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| Sept 4 Get
there early - The Giants urge fans to be in their seats
by 6:30 p.m. That's when a special pregame ceremony will begin,
recognizing the Super Bowl XLII champions. The Giants will
host a special presentation celebrating the 1986, 1990, and
the 2007 Super Bowl championship teams, featuring Giants players
from those teams, as well as special guests. Tight ends coach Mike Pope is the only assistant to participate in every one of the Giants four Super Bowls. He was also in one as an assistant with the Patriots. He is an authority on the dangerous terrain ahead for a Super Bowl victors. "I know there is a giant trap out there," Pope said of the treacherous road ahead. "I think the biggest thing is you take the confidence from what you achieved but it starts all over. You're now everyone's homecoming game. We will be challenged like most of these players can't even imagine. It is going to be undeniably the hardest year of their short careers. They're going to find that out very quickly.". It
has been a wonderful time for the Giants in the seven
months and one day since they were crowned Super Bowl champions
out in Glendale, Ariz. Thursday, however, they will officially
put Super Bowl XLII behind them. Now it's all about getting
to Super Bowl XLIII. "Obviously we got a taste of it last
year," said linebacker Antonio Pierce. "Hopefully people got
a little left in their mouth for more." On
one side of the Giants' Super Bowl ring are emblazoned
the words "Eleven Straight on the Road," commemorating
the 2007 team’s brilliant mark away from Giants Stadium. Conveniently
left off the ring are the words "Only 3-5 at Home."
The Super Bowl XLII champions are the lone team to even reach
the big game losing more than winning at home. Two teams were
.500 when they got to the Bowl, but none were below that mark
until the Giants made their surprise visit that wound up in
an upset of the previously-unbeaten Patriots. Tonight,
the Giants return to the Meadowlands, return to the metropolitan
area and for the first time in 17 years they will take the
field as champions. It only seems like that long that they've
taken their old home field at all. What the fans deserve is
this night, this game, this gathering, this celebration, this
moment of reflection and resonance that will fill the swamps
of North Jersey and beyond, that will provide, seven months
later, that visceral sense of "we're in it together" that
was the only thing missing from the script last winter. What
a grand night it will be. The leader of the three-man running back rotation that was so steady last season, Brandon Jacobs has been counted on as the bruiser who exhausts opposing defenses before Bradshaw and Derrick Ward cycle in. But he's ready to put a wrinkle in that template when the Giants begin their Super Bowl defense Thursday night with a nationally televised home opener against the Washington Redskins. RB Reuben Droughns and CB Sam Madison were thought to be on the bubble as the Giants' final cuts approached last weekend. Both players survived, though they had to make financial concessions to stick around. Madison, 34, who signed a four-year, $7.4 million contract in 2006, gave back about $500,000 in base salary late last month. Droughns surrendered $250,000 in salary and is down to a $750,000 base this season. The defensive concepts used by the Giants start up front. Pushing with four or five players allows for thicker coverage in the secondary, which should be improved. Aaron Ross, a second-year cornerback, is developing into a lockdown player while Corey Webster has shown glimpses of being an impact player. The addition of first-round pick Kenny Phillips at safety makes the money the Raiders spent to lure Wilson to Oakland only more absurd. Still, there are many who will see a defense without Strahan, without Umenyiora, and without a chance. The Redskins kept things largely under wraps in the preseason, but have switched from Joe Gibbs' run-oriented attack to a West Coast offense under Zorn and Smith. The Skins are operating at a faster pace and getting in and out of the huddle quicker. Their passing game is now more horizontal than vertical, though they will take occasional shots deep. Quarterback Jason Campbell has recovered from the dislocated left knee that sidelined him for the last four games of the 2007 season (including one in the playoffs). Last year, he completed 60 percent of his passes. Campbell's backup is veteran Todd Collins, who led the Redskins to a 22-10 victory here last Dec. 22. Sept 3 Two
teams in NFL history reached the Super Bowl with a .500
home record (both 4-4): the 1979 Los Angeles Rams and the
1988 49ers. It comes as no great surprise that no team in
NFL history had ever made it to the Super Bowl with a losing
home record before the Giants defied those odds and crashed
in. The
great quarterbacks, the ones that get themselves tucked
onto the highest shelves, find a way to replicate that moment,
that year, that ring. They do it again. Unitas. Bradshaw.
Starr. Graham. Montana. Brady. They belong in a separate conversation
because they were multiple winners. They didn't win every
year, not even close. Just in more than one year. That is
Eli Manning's newest challenge. The
Giants really did win the Super Bowl, mostly because the
Patriots couldn't protect their quarterback from one of the
deepest, quickest, sets of pass rushers the NFL ever has seen.
