June 5 Gerris Wilkinson's old No. 59 never brought him much luck in the NFL, so when teammate Michael Boley offered to buy it, the decision to sell was easy. Wilkinson quickly grabbed No. 58, last worn by Antonio Pierce. Now he's hoping to replace Pierce at middle linebacker, too.
He'll have an outside chance to beat out Jonathan Goff, Chase Blackburn and rookie Phillip Dillard for the job and he realizes that’s his best shot at getting on the field because Boley will have the weak-side locked down.

Tom Coughlin learned a lot from John Wooden. "You know you're in the presence of someone special," Coughlin reflected by phone Saturday afternoon, a day after Wooden, 99, passed away of natural causes. "Later in life, with his physical condition, he would sit in the chair, so sharply dressed, but there was not a lot of movement, some with his hands, but not a lot else. And yet you could feel you were in the presence of somebody, someone special."

June 4 Giants defensive end Justin Tuck said Thursday it's "rare" for him to be this excited in June. The veteran defensive end was rather candid Thursday while talking about the disappointment of last season and his hopes and expectations for a bounce-back season this year. In dissecting what happened to a team that won its first five games and went 3-8 the rest of the way, Tuck admitted he and his teammates grew very overconfident.

May 29 Antonio Pierce, the Giants' ex-defensive captain, says head coach Tom Coughlin and many others in the organization are feeling the heat from last year's 8-8 debacle. "He's on the hot seat," Pierce said of his former head coach during an interview with NFL Network. Pierce, who was released in February after five seasons with the team following a season-ending neck injury, cited a few reasons why the Giants collapsed after a 5-0 start.

With the hiring of new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, Osi Umenyiora seemed to be "in a good place," according to coach Tom Coughlin. And Reese said Umenyiora has displayed a renewed since of purpose this summer. It remains to be seen whether the hip becomes problematic. Surgery has been mentioned, though the current course is rest and rehab .

Giants' running back Brandon Jacobs refuses to use the season-long injury issues that he and his fellow running backs dealt with last year as an excuse in their failure to log a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time under head coach tom Coughlin. Instead, Jacobs pointed out that it was some of the more minute details of the game and of the running backs' responsibilities that they failed as a group to deliver consistent results.

Giants defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka is "OK," but his brother was in critical condition after the two were involved in a motorcycle accident in Indianapolis earlier this afternoon. Benedict Kiwanuka, 32, and Mathias, 27, were riding their motorcycles around 2 p.m. when, according to police, Benedict's bike was hit by a car pulling out of the parking lot of an apartment complex.
Benedict was taken to Methodist Hospital with multiple injuries, including a severe injury to one of his arms. Mathias was able to swerve around the car pulling out of the apartment complex and avoided injury, Duhamell said. However, one person who spoke with Mathias after the accident said while he wasn't hit, he did "take a spill" from his bike.
Witnesses told police the brothers were "operating (their motorcycles) at a high rate of speed" next to another vehicle traveling in the same direction. The driver of that car "observed them come alongside him and they startled him because they were going pretty quick."

NFC East News
Eagles - Ellis Hobbs wasn't sure whether he'd ever walk, let alone play football again. But after surgery to repair a herniated disk in his neck, Hobbs not only is walking fine, but is the front-runner to be the Eagles' season-opening.
Redskins - Santana Moss, implicated in the human growth hormone controversy in which one of his doctors has been charged with unlawful distribution of the banned substance, took the no-comment route in his first public comments since the story broke on May 20.
Cowboys - Receiver Patrick Crayton has received more attention for not being at workouts this offseason than he has for being a key member of the team since 2004. Crayton doesn't think it's fair that he is being painted as a disgruntled player.

May 28 The ball stuck in Ramses Barden's outstretched right hand for a one-armed catch on an out-route in front of defensive back D.J. Johnson. It was the latest in a string of impressive plays the second-year wide receiver has put together during a solid spring that has helped him feel more confident while exciting the team’s coaching staff with his development. . . . Again.

Kenny Phillips' big smile belies the look of uncertainty Tom Coughlin displays when talking about his young free safety. Coughlin remains unsure, however, of just when the No. 1 draft pick from 2008 will be cleared to fully return to practice. Phillips, however, says the surgical knee that sidelined him after just two games in 2009 has progressed enough that he could step onto the field today - if he was given the clearance by the medical staff.

Rocky Bernard knew what people were saying about him last season and he also knew they were right. He wasn't playing up to his potential. He wasn't proving to be worthy of the free-agent contract he had just signed. But he also knew something everyone else didn't. He knew why. Bernard, now 31 and entering his second season with the Giants, told the Daily News Thursday that he played all of last season with a partially torn rotator cuff in his shoulder - a painful injury he said he could feel on nearly every play.

Eli Manning had his best season in 2009, but was somewhat overshadowed by the Giants' dismal finish that kept them out of the playoffs for the first time since his rookie season of 2004. To make the quarterback's accomplishments even more impressive, he did it with a cast of young, inexperienced wide receivers who matured quickly under the tutelage of position coach Mike Sullivan.
Sullivan, the Giants' receivers coach for the past six seasons, was bumped over to quarterbacks coach this past winter when Chris Palmer left the organization for the UFL. Over the past few months, Sullivan has come to truly understand what it takes to lead an offense -- and to coach said leader.
Quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan inherited a quarterback coming off career-best numbers for passing yards (4,021), touchdowns (27) and completion percentage (62.3). And while Manning, 29, was consistent, he still endured a mid-October slump (though that may have been the result of a heel injury). Slumps have been a Manning trademark. Sullivan said avoiding them will be "the challenge.

Former Giants
Jeremy Shockey is "OK" following a frightening incident inside the New Orleans Saints weight room this morning when he was hospitalized after an apparent seizure. Shockey, 29, was taken to a local hospital by ambulance after suffering "seizure-like symptoms" in front of his stunned teammates, according to several reports.
Jeremy Shockey was instrumental in helping the Saints win their first Super Bowl last season. He had 48 catches for 569 yards and three touchdowns during the regular season, then in the playoffs had seven catches for 58 yards and two TDs.

Stadium News
Super Bowl vote hardly matters to those watching at home. There are more than 100 million people in this country who could care less if the Super Bowl is in New Jersey or Newfoundland. Their only care is that it's in high definition on the big screen in the family room.
The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority spent nearly $1 million to lock up season tickets for the Giants and Jets, seats that will be used by VIPs, including elected officials. Governor Christie criticized the season-ticket purchases in a statement issued by his spokesman, Michael Drewniak, calling it another "astonishingly bad decision that we will now have to fix."

