Vikings and rookie of the year Adrian Peterson at 7 p.m. on Sept. 8. The nightcap at 10:15 p.m. is an AFC West confrontation as the Denver Broncos visit the Oakland Raiders.

Special Report - It has been learned that there was much behind-the-scenes jockeying before the Giants agreed to open the season Sept. 4, that traditional Thursday Night extravaganza, against the Washington Redskins. ... First of all, they did not want the game to be against another NFC East Division member, and there just isn't a solid AFC opponent scheduled this season. ... It was deemed that neither Cincinnati nor Seattle was attractive enough, and the FOX network began throwing temper tantrums when the conversation got around to Dallas (the game is on NBC, don't you see).
There almost was no home game at all during the week, when the Giants considered the mass chaos that is going to result from thousands of fans attempting to find off-site parking because of the construction of the new stadium (now up to $1.7 billion, from $1.6 a few days ago). ... They would have accepted an opener on the road, which could have allowed the Steelers-Giants matchup of Big Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning, since the schedule puts them AT Pittsburgh.
Want more? - Send a request to davesklein@aol.com for a free week's worth of news!"

Mar 31 While several players have been working out at Giants Stadium on a daily basis for more than a week, today marks the official start of the team's offseason workout program. The workouts are optional, though coach Tom Coughlin prefers as many players to be in attendance as possible, especially after last year's high attendance rate kicked off a season that ended with a united team making a run to a Super Bowl title. Plus, many players have workout bonuses that are paid only if they're present for a certain percentage of days.
Still, several key players are not expected to be in attendance: Wide receiver Plaxico Burress (knee, ankle) and tight end Jeremy Shockey (leg) are rehabbing their injuries in Miami, where they train for much of the offseason even when healthy. Defensive end Michael Strahan, who has yet to decide if he'll return for a 16th NFL season, is currently vacationing in Africa. Defensive end Osi Umenyiora is also on vacation. Quarterback Eli Manning, who has spent the last few months making several promotional and charitable appearances, could miss a portion of the workouts with even more commitments.
The Blue Screen - Osi Umenyiora: A lot of people who know him are absolutely convinced he's going to holdout from training camp this summer if he doesn't get a new contract. In fact, someone who talked to him recently told me "I guarantee you he's not coming to camp." This is all a lot of speculation, and camp is still four months away, but this is all important because Umenyiora has been asked about a potential holdout several times in the last few months and has yet to deny the possibility. In fact, on several occassions he's appeared to hint that it might happen.This is all a lot of speculation, and camp is still four months away, but this is all important because Umenyiora has been asked about a potential holdout several times in the last few months and has yet to deny the possibility. In fact, on several occassions he's appeared to hint that it might happen.

The Giants have their starting wide receivers for 2008 all squared away, but after that there are still some question marks. Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer can be penciled in as the starting wide receivers, and rightfully so. They provided consistency and a high level play throughout the 2007 season. The third receiver position was a bit of a revolving door for Big Blue last season, but they finally settled on Steve Smith. Their 2nd round pick out of USC in 2007, Smith battled through hamstring and back injuries during a disappointing season, but made a major impact in the playoffs. Like Steve Smith, Sinorice Moss was a second round draft pick but injuries and inconsistent play have limited his playing time.
David Tyree and Domenik Hixon rounded out the active receiving corps last season. Despite Tyree's play in the Super Bowl, he is primarily a special teams player, and one of the Giants best in kick and punt coverage. Hixon showed his speed as a return man last year, but only saw a handful of snaps on offense. Michael Jennings is returning from a torn Achilles tendon, and should be ready for training camp. Brandon London spent last year on the practice squad, and he will try to make an impression on the coaching staff.

Mar 28 Ledger on Giants - Mike Garafolo (Star Ledger) - The Giants have been mum about their Super Bowl ring design but from what I hear, it'll be white gold and will feature three Lombardi Trophies on top -- one for each of the franchise's Super Bowl victories. This would keep the trend of adding a marker for each time they win the Bowl.

TG note - What's with the rings shown pictured above, on the officially licensed t-shirt by Reebok?
This one also - It's officially licensed by the NFL. Art transcends reality?

As ballyhooed as Eli Manning's performance was at the end of last season, the running game was actually the most consistent part of the Giants offensive attack. All season long, and especially in the last twelve games, the Giants offense started with the running game to set up the pass. The Giants ranked 4th in the league in rushing yards per game with 134.2 and were tied for 3rd in yards per carry at 4.6. Brandon Jacobs is the primary horse, rushing for more than 1,000 yards. 2007 was Derrick Ward's breakout year, but like many of his others, it was cut short by injury. A slashing, cutback runner, Ward will compete with Ahmad Bradshaw to fill that change of pace role next season. Reuben Droughns quietly put together a solid season for Big Blue. He finished the season with six touchdowns. Don't forget Madison Hedgecock, the Giants only true fullback. He doesn't have any individual numbers that can really quantify his effectiveness, other than the success of the backs he blocks for.

Mar 27 For their first game as defending Super Bowl champions, the Giants, as expected, will kick off the NFL season in the honorary Thursday night slot. Their opponent next Sept. 4 at Giants Stadium will be the Redskins, with Jim Zorn making his NFL head-coaching debut. That prime-time opener is always slated for 8:30 p.m. but will likely be moved up to 7 p.m. to avoid the telecast running head-on with the concluding night of the Republican National Convention, featuring Sen. John McCain's acceptance speech.
The league will announce its opening weekend and national TV games at the annual owners' meetings that begin Monday in Palm Beach, Fla., with the rest of the schedule being announced later in April, according to the league. The Redskins and Giants split two games last season. Washington will kick off the preseason schedule as well, playing the Indianapolis Colts in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 3 in Canton, Ohio.

At Tom Coughlin's invitation, Ray Odierno and his son, Tony - also a West Point graduate who served in Iraq - today lunched with the coaches, toured the stadium and had their picture taken with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. General Odierno recently left Iraq after serving there for 30 months. Though they are in a danger zone thousands of miles from home, the men and woman of the armed forces are hungry for information about the NFL. Those serving in Iraq can watch NFL games on the Armed Forces Network. The kickoff times force dedicated viewers to alter their schedules. When it's 1 p.m. on the East Coast, it's 10 p.m. in Iraq. Sunday and Monday night games being at 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning.

Antonio Pierce didn't want the moment to escape him. He had finally reached the pinnacle of every professional football player's career, one which he wanted to soak in for as long as possible. He kept his game-worn equipment on him for the entire bus ride as the New York Giants left University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Filled with team pride, Pierce basked in the glory of being a Super Bowl champion.

Mar 26 Rich Seubert signed a three-year extension with the New York Giants on Tuesday, keeping the starting left guard under contract with the Super Bowl champions through 2012. "It's awesome," said Seubert, who will turn 29 on Sunday. "The Giants have been really good to me over the years and it is just good to know where I am going to be. I am going into my eighth season, so this is five more years. It is a dream come true to play out your career with one team and for it to be the New York Giants." Seubert's career nearly ended in 2003 when his right leg was broken in three places in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He had surgery and missed all the 2004 season, and played in four games in 2005.
A Giant look-back
Oct 21, 2003 - Rich Seubert was placed on season-ending injured reserve to repair the fractures of the right tibia, fibula and ankle he suffered in Sunday's 14-10 loss to Philadelphia.
Oct 27, 2003 - Rich Seubert, who suffered a season-ending broken leg last week against Philadelphia, was also awarded a game ball.

Mar 25 Three years ago, Rich Seubert wasn't certain if he'd ever play football again. Now, he's got job security for the next couple of seasons. Seubert, the Giants' starting left guard last season, signed a contract extension through the 2012 season today, according to someone familiar with the negotiations who requested anonymity because the team hasn't yet announced the extension. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately available.

Going into the 2007 season those outside the organization weren't yet sold on the fact the Giants had a true Pro Bowl franchise quarterback on their roster. Odds are those same people no longer hold that same opinion after watching Eli Manning hoist not only the Lombardi Trophy over his head, but the Super Bowl MVP as well.

Mar 24 Eli Manning's other job is member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and he was in Washington last week to promote a new effort to persuade Americans to exercise at least 30 minutes, five days a week.
Video - Eli Manning talks fitness - about playing sports growing up, and about his current football exercise.

Mar 23 By midseason, cornerback Aaron Ross and other Giants rookies were playing a major part in the team's success. And it didn't go unnoticed by the team's more established players, like Kawika Mitchell, Antonio Pierce, Sam Madison and Michael Strahan. "They told us that we were a big part of the team," Ross said. "That meant a lot coming from guys like that." This season Ross will return to the Giants locker room not as a rookie fighting for playing time, but as an established contributor likely to start alongside emerging fourth-year cornerback Corey Webster. "I still can't believe we won the Super Bowl," he said. "I appreciate it, but I don't think it's sunk in. Maybe when we win another one."

Someone at the team's offices was asked which players will receive Super Bowl rings and does the list include all of the injured reserve, practice squad and the recently waived. The response was, well, unexpected. "We don't release the names of players who get rings," the person said. "Why would anyone care?" The real answer, apparently, was that not everyone will get a ring and the team would like to avoid any public ill will. But rest assured that Jeremy Shockey will get his ring, even though he was standoff-ish during the game and viewed it from a private booth inside the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. As for Shockey's upcoming season, he is said to have healed well from the fractured fibula and will be ready to work out.