"Reason we did so well in the playoffs is that we were fresh
in the fourth quarter," Justin Tuck said yesterday. And if
the retirement of Strahan and the loss of Umenyiora for the
2008 season doesn't necessarily leave the champs fresh out
of luck, the real concern might be that they eventually will
prove fresh out of freshness. "Yeah, I don't think the biggest
problem is replacing Osi and Michael," said Tuck. "The biggest
problem is replacing what Kiwi and I did last year."
Because they have so many running backs, offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said he tries to tailor his play-calling without tipping his hand. "There is no question, everybody does certain things better than other things," he said. "Within their strengths, you try to keep balance." Still, with all five running backs healthy - right now, the Giants consider it a three-man rotation - there is some question about who will get the bulk of the touches. "We'll rotate them and let a guy get into a flow and then substitute," he said. "And then if a guy is looking like he is playing well, then we'll keep him in there until fatigue takes over and we have to take a rest." The term "routine catch" is often spoken, but in reality there is little routine about the job Kevin Boss at tight end for the Giants must master as the replacement for the lightning rod Jeremy Shockey . Boss in his second season must become a better blocker to come close to approaching Shockey's standards, and it remains to be seen if he will be able to duplicate Shockey's hell-raising ability - especially earlier in his career - to shed and pulverize would-be tacklers. Boss, though, need not take a back seat to Shockey or most anyone else when it comes to one significant skill. As far as the physical talent of catching the ball, Boss is, well, boss, and he roused the interest of all Giants fans with his 45-yard catch-and-run to ignite the Giants in Super Bowl XLII. As
Kenny Phillips approaches his first NFL game, the first-round
draft pick said he is excited about playing. Still, it's a
surprise to those who saw him earlier this preseason that
he won't be starting at free safety when the Giants play the
Redskins tomorrow night. Phillips said he will be with the
first nickel package and other sub groups, as well as special
teams, so he'll get plenty of time on the field, but Michael
Johnson will get the start. The Giants are familiar with the Redskins' talented offensive personnel, including strong-armed quarterback Jason Campbell, running backs Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts, wide receivers Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El and tight end Chris Cooley. But the scheme and the play-calling are the great unknowns. About the only thing the Giants can be sure of is they won't see what they used to get. "They didn't show all their cards in the preseason," Antonio Pierce said. "They showed a little bit, but they are working on other things and probably game planning against us a little, just like we've been doing against them... After the first 15 plays we'll know what their game plan is and what their state of mind is." Sept 2
Every
offensive player who started in Super Bowl XLII will take
the field as a starter in Thursday's season-opener against
the Redskins. That continuity is rare and forges within the
Giants a belief that no growing pains are needed. "There shouldn't
be," claimed right guard Chris Snee . "The mental errors shouldn't
be there, you have guys who have played a lot of football.
Really we should hit the ground running." Last season, the
defense was in disarray as first-year coordinator Steve Spagnuolo
tried to put the parts together and the immediate results
were an 0-2 record and 80 points allowed. There's another
tough task this year, with all the upheaval heaped upon the
defense. Consider that five players who started on defense
in the Super Bowl will not be on the field for this season's
opener. Facing a head coach in his first NFL game always is something of a crapshoot for the opposing team. That's the case particularly for the defense Thursday night when the Giants open the 2008 season against the Redskins at Giants Stadium. Jim Zorn will be in his first game as Washington head coach, being elevated to the position just two weeks after being named the team's offensive coordinator. There is no track record on what his offense will be like, even after five preseason games. "The trademark of this offense is creating mismatches," Clinton Portis said. "It is finding a way to get guys one-on-one. Before it was, 'This is what we are going to do no matter what they do. They have to stop us.' "And you know, fortunately for them, more than not, they had the opportunity to stop us. We didn't have audibles before. Right now if we are in a bad play, we can get out of that play. Jason has the opportunity to put up the audibles and change things around and get us points." Mathias Kiwanuka is a little more than a week into his new (old) position at defensive end, and the reviews are not good. Oh, he's playing fine. It's the little sack dance he pulled out when he tackled Patriots third-string quarterback Matt Gutierrez for a loss Thursday night that proved troublesome. Those long arms that can be such an asset to a defensive end managed to snag the quarterback like a lasso. But those same limbs then started flailing in celebration, and that's when his teammates started shaking their heads. "That was all spontaneous," Kiwanuka said. "I took a lot of heat for that." Nobody is looking forward to the start of the Giants' title defense more than Derrick Ward, Mathias Kiwanuka and Darcy Johnson - the three Giants who were stuck on injured reserve during last year's miracle Super Bowl run. The view was remarkable, first from the stands, and later from the sidelines after they snuck on to the field. Mathias Kiwanuka, Derrick Ward and Darcy Johnson were right there to watch the final drive, to see the