May 27 Sour grapes and a "be careful what you wish for" hangover greeted New York's victorious 2014 Super Bowl group yesterday. South Florida’s bid officials actually went public with their conspiracy theory, highlighted by committee chairman Rodney Barreto telling Miami reporters that "the fix was in for New York."
"Super Bowl XLVIII: Postponed Due To Blizzard." It's the doomsday scenario outlined by so many opponents of New York's victorious open-air 2014 bid, and the NFL admitted yesterday that it is not entirely far-fetched.
Now, both the Jets and Giants need the cash. For their part as hosts, the joint committee must raise $40 million over the next 3-1/2 years. Mara, whose voice was running down, explained that the two franchises would be lucky to break even on the deal that the bid committee proffered would bring in $550 million for the region.

Rex Ryan and Tom Coughlin were spectators as the owners and governors of the teams and states involved were peppered with questions about the potential for bad weather. Yet the coaches were the only ones who can attest to the meteorological effects on the field of play, where the attention eventually will center following the kickoff.
Jets coach Rex Ryan admitted that, since the announcement was made, he’s found himself daydreaming about coaching in that game. "I have to be in this game," Ryan said. "I would think regardless of who we’re playing, we’re the favorites."
Tom Coughlin, who turns 64 on Aug. 31, is signed through the 2011 season and has shown no signs of slowing down. It seems the question isn’t whether he can coach through 2014 but rather whether the Giants will allow him to coach through 2014.

Former Giants
Jarvis Williams, a former defensive back for the Miami Dolphins and Giants, died Tuesday night in north Florida. He was 45. A spokeswoman with the Putnam Community Medical Center said Williams passed away shortly before midnight in his hometown of Palatka, Fla. The medical examiner confirmed the cause of death was an acute asthma attack.

May 26 North Jersey got a Super shot in the arm, when the National Football League chose the new Meadowlands football stadium as the site of the 2014 Super Bowl at its meeting in Irving, Texas."This is going to be great for the New York area, great for the two teams (the Jets and Giants) and great for the other 30 teams in the NFL," said Giants co-owner Steve Tisch. "I hope it snows," Jets owner Woody Johnson said. John Mara, a Giants co-owner, credited Johnson with persuading him to join the bid. "Woody pushed this on me four years ago, and I'm glad he did," Mara said.

The game will be played on either Feb. 2, 9 or 16 in 2014, depending on the format of the league’s schedule at that point in time. With the weather barrier broken, Redskins owner Dan Snyder was already posturing for a Super Bowl in Washington D.C. But as Mara said, "Let’s get through this one first."
"Nobody knows how to host an event like the greatest city in the world," Giants quarterback Eli Manning said. "The Super Bowl is the greatest event and, I think, meant to be played on the greatest stage." "This region is a world-class champion, and it deserves to host the biggest game in our new stadium," Giants defensive end Justin Tuck said.
Interestingly, Eli Manning lists his favorite NFL game ever as the 2007 NFC Championship Game, a riveting 23-20 overtime victory in Green Bay played in minus-23 degree wind chill -- the coldest game in Giants history and the third-coldest in NFL history. Manning adores that game largely because he and his team were able to combat and defeat the harsh conditions.

A look at how the host site’s teams have done in the playoffs: We know that the Super Bowl will be held at the New Meadowlands Stadium, but the more pressing question is: Will either (or both) of the two teams that play there be taking the field? Given that in the past three seasons, both the Jets and Giants have each played for the right to go to the Super Bowl, what are the chances either one of them plays in the big game in 2014?
Although commissioner Roger Goodell downplayed his role to help New York/New Jersey become the first outdoor cold-weather Super Bowl host, he admitted that he'd continue to challenge owners to think outside of the box. "I feel very strongly that we cannot be complacent in what we do," Goodell said. "We have to continue to find ways to grow the game. Innovation is a big part of our initiative."

May 24 Special Report - The Giants' starting offensive tackles dismiss
rumors of their advancing age. David Diehl - "You know, this competition thing is what keeps the NFL going," he said. "Every team wants to replace every one of its players with someone younger, stronger and better, but it doesn’t usually happen. That’s why there are so many veterans still starting."

The owners appear likely to extend the new overtime rules to the regular season. That's two months after they approved the controversial OT change for the playoffs at the annual meetings in Orlando. The modified OT format guarantees the team that loses the coin flip (Team B) at least one possession in the extra session if Team A doesn't score a touchdown on its opening drive. Several coaches, including the Giants' Tom Coughlin, voiced their displeasure about the change at the time.

After yet another offseason filled with revamping of their defense, the Giants stood pat on offense. They are hoping a return to health of their running backs and linemen, plus the anticipated NFL-readiness of youngsters such as Barden and Beckum, will inject added life into an attack that generated 402 points, an average of 25 per game.

Stadium News
The backlash already has started. New York hasn't even been awarded the 2014 Super Bowl yet, but the Big Apple already is getting blasted by skeptics and the disgruntled in advance of tomorrow's historic vote. Some owners (but not nearly enough to deny New York's bid) have balked at the prospect of a New York "Snow Bowl," and the Jets are even facing opposition from within.
Super Bowl race appears to be rigged for New York. While the Tampa Bay area puts its best Super Bowl foot forward in a Dallas hotel Tuesday, the New York contingent should walk into the ballroom wearing galoshes. NFL owners are awarding the 2014 Super Bowl during their annual spring meeting, and this game appears rigged from the start.
If people from out of town are worried about the elements, they can sit in an empty stadium and wait for the game to go back to Florida. The Super Bowl coming here is no sure thing. Mara knows that. So does Woody Johnson of the Jets. They are up against Tampa and Miami, warm-weather places where the game has been played before. But if the NFL is finally going to play a cold-weather Super Bowl outdoors, it has to be here.

May 23 Aaron Ross is in line for what should be a very interesting battle with Terrell Thomas for his starting spot. Thomas, who had a team-high five interceptions last season, was one of the few bright spots on defense and appears to be growing more comfortable at corner.

After watching the picks, Jason Pierre-Paul and Linval Joseph, make their way through drills at training sessions at the team's Meadowlands facility, Tuck's become sold on the method. "I honestly didn't think we needed two defensive linemen, but they're talented," Tuck said Friday. "Joseph's a massive guy. It was a productive draft."

Running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who had surgeries on both feet and one ankle, took a few snaps during Friday’s practice, although he is not scheduled to return to full-time practice for a week. Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (wrist/toe) and defensive tackle Rocky Bernard (shoulder) are not participating, although Nicks is expected back before the mandatory minicamp scheduled for June 15-17.