Former Giants
Bill Parcells emerged from his beloved bunker the other day to return a phone call and provide an amusing answer to the biggest question in the NFL these days. "Okay Bill, what are you doing with the first pick?" He laughed over the phone from South Florida and said, "I am unable to divulge anything at this point." This is the third time Parcells has walked into a job and inherited the first pick in the draft and the second time there's not enough value to use the pick.

NFC East News
Eagles - They have added another offensive assistant coach. Mark Whipple, who was the quarterbacks coach in Pittsburgh under Bill Cowher, will serve as an offensive assistant this season. He is expected to primarily work with the quarterbacks.

Mar 22 The average cost of a ticket to watch the reigning Super Bowl champion Giants at home games this fall will be $90.30 - almost double the cost in 2000. The Giants have raised ticket prices for a sixth straight season, informing season-ticket holders of an across-the-board increase in mailings sent out this week. The average ticket price increased by $7.01 after the championship season, in which the team went just 3-5 in Giants Stadium. That's about $2 more than the increase of the previous two seasons, in which the Giants were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. The price range in 2008 runs from $80 to $105 per game.
Mezzanine seats are $105, up $10 from last year's price.
Sections 110, 111, 112, 130, 131 and 132 - the lower-level midfield area - have gone up $15, to $100.
Sections 109, 113, 129 and 133: $95 - increased by $10.
Sections 108, 114, 128 and 134: $90 - increased by $10.
Sections 309-313, 329-333, 101-107, 115-127 and 135-140: $85 - increased by $5.
Sections 301-308, 314-328, and 334-340: $80 - increased by $5.
The average price per ticket is $92.50, more than double the $45.90 it cost fans the year of the Giants' last Super Bowl appearance, after the 2000 season. This season, the Giants will host San Francisco, Seattle, Baltimore, Cincinnati and Carolina, as well as division foes Washington, Dallas and Philadelphia. The actual schedule has yet to be announced. As the defending Super Bowl champions, the Giants are likely to open the season on a Thursday night. The previous four champions have hosted the season opener.

For the first time, the selling of personal seat licenses is a real possibility in the New York area. Personal seat licenses are like taxi medallions or a seat on a financial exchange. Buying one entitles the fan to have first call on the purchase of a season ticket. The initial cost has yet to be determined for the Jets and the Giants, but other teams have charged from $150 for an average seat license to $150,000 for a premium spot in the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium.

Mar 21 Director of Pro Personnel Dave Gettleman is charged with scouting the team's upcoming opponents as well as players on the NFL's 31 other teams. Gettleman's predictions often prove to be correct. His success comes not from hunches and luck, but research and experience. He and his staff put in extremely long hours on the job. From the opening of training camp in July through the Super Bowl on Feb. 3, Gettleman took one day off.

Mar 20 R.W. McQuarters is going into his third season with the Giants and his 11th in the NFL. He entered the league as a first-round draft choice of the San Francisco 49ers in 1998. McQuarters was traded to Chicago in 2000 and played five seasons for the Bears. He played one season in Detroit before joining the Giants as a free agent prior to the 2006 season.

NFC East News
Redskins - Offbeat Running back Clinton Portis and straight arrow former coach Joe Gibbs had an unexpectedly close relationship, but the five-time 1,200-yard runner expects a more fun atmosphere under new coach Jim Zorn. Portis is excited about Zorn's less conservative offense.
Cowboys - The Cowboys are limited in what they can do because of a tight salary cap - they have roughly $3.4 million in space available. As a result, they have missed out on several possible free agents that could have helped them next season.

Mar 19 Defensive line coach Mike Waufle enjoyed one of the greatest thrills of his life when he rode up Manhattan's famed Canyon of Heroes when the Super Bowl champions were lauded at a ticker tape parade last month. On Saturday, Waufle was in a much smaller pageant, but one that gave him almost as much pleasure. Waufle was the Grand Marshall in the 21st annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in his hometown of Hornell, N.Y.

Mar 18 Three years ago the Giants signed Plaxico Burress to a six-year contract, and to say Big Blue has gotten enough bang for their buck would be an understatement. Burress' physical ability was never a question mark, with the height, speed, and hands to be a top wide receiver in the league. His attitude and approach were never such sure things, given the reputation he had when he left the Steelers to sign with the Giants. The Giants got the physical abilities they saw on tape. They also got a guy who possesses a desire and an attention to detail that has allowed him to become one of the most complete receivers in all of football.

Special Report - "There were so many fortunate breaks that befell the Giants during their magical meandering to the denouement of the New England Patriots in Glendale, Ariz., that it might be easy to forget the one that might be the most important of all. Eli Manning did not get hurt. He didn't miss a game. He didn't miss a start. He accounted for 529 of the team's 544 passing attempts, 297 of the 302 completions, all but 40 of the 3,376 yards gained, all 23 touchdowns, all 20 interceptions and absorbed all but one of the 28 sacks allowed by the offensive line. The other two waiting in the wings were Anthony Wright and Jared Lorenzen. And that, dear reader, is why the Giants signed journeyman David Carr the other day, adding him to the sweepstakes to earn the backup spot behind Manning. It is probably not a wild guess that Wright is going to be the odd man out in this race.
Want more? - Send a request to davesklein@aol.com for a free week's worth of news!"

Mar 15 The productive but often-injured Derrick Ward returns to the Giants after signing a one-year deal reportedly worth $1.1 million Friday. The running back missed the final four regular-season games and the postseason run after suffering a broken left fibula Dec. 2 in Chicago after rushing that day for a career-high 154 yards. He had missed the previous four games with ankle and groin injuries. Nevertheless, he rolled up 602 yards in eight games, including five starts, with a 4.8-yard average and three touchdowns. He also caught 26 passes, including one for a TD.
Ward, who turns 28 on Aug. 30, carried the load at the start of last season when Brandon Jacobs was sidelined with a knee injury. Ward averaged 88 yards per game in the first four games, but in keeping with his career history, was unable to stay on the field. He missed four games with ankle and groin injuries but returned with a flourish, running 24 times for 154 yards in a victory in Chicago. In that game, Ward fractured his left fibula, putting him on season-ending injured reserve.
"I had to keep my options open," said Ward, who expects to participate in the offseason training program that starts March 31. "But my main goal was to stay here with the Giants. The Giants gave me my start. It feels good to come back to hopefully have a good year this year and be part of the Super Bowl champion Giants. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish my career here." Ward received a type of show-me contract, given the one-year commitment, basically because he has never gone through any of his four seasons totally healthy. The closest he came was 2005, when he played in 14 games.
Ward returns to rejoin a very crowded backfield that includes Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw and Reuben Droughns. With the way Bradshaw emerged after Ward broke his leg at the end of his 154-yard day in Chicago, it remains to be seen exactly where Ward will fit in. That's not something that will worry the Giants, though, given the fact that they needed all four backs last season.
Ward likely will be third on the depth chart this upcoming season behind Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Reuben Droughns, who turns 30 in August, is scheduled to earn $1 million in base salary, meaning he might not make the final roster. Droughns recently received a $250,000 roster bonus, however, making it unlikely he'll be cut anytime soon. Jacobs is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the upcoming season in which he'll be paid $927,000 (placing him third in pay in the Giants backfield). There are no indications a contract extension is imminent.

Stadium News
The Giants and Jets have had to agree on numerous elements of their new, jointly owned, $1.6-billion stadium - at times after contentious debate - but their latest decision is fundamental: someone to run the place. The teams announced Friday that that someone is Mark Lamping, who has spent the past 13 seasons as president of the St. Louis Cardinals. Lamping's title is CEO of the yet-to-be-corporately named stadium, said to be ahead of schedule for a 2010 opening.

Stadium Information
The new stadium will be located north and slightly east of the existing stadium in parking lots 3, 4, 6, 7, 8. It has a footprint of 700,000 square feet and will open for the 2010 season. A brand new rail facility will drop fans right at the front door of the stadium giving thousands of patrons a quick, convenient, and cost effective travel alternative to driving. Click on the picture for Photos, a Video and FAQs.

Mar 14 Four years after leaving Jacksonville, Tom Coughlin has brought his first former Jaguars player to the Giants. Linebacker Danny Clark, who has played for Jacksonville, Oakland, New Orleans and Houston, signed a contract with the Giants. "Danny Clark is a player I drafted a few years ago in Jacksonville," Coughlin said. "We're bringing him in as an outside linebacker. He is a very physical, very versatile player. Over the years, he has been a very good special teams player."
General manager Jerry Reese said, "He is a veteran linebacker who can play all three spots. He will fit in well with our players in the locker room. He has been an outstanding special teams player. He is going to create competition in both areas, special teams and at linebacker. He fits the New York Giant mold."
Familiarity certainly had plenty to do with this week's two Giants imports. The signing of quarterback David Carr was helped along by the past working relationship Assistants-Who-Follow-Their-Boss in Houston of Carr and Giants quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer. Clark was drafted by the Jaguars and Tom Coughlin back in 2000. Coughlin certainly was no soft touch back in the Jaguars' formative days, but Clark says his first NFL head coach steered him in the right direction.
"He made me do the right things," Clark said. "He ultimately teaches you how to be a professional. He teaches you to be accountable to your teammates and be on time and dress appropriately. All of that stuff molds a young guy into an upstanding citizen in this league, which is hard to find sometimes." The signings of both Clark and David Carr on the same day left the Giants about $8.5 million under the salary cap, though Reese would not say he's done. He hasn't declared trade talks for Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall completely dead yet, and he could sign another free agent if something desirable comes along. "We're just laying in the weeds and seeing what comes by," Reese said.