Lombardi trophy, to feel the falling confetti. For each of them, the Giants winning Super Bowl XLII was one of their proudest professional moments, even if it was a little bittersweet. Eli Manning says his mind is on football even with Hurricane Gustav zeroing in on his native New Orleans. "I keep talking to my parents and they keep me informed," he said. "But right now I'm focused on getting ready for this game." Manning said his parents have evacuated their New Orleans home for their place in Mississippi. "We hope for the best," said Manning, who with his brother Peyton delivered emergency goods to the city after it was devastated by Katrina in 2005. The Giants elected quarterback Eli Manning, receiver Amani Toomer, linebacker Antonio Pierce, defensive tackle Fred Robbins and punter Jeff Feagles as captains for the 2008 season. Manning, Pierce and Feagles are repeat choices. Toomer replaces center Shaun O'Hara, while Robbins takes over for the retired Michael Strahan. Robbins has not been a captain since his days at Wake Forest. Toomer has not been a captain since he was in high school. "It just makes you put that much more on the season personally, because I am one of the captains," Toomer said. Super Bowl champions, meet Olympic gold medalist. CB Aaron Ross' fiancee and Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards That meeting of sports royalty took place today on the practice field adjacent to Giants Stadium when the Giants welcomed Sanya Richards - cornerback Aaron Ross' fiancee and a gold medal winner at last month's Olympic Games in Beijing. Because of their busy and conflicting schedules, Ross and Richards are not getting married until February 2010. Richards was in the metropolitan area for a brief visit. She flies to Austin tomorrow (she and Ross met at the University of Texas) and she will compete in the IAAF World Athletics final in Stuttgart, Germany on Sept. 13 and 14. Ross said Richards' fast finishing kick to win the gold in the relay can inspire the Giants. Sept 1 The
Giants open defense of their Super Bowl title against
a division rival, a familiar foe. That would seem to make
things a little easier for them in terms of knowing what to
expect. But these aren't Joe Gibbs' Redskins anymore. They
now play for Jim Zorn. That means a whole new approach from
Washington, complete with a West Coast tinge. Jerome
McDougle will have some new things to get used to, but
at least he approves of the fashion. "I look good in blue,"
the one-time Eagles defensive end said yesterday after the
Giants signed him to a one-year contract. Before that, the
only blue he'd had on his uniform was the streaks of cloth
and paint from his most memorable play around these parts,
a welcome-to-the-NFL hit he plastered on Eli Manning in 2004.
McDougle, a first-round pick by the Eagles, never played up
to expectations and had injury issues. He missed all of the
2005 season after he was shot during a Miami robbery just
before training camp and was on IR all of last year after
surgery to repair a torn triceps. Jerome
McDougle, who also drew interest from Houston and Carolina,
is expected to be part of the defensive-end rotation as a
rusher in obvious passing situations. He can play the left
side, meaning Justin Tuck can continue to play inside at tackle,
where he's a mismatch for guards and centers who aren't used
to such quick moves. The 6-2, 264-pound McDougle and veteran
Renaldo Wynn are also capable of playing inside as well. Wherever
he plays, McDougle figures to have plenty of opportunities
to take on tackles one-on-one because Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka
will command the most attention from opposing lines.. Plaxico
Burress played at a near-Pro Bowl level last season on
one good ankle. Now he's finally ready to see what he can
do on two. The 31-year-old receiver, who has been bothered
by a right ankle injury all summer, went through his third
straight full practice with the Giants Sunday and, for the
first time, said he went full-speed. As a result, he declared
himself 100% healthy. He hasn't been able to say that in more
than a year. Newly signed kicker John Carney yesterday worked for the first time with punter/holder Jeff Feagles , and as the two walked off the practice field Feagles shouted "AARP." No kidding. Carney is 44 and Feagles is 42. "It's just nice to see another guy with no hair out there," Feagles said. "Jeff's a guy I can relate to, something about our age," added Carney. Indeed, these two venerable specialists sport bald heads and scores of NFL records for kicking production and longevity. Aug 31 It
was believed the Giants would get a bit younger Saturday
by cutting a few aging veterans. Turns out they got much older
instead. On their way to paring down the final roster to the
maximum of 53 players, the Giants cut kicker Josh Huston and
signed 44-year-old John Carney, a 20-year veteran who spent
11 seasons with the Chargers and six with the Saints. While
the Giants added Carney (now the oldest player on the team
ahead of 42-year-old punter Jeff Feagles), they also held
onto a few veterans believed to be on the bubble: Cornerbacks
Sam Madison and R.W. McQuarters, running back Reuben Droughns
and safety Sammy Knight. Depending
on how the coin toss plays out, there's a 50-50 chance
that the first athlete to put a football in play in the 2008
NFL season Thursday night will have been old enough to have
played for the Rams when they were still in Los Angeles. And
that was his second team. John Carney has been an NFL kicker
since 1988 - the same year Tom Coughlin first arrived with
the Giants as a wide receivers coach - and will start his
third decade in the profession with the defending Super Bowl
champions. The
Giants yesterday made no earth-shattering player moves
but they did leave themselves with only two quarterbacks,
Eli Manning Eli Manning and David Carr, which Tom Coughlin
admits is "a calculated risk." It was not only a day for subtractions.