This is as an unusual NFL offseason because it's the Jets who are confident in their identity, while the Giants are searching to regain theirs. The Giants' tradition was built on physical defense backed by a consistent, pounding running game. But that sounds more like the Jets these days, especially after the Giants were outscored 85-16 over the final two games to make a 5-0 start meaningless.

Barry Cofield knows the one-year, $1.759-million contract the Giants gave him as an RFA is well below what a four-year starter should be making. But he understands he’s one of almost 200 players who have been forced to accept such a deal instead of being unrestricted free agents. And that approach helped him understand why the Giants nearly sent him packing to the Saints.
Recently, Cofield spent time in the office of general manager Jerry Reese to discuss the situation. The Giants did not shop Cofield, and the Saints made initial contact. The Giants certainly were willing to give up Cofield for a second-round pick and gave the New Orleans front office permission to work out a long-term deal with Cofield.

May 22 It was mentioned to Tom Coughlin that Jonathan Goff was working with the first-team defense at middle linebacker during the organized team activity practice but the veteran coach wanted no part of offering comments about any depth chart.

Kevin Boss stayed off his feet for much of an entire month after the end of last season to allow his ankle to heal. When he resumed training, he worked to strengthen the joint. And after it flared up, he took a cortisone shot. When none of the above worked, Boss knew he was left with only one other option.
Kevin Boss will have arthroscopic surgery to clean out his right ankle and the recovery time is expected to be 4-6 weeks. That means Boss will miss the remaining organized team activity practices as well as next month's mandatory veteran minicamp. He said he should be fine for the start of training camp.

May 21 It doesn't look as if Osi Umenyiora will be traded away from New York, but the Giants defensive end says LeBron James shouldn't come here. ESPN.com reported that Umenyiora used his blog at PlaymakerMobile.com to offer the NBA free agent-to-be the advice.

Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Mathias Kiwanuka need to rediscover their disruptive ways for the Giants to return to the ranks of the elite. Last season, the trio combined for only 16 sacks (the Giants ranked 18th overall with only 32 sacks), and the lack of a consistent rush exposed the vulnerable secondary.

Last season, Justin Tuck could barely move his arm after suffering a partially torn labrum in Week 2 after he was tripped by Dallas' Flozell Adams. Still, Tuck didn't miss a game, playing with a harness -- and with pain. He finished with six sacks, half of the total he posted in 2008.

Stadium News
The demolition of the old Giants Stadium reached a milestone Wednesday night. Crews at the Meadowlands brought down the press box, located at the very top section of the building. VIDEO.
Welcome to the Meadowlands: Exclusive tour of Giants, Jets brand new $1.7 billion stadium.
If there has to be a cold-weather Super Bowl, it might as well be held in the Meadowlands. The question is, does there have to be a cold-weather Super Bowl?

May 18 They are about as "voluntary'' as paying taxes and feeding the parking meter, and when the Giants tomorrow embark on their first organized team activities practice, defensive end Osi Umenyiora will be a participant. "Why wouldn’t he?" Tony Agnone, Umenyiora's agent, told The Post. "What's he gonna do?."

May 16 The Post's Steve Serby asks chairman and co-owner Steve Tisch afew questions about the stadium and Plaxico Burress and the movie business. "I would be very much in favor of Plaxico returning to the NFL when he is released. I haven't yet gone to visit him, but I intend to over the summer."

Only the Lions and the Rams gave up more points than the Giants last season. Signing safety Antrel Rolle will help the secondary, but serious question marks remain. Can end Osi Umenyiora bounce back from a disappointing season? Can safety Kenny Phillips return successfully from his serious knee injury? Will first-round end Jason Pierre-Paul be a boom or a bust? And can anyone successfully replace Antonio Pierce at middle linebacker?

NFL News
Brian Cushing's failed drug test tells football writers to never again vote for league awards. How the NFL could have allowed the first vote to take place in January, knowing that Cushing had failed a drug test four months earlier, is hard to fathom.
Veteran NFL player says league's substance abuse policy leaves door wide open for street drugs. Springtime in the NFL means a few things for players. First, we're training to get ready for minicamps. Two: Our teams are bringing in rookies and free agents. And three: Players have to take a break from their favorite street drug of choice to avoid getting put in the NFL Drug program.

May 15 Defensive tackle Barry Cofield finally signed his contract tender with the Giants, Sirius Radio reports. The Giants reportedly tried to trade Cofield to the Saints during the NFL Draft, and they selected defensive tackle Linval Joseph in the second round. Cofield in theory had no choice but to sign the $1.759 million tender after getting no offers during the free agency period.

Chris Canty will always have unpleasant memories of his first season with the Giants. "What can go wrong will go wrong, that was the description of my 2009 season," Canty said this week. It's possible no Giant has worked harder in the team's offseason program than Canty. He has practically lived at the Timex Performance Center the last few months. Canty is determined to make everyone forget his 2009 season and have a significant and positive impact on the Giants in 2010.

Former Giants
Norman Hand, who very briefly played for the Giants at the end of his career, died at the too-young age of 37. The big fella who was born in Queens, but grew up in South Carolina, played 11 games for the Giants in 2004 before injuring his groin - an injury that surprised the 6-3, 310-pounder.

Stadium News
The Giants clarified the location, personal seat license and per-game pricing of the approximately 1,500 seats that remain to be sold. They are in four premium club areas.

May 14 On May 3, Shaun O'Hara, 32, traveled from Newark to Washington, D.C., and then non-stop to Kuwait and was joined by just one other player, Bears cornerback Charles Tillman. The Giants were on a break from their offseason workout program, and O'Hara didn't miss any football obligations. In Kuwait, he visited Camp Buehring -- often a soldier's last stop before entering Iraq -- and Camp Virginia, usually a stopover on the way home. He spent three nights in Baghdad.

May 13 It's been pretty clear for a while the Giants would be heading back to Albany for training camp. The new stadium came with a state-of-the-art training facility, so the Giants were toying with the idea of having camp at home in East Rutherford. But the past few months they've hinted they'll be back up at Albany, where they've held their camps since 1996.

Two weeks ago, there was a report the Giants and Saints nearly worked out a trade on the second day of the draft that would have sent defensive tackle Barry Cofield to New Orleans for a "second-day pick." The Giants weren’t actively shopping Cofield. It's just that the Saints called with an offer they couldn't refuse.