The Panthers and Texans have given up on a quarterback who was supposed to be a can't-miss prospect. But David Carr has missed receivers and opportunities at both stops. He knows the one-year deal he signed with the New York Giants on Wednesday -- a contract that's worth $1 million but could increase if incentives for playing time are met -- could be his final chance. "This is very serious now,'' Carr told ESPN.com, shortly after signing with New York. "The last two years, I've let it kind of slip.''

The NFL awarded two Giants players extra money as part of their performance-based-pay system. Michael Johnson, a rookie safety who started five games this past season, will earn an extra $215,000 -- almost as much as his base salary of $285,000. Second-year cornerback Kevin Dockery was awarded an additional $198,000 after serving as the nickel corner and being credited with six starts.

Former Giants
The Ravens signed former Giants defensive back Frank Walker (Packers) to a two-year, $3.5 million deal and said he will compete for the third cornerback job, ESPN reported. The network also said former Giants linebacker Nick Greisen agreed to a three-year, $4 million package to remain in Baltimore."

Mar 13 It's official: The Giants have two former No. 1 draft picks at quarterback. David Carr, entering his seventh NFL season, signed with the Giants, the team announced yesterday. Carr signed a one-year contract worth $1 million plus playing time-based incentives worth up to $500,000, according to someone familiar with the proceedings. The person requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak for the Giants.
Carr will be helped by QBs coach Chris Palmer, who was the offensive coordinator in Houston during Carr's first four seasons. Still, those were mostly disappointing seasons for Carr, who was battered behind an offensive line that allowed him to be sacked 249 times. "He is a smart and athletic player who has put up some big passing-game numbers," Tom Coughlin said in a statement released by the team. "If we can place him in a positive environment, perhaps he can reclaim some of the things that people saw to draft him in the first round."
Can a former No. 1 pick who failed as a starting quarterback become a quality backup? Carr joins Anthony Wright and Jared Lorenzen and it's highly likely the 2008 depth chart will be Manning, Carr and Wright, with Lorenzen the odd-man out. There are incentives in Carr's deal based on playing time the Giants hope he does not get.
Carr had career-high totals of 54 passes and 39 completions in Giants Stadium against the Jets on Nov. 26, 2006. He tied the NFL single-game record with 22 consecutive completions vs. Buffalo on Nov. 19. 2006. Carr has passed for more than 300 yards in a game four times, including a career-high 372 against Minnesota on Oct. 10, 2004. He has directed 11 career game-winning drives in which the decisive points were scored in the fourth quarter or overtime, including one last Oct. 7 in New Orleans. Carr led the NFL with a career-high 68.3 completion percentage (hitting 302 of 442 passes) in 2006.

Michael Strahan still hasn't decided whether he'll play for the Giants next season. But after seeing Brett Favre and Warren Sapp pack it in after long, successful careers, he does admit that retirement crosses his mind. "I can't say I don't love to play and don't love to see the guys," Strahan said yesterday morning at a promotional appearance in Times Square. "But when I see guys like Favre and Sapp and [Chiefs guard] Will Shields, all these guys who are players from my era, say, 'Enough's enough' ... Sometimes, you wake up and your body is hurting and you're thinking, 'Man, maybe enough is enough.' You think about it. Strahan said the physical toll of 15 NFL seasons will be a deciding factor. It's gotten to the point where he wonders whether the pounding is worth it - especially after winning his first Super Bowl ring last month.

Mar 12 No one in the Giants organization knows more about the salary cap than Assistant GM Kevin Abrams. The team's assistant general manager, Abrams negotiates all player contracts, which means he must always know where the Giants stand in relation to the NFL's unyielding cap. Contract negotiations can be tedious, frustrating and ultimately fruitless, and dealing with agents is not at the top of anyone's list of fun things to do. But Abrams enjoys the give-and-take, and savors the ultimate reward.

The contract numbers were, as expected, astronomical. Especially for defensive players. Giants free agent safety Gibril Wilson got a six-year, $39 million deal with the Raiders. Oakland re-signed unheralded defensive end Tommy Kelly to a seven-year, $50.5 million deal. Free agent cornerback Asante Samuel got nearly $10 million a year with the Eagles. Justin Tuck might have cashed in on that financial feeding frenzy, especially if he'd waited to become an unrestricted free agent after next season. Even if he'd waited until later this year to renegotiate his deal with the Giants, the price would surely have gone up. But there is no second-guessing on Tuck's part for re-upping to stay with Big Blue in January by agreeing to a five-year, $30 million extension.

Mar 11 Two quarterbacks taken with the very first pick in the NFL Draft on the same team? It could happen, as David Carr, according to sources is scheduled to pay a visit tonight and tomorrow to the Giants, who happen to be led by Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning. Apparently, the Giants are serious about adding talent to their backup quarterback stable, which currently holds Anthony Wright and Jared Lorenzen.
David Carr, the No.1 selection in the 2002 draft, will arrive in the New York area Monday to begin a two-day free-agent visit with the Giants. The Giants are interested in signing the 28-year-old to be the backup for Eli Manning, the No.1 pick in 2004. Carr spent part of last year with the Carolina Panthers, making four starts. He went there after five mostly disappointing seasons with the Houston Texans, where he never quite lived up to his hype. If he signs with the Giants, Carr would be reunited with quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer, who was the Texans' offensive coordinator in Carr's first four NFL seasons.
Last spring, the Texans decided to move away from Carr, who had been the first draft pick in the franchise's history. He was released after the team traded for Matt Schaub. The Panthers picked up Carr as a backup to Jake Delhomme for the 2007 season, and he started four games after Delhomme suffered a season-ending elbow injury in Week 3. But Carr was sidelined by a back injury, two concussions and inconsistent play, causing the Panthers to turn to 44-year-old Vinny Testaverde and undrafted rookie Matt Moore. With Carolina, Carr had a cumulative passer rating of 58.3. If he is signed by the Giants, one No. 1 overall pick would back up another.

David Carr - Last year around this time (April 7, 2007):
The Carolina Panthers won the battle for free agent quarterback David Carr early Friday morning, reaching agreement in principle with the former Houston Texans star on a two-year contract. David Carr According to ESPN.com's Michael Smith, the deal is worth $6.2 million plus performance incentives. Obviously, the deal with Carolina represents a step back for Carr in his career, but most NFL experts believe the former Fresno State star still possesses immense talent and sorely needed a change of scenery.
In five seasons with the Texans, he completed 1,243 of 2,070 passes for 13,391 yards, with 59 touchdown passes and 65 interceptions, and a passer rating of 75.3. But Carr was the most-sacked quarterback in the league during his tenure with the Texans. Playing behind one of the league's most porous offensive lines, he was sacked a remarkable 249 times. The move also means the Panthers now have the top two picks from the 2002 draft. Carolina selected defensive end Julius Peppers with No. 2 pick.

David Carr - Recent news (02/27/2008).
Fantasy Analysis - After Delhomme got hurt, Carr got his chance to play last year. How'd he do? He played mediocre football, hurting his back and suffering a concussion along the way, and wound up benched for 44-year-old Vinny Testaverde and undrafted rookie QB Matt Moore in the Panthers' last five games of the season.

Michael Strahan should not follow Brett Favre into retirement. He should play at least one more season for the New York Giants. Unless he is mentally drained like Favre, Strahan should try to win another Super Bowl. And he should ignore those who believe that his career already has the perfect ending. Perfect endings are for the movies. Retirement would make sense for Strahan if he were well past his prime. But at 36 Strahan is not some over-the-hill player trying to hang on. He is one of pro football's best defensive ends. He is part of the NFL's best pass-rushing unit.

New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress is making $3 million a year for the next three seasons, but is hoping to get a raise after his impressive 2007 season. Likewise, Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora has been hinting at a raise, although he has five years left on his contract. Even with teams spending nearly half a billion dollars on player contracts since the free agency period started Feb. 29, here is a staggering statistic to consider: There’s still approximately $480 million in unused salary cap money. Since teams have so much money, some agents believe that more veteran players will seek to renegotiate their contracts.

There is obviously great cooperation, and agreement on talent evaluation, between Tom Coughlin and Jerry Reese. Any time eight rookies -- some drafted, some not -- all contribute, it demonstrates how the front office is able to acquire players that are usable by its coaching staff. The two groups agree on what makes a good football player. It sounds pretty common and simple, but it isn't.

Transcript - Equipment Director Joe Skiba Chat Archive.
Q - During a football game, are you constantly running to each player or, do you get to watch some of the game?
A - During the game, one of the major parts is watching the game and making sure that if there is an issue, we as an equipment staff are ready to address it.
Q - Joe, what made you throw out the chipped helmet from Ahmad Bradshaw from the Green Bay game?...
A - The reason I threw out the chipped helmet is because I wasn't thinking. The funny part is when you come home and watch the game; the fans actually posted the highlights of Ahmad's painted helmet chipping apart.