For now, the Giants must allocate two precious roster spots
for kickers and they borrowed from the quarterback position
to make the numbers fit. Antonio Pierce wants extension, but not sensing any Giant love. Pierce spent the offseason asking the Giants to discuss a long-term contract extension. Each time he asked, the Giants declined. Pierce has three years and $13.1 million left on the six-year, $26 million contract he signed in 2005, but he said he's not looking "for some crazy pay raise." He just wants to know that the Giants want him here and get some assurance that they won't let him go. The story about David Tyree battling demons such as drugs and alcohol before turning his life around and becoming a Super Bowl hero isn't new. But in an interview with ESPN's "E: 60" set to air Tuesday night, Tyree talks about facing literal demons and an impromptu exorcism. Aug 30 With
at least 22 cuts due by 6p.m., Tom Coughlin has some agonizing
decisions to make to get the Giants' roster down to the 53-man
limit. And the toughest calls will be on several reliable
veterans, such as cornerbacks R.W. McQuarters and Sam Madison
and running back Reuben Droughns. He will also have to make
a tough call on receiver Sinorice Moss and backup quarterback
Anthony Wright, along with a few other remnants from his championship
team. Some
of the most intriguing decisions will come at wide receiver,
which has fluctuated from deep to injury-prone and back to
deep during the preseason. Consider that Domenik Hixon, the
most consistent receiver of the summer and a starter on offense
since the first day of camp, likely will have to settle for
the No.4 job when the season starts Thursday. But he should
have a job. Twenty-two others won't. Coughlin also has a quandary when it comes to his placekicker because Lawrence Tynes still is nursing a sore knee and his preseason replacement, Josh Huston, failed to impress. Does he look to Jay Feely, Dave Rayner or some other veteran kicker who shakes free in these final cuts? "We have to make decisions, first of all on what is the condition of Lawrence Tynes?" Coughlin said. "It's from that decision, the decision from the medical people, that we have to make the right decision for our team. We'll have to see where that goes." Eli Manning completed 56.1 percent of his passes last season. He threw 23 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. Then he enjoyed a remarkable postseason run, culminating with a Super Bowl MVP trophy. But there is still room for improvement. That's why quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer is here. "Eli came back with a list of things he wanted to improve on," Palmer said. "I also had a list of things I wanted him to improve on. He didn't come in and say, 'Hey, I'm the MVP of the Super Bowl, there isn't anything we need to work on.' I was very, very pleased with his approach to the season." Palmer has also had a calming effect on David Carr, who came here in search of confidence as much as the backup job. They spent four seasons together in Houston. Eli Manning said on a conference call that he and the Giants offense are ready for the season to begin. As is his custom, the durable Manning hasn't missed a practice since the Giants held their first training camp workout six weeks ago today. Excerpts from the book - Eli Manning: The Making of a Quarterback. Giants beat writer Ralph Vacchiano provides the amazing inside story of how a kid from New Orleans grew from controversial first-round pick to Super Bowl champion. Aug 29 Giants win over the Patriots 19-14 | GAME PHOTOS
ESPN - Giants' Carr takes spotlight in preseason finale as Manning, Brady rest. Giants.com - Giants defeat Patriots, 19-14. StarLedger - New York Giants game highlights. StarLedger - New York Giants' David Carr makes case to be backup QB. StarLedger - Outlook for New York Giants' defensive ends not so bleak. NYDailyNews - Coughlin gives Giants a break. NYDailyNews - Book by News writer looks at Eli Manning & David Tyree's Super play. Newsday - Giants to Patriots, 19-14. Newsday - Some super thoughts after Giants-Patriots matchup. NYPost - Super Snorefest. NYPost - Kiwanuka bags sack after switch. NYPost - Giant motivation. NYPost - Tyree has a devil of a time. TheRecord - Giants' Carr cements backup spot. Aug 28 A New Jersey lawmaker is urging the Giants to rethink their plan to sell personal seat licenses for every seat in the new football stadium at the Meadowlands. Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone on Wednesday applauded the Jets for allowing 27,000 upper-deck fans to buy season tickets without also shelling out a one-time personal seat license fee and encouraged the Giants to do the same. Chiappone is sponsoring legislation that would ban the sale of seat licenses at all sports facilities in the state. NFL
Preseason Preview - New England (0-3) At N.Y. Giants (1-2). Rematch!