Stadium News
The Giants and Jets need 17 votes on May 25 in Dallas to be awarded the 2014 Super Bowl, and since they are voting for themselves, only 15 more precincts need to check in affirmatively so you can place your order for official Super Bowl XLVIII blankets and long underwear, plus secure a home-equity loan to cover the cost of tickets.
Tampa and South Florida also are in the mix, but all indications remain that the game is New York’s to lose. If New York is tabbed, as expected, it would become the first Super Bowl played at an outdoor site where the average February temperature is below 40 degrees.
The idea of a first-ever Super Bowl in a cold-weather, open-air stadium also was embraced by quarterbacks Eli Manning of the Jets and Mark Sanchez, as well as former running backs Curtis Martin of the Jets and Ottis Anderson of the Giants.

Former Giants
Brian Kelley has been selected to the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) 2010 Divisional Hall of Fame Class. Kelley was a member of one of the most successful linebacker crops in NFL history, the famed Crunch Bunch. The group included Carson, Lawrence Taylor and the late Brad Van Pelt. Kelley was the Giants' leading tackler from 1974-76.
C.C. Brown has found a new job. And it's one that will give him a shot at facing his old team this year. Detroit will travel to the New Meadowlands Stadium in Week 6, which means Brown will face his former team if he's on the roster and in uniform that day.

May 10 Chad Jones expects to make big strides both physically and mentally before training camp, because for the first time he is a one-sport athlete. Throughout high school and college, he was a football player only during football season. When his teammates were enduring the rigors of offseason training, Jones was hitting and throwing baseballs.

When Perry Fewell was named the Giants' new defensive coordinator on January 14, head coach Tom Coughlin was asked what he expected from his new assistant. "I expect Perry to bring the same qualities that I expect from myself," said Coughlin. "I want energy, enthusiasm, toughness, and (the ability) to make the necessary corrections and game adjustments.".

Former Giants
Lawrence Taylor's world. This was no set-up or shakedown or Lawrence Taylor thinking he is Victim-2, another victim of life's circumstances. This was just the world. His. For a long time. If he didn't make the call to the alleged pimp, what difference does it make? Guys like Taylor always have guys to make that call.

NFC East News
Redskins - On the first play of his first Washington Redskins minicamp, Trent Williams learned the difference between college and the NFL. "When the ball was snapped, everybody was gone," Williams said. "I was still in my stance."
Cowboys coach Wade Phillips called Dez Bryant the best looking rookie he has seen in his first minicamp in 33 years of coaching. "Dez Bryant is an absolute talent. You don't see that many come in and look that good that early." Phillips said.
Eagles - With the rest of the league showing little interest in his services, it's beginning to look more and more likely that Michael Vick will be playing for the Eagles in 2010. The Eagles have been shopping Vick for the last 2 1/2 months, but no one has been willing to give them anything for the 29-year-old three-time Pro Bowl quarterback.

May 8 The Giants announced Friday LB Micah Johnson of Kentucky and QB Riley Skinner of Wake Forest were signed as tryouts from last weekend’s rookie minicamp. The 6-foot, 210-pound Skinner started 49 of the 50 games he played at Wake Forest and set 17 school records.
Holy Cross quarterback Dominic Randolph, who had signed with the team as an undrafted free agent prior to the rookie camp, has been cut. They’ve also announced that LB Bryan Kehl will wear No. 55 this season and rookie MLB Phillip Dillard will wear No. 53.
The Giants signed a second player who attended the rookie camp on a tryout basis, linebacker Micah Johnson, who in four years at Kentucky started 25 games. He had 285 tackles (161 solo), 3 ½ sacks and 23 ½ stops for losses in his career, plus two interceptions.

May 7 Antrel Rolle - "It feels great to be a Giant. I couldn’t ask for a better situation. I feel like everything fell into place at the right time and it’s truly a privilege to be a member of the New York Giants. I am truly blessed to be part of such a great organization with a great atmosphere."

Former Giants
Lawrence Taylor, the former Giants linebacker, was arrested early Thursday morning and has been charged with third-degree rape and soliciting prostitution in a case involving a 16-year-old girl at a hotel in Rockland County, according to the authorities.
A source close to Taylor said the gridiron great had been drinking with some friends and mentioned that female companionship would be nice, which one of his companions misinterpreted to mean he wanted a prostitute. The girl then showed up at his room, unannounced, hours later, the source said.
He comes out of a culture where women are not just objectified by famous men, from Tiger Woods to Ben Roethlisberger to Lawrence Taylor, but where they are sometimes viewed as nothing more than some sort of room service order at the end of the night.
There will, of course, be those who rush to judgment faster than LT rushed the quarterback. Taylor, through his attorney, Arthur Aidala, is vehemently denying the charges. His third wife, Lynette, is charging that this is nothing more than a setup.
"To know Lawrence is to love him," former Super Bowl teammate George Martin told the Daily News Thursday. "He's a great guy. Unfortunately, trouble seems to follow him."

May 5 Special Report - A recent statistical study has concluded that Giants' Brandon Jacobs was the second most effective running back in the league in yards after contact, a statistic fans should consult more often. He gained 69.35 percent of his 835 yards after being hit, which translates into 580 yards of workhorse effort. ... Just think how good he'd be if he ran a little lower with shoulders squared to the line of scrimmage.

Anyone who saw the Giants defense melt away last season understands that drastic changes were in order. That's why the team hired a new defensive coordinator, signed two veteran safeties and used five of their seven draft picks on defensive players. All this ensures a different look to a unit that also needs very different results. Perhaps Linval Joseph will be a big part of the revitalization.

Former Giants
Leonard Marshall is introduced as head football coach at Hudson Catholic. He played 12 seasons in the NFL - 10 of them for the Giants and one with the Jets - racking up 83.5 sacks and becoming one of the league's most menacing pass-rushers.

May 3 The Giants had space on their roster to sign one tryout player from their rookie minicamp this weekend. Looks like that spot will be used on a linebacker. Former Kentucky middle linebacker Micah Johnson posted on his Facebook page Sunday afternoon that he will sign with the Giants Monday, after his tryout this weekend.
Linebacker Micah Johnson turned out to be the sole survivor. The 6-2, 258-pound rookie from Kentucky is apparently the lone "tryout" player to escape the Giants' rookie mini-camp with an actual contract. "The coaches are excited about me," Johnson wrote. "But yeah its official I’m a Giant! Gettin' signed tomorrow."