Mar 9 Tom Coughlin got his opportunity to cash in, so to speak, on the improbable Super Bowl XLII run Friday by finalizing that reported four-year, $21 million contract that had been in the works since Eli Manning's final kneel-down against the Patriots. The deal includes tearing up his 2008 contract, which was added as a one-year extension after the 2006 season, and will run through the 2011 season. It makes Coughlin one of the top paid coaches in the NFL.
It's money the Giants' owners couldn't be happier to spend, especially after watching Coughlin lead the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XLII. In the days following Big Blue's win over the Patriots, co-owner Steve Tisch said he expected negotiations with Coughlin to be "a very pleasant experience." And when co-owner John Mara was asked if he was prepared to dig deep into his wallet for Coughlin, he said, "Happily." "Tom Coughlin has done a great job for us, and we think this contract recognizes his outstanding achievements here," Mara said in Saturday's statement. "This is a message to him and to our fans that we want him to be our coach for many years to come."
Coughlin is noted as one of the most intense and focused coaches in the NFL, and the first five of his eight years as the Jacksonville Jaguars' coach indicates it. After taking the expansion Jags from 4-12 to a 9-7 record and a trip to the AFC championship game in 1996, the Jags continued on an upward swing record-wise. Consecutive 11-5 playoff seasons followed that, and in 1999 the Jags went to the conference championship game again after going an AFC-best 14-2. Salary-cap problems caught up with the Jaguars after that, and they finished 6-10 his last two years there. But the Jags were always regarded as battlers, even as they went downhill.

Recently, veteran defensive end Michael Strahan said the Giants became a totally different team this past season, the kind that players wanted to play hard for, and that change was attributed to Tom Coughlin. As a result, his coaching career has been recharged, however unlikely that seemed when the team opened its season with consecutive losses. "To have the opportunity to be the head coach (of the Giants) was the fulfillment of a dream of a lifetime," Coughlin said in the team release. "And now to be able to continue in that capacity -- with this organization, with this leadership, with this football team and with my coaching staff in place -- is something my family and I are extremely excited about."
The 2008 season will be Tom Coughlin's fifth with the Giants. He is 35-29 in the regular season and 4-2 in the postseason. Coughlin has led the Giants to the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, including a 2007 Wild Card berth that kicked off one of the most remarkable and memorable postseason runs in NFL history. The Giants won four consecutive games away from Giants Stadium, including a 17-14 triumph in Super Bowl XLII over the previously undefeated New England Patriots. Along the way, the Giants defeated the NFC's top two seeds (Dallas and Green Bay).

When life deals you an unexpected delight, you count your blessings. Five weeks ago, David Tyree was just another supporting player as the Giants geared up for the near-impossible task of knocking off the undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. He believed in his heart he could maybe block a kick or down a punt or two deep inside New England territory. "Have, in my eyes, just as big an impact in winning the game as catching a touchdown," he hoped. No one could have foreseen this. Four minutes into the fourth quarter, Tyree, out of nowhere, hauled in a 5-yard scoring pass from Eli Manning to put the Giants ahead 10-7. Tyree had four receptions all season. "I thought that was it for me," Tyree said.

The chance to cheer New York Giants offensive lineman Chris Snee would not be denied, no matter how much rain poured down from the sky over Montrose, Pa., on Saturday afternoon. "We are diehard fans," said Denise Robbins, 49. Robbins and much of her family donned their Giants gear and drove from Hallstead, Pa., to show their love for Snee, who helped the Giants win the Super Bowl, 17-14, over the New England Patriots on Feb. 3. Having the support of his hometown is a humbling experience, Snee said. "It's an honor," he said.

Former Giants
Sean Landeta "officially" retired this past week, which really meant he's decided to stop waiting for the phone to ring in between relentless punting workouts. Although his best years were more than a decade ago and his last punt came in 2005, he's one of the all-time greats at his position. Landeta chose March 6 as the date because it marked 25 years since he made his professional debut in the first game ever played by the USFL - his Philadelphia Stars against the Denver Gold. The year was 1983. Down in Mississippi, the other grizzled retiree of the past week, Brett Favre, was an eighth-grader getting ready for the varsity baseball season at Hancock North Central High School.

Mar 8 Finally, it's official. Tom Coughlin will remain the Giants coach through 2011. An agreement was reached yesterday on Coughlin's long-awaited four-year extension that is believed to be worth about $21 million. He had guaranteed himself an extension the moment the Giants clinched a playoff berth back on Dec. 23, and the basic details were agreed to a few weeks ago. Ever since then, there has only been some minor haggling over the language and the details. Technically, it's not an extension. The final year of Coughlin’s old contract was ripped up, and he was given a completely new contract.
He will earn about $5.25 million annually, according to a person with knowledge of the deal who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because the contract hasn't been signed. The person said the team will announce the deal today. The two sides had the outline of the deal in place for weeks. The contract represents a $2 million increase over last season and what he was to have earned this year. Seattle's Mike Holmgren is the NFL's top-paid coach at $8 million a year.

Coughlin, hired by the Giants in 2004, is 35-29 in the regular season and 4-2 in the postseason. Coughlin has taken the Giants to the playoffs the last three seasons. The Giants went 10-6 in the 2007 regular season, 3-5 at home and 7-1 on the road. After an opening-night loss in Dallas, the Giants never lost again on the road. Their 10 road victories represents an NFL single-season record. Coughlin's overall NFL record is 111-95 (103-89 regular season and 8-6 postseason).
Not only did Coughlin deliver the franchise's third championship, he did it with a team that had been stripped of its starting left tackle, its franchise running back and a few other injury-plagued veterans. In their place, the Giants added nothing but a bunch of rookies and one key free-agent addition in linebacker Kawika Mitchell. Naturally, when the Giants began the season 0-2 and were halfway to another loss in Week 3, it was seemingly only a matter of time before Coughlin would be fired. But beginning with the comeback win over the Redskins and the resulting six-game winning streak, Coughlin did something few expected he could -- he won the respect and trust of his own locker room,
The deal marks a remarkable turnaround for the 61-year-old Coughlin, who is now signed through 2011 (the final year of his previous deal was torn up). He was nearly fired after a turmoil-filled 2006 season in which the Giants went 8-8 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Ownership met for three days after the season last January before announcing Coughlin would return. His future wasn't secure during the 2007 season either, until the Giants clinched a playoff spot with a win in Buffalo two days before Christmas.

Coughlin, staring into his possible coaching mortality, took ownership's decree to heart. The move that may have garnered him his greatest support was the creation of an 11-player Leadership Council, giving the most respected players a say in the decision-making process. Coughlin navigated through Michael Strahan's training camp holdout and bent his rules when a severe ankle injury made it impossible for Plaxico Burress to practice during the week. Coughlin allowed Burress to rest in order to be ready to play on Sundays. The old Coughlin likely would not have been as understanding. "When I first got here guys would come up to me and say, 'Sam, why did you go up there with coach Coughlin?' " cornerback Sam Madison said. "Just because of the negative stuff they heard in the past. But he's been unbelievable.".
Coughlin formed a leadership committee and took a more personable approach in the locker room. The results were tangible, in that critical rants like the ones Tiki Barber and Jeremy Shockey produced in 2006 became nonexistent - at least publicly - in 2007. Jeff Feagles was on that committee, along with quarterback Eli Manning, defensive end Michael Strahan, linebacker Antonio Pierce, center Shaun O'Hara and five others. "That committee worked," Feagles said. "Whether those guys led by example or by being more vocal, it was a perfect mix. You look at some of those guys, the leaders, and it was phenomenal how they got everybody together."
It showed on the field, too. Even as the Giants fell behind in games, they persevered. They finished 2007 at 10-6, with seven straight road wins that included bad-weather comebacks in Chicago and Buffalo. They then hit the road for three straight playoff games, knocking off No. 1-seeded Dallas and No. 2-seeded Green Bay en route to the Super Bowl.

Mar 7 Coach Tom Coughlin's much anticipated contract extension could finally be announced today, according to someone familiar with the progress of negotiations between the Giants and Coughlin's agent. The person, who requested anonymity because talks were ongoing yesterday, said the delay is due to some phrasing with legal ramifications that must be worked out.

The Giants find themselves somewhat between a rock and a hard place. They recognize the need for a backup quarterback, and it is entirely possible that last year's pair - Anthony Wright and Jared Lorenzen - will not be with the team in 2008. But who, then? Names that have come up in conversation include Miami's Cleo Lemon, former Miami veteran Trent Green and former Oakland pickup Daunte Culpepper. Of the trio, Lemon probably has the most promise - he is younger and could be said to be on his way up - but he might not want to sit for years while watching Manning play.

Eli Manning is a big fan of some television shows - "Seinfeld" and "The Office" are among his favorites - but this offseason his viewing habits have changed. His preference now is to watch replays of Super Bowl XLII. The Giants' offseason conditioning program begins March 31, and Manning is already preparing to hit the ground running. "I took my time off," he said. "I think it's important to get away from it all. I've done that. I took vacation. But I'm back up here and I've started my workouts. I'm trying to keep my same schedule."