Redemption! Revenge! Relax! The two teams that produced
one of the most exciting Super Bowls will meet again tonight
at Giants Stadium. At least they will in name. Most playing
in tonight's Giants-Patriots exhibition game watched that
thrilling Super Bowl matchup either from the sidelines or
on television in their living rooms. There's
really nothing to prove in a preseason finale, so most
of the marquee players will stay a safe distance from the
action. Nobody is talking as if this is a Super Bowl rematch.
The primary goal is to move on to Week 1 of the regular season
without additional injuries. "Everybody here is a professional,"
Eli Manning said. "We know what this game is about. It's preseason,
and the starting group will probably get one series. We'll
go out there, try to play well, put some points on the board,
and fine-tune for the opener." Don't expect any emotional
displays. At
the Giants' annual Kickoff Luncheon, Manning added another
trophy to his shelf when he was named the Giants' Most Valuable
Player. The award was voted on by the Giants' coaches (unlike
the media-voted award from the Super Bowl, it did not come
with a brand new car). Former Giants Aug 27 Jets
announce PSLs; upper deck seats spared The Jets announced
their PSL plan on Tuesday and there is one advantage Gang
Green faithful have over Big Blue followers: of the 82,500
seats available in the new stadium 27,000 in the upper bowl
will be PSL-free for Jets fans. Meanwhile, the PSLs in the
upper bowl for Giants fans will range from $1,000 to $5,000. Plax
is officially back and it's going to be wait-and-see on
Tyree. Plaxico Burress practiced for a second straight day
and David Tyree was placed on the physically unable to perform
(PUP) list, leaving him ineligible to play until after the
sixth week of the season. Plaxico Burress has already accomplished something in 2008 he was unable to do all of 2007: practice two days in a row. "I feel pretty good," Burress said after practice. "It's something I haven’t been able to do in the past year; to go out and practice with no limitations. I worked this morning and I wasn't as sore as I thought I would be. It's all positive that I can go out there back to back days. I'm going to get some treatment and see how I feel tomorrow, but as of right now I feel pretty good." Jay
Glazer of Fox Sports, Michael Strahan's biographer and
good friend, reports the defensive end has decided against
returning to the team. "This has been one of the toughest
nights of my life," Strahan told Glazer from Greece. "But
after long deliberation and throwing around a million scenarios
in my head for the past day, I think it's just best if I stay
retired. "I have gone back and forth on this because as a
player you'll always want to play, you'll never lose that
urge to be out there. But I could only do this if I could
commit 100 percent, physically, mentally, emotionally and
I can't do that." Everybody
in the Giants organization wanted Michael Strahan back.
Everybody, including the guy he would have helped replace.
"It would have been cool to see him play, (but) I guess he
couldn't do it without me," a laughing Osi Umenyiora told
The Star-Ledger by phone yesterday, minutes after he learned
Strahan had told the Giants he will remain retired. "Like
he always said I couldn't do it without him, I guess there
was no chance he could have come back and played without me."
The Giants did not appear to embrace the possibility from the beginning, and according to one source, they began making phone calls only at the urging of co-owner Steve Tisch, who has become a close friend of Strahan. Initial contact with Strahan wasn't made until Monday afternoon. And the morning after Umenyiora got hurt, Tom Coughlin called linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka to tell him he was moving back to defensive end. Michael Strahan and his ex-wife, Jean, have settled their legal battle over how big a slice of his fortune she should get. But a fight over how much child support he must pay will continue after an appeals court decided the $214,745 a year ordered by a trial judge is too high.Aug
26 Coach
Tom Coughlin announced that Mathias Kiwanuka will take
Osi Umenyiora's place at right end. Kiwanuaka was a first-round
draft choice as an end two years ago, but played strongside
linebacker last year. With Kiwanuka moving up to the line,
Danny Clark will replace him on the strong side. Gerris Wilkinson
will be the weakside linebacker. Without Strahan, Umenyiora
and linebackers Kawika Mitchell (now with Buffalo) and Reggie
Torbor (Miami), the Giants are missing 26.5 sacks - exactly
half - from their NFL-leading total of 53. "I am confident
that I can get the job done," Kiwanuka said. The
idea is so titillating it has everyone in town buzzing.