Two falls ago, Mitch Petrus lost a season of college football and gained perspective. A combination of changing majors and a pair of 'D' grades in summer classes left the offensive guard academically ineligible for the 2008 season at Arkansas. The fifth-round pick - and the Giants' lone offensive selection in this year’s draft - is likely in for another humbling experience as a rookie among the Giants’ veteran offensive line. That was clear in the piece of tape stuck over the nameplate of his locker this weekend, presumably by one of those prankster vets: "Rookie" followed by a word beginning with 'B' and rhyming with his first name.
There comes a time when a team must import a successor, but that doesn't mean the incumbent starter must step aside gracefully. Anyone who has seen 31-year old Seubert in action during his 10 years with the Giants fully realizes he is not going to go gentle into the night. No Giants player has been on the scene longer, none ranks higher in the eyes and heart of coach Tom Coughlin and few, if any, are as popular in the locker room.

Chad Jones, a safety selected by the Giants in the third round, says that he could have had a long career in baseball as an outfielder or reliver, but football is in his blood. Armed with a 91-mph fastball and what he believed was an Albert Pujols-like bat, Chad Jones could've had a cushy athletic life. In some respects, Jones said, he can use his baseball skills on the gridiron. Playing the outfield made him good at "judging the ball over my head, playing deep center field, getting good jumps on the ball" - all things that come in handy as a safety.

There's plenty to be said about Phillip Dillard. What do the fourth-round pick's former position coach and his father believe he's capable of bringing to the Giants? Aside from a capability and a desire to hit the man with the ball - and even the ones without it - they believe he’s a smart, agile player who can cover the entire second level of the defense.

NFL News
Pretend you’re on a job interview. The prospective employer looks across his desk and asks a question that raises the temperature under your starched shirt about 150 degrees. "Is your mother a prostitute?"

May 2 Jeff Feagles belongs in Canton. No punter has been enshrined, a fact Tom Coughlin took a moment to ponder as he strode quickly past the front row of seats in the auditorium where Feagles held a news conference Friday. Should a punter be in the Hall of Fame, the former Syracuse tailback was asked? "That one should," Coughlin said with a smile, nodding back in Feagles' direction. The coach sped up again, heading into team meetings, but his point was made.

The Giants moved indoors for yesterday's afternoon's practice, not due to the heat, we're told, but because of the noise of the "Bamboozle" concert adjacent to their practice facility (Hanson, reportedly, is playing today. Yes, Hanson).
The camp will conclude with meetings and one more on-field workout tomorrow morning, which will be the last official chance for the 27 "tryout" players to convince the Giants they’re worthy of a contract and an invitation at least to the team’s June mini-camp. The cold reality is most of them came here with absolutely no shot to make it.

Jason Pierre-Paul's morning on Day 2 of rookie mini-camp didn't get off to the smoothest start. After having his back rubbed, sprayed and a hot patch put on, the first-round pick didn't miss any reps but lagged behind the other defensive linemen through some of the drills and never looked quite comfortable.
The sight of Jason Pierre-Paul hunched over in pain Saturday, or lying on the grass being worked on by trainers, was troubling enough. It seemed worse later when Tom Coughlin said the Giants' first-round pick was "suffering" because his "conditioning" wasn't where it needed to be.

Skip Holtz learned quickly that Matt Dodge is different from many of the punters and kickers he's been around in his career. At 6-1, 224 pounds, Dodge is larger and stronger than the average punter - "a punter in a weightlifter’s body," Holtz said. In fact, Dodge is a bodybuilding enthusiast, dating back to his junior year of high school.

The first thing to notice about Phillip Dillard is that there’s not much of him to notice, especially when he stands up in a crowd, because he certainly doesn't stand out. The guy isn't tall. Six-foot is above-average in the world, but not at linebacker. If Dillard is going to make his mark for the Giants, he's going to have to play big even though he isn't.

Brandon Crawford, 33, works out with Giants in hopes of making it as a Big Blue LB. They weren't even Brandon Crawford's friends. That might be the most disheartening part of the story. They were just some guys from the neighborhood who were playing a pickup basketball game. They were hungry, too, and afterward they all wanted to get some pizza. So Crawford hopped in their car. Their stolen car. From there he remembers, "everything just spiraled."

May 1 Jeff Feagles has punted for more than 41 miles in his professional career. He is the oldest player to earn a Super Bowl ring. He was the last one standing from the roster of the immortal "Tecmo Super Bowl" video game. And today, after 22 seasons in the NFL and a record 352 consecutive regular-season games, the 44-year-old punter announced his retirement in a press conference at the Giants' Timex Performance Center.
The decision was made a little less than two weeks ago while he ate breakfast with his wife, Michelle. "I just got out of bed and the good Lord told me and sent me a sign that day and said: 'You know what? You're done! You’re finished!" Feagles said. "I just didn't feel good. My back was hurting. My knee was starting to swell up again and I said to myself I can't do this anymore. That's when I decided to start the coffee pot. It was quick."
Matt Dodge is 22, meaning he was 16 months old when Jeff Feagles back in 1988 made his NFL debut. "That's pretty humbling," an unassuming Dodge said recently in an interview with The Post. More amazing than humbling is that as the 44-year old Feagles announces his retirement after a re markable 22-year NFL career, a fresh-faced kid arrives for a three-day rookie mini-camp as the hand-picked replacement.
Feagles, who was also one of the greatest holders in history, revolutionized punting far beyond the numbers. He is widely regarded as the greatest directional punter who ever played. Early in his career, he began to develop and refine a strategy to kick the ball away from the league's ever-growing legion of dangerous punt returners. Feagles became a master at punting the ball toward the sideline or out of bounds, and especially of dropping it in the opposing team's territory.

Perry Fewell was impossible to ignore on the first day of Giants' rookie minicamp as he buzzed around the practice field, chasing players and shouting for top effort. "Hey, that's just normal," said Fewell, the team’s new defensive coordinator. "I'm excited about being here, excited about ball starting and (being) able to get out of the meeting room and coach football." And then, he added: "It'll get better."
"He's got energy. He's got enthusiasm," said Giants coach Tom Coughlin. "You'll hear more of him." That's a big reason why Coughlin hired the 47-year old Fewell after firing Bill Sheridan - - so he could bring the energy and aggression back to his beleaguered unit. Fewell started off fast yesterday morning, imploring his rookies "Let's get some turnovers! Let's get to the football!" and getting in their faces when they didn't pick up a loose ball and try to score.
Fewell this afternoon said he wants call the games in his first season as Giants defensive coordinator from the sideline and added Tom Coughlin wants him there as well. Fewell while running the defense in Buffalo called the games from the sideline and also up in the press box, depending on what the head coach wanted, but he prefers the sideline.