Brett Favre's exit comes after a remarkable 2007 season, but his final pass was one to forget: An interception in overtime of the NFC championship game, a mistake that set up the New York Giants' field goal that sent the Packers home instead of to the Super Bowl. Most folks figured Favre couldn't exit the stage that way, especially when he had at least one more good year left in him. But barring a change of heart in the upcoming weeks, months or years, the final chapter in his storied football career began Monday night.

Former Giants
Punter Sean Landeta, a Giants fixture from 1985-93 before a short stint in 2006, formally called it quits today at age 46, 25 years to the day after he began his pro career with the Philadelphia Stars of the defunct USFL.

NFC East News
Eagles - Andy Reid has insisted that his wide receiving corps is plenty good enough to win a Super Bowl with. But that didn't prevent the Eagles from making a play for Randy Moss earlier this week.
Redskins - Like predecessors Norv Turner (1994-2000) and Steve Spurrier (2002-03), new Redskins coach Jim Zorn is a former quarterbacks coach and plans to be very hands-on with the players at his old position.
Cowboys - The Cowboys made their biggest and likely their only move of free agency last week when they re-signed left tackle Flozell Adams to a six-year, $43 million contract.

NFL News
Winners, losers of free agency signings. Heading the list of head-scratchers are the Oakland Raiders.

Mar 6 Perhaps from the moment the Giants traded for Eli Manning on Draft Day 2004, he and Tom Coughlin have been linked together - vilified when the Giants struggled the last few years, vindicated when Big Blue won the Super Bowl last month. So as Manning basks in the afterglow of being a Super Bowl MVP, he's enjoying not just being the toast of the town, but the knowledge that his once-beleaguered coach will be around for a while, reportedly agreeing to a four-year, $20-plus million extension just a year after being on the hot seat.
The contract extension for Tom Coughlin that kept on growing and growing in value as the Giants surged to victory in Super Bowl XLII is likely to be officially announced today, even though the basics of the deal have been set for a few weeks. Coughlin is expected to sign a four-year deal worth slightly more than $20 million, assuring he'll be under contract with the Giants through the 2011 season, when Coughlin will be 65 years old.

Having flirted with -- and then backing away from -- a trade for DeAngelo Hall of the Falcons, the Giants will be visited today by former Buccaneers cornerback Brian Kelly, according to someone familiar with Kelly's free-agent prospects as well as the Giants' interest in him. The person requested anonymity because the talks are in the preliminary stages. The 32-year-old Kelly, who started opposite Ronde Barber and had 22 interceptions in 10 seasons with Tampa Bay, visited the Lions yesterday.

Wide receiver David Tyree has become the first player from the Super Bowl champion Giants to sign a book deal following the team's win over the New England Patriots. Although Tyree caught only four passes during the regular season, his crucial third-down catch with 1:15 left helped set up the winning touchdown. NFL Films chief Steve Sabol said Tyree's catch was the greatest play in Super Bowl history.
Tyree makes regular appearances at charity events like the one last night for "Jeremy's Heroes," a nonprofit organization whose mission is to identify children in need, provide assistance for participation in sports and character education, and promote examples of excellence and heroism exemplified by 9/11 hero Jeremy Glick, who helped prevent terrorists from crashing United Flight 93 into its intended target in Washington, D.C. "These are good causes," he said. "I have my own foundation I work with, and whenever I can help out something worthwhile, I'll do it."

Article on Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride - Kidney disease first infiltrated the lives of Gilbride and his family almost half a century ago. It has been more than 40 years since the seven young children of Bernard and Marie Gilbride were taken to a Connecticut hospital to learn whether fate had been kind or cruel to them. One-by-one they endured an intravenous pyeleogram, in which dye was injected into their arm and an X-ray taken of their kidneys, to wait for awful truths none of them fully understood.

Mar 5 Any thrilled Giants fan who reveled in their incredible and improbable Super Bowl run is sure to win a bet in the years to come when the following trivia question is asked: Who caught the final pass of Brett Favre's Hall of Fame career? - Answer: Corey Webster
The ball that Brett Favre threw on his last play in the NFL is owned by an Army officer who lost both legs in a roadside bomb in Iraq. Lt. Col. Greg Gadson, who has been an inspirational figure for the Giants, was given the ball by Corey Webster after he intercepted Favre's pass in overtime of the NFC title game. The pick set up the winning 47-yard field goal.
Favre was devastated by the Packers' NFC Championship Game loss to the New York Giants. He didn't play well. The Packers didn't play well. Had the Packers somehow been able to land Randy Moss in free agency, Favre probably would be back for at least one more season. If asked, he might have committed for two or three years knowing Moss would be on the roster with him.
There were reports - and the timing would suggest it - that Favre would have stayed on another year had the Packers signed Randy Moss as a free agent. Favre called head coach Mike McCarthy at 7 p.m. Monday after Moss re-upped with the Pats. However, both Favre and McCarthy said the Moss matter was irrelevant to his decision. "This is not about the Packers and who they got or who they didn't get," Favre said to ESPN.                    Last year at this time:
Favre disappointed Packers didn't get Moss. |  New England gets the player, but loses its way.

NFL News
It's appropriate that Brett Favre became the NFL's ultimate ironman at its most important position because like his two baseball counterparts, Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken, Favre's great accomplishments on the field still pale in comparison to how much he was loved as the face of a franchise.
Brett Favre retires with 5,377 career completions in 8,758 attempts for 61,655 yards, 442 touchdowns and 288 interceptions. Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman wondered if Favre's decision was final. "As the season gets closer, I wouldn't be surprised at all if he changes his mind," said Aikman, a Fox analyst who played 12 years with the Dallas Cowboys.
Favre does Pack favor by ending 'Streak'  |  Was the timing right? |  Favre's top 10 career moments

Mar 4 Throwing their first dime into the free agency ring, the Giants on Monday came away with veteran safety Sammy Knight to help make up for the loss of Gibril Wilson to Oakland. And at a far more reasonable rate. Knight, 32, reportedly received a deal worth $5 million over three years with a $1 million signing bonus. Wilson got an outlandish six-year, $39 million deal from the Raiders, creating the need for the Giants to add a safety.
"We were attracted to how smart he plays and how productive and physical he plays," general manager Jerry Reese said in the team's press release. "We think he will thrive in our defensive schemes. He brings a lot of leadership to the team, especially to the secondary, and he is a real pro." The person familiar with Knight's contract, who requested anonymity because both sides agreed not to discuss the terms publicly, said the 6-1, 215-pound Knight was told he will be a starter this upcoming season. It's unclear, however, if he'll continue to play strong safety or slide to free safety to fill the spot vacated by Wilson's departure.
Knight, who will be 33 in September, has played in 156 consecutive regular-season games - the 14th-longest current streak in the NFL. He's expected to start alongside James Butler, a restricted free agent who was tendered by the Giants last week. It's not clear who will start at which safety spot, but they are considered virtually interchangeable in the Giants' defensive system.
Last year, Knight joined the Jaguars on Aug 13 (he had been released by the Chiefs on March 21). Knight played in all 16 regular season games with 15 starts and both of Jacksonville's playoff games. His 132 tackles were 15 more than team runner-up Daryl Smith and five more than his previous career best (set in 2002 with New Orleans and matched two years later in Miami). Knight's 95 solo tackles were 16 more than Smith had. In addition, Knight had 15 tackles (11 solo) in the Jaguars' victory at Pittsburgh in an AFC Wild Card Game.

Mar 2 For Giants general manager Jerry Reese, free agency this year is starting off a lot like free agency last year. Only the names have changed. Last year, it was sayonara to Luke Petitgout, Carlos Emmons, Jay Feely and Visanthe Shiancoe. This year, it's Kawika Mitchell, Reggie Torbor and Gibril Wilson. The only constant is change. And there will be more to come. Not only has Reese already lost three key free agents, but he faces potential contract hassles if and when defensive end Osi Umenyiora, wide receiver Plaxico Burress, left tackle David Diehl, and perhaps a few others step up and demand pay raises after the Super Bowl win.

After going 0-3 on the first day of free agency, it looks like the Giants will be able to survive Day 2 without taking another loss. However, it's only a matter of time before their record becomes 0-4. Running back Derrick Ward has gotten a "lot of interest" in the first two days of free agency, according to his agent, Peter Schaffer. He did not say which teams he was talking to, though he did say he was already working on setting up visits. Ward was offered a short-term contract by the Giants, but preferred to look elsewhere to see if he could find a little more security and, perhaps, a clearer path to some playing time.

Sammy Knight has left Denver without a contract, and his next stop could be New York. The 32-year-old ex-Jaguars safety, who is the Giants' top choice to replace the departed Gibril Wilson, was in Denver last night and today, but was unable to come to terms on a contract with the Broncos. One NFL source said a trip to New York is definitely on his itinerary, and will likely take place early next week.
Knight, who turns 33 in September, would likely be a short-term fix for the Giants at strong safety, meaning James Butler or Michael Johnson would have to slide over to free safety to fill Wilson's former role. But in the Giants' defense, both safety spots are similar, so it won't be that much of an adjustment for either player. Knight will likely command about $2 million or less per season over two or three years -- much less than the six-year, $39-million deal Wilson got from Oakland.