Even guys who just got here. "If I was a Giant, I'd do whatever
I could to get him out and have him back on my team," Jets
quarterback Brett Favre said of Michael Strahan, another potential
retirement rebound. "The guy still looks great. [He's a] hell
of a player. I would have done whatever to try to get him
back initially, but now, how could you not want him back?"
Ever since Osi Umenyiora was taken off the field with a knee
injury Saturday night, and since the announcement Sunday that
Umenyiora would have season-ending surgery to repair a torn
lateral meniscus, the desire by some Fantasy Football GMs
to lure Strahan back to the field at any cost has been furious.
According
to a source close to the future Hall of Famer, all it
would take to get the 37-year-old Strahan to end his 77-day
retirement would be $8 million and a few kind words. If the
Giants made a "sincere" effort to lure him back, the source
said, it was "not out of the question" that Strahan could
opt out of his contract with Fox and be wearing his old No.
92 jersey when Giants begin their Super Bowl title defense
at Giants Stadium on Sept. 4. Plaxico Burress said he wouldn't practice until he was completely healed. Yesterday was that day. "I decided to pull the old car out of the garage and see how I felt," Burress said after participating in almost all of the individual and team drills during the workout, mostly closed to the media. "I'm feeling a lot better, a hundred percent." Burress said he didn't have any limitations and even jumped in the air to catch a few passes. But when the team went to the hurry-up offense, Burress was reminded just how long it has been since he went full speed. "I forgot how tough it is to run routes when you're a little bit winded in the two-minute drill," he said. The Giants jettisoned three players, including SS Craig Dahl, who was waived-injured. Dahl tore the ACL in his right knee Saturday night against the Jets. He tore the ACL in his left knee in last year’s regular-season finale against the Patriots and eventually was released. He was re-signed July 30. Waived were free agent WR D.J. Hall and CB Miguel Scott, who was signed last week. That leaves the Giants roster at 77 with two more deletions due by 4 o’clock today. They will have to cut 22 players to reach the 53-man limit by Saturday. Steel bound for the Sept. 11 memorial is going on tour at Giants Stadium. Giants and Jets fans will be able to sign two 37-foot beams being used to build the memorial to the 2001 terrorist attacks before their teams' home openers, while New Yorkers will be able to sign the beams at a spot near ground zero on Sept. 10 and Sept. 11, the foundation building the memorial said Tuesday. Aug 25 Sunday
morning, Osi Umenyiora got the bad news. He was given
two options. According to his agent, Tony Agnone, the doctors
did discuss simply cutting out the torn piece of cartilage
in the knee - a procedure that might have had him back on
the field in about four weeks. But Agnone said the Giants'
doctors recommended a full repair of the meniscus because
"they felt they should save it to help his long-term career
situation." Coughlin said he was "100% behind the decision."
A
more likely replacement for Umenyiora already exists on
the team's roster. Dave Tollefson, a second-year player, took
Umenyiora's spot on the field Saturday night and the Giants
have veteran Renaldo Wynn for depth at the position. But their
second-best defensive end behind Justin Tuck might be starting
linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka. He became a linebacker at the
start of last season and, considering the depth at linebacker,
it might be tempting for the Giants to move him back to his
natural position. Strahan,
No. 92, is the better option. Giants co-owner Steve Tisch
was asked whether he would vote in favor of Strahan's return.