First-round pick Jason Pierre-Paul is as lean and athletic as advertised. Physically, he kind of looks like a cross between Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka. And second-round pick DT Linval Joseph (319 pounds) looks to be in good shape.
The first pro training camp can be intimidating for a rookie, but Barry Cofield said the presence of so many accomplished veterans made it easier for him to make the transition from Northwestern to the NFL. And he believes the current veterans will similarly help Pierre-Paul and Linval Joseph.
Giants rookie mini camp: Morning practice report. It’s been quite a packed half day so far between the opening of the rookie minicamp, the Jeff Feagles retirement ceremony (which was done with the utmost of class, by the team), and then the open locker room.
Giants rookie mini-camp: Notable moments from Day 1's afternoon session. First-round DE Jason Pierre-Paul was working a lot with DL coach Robert Nunn on his stance and getting off the ball. Hasn't had a particularly notable first day (but take that with a grain of salt since this is the first day).

The Giants made Chad Jones their third-round pick in the NFL Draft and feel he's a legitimate prospect as a big, rangy safety. He was such a skilled athlete that he was able to compete at the highest level in college in two sports and is one of only two athletes to win a BCS football national championship and the College World Series. As an outfielder and left-handed pitcher who can throw 90 miles per hour, Jones was good enough out of high school to get drafted in the 13th round by the Astros.

Apr 29 Jeff Feagles, who has played for five teams in his career, told the Giants last week his body wasn't responding to offseason workouts as he had hoped and they should start preparing for life without him. They did just that by selecting punter Matt Dodge in the seventh round of the draft.
After an NFL record 352 consecutive regular-season games, Jeff Feagles will officially put an end to his remarkable career on Friday. The Giants are planning to announce the retirement of their 44-year-old punter on Friday just as they open their weekend mini-camp. Feagles has been in the NFL since 1988 - - when Dodge, who will likely be his replacement, was just 14 months old.
Dodge will compete with Jy Bond, a former Australian Rules football player, for the Giants punting job. Feagles entered the NFL in 1988 with the Patriots and came to the Giants in 2003. He never missed a game in his career, playing in an NFL-record 352 consecutive games. He holds the NFL record with 1,713 punts.

Apr 28 Michael Harrison stood in Section 233 on Friday night, turning in circles, eyes darting around and across New Meadowlands Stadium. He felt equal parts tourist and kid on Christmas morning. He lifted the camera slung around his neck and started snapping. "It's not the same seats we had before," Harrison, a Giants season-ticket holder from Flemington, said eventually. "But it's a new stadium, and it's beautiful.”

The Giants have no chance to win the NFC East. Neither do the Cowboys and neither do the Eagles. At least not according to Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall. Hall vowed that the Redskins will “dominate” the NFC East this year now that they’ve added former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. And according to the Washington Post he also told Redskins fans at a draft party on Saturday that they could expect an 11- or 12-win season. Tough talk from a guy whose team went 4-12 last year.

Apr 27 Throughout the past few days, names of players who will attend the Giants' rookie mini-camp have trickled out. The team released Monday a full list of 54 players who will be at the Timex Performance Center this weekend. Along with the seven Giants' draft picks, and 11 players on the current roster who are eligible based on accrued seasons, will be 13 players who signed as undrafted free agents and 23 attending on a tryout basis.
The group includes 11 players on the current 80-man roster, who are eligible based on credited seasons. They are quarterback Rhett Bomar, fullback Jerome Johnson, tight end Carson Butler, guard Rueben Riley, defensive end Tommie Hill, defensive tackle Dwayne Hendricks, linebacker Kenny Ingram, cornerback Vince Anderson, safety Sha'reff Rashad, punter Jy Bond and kicker Sam Swank.
Of those 23 tryouts, you'll see the names of several NFL veterans - - including a former third-round pick of the Eagles and a safety who has played in 43 games over the last four seasons - - plus a 33-year-old Marine, and a rookie who was arrested three months ago for allegedly choking his girlfriend. (He pleaded "no contest").
As far as he has come, there's still a long way to go for Brandon Crawford until he evolves from the oldest player in college to the oldest rookie in the NFL. He's been invited by the Giants to attend this weekend's mini-camp, where he'll be one of the 23 hopefuls brought in on a tryout basis - no contract, no promises and probably not much of a chance for anything other than a return flight home to Fort Wayne, Ind.

Barry Cofield was nearly traded to the Saints on the second day of the draft, according to NFL Network's Jason LaCanfora. From what I gather, that report is on the money. And it's not exactly shocking because the drafting of Joseph, the money the team has dedicated to other linemen and just the general feeling of the team's opinion on Cofield leads me to believe they'll never give him a big contract. In other words, I suspect his time with the Giants will be over next year if there's a new CBA - and if he's not traded before then.

Many newly minted NFL draft picks gamble by playing without insurance. Draft-eligible players are often particularly blind to matters of life insurance and wills, even though there are cautionary tales. Retired quarterback Steve McNair didn't have a will when he was murdered last summer, and his wife Mechelle listed herself and their two sons as heirs. McNair had two other children from a previous relationship.

Apr 26 The Giants gave up 427 points last season, more than any team in their 85-year history except for the 1966 unit that went 1-12-1. That was the cause of their 3-8 finish, the source of their embarrassment and the spark for John Mara's postseason anger. It's also why the Giants picked defensive players five times in seven rounds in the NFL draft - including with each of their first four picks. And that was after spending $122 million in contracts (including more than $50 million in guaranteed money) on defensive free agents the last two years.

Giants giving vets chance to keep jobs. Unlike the Jets and the scorched-earth policy that kicked respected veterans out the door with no regard to loyalty or harmony, the Giants could be on the verge of some serious changes but are going about it with a gentler touch. The addition of nearly every rookie selected in the NFL Draft means the possible subtraction of someone who not long ago contributed mightily to a Super Bowl title.

This weekend, the Giants will give a tryout to Brandon Crawford, a 33-year-old "rookie" out of Ball State University. The 6-3, 260-pound defensive end is a longshot to make it to training camp, let alone to the Opening Day roster. But if he did somehow stick, he'd be 34 at the start of the NFL season, making him the oldest rookie in the NFL since Otis Douglas became the NFL's oldest when he made the Philadelphia Eagles as a 35-year-old in 1946.
There will also be lots of players who will attend rookie camp later this week on a tryout basis. And not all of them will be rookies. There will be several NFL veterans looking to latch on with the Giants.None of the players will threaten for a starting job or anything, but they might be able to snag a contract (like TE George Wrighster last year) and make it to training camp (unlike Wrighster, who was cut before the team went to Albany).