Notes from USAToday:
- WR David Tyree, who made the famous "Catch-42" in the SB, is the proud father of twin girls. His wife, Leilah, gave birth to Hannah (five pounds, three ounces) and Sophia (four pounds, 14 ounces) in mid-February. The Tyrees have two other children, both sons.
- DE Adrian Awasom, who was sent home from the Super Bowl after being stopped for driving under the influence in Arizona three nights before the game, is a free agent who is absolutely free to go anywhere. The Giants did not offer him a tender.
- Reports indicate that this upcoming draft is a gold mine for OTs, which may give the Giants cause to reconsider their apparent decision to go for a CB, S or OLB in the first round. If they get a quality LT, they could move David Diehl back to LG, which would enhance the O-line overall.
- There are reports that head coach Tom Coughlin is considering co-writing his memoirs from the just concluded "miracle run" to the Super Bowl, although neither a publisher nor a writer have been selected. "I watched the game the next night, all by myself, and right there at the end I got nervous. I was scared it would change." - Giants' head coach Tom Coughlin on his second look at SB XLII.

Mar 1 The Giants aren't kidding: They're not going to overpay for free agents. Not even three of their own who were starters in the team's Super Bowl upset over the Patriots. Yesterday, on the first day of free agency, the Giants lost safety Gibril Wilson and linebackers Kawika Mitchell and Reggie Torbor to other teams who were willing to fork over much more money than they were.
The Giants, who chose not to use the franchise or transition tag this offseason, realized as the free agent signing period approached at 12:01 a.m. Friday that their chances of keeping any of the three were remote. The thin free agent market was expected to inflate salaries, and that's what happened.
The Giants were trying to keep both Wilson and Mitchell, according to team sources, but their prices went way too high. Wilson got a six-year deal worth a reported $39 million with $16 million in guaranteed money from the Raiders. Mitchell got a five-year, $17.5 million deal with a $3.5 million signing bonus from the Bills. Torbor agreed to terms with the Dolphins.
That makes Wilson - a good player but hardly an impact player - the third highest-paid safety in the league. The Giants wanted to keep Wilson, but were not prepared to pay him much more than half as much as the Raiders shelled out. The Giants were braced for these losses. A healed Kiwanuka will reclaim his spot and move in to replace Torbor. Mitchell's spot on the weak side could be filled by Gerris Wilkinson, who was drafted in the third round in 2006 to be a future starter. The Giants also might sign a veteran free agent or select a linebacker in the NFL Draft in late April.
Mitchell was the first player the Bills went after when the clock struck 12:01 a.m. Friday, hoping he will help a defense that finished 31st last season. The former Chief signed a one-year, $1 million make-good deal with the Giants and obviously made good. His best game may have been in Buffalo when he had two sacks and a 20-yard interception return for a touchdown that put the Giants ahead for good in a crucial late-season contest. He had expressed interest in returning to the Giants, but was actively shopped by his agents and could not turn down the Buffalo offer.

Rich Seubert started all 16 games in 2002. He was considered the team's best lineman and a rising star and had started 22 consecutive games when he suffered three fractured bones in his right leg in a game against Philadelphia on Oct. 19, 2003. The injury sidelined Seubert until 2005. "I remember a lot about that day. I remember the play; it was 33-duo. They had a fire zone on, three technique pitched, Luke (Petitgout) went up to the backer, the end (N.D. Kalu) pinched in and stepped on my leg. I remember the play. I remember laying there and Ronnie (Barnes, the team’s Vice President of Medical Services) and Byron (Hansen, coordinator of rehabilitation) and the other trainers coming out there. I knew my leg was broke."

Feb 29 While general managers across the NFL will be working the phones today, Giants GM Jerry Reese won't even be in his office. He'll be in Tennessee getting inducted into his home state's sports hall of fame. Chances are he won't be missing anything. Coming off a Super Bowl victory -- one that included several contributions from rookies and only one veteran free agent signed by Reese -- the Giants are expected to once again keep a low profile in this free-agent market, which officially opened at 12:01 a.m. today.

The Giants, who were 4-0 during the playoffs, were looking at an 0-4 heading into free agency Thursday night. None of their four veteran free agents appeared ready to re-up with the Super Bowl champions as the clock neared the 12:01 a.m. start of the free agent session. Safety Gibril Wilson's agent, Alvin Keels, offered his man up for the market in the afternoon. And while talks continued with linebacker Kawika Mitchell's team, they apparently were not going to result in a new contract.

There is an order to the universe, and that universe includes teams coming off Super Bowl triumphs. The newly minted champs want to be paid and, usually, they are. So, consider this the most fortunate of timing for Giants safety Gibril Wilson Gibril Wilson . He became an unrestricted free agent today at 12:01 a.m., and there will be big money awaiting him out there somewhere.

Free Agency 101 - The basics of NFL Free Agency by Giants.com. When can players start being signed in the 2008 free agency signing period? - Beginning at 12:01 AM ET on Friday, February 29.

Former Giants
Jim Finn, the Fair Lawn native and Ivy League graduate is done with football - various injuries followed by repeated shoulder surgery ended his playing days - but he is moving seamlessly into the business world. His current venture is a company called Player Press, an online fan blogging social network site that will link sports fans directly to their favorite athletes.
Even though he spent the season on the injured reserve list, earning his full salary and a full playoff share, the Giants' championship has led to a common query. "If I had a quarter for every time someone asked me [if I was getting a Super Bowl ring] I would never have to work again," he said. "People don't understand that just because I played for the Giants for four years, I didn't earn anything with this team, having not been able to go to battle with them. However, who wouldn't want a Super Bowl ring?"
In fact, Finn has yet to be contacted by the organization about a ring. Team vice president Pat Hanlon said there are no rules as to which injured players receive rings, and that "no final decisions have been made in that area."

NFC East News
Redskins - Every year when free agency starts, it seems Daniel Snyder has the Washington Redskins' plane fueled and ready to swoop into a rival's city and return with a prized free agent. Except most of those prizes turned out to be duds. That's one reason the Redskins ended last season $20 million over the salary cap and have spent the last few weeks cutting duds and restructuring the contracts of players they want to keep.
Cowboys - Tony Romo won't have to worry about who is blocking his blind side. His faith will remain in Flozell Adams. The Dallas Cowboys re-signed the four-time Pro Bowl left tackle Thursday afternoon, hours before he would’ve hit the open market in free agency. Terms were not immediately available, but the team called it a long-term agreement that likely guarantees Adams will finish his career in Dallas.
Eagles - The Freak show is over in Philadelphia. After four mostly disappointing and injury-plagued seasons where he only showed glimpses of his feared pass rushing ability, the Eagles released defensive end Jevon Kearse on Thursday.

Feb 28 Tom Coughlin's new contract with the Giants covers the next four seasons, is worth about $21 million and moves him into the upper echelon of the NFL's highest-paid coaches. There are only minor details and contract language to be completed, and the deal could be announced as early as next week.

It would seem a team that wins the Super Bowl would have a pretty simple strategy in free agency: Get the same players back and make a run at another ring. That approach, according to Giants general manager Jerry Reese, would be the wrong one. "We won with that team last year. This is a new team," Reese said last week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. "You have to reevaluate everything, move forward and put the pieces together to win this season."
"Team chemistry was a major factor in last year's success," Reese yesterday told The Post. "The job is much easier to accomplish when everybody pulls in the same direction. Even ants know that. I'm a big Discovery Channel watcher. The players on last year's team genuinely liked each other and pulled for each other." Inevitable player additions and defections will change the feel of the locker room, and it will be difficult to keep all those worker ants moving toward a common goal.

The Giants have only three unrestricted free agents, safety Gibril Wilson and linebackers Reggie Torbor and Mitchell, and they had hoped to keep them from reaching the open market. A person familiar with the Giants' situation said it was virtually inconceivable that they would retain Wilson, and that it was "doubtful" they would keep Torbor and Mitchell. "We'd like to keep all our players," Reese said. "But the way this thing is set up, you can't always do that." There are other situations Reese must deal with. Although there are signs that Michael Strahan will return next season, it's not a lock. Osi Umenyiora and Plaxico Burress are expected to request lucrative contract extensions. .
Reese said his first duty is to try to retain the integral members of the championship team. But those efforts might not keep Mitchell and safety Gibril Wilson from at least testing the market. Mitchell got very little notice a year ago and wound up signing a one-year contract with the Giants. He made the best of it, and now his representatives reportedly are pushing hard for a big-money deal. Wilson also looks ready to test the waters, with Philadelphia, Jacksonville and Denver reportedly hoping to steal him away. If one of them is willing to come up with the reported $4 million to $5 million per season Wilson is seeking, the Giants will have to ship him his Super Bowl ring.
Safety James Butler, a restricted free agent, got a one-year, second-round qualifying offer of $1.47 million from the Giants, who can match any offer he receives, and would get a second-round pick from any team that signs him. QB Jared Lorenzen got a one-year, $927,000 tender. The Giants can match any offer he gets, but would get no compensation.

David Tyree stood under the spotlight in the theater of Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center in Little Falls last night, holding one side of a giant reprint of his post-Super Bowl Sports Illustrated cover-boy debut. Carmen Berra, Yogi's wife, held the other side. After what he described as a "complete whirlwind" of a February, starting with the now-infamous side-of-the-helmet catch and continuing last week with the birth of his twin daughters, being photographed with Carmen Berra was one more thrill to add to Tyree's list. Last night was his first formal appearance in the Montclair area following the Giants' Super Bowl XLII victory.