"Under the circumstances, I think it's definitely worth exploring,"
Tisch told The Post. "Would I like Michael to be a New York
Giant this season? Absolutely. Absolutely. Will he be? I have
no idea. I don't even want to put a percentage on it. But
. . . if one of the potential solutions is to reach out to
Michael, worst case, it's certainly worth a phone call." Aug 24 - UPDATE Osi Umenyiora - the team's four-time sack leader and lone Pro Bowler from the 2007 Super Bowl champions - will miss the entire 2008 season with a left knee injury suffered in last night's preseason loss to the Jets. After an MRI and an exam today at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, team physical Dr. Russell Warren told Coughlin that Umenyiora has a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee. Umenyiora is scheduled to undergo surgery Tuesday. Coughlin said on a conference call today that the recovery period could be four months. Aug 24 Giants lose to the Jets 10-7 | GAME PHOTOS
ESPN - Penalties reign supreme as Jets hold off Giants. Giants.com - Giants fall to Jets, 10-7. StarLedger - Brett Favre's performance for New York Jets slowed by penalties. StarLedger - Osi Umenyiora leaves preseason loss to Jets with undetermined knee injury. StarLedger - New York Giants' talks with Plaxico Burress appear to heat up. NYDailyNews - Osi injury may be a Giant pain. NYDailyNews - If Osi Umenyiora is on shelf, Giants need Michael Strahan. NYDailyNews - Brett Favre, Jets' offense take step back in sluggish performance. NYDailyNews - Tom Coughlin sees bad bottom line. Newsday - In a game that didn't count, plenty was going on. Newsday - Jets' Favre survives Giants test. Newsday - Umenyiora carted off after injuring left knee. Newsday - Huston misses another kick for Giants. Newsday - Group of 50 turns out to protest PSLs. NYPost - Brett takes one Giant step. NYPost - Green offense Favre from perfect. TheRecord - Umenyiora injury does not appear to be serious. TheRecord - Easy Eli has won all of us over. Aug 23 Football
doesn't start for real for about two more weeks, unless
you're a NY Giant or Jet fan. The two teams face off in usual
fashion, as they have done for a number of years, in a meaningless
preseason game at the Meadowlands, but this year there's one
extra hook. In case you somehow haven't heard, the Jets have
imported a star quarterback to lead their team this year,
and his name is Brett Favre. Manning,
27, is the shy guy at the start of a potentially brilliant
career who just led the Giants to a stunning Super Bowl victory.
Favre, 39, is a showboat at the end of a brilliant career
who led the Green Bay Packers to glory - and who just got
hired by the Jets to do the same here. Who's better? Depends
on who you ask. For
the first time since his retirement and subsequent return,
Brett Favre will face the team that thwarted his attempt at
a third Super Bowl appearance and crushed the Packers faithful
in the 2008 NFC Championship Game. In his second preseason
game as a Jet Saturday night, Favre will square off against
the Jets' intracity rivals and Super Bowl champion Giants,
who delivered the knockout blow in Favre's successful, if
not somewhat surprising, 16th season in Green Bay with a 23-20
overtime victory. New
York Giants vs. Jets: 3 things to watch: It's
unclear when Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes will return
to action, but no structural damage was revealed Friday during
exploratory surgery on his ailing knee. He injured his plant
leg on Aug. 9 while attempting a routine kick at training
camp in Albany, N.Y. Wet grass was a factor. He was shut down
immediately, and Josh Huston was signed to kick last week
when it was clear the injury was not improving. The Giants have resolved a situation with one unhappy Drew Rosenhaus client in Jeremy Shockey and are in the process of working to please another with Plaxico Burress' contract situation. Already, another one is starting to develop. Middle linebacker Antonio Pierce, the unquestioned leader of the defense now that Michael Strahan has retired, is unhappy with his contract and has been asking the team for a renegotiation all offseason to no avail, according to someone who recently spoke with Pierce about his contract situation. Aug 22 In Brett Favre's second preseason game on Saturday, he and the Jets will get to test their new and improved offensive unit against the Giants' vaunted defense. Tom Coughlin said he will play his starters at least a half in what will be the Giants' biggest rehearsal for the season opener against the Redskins on Sept. 4. The starters are expected to play very little in the preseason finale against New England next week. The Giants went over two hours yesterday morning/afternoon. It was probably one of the longest workout sessions of the season so far. But it did feel like two of them since the players switched from shoulder pads to shells halfway through. Pierce was the surprise non-participation. Chase Blackburn, starting at Mike for Pierce, had an interception off Woodson and Terrell Thomas had one off Carr. At one point amani Toomer was so frustrated with something that he threw his helmet into the fence, sending the pads inside flying. It was right after an incomplete pass in his direction, so it's impossible to say if he was upset over the pass, his attempt, or the coverage. Coughlin pulled him aside for a word as he walked back to the huddle. History was going to hold a special place for Corey Webster. But Brett Favre's comeback swiped it away, just like the Giants cornerback did to that Favre pass back in January's NFC Championship Game. Had the former Green Bay quarterback gone through with his retirement, Webster would have been the last man to catch a pass from the future Hall of Famer. But now that Favre has returned to quarterback the Jets, someone else figures to be on the other end of his