Apr 25 The Giants' top choice for a new middle linebacker was off the board before they even made a pick in this NFL draft. So it took three days for them to fill the biggest hole in their lineup. But they weren't exactly unhappy with the way things worked out. "We weren't going to force anything," said Marc Ross, the Giants' director of college scouting. "We don't do that. When you force players and think it's a need, you get burned. We were going to wait for the right person at the right time. "And we feel strongly Phillip Dillard is that guy."

OK, Tom Coughlin. Now it's on you. When you first arrived on the scene, you talked passionately about the restoration of Giants Pride. And four seasons later, you and Eli Manning delivered a Super Bowl championship to New York, the only man not named Bill Parcells to do that. Now it is two years later, and it is on you to restore Giants Pride once again. Now that the NFL Draft is over, it is on you to make the Giants giants again.

On a ride to the hospital on the edge of Kansas, 1,300 miles from home, Jason Pierre-Paul was strapped to a board as the medics tried to cut his helmet off without moving his neck. During the entire trip, he just kept saying the same thing, over and over: "I've got to get back to the game ... I've got to get back to the game."
When Jason Pierre-Paul was asked about the quarterbacks he's looking forward to sacking. "All of 'em. All of 'em. Especially the ones (on teams) I took visits to." What do he want to show them? "There's gonna be trouble . . . all day."

Stadium News
New Meadowlands stadium filled with view-obstructing beams Giant (and Jet) blunder. The steel curtain affects sections 201, 202B, 203B, 249B and 250B in one end zone and 224B, 225B, 226, 227B and 228B in the other.

NFL News
Seahawks, Raiders come away as draft winners. Meanwhile, Panthers, Bills and Haynesworth find themselves among losers.
Draft HQ: Pick-by-pick recap, team grades, more.

Apr 24 - UPDATE - The Giants' Class of 2010 - The clock has now officially started on the 2010 season, and here is a look at the seven newest members of the Giants. JASON PIERRE-PAUL Defensive end; LINVAL JOSEPH Defensive tackle; CHAD JONES Safety; PHILLIP DILLARD Middle linebacker; MITCH PETRUS Guard; ADRIAN TRACY Defensive end/linebacker; MATT DODGE Punter. More here also - Giants seven draft choices.

Giants.com - Post Draft Press Conferences

It took until Day 3, but the Giants finally filled their biggest need. With the 17th pick of the fourth round of the NFL draft (115th overall), the Giants selected Nebraska linebacker Phillip Dillard. And now you've got another name to throw into the crowded and questionable middle linebacker mix.

Jeff Feagles pondering retirement. A few months ago, Jeff Feagles made the decision to return for his 23rd NFL season. After a couple of weeks, the Giants gave him a contract. Now, Feagles isn't so sure his 44-year-old body can make it.

Apr 24 Giants general manager Jerry Reese has been saying all offseason he's hopeful some of the linebackers on the team's roster will step up as viable options to start in the middle. After the first two days of the NFL Draft, those are still the only options the Giants have. The Antonio Pierce-sized hole in the middle of their defense remains unfilled, though the team indicated they weren't going to reach for a player just to fill it.
In the third round, the Giants leaped over the linebackers to select safety Chad Jones from LSU, their third underclassman selection. That apparent glaring need at middle linebacker went unaddressed through the first three rounds. The two early additions give the Giants a bucketful of defensive linemen, five legitimate end candidates and an equal number of tackles.

Surrendering 427 points in 2009 has significantly influenced the Giants' offseason decisions in 2010. General manager Jerry Reese and Coach Tom Coughlin believe Pierre-Paul, Joseph and Jones can help prevent another points onslaught in the upcoming season. While Pierre-Paul is more of an edge pass rusher, Joseph is a stout defender in the middle of the defensive line.

Osi Umenyiora admitted Friday he was just like everyone else: he saw the Giants' selection of Jason Pierre-Paul as a sign he might soon be traded. But once Jerry Reese said Umenyiora was here to stay, the two-time Pro Bowl defensive end said it was time to go back to work.
Osi Umenyiora was "surprised" when the Giants picked a defensive end in the first round of the draft on Thursday night and, according to source close to the unhappy Giant, he took it as a sign that he'll be traded. Just don't expect him to do anything in the next few months to force the Giants' hand.
Even though Osi Umenyiora said he has no problem with the Giants selecting another defensive end in the first round of the NFL Draft, Umenyiora's agent isn't sure there's enough playing time for everyone. "If they get this guy," Tony Agnone yesterday told The Post, "you'll probably be in another uniform."

Apr 23 - UPDATE - The Giants have selected Linval Joseph, a defensive tackle from East Carolina, with their second-round selection in the NFL Draft, the 46th overall selection. Joseph, 6-4 and 328 pounds, is the second defensive linemen chosen by the Giants. In the first round yesterday, the team secured South Florida defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul.

Apr 23 - UPDATE - Heard on WFAN
- Tom Coughlin talks about his teams draft and about the Giants new stadium.
- Giants GM Jerry Reese talks about his team and the 2010 NFL draft. 
- Giants Owner and CEO John Mara talks about his team and his new Stadium.
- Eli Manning talks about the NFL draft and his team moving forward in 2010
- Carl Banks talks about the Giants first round pick andMcNabb being traded.

Apr 23 Giants select South Florida defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul in first round of NFL Draft. The Giants watched Rolando McClain come off the board to the Raiders at No. 8. Then, with the next pick, the Bills took C.J. Spiller. At that point, it was about best value in their mind. And that value was South Florida defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, whom they selected with the 15th overall pick. Somewhere in Georgia, Osi Umenyiora might be smiling.
Let the Osi Umenyiora trade speculation begin. On a night when the NFL draft didn't break the way the Giants were hoping, they still managed to end up with a player many believe is the best pass rusher in the entire draft. The only problem is that their pick - South Florida defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul - plays a position that is already extremely overcrowded.
Though this could mean a departure ticket for Umenyiora, who lost his starting job on a defense that ceded 427 points in 2009. The 6-5, 270-pound Pierre-Paul is a freakish athlete -- check out his series of handsprings on YouTube -- but he's also inexperienced and raw and generated just six sacks in 2009.