Ahmad Bradshaw of the New York Giants arrived Tuesday evening at the Bluefield Auditorium off Stadium Drive to find a long line of fans clutching everything from football banners to scraps of paper. Each was waiting for a chance to meet a player who ran for 45 yards in one of America's premier sporting events, the Super Bowl. "He did good. He had long runs," said 14-year-old Jeff James of Glenwood. "I'm going to ask advice about going pro." With the stroke of a pen and a smile, the Bluefields' newest sports hero turned football cards and footballs into keepsakes and snaps of cameras into special memories.

Feb 27 Michael Strahan revealed that he expects to have some input into the design of the Giants' Super Bowl ring. He contacted Coach Tom Coughlin after hearing rumors of what others wanted to include on the ring. "I heard some of the comments and I was like, 'Uh oh,'" Strahan said. "So I called Coach Coughlin and I said, 'As players, do we have anything to say about the ring?' So I'm going to come in and look at it and at least have some input. Because everybody had great ideas about what they wanted and you don't want to leave it up to somebody else." Strahan has a definitive idea for the ring he waited a decade-and-a-half to win.

NFL Super Bowl XLII - New York Giants Championship DVD (2008)
Release Date: February 26, 2008 - List Price: $24.98 Price: $18.69

Stars are used to the Red Carpet treatment at big events, but a group of Giants got to take a walk down the Blue Carpet on Monday night at the AMC Empire 25 movie theater in Times Square as they helped celebrate the premier of the "Super Bowl 42 Champions" DVD. Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning was joined by Michael Strahan, Antonio Pierce, Osi Umenyiora, Amani Toomer, Brandon Jacobs and David Tyree to present and watch the first showing of the official Super Bowl DVD.

Feb 26 Michael Strahan does not plan to make a decision on his future until April at the earliest. In fact, he might not even make up his mind until May. The 36-year-old defensive end said Monday he will wait until after a spring vacation before deciding whether he wants to play one more season. A few months ago, he planned to let the Giants know by March, but that was before their Super Bowl run.
Strahan currently is owed $4 million dollars in the final year of his deal, though he is expected to ask for more if he returns. But after 15 years in the league, he said the biggest issue is whether or not he can play at a high level through a lengthy season. "Do I think I can muster up 16-plus games, that's the question," Strahan said. "I don't want to be a has-been or a guy that used to be good." Last season, Strahan skipped training camp while he mulled retirement. In retrospect, he said that was "the greatest thing he ever did" because if he had reported to Albany, he believes he would have walked out and never come back.

None of Strahan's teammates at the premiere screening (Photos) of the Giants' 2007 season DVD would hold it against Strahan if he didn't return. Fellow end Osi Umenyiora, the team's only Pro Bowl player, at first laughed loudly when asked about Strahan's future. "He's coming back. Don't listen to all that," Umenyiora said. If retirement happens this year, Strahan has no doubt he's leaving the Giants in good hands. "This team is in great shape," he said. "Contrary to the old adage, having Tom Coughlin as the coach is the right move. The way he deals with the players now and approaches the game ... guys want to be here. It was very physically and mentally draining because the season went so long. But it was very rewarding and invigorating the way the year ended."
Michael Strahan wouldn't divulge any definitive plans about his possible retirement, but some of his teammates think the possibility of repeating the Giants' Super Bowl success might be too enticing for the 36-year-old to ignore. "Michael's coming back, don't listen to all that," fellow defensive end Osi Umenyiora joked yesterday at the NFL Super Bowl XLII Champions DVD premiere screening in Times Square. "Another ring," Umenyiora said when asked what it would take for Strahan to return. "I think we can win more."
But Strahan might not come back, having finally achieved his Super Bowl dream. Tomorrow, there will be a meeting to get players' input on the design for the championship ring. What better way to go out? "You know, you couldn't write a story any better to ride off into the sunset this way," Strahan said. "But like I said, I just haven't decided exactly how I want to end it. It's a long season, man. I'm physically and mentally tired. It's tough."
Giants GM Jerry Reese briefly spoke to Strahan at the ticker tape parade after the Super Bowl and told him, “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of you.” That’s vague, of course, and it’s not known how much the Giants are willing to do for the future Hall of Famer who has one year and $4 million left on his current deal. One source speculated Strahan might ask for $10 million in guaranteed money, even if he plays just one more season. Strahan and Agnone are expected to meet with Reese and possibly Mara or Steve Tisch sometime in March, before Strahan leaves on his vacation.

Giants Director of College Scouting Marc Ross will be running his first draft as a member of the Giants. Ross joined the Giants last May 18. He essentially succeeded general manager Jerry Reese, who was the team's director of player personnel before moving into his present position. Reese held both jobs for four months, including last year’s draft, before searching in earnest for a college scouting director.

Feb 25 A year ago the Giants went into the NFL draft badly in need of a linebacker -- and picked a cornerback in the first round. In April the reigning champion Giants will head into the draft probably needing a safety -- and may pick yet another cornerback. "Cornerbacks are a premium in this league," said general manager Jerry Reese. "Everyone wants cornerbacks. We want them, too."
If they don't get DeAngelo Hall (because another team offers a better deal to Atlanta or they can't negotiate a new contract with Hall's agent), the Giants will likely go to the draft to find their corner. And while it's still extremely early in the process, there's a chance they could wind up with their second consecutive winner of the Thorpe Award (for best defensive back in college football) after drafting Aaron Ross last year.

The success of this past season doesn't mean Jerry Reese and Tom Coughlin can take their foot off the gas. They'll work just as hard, if not harder due to the shorter window before the draft, to put a championship team back on the field. "You really don't ever stop," said Coughlin. "We got back (from the Super Bowl) on a Monday night. We had our exit meetings on Tuesday morning. We had our magnificent experience in the canyon of champions over there in New York. We had a great session with the team back at the Meadowlands with the fans. All of a sudden the next day we had to do rankings and evaluations, write-ups and needs and things of that nature."

NFC East News
Cowboys - With a team that won the most games in the NFC in 2007 and beat the Super Bowl champion New York Giants twice in the regular season - but lost to them in the playoffs - Jerry Jones feels the Cowboys are capable of bringing him his fourth Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Redskins - Few, if any, NFL teams in recent years have awaited the opening of free agency more eagerly than the Washington Redskins. It became an annual rite for team officials to man telephones for midnight calls to the players they targeted and then to dispatch owner Daniel Snyder's jet around the country to whisk them to Redskins Park. But the ritual won't be repeated when this year's free agent market opens at 12:01 a.m. Feb. 29, Redskins front-office chief Vinny Cerrato said Friday.

Feb 24 Plaxico Burress just finished a remarkable season in which he battled a painful injury and finished with a Super Bowl-winning catch. Now he may be looking to cash in. Burress' agent declined to shoot down speculation on Saturday that the Giants' top receiver is looking to renegotiate his deal. Burress has three years and $10.5 million left on the six-year, $25 million deal he signed in 2005, but there have been rumors that he's looking for more. "That is going to be between myself and the Giants," agent Drew Rosenhaus said. "I can't comment on that publicly." Burress, of course, would appear to have some leverage after catching 70 passes for 1,025 yards and 12 touchdowns in the regular season and another 18 passes for 221 yards and a score in the playoffs. The whole time he battled a sprained ankle he suffered on Aug. 2. He even played in the Giants' Super Bowl win just five days after slipping in the shower and hurting his knee.
The team, realizing Burress will likely be a productive receiver for quarterback Eli Manning for at least five more years, might be willing to renegotiate his deal and extend it. If Burress and Rosenhaus demand more money, it might be one of three contract squabbles the Giants will face this offseason. Left DE Michael Strahan will likely ask for more than the $4 million he's owed in the final year of his deal (if he decides to return, of course). "I'm not going to talk about the negotiation part of it," GM Jerry Reese said. "If he wants to come back, we want him back. It's not fair to talk about how we'll negotiate things." Right DE Osi Umenyiora is not happy with his contract, especially after Justin Tuck signed a deal that includes $1 million more in guaranteed money than Umenyiora got in 2005.

Jerry Reese has spent the past few days here at the N.F.L. scouting combine, studying the roughly 335 college football players being tested and interviewed. But he has also received congratulatory back slaps from executives, coaches and, in particular, scouts around the league. The combine is an N.F.L. convention of sorts , an annual meeting place for scouts, the unsung and far-flung evaluators who steer teams toward certain young players. Reese was one of them for many years. "I'm a scout, raised a scout," Reese said Saturday. "Once a scout, always a scout."
He carried that mentality to the general manager position. It is no coincidence that his first key decision last year after inheriting the job from the retiring Ernie Accorsi was to cut three older starters with injury histories and pricey contracts (Luke Petitgout, LaVar Arrington and Carlos Emmons). Reese barely made any moves in free agency (so few that it worried John Mara, the team president and co-owner, hardly a fan of high-priced acquisitions), instead relying on the draft. The result was the league's third-youngest team and a Super Bowl championship.
Jerry Reese showed last year he's not afraid to make trades, given his deals for kicker Lawrence Tynes and running back Reuben Droughns. His problem was signing free agents. To say the Giants didn't exactly jump into the unrestricted talent pool with both feet is understating the fact. But Reese told reporters yesterday at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis that this year could bring more than a Kawika Mitchell out of the free-agent market, which begins Friday. Reese and his staff have evaluated their own roster. Despite a Super Bowl championship, Reese said a certain amount of free-agent activity is called for, considering the uncertainty of particular situations. "We evaluate everybody," Reese said. "It was a great run, but we have to evaluate everybody again to see where you are heading into the offseason, figure out what direction we need to go."