final NFL connection, or misconnection. On Feb. 5, Kerry Rhodes was channel surfing at his Long Island home when he came upon the live telecast of the Giants' Super Bowl victory parade in lower Manhattan. For him, it wasn't must-see TV. "It was pretty sickening," the Jets safety said at Hofstra. It probably would've been harder to stomach a Patriots parade in Boston, but it still bothered Rhodes to see another New York team feted on Broadway. Kicker Lawrence Tynes is scheduled for exploratory surgery on his left (plant) leg Friday. The injury forced him to miss Monday's preseason game against Cleveland and he has not practiced since last week. At first, Gerris Wilkinson wasn't too keen on what was happening. After being penciled in as the . Giants' starting weak side linebacker going into training camp, Wilkinson began the preseason on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list because of a knee injury. While he was sidelined, free-agent pickup Danny Clark slid into Wilkinson's projected spot and has lined up there almost exclusively. Wilkinson returned Aug. 4, but Clark's grip on the starting job hasn't loosened. Mario Manningham was finally cleared to return on Wednesday and is hoping to catch the eye of coaches and teammates. He could show up on the field tomorrow against the Jets, but the medical staff gets the last word. "We will see," Coughlin said yesterday after practice. Is there enough time for Manningham to make a move? "He hasn't had much time," Coughlin said. "Not much. We'll see how he is (today). He practiced well yesterday. He practiced pretty well today. And if he gets the green light for the game, then he certainly will play." Even with the departure of Michael Strahan to the Fox studio and tight end Jeremy Shockey to the Saints, the Giants believe they enough pieces to repeat. Like last season, there is a quiet optimism and confidence. "I can remember telling Osi (Umenyiora) toward the end of the Patriots' game (the one the Giants lost in the Meadowlands), not to worry," defensive lineman Justin Tuck said. "I told him we'd get another shot at them in Arizona. I honestly thought that because we played so vanilla on defense in that game." The Giants, like the rest of the NFL and the sporting public, were stunned today to learn of the death of Upshaw, the executive director of the NFL Players Association for 25 years. Upshaw died last night at his California home, just three days after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was 63. "It's a sad day for the NFL," Antonio Pierce said. NFL News Aug 21 The
Giants' starting offense scored on two of its first four
drives against the Browns on Monday night and left the game
with a 30-3 lead. So where's the negative in that? Well, starting
TE Kevin Boss didn't have a catch. And neither did any of
the tight ends who came into the game after him. "That wasn't
the intent; it just worked out that way," coach Tom Coughlin
said. Before
practice yesterday, Giants wide receiver Steve Smith said
he planned to participate in just individual drills, easing
back into action from his groin and hamstring injuries. But
a few hours later he was on the practice field for the full
session, briskly and smoothly running routes as if he hadn't
been sidelined since early August. That's good news for the
Giants offense, which has plans to pick up where it left off
with Smith after last season's Super Bowl run. Amani
Toomer (knee), Steve Smith (groin and hamstring) and Mario
Manningham (quad) had all missed significant practice time
in training camp. All three receivers participated in individual
and team drills and expect to play Saturday night against
the Jets. "Hopefully, we can get all of the receivers
back and get them healthy just so we can get into the flow
of things," Eli Manning said. The introduction took place about 11 years ago at a bar in Mississippi, of all places. Eli Manning was only 16 when he was introduced to the quarterback who ruled the NFL at the time - Brett Favre. "Just where I grew up (in New Orleans), I loved watching him play," Manning said of Favre, the Bayou legend who grew up a few hours away from him in Kiln, Miss. "I was a big fan. He was with the Packers, they had just won a few (NFC) championships and he was in his MVP seasons. He was at the top of his game. I was fired up to see him." Giants general manager Jerry Reese has a somewhat skewed view of the final 53-man roster. "I don’t like those formulae that tell you there have to be eight offensive linemen and five wide receivers and so forth," he says. "I have always felt you have to keep the 53 best players you have, and the rest will sort of take care of itself." NFC East NewsEagles coach Andy Reid would like to have both starting left tackle Tra Thomas and Pro Bowl right guard Shawn Andrews in the lineup Friday for the team's third preseason game against the New England Patriots. Since Reid usually rests most of his starters in the final regular-season game, this likely will be the one and only preseason opportunity for the five offensive line starters to take live reps together. Dallas QB Brad Johnson has been lampooned by Cowboys fans for not having a strong arm. Many wonder if he can do the job if something happens to Tony Romo. Getting a shot to play behind the first-team offensive line against the Broncos, Johnson showed he is still a capable quarterback, completing nine of 12 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown. Washington defensive end Erasmus James promises the Redskins will be happy they made the trade. Tired of his injuries and having acquired primo pass-rusher Jared Allen, the Vikings virtually gave James to the Redskin on May 27 for a conditional seventh-rounder.It didn't hurt that Washington's new defensive line coach, John Palermo, was his position coach at Wisconsin.
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