The template, Jerry Reese says, is always changing. Just because one system worked last year doesn't mean the Giants will stick with it this time around. Last year there was little involvement in free agency, which made the development of players on hand and the infusion of draft talent essential in the run to the Super Bowl. If the copycats in the NFL plan to follow that path, however, they might find the Giants on a totally different course for 2008.
As the director of player personnel for the Giants' past five drafts, Reese knew at least a little bit about every one of the 300-plus NFL hopefuls at the RCA Dome. But this time around, after spending the 2007 season as the team's general manager who dabbled only a little in college scouting, Reese is far behind. "It's a little different for me," Reese said yesterday during his morning press conference. "This time I haven't been able to go out and (scout) players like I usually do. "But I'll catch up before April. I'll know who they are, and I'll catch up."
This is the first time since 2003 that Reese is not in charge of the Giants' draft. Oh, he will have the final say in the draft room, as the general manager always does. But the nuts and bolts of draft preparation now fall to Scouting Director Marc Ross, who was named to his position after Reese ran last year's draft. Reese's many other duties as G.M. prevented him from being as immersed in the draft-eligible players as he normally is at this time of year.

Feb 23 Tom Coughlin, coach of the Super Bowl champions, recalled a year ago at the NFL combine when he addressed the media as Tom Coughlin, potential lame duck coach.
A year ago, Tom Coughlin visited the media room at the NFL Combine and parried with reporters seeking explanations why he was given a one-year contract extension after an 8-8 season and a first-round playoff loss. Coughlin returned there to face a more accommodating press, less than three weeks after winning Super Bowl XLII.
Before his press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine yesterday morning, Tom Coughlin was introduced as "coach of the Super Bowl champions." He was then asked how that sounded. "Boy, does that sound good," the Giants coach said with a smile. So good it might keep him coming back for a long time. And long enough that he's not ready to declare his upcoming contract extension (of four or five years) to be his last.
The Giants' coach went happily about his business yesterday at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, signing autographs and accepting congratulatory handshakes when not scouting players. For Coughlin, like the players who took him to the Super Bowl XLII title, the offseason has been a whirlwind. But unlike the working guys, Coughlin said he has had precious little time away from his duties.

DeAngelo Hall says he wants to be a general manager some day, and that's why the Atlanta Falcon-for-the-time-being shows up each year at the NFL combine. Now he has another motive, getting a head start on squelching that bad-guy image he thinks he's gotten from what's happened in Atlanta. And that basically will result in the Pro Bowl cornerback finding another home this season, maybe even with the Super Bowl champions. The Giants reportedly are one of several teams who have been contacted about Hall's availability.
Hall has one year left on his contract with Atlanta, and had initially expressed optimism about staying. But Friday, after hearing that Dimitroff would listen to offers for him, Hall told reporters in Indianapolis that he isn't coming back. "You know what, I'll go anywhere - anywhere they want me," he said. "It's hard to play or be a part of an organization that doesn't want you, so I just want to go somewhere that wants me.
The question is if he'll wind up with the Giants or one of several other teams who were quickly rumored to be interested in acquiring him. The Redskins, Buccaneers, Dolphins and Cowboys were mentioned by yesterday afternoon. Those teams' possible interest means the Giants might be forced to sweeten the trade offer. If so, they could be willing to part with another draft pick from the later rounds. They might also toss in a player, though it won't be tight end Jeremy Shockey, the subject of plenty of trade rumors the past few weeks.

The Patriots were caught videotaping Giants assistant defensive coaches in the final preseason game of 2006, according to a new report. The incident led the NFL to send out a letter to teams detailing interpretations of the rule against taping an opposing team's signals, the New York Times reported today.
Two years ago, the Giants were suspicious that the New England Patriots were spying on their defensive coaches during a preseason game. But according to the NFL, the Patriots were not caught in the act. Greg Aiello, the NFL's senior VP of public relations, said yesterday that neither the league nor the Giants were able to find any proof the Patriots were videotaping a Giants assistant coach sending in defensive signals, as they did in the incident that sparked the SpyGate controversy in the 2007 opener against the Jets.

NFL News
From NBCSports - The biggest areas of need for all 32 teams.

Feb 22 One year after refusing to renegotiate Michael Strahan's contract, the Giants might have a change of heart. Co-owner John Mara said Thursday the Giants might be open to redoing Strahan's deal if the defensive end decides not to retire. He is currently signed only through next season and is due a salary of $4 million. "We'll have to talk about that and see," Mara said. "I'm not ruling it out." The 36-year-old Strahan hasn't informed the Giants of his plans yet, although he's expected to do so sometime in March.

Giants.com's Michael Eisen sits down with Center Shaun O'Haram.
Q - You were a free agent at the end of last season. What was your thought process in coming back and are you glad to be back? Did you seriously entertain thoughts of going to a different team?
A - I did for a little while. I think you have to, just because of the business aspect of the game. You always have to be prepared if you're forced to venture out.
How things looked last year - O'Hara, 29, lives in New Jersey, went to Rutgers, came to the Giants in 2004, and wants to stay put. It might not make financial sense for him. According to a source, the O'Hara camp said it felt negotiations with assistant general manager Kevin Abrams were moving along just fine. The talks ground to a halt after first-year general manager Jerry Reese, the source said, entered the fray and "pounded on his chest a little bit."

Tom Coughlin arrived at the NFL Scouting Combine yesterday still with only one year remaining on his contract. Team president and CEO John Mara said that will soon change -- once he can get around to it. Mara, a member of the league's competition committee, has been stuck in meetings for most of the past few days and hasn't had a chance to polish off a deal that's expected to pay Coughlin about $5 million per season over the next four or five years.
Most everyone associated with the Giants is reaping the benefits of the Super Bowl triumph. Nearly every Giants assistant coach had one year remaining on his contract, but all have been offered two or three-year extensions for more money. Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, whose contract was set to run out at the end of March, was rewarded with a new deal. Already, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo cashed in with a three-year, $6 million deal after being wooed by the Redskins for their head-coaching job.

With their top two free-agent targets wearing pricey franchise tags, the Giants are trying another route toward getting a top cornerback: A trade with the Atlanta Falcons for two-time Pro Bowler DeAngelo Hall. According to two people with knowledge of preliminary discussions between the teams, the Giants are willing to give Atlanta their first-round pick (31st overall) in April's draft in exchange for Hall. The people requested anonymity because of the private nature of the trade talks.

Ellis Hobbs, who got beaten by Plaxico Burress for the game-winning touchdown in the Super Bowl, played the game hurt, according to a source. More than Ellis Hobbs's pride was wounded when he was beaten by New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress for the deciding points in the Patriots' 17-14 upset loss in Super Bowl XLII. According to a source close to the Patriots cornerback, Hobbs was playing with a torn labrum in his shoulder and chronic groin pain.

Rich Seubert and Michael Mathews made a trip to City Hall for the second time in eight days last Tuesday. The crowd wasn't quite as big as the one at the victory parade, but the cause was. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino made a wager before the Super Bowl in which the losing city would make a sizable food donation to the winning one. Rich and Michael were brought in to help settle the bet, and deliver the donated food.

The NFL recently has opened each season on a Thursday night, with the defending Super Bowl champions playing host to a worthy opponent. That could bring up an interesting situation for the Giants. "I've told the league about it," Giants president John Mara said Thursday at the NFL combine. He was referring to the Giants' parking situation which requires off-site lots to be used while the new stadium is being constructed. The problem is those lots, which are empty on Sunday, are filled during the week. That appears to kill the Giants' chances of hosting any Monday or Thursday night games until the construction is completed.

NFL News
The NFL is considering changing the postseason so seeding would be based on records rather than division titles. That won’t avoid instances like the one last season when Cleveland missed the playoffs and Tennessee made it by beating Indianapolis backups. But competition committee members agreed Thursday that changing the seeding guidelines would result in fewer such situations.

Feb 21 Tom Coughlin's contract extension should be completed within a few days, now that Giants president and CEO John Mara has completed his NFL obligations. Mara, a member of the league's Competition Committee, has been in meetings the past few days and out of contact with Coughlin's representatives. "I didn't get a chance to talk with them at all today," Mara said Wednesday as he left a meeting with players on the league's advisory board. "It's just been a matter of lack of communication."

Feb 20 There appears to be little suspense regarding Tom Coughlin's coaching status with the Giants New York Giants, thanks to the Super Bowl championship he helped deliver. Giants GM Jerry Reese yesterday acknowledged that the process with a new contract for Coughlin is ongoing. Reese is scheduled to leave today for Indianapolis for the NFL scouting combine, and Coughlin will fly out tomorrow.
By the end of this week, Tom Coughlin is expected to have a new contract that could take him to the end of his coaching career. Talks got underway this week between the Giants and Coughlin's agent, as expected, and both sides expect a quick resolution. They are discussing a four-year deal for the 61-year-old coach, who would be right at retirement age when it expires after the 2011 season. Only Coughlin knows if he'd even want to consider coaching after he turns 65.

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