Tom Coughlin - "With our 15th pick we took Jason Pierre-Paul. We had an opportunity to investigate him quite thoroughly. We traveled down to South Florida for his pro day. We brought him in just prior to the draft and spent extra time with him with regard to that. Much has been said about his one-year stay at South Florida. But that is fine."
In three collegiate stops, Pierre-Paul played in 35 games, recording 161 tackles (119 solos) with 31.0 quarterback sacks for minus 180 yards, 56.0 stops for losses totaling 248 yards and thirteen pressures ...Caused seven fumbles and recovered three others ...Deflected nine passes and intercepted two more for 38 yards in returns.

On Wednesday, in an interview with WFAN, Brandon Jacobs had some pretty strong statements when asked about the Giants' possibly taking Clemson running back C.J. Spiller in the first round of the NFL Draft. I happen to have a few thoughts on his comments, but let's start with what Jacobs said when asked if he'd be surprised by the pick. "I would be surprised. I think everybody else would be surprised because that is not what we need," Jacobs told Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts.

Apr 22 Jerry Reese had the golden touch in his first draft as GM of the Giants. Seven of his eight picks in the 2007 draft contributed immediately and helped build the Giants into a Super Bowl team. But 2-1/2 years later, Reese, 46, could be staring at the most important draft in his short GM career. Reese can't afford too many misses when this draft begins Thursday night. And in the first round especially, he may even need to hit a home run.
The Giants are drafting in the first half of the first round for the first time since 2004. That's not a good thing. This team has a lot of key players in their prime right now, so the window to make a run at another Super Bowl is currently cracked open. But they need help in a few places - even after making some upgrades in a watered-down free-agent market. The next three days will be vital for the Giants and general manager Jerry Reese.
Though midway through the first round is not a bad place to select, it appears as if many of the top players on the Giants' wish list come with the disclaimer "not expected to fall to 15." That certainly is the case with Alabama's Rolando McClain, rated as the best inside linebacker in the draft. If he gets through the first 14 picks, consider it a major upset. The Giants would no doubt say a prayer of thanks and take him.

Once considered the best high school football player in the nation, Jessie Armstead is perhaps the best draft pick in modern Giants history, an eighth-round selection that evolved into a five-time Pro Bowl linebacker and one of the fiercest and determined players ever to stalk a Giants defense. Getting a future Hall of Famer (Harry Carson) in the fourth round in 1976 was a steal, but he wasn't an after-thought like Armstead.
The decade of the '90s was not a kind one, with running back Jarrod Bunch in 1991 and continuing with a ridiculously bad Brown-out daily double in 1992 of quarterback Dave Brown (supplemental pick) and tight end Derek Brown. Who can forget receiver Thomas Lewis (1994) and pit-bull-loving running back Tyrone Wheatley in 1995? After the Jones selection in 1996, the Giants didn't exactly usher in the new millennium in style with Ron Dayne -- it's never good when a running back gets dubbed "No Gain" -- followed closely in 2003 by defensive tackle William Joseph.

Apr 21 The Giants will open new Meadowlands Stadium against Carolina Panthers on Sept. 12. They'll play four times in prime time - including the Week 2 "Manning Bowl II" when the Giants and Peyton Manning's Colts play in Indianapolis. Oddly, the Giants won't face their first NFC East opponent until Week 7, when they play a Monday night game at Dallas - right before their bye week.
The Giants 2010 regular season schedule - The Giants were blown out by the Panthers late last season. They'll get their shot at revenge this year in the season opener. I'll bet the Giants wish they would have gotten the Redskins a bit earlier. After all, with a new coach and a new QB, the 'Skins might get off to a bumpy start - even if Mike Shanahan and Donovan McNabb aren't exactly rookies,
Interestingly, the Giants will play on Monday night once, Oct. 25 at Dallas. Strangely, that will be the first game against an NFC East opponent, seven games into the season. "The uniqueness of the schedule is that we will play six games before we play a divisional opponent," Tom Coughlin said. "I think the bye is in a very good place, after our seventh game."
Happy Holidays! The Giants must travel on Christmas Day to Green Bay and on New Year's Day to Washington for the final two games of the season. This will be their first trip to Lambeau Field since the bitter cold NFC title game win following the 2007 season. With kickoff slated for 3:15 in Green Bay, it promises to be yet another frostbite special.

Apr 20 Anyone who thought Osi Umenyiora's situation was put to rest when he showed up for the Giants' offseason workouts was brought back to reality this past weekend with a pair of reports that indicated the team would be interested in moving the two-time Pro Bowl selection for the right price.
Despite rampant speculation that the Giants are planning to trade Umenyiora during this week's NFL draft, two league sources insisted Monday that the Giants are not actively shopping their Pro Bowl defensive end.

General manager Jerry Reese will take the first step toward filling the Antonio Pierce void with this week's draft. The Giants own the 15th pick, and one name mentioned often is Alabama's stud middle linebacker Rolando McClain. The Giants almost certainly will come out of this draft with a linebacker, whether they choose to pick one in the first round or later.
The Giants are looking for a running back It likely won't happen until beyond the first round, but teams aren't ruling out the New York Giants pulling a surprise and taking a running back with the 15th overall pick. Word has circulated among several personnel departments that the Giants are looking for a replacement for Brandon Jacobs.

Apr 19 The Giants do not have to draft their middle linebacker of the future in the first round. They should draft C.J. Spiller instead . . . even if they have to trade up to get him. They should draft C.J. Spiller because: Eli Manning needs more help, and Spiller is a multi-faceted playmaker who accounted for 21 touchdowns of 50 or more yards at Clemson. Brandon Jacobs is not the second coming of Marion Motley. Spiller (36-503 receiving with four TDs) can be the safety valve who can get chunks of yards at any given moment that Manning has missed since Tiki Barber retired.
The first round could take the Giants on several different paths. They could trade up if they are salivating over McClain, a man-sized 254-pounder who looks ready for the NFL grind and is easily the top inside linebacker in the draft. But if McClain is gone and running back C.J. Spiller from Clemson is sitting there, he will be impossible to pass up, as special players must be added and Spiller is projected to be special.

Rolando McClain, the top middle linebacker available in the draft and a possible choice for the Giants in the first round, revealed last month that he's battled Crohn's Disease since he was in ninth grade. Now he's not so sure that's true. He told The Birmingham (Al.) News yesterday that after extensive medical testing in recent weeks his doctors now aren't convinced he has Crohn's. At the very least, he said, "I don't have any signs of it right now." Whatever the truth is about his Crohn's (or his non-Crohn's), he's still almost certainly a Top-15 pick and most definitely on the Giants' radar.
Crohn's or no Crohn's, McClain's intensity won't allow him to last past the middle of the first round on Thursday. He excelled in Nick Saban's aggressive 3-4 system and became the leader of the unit as a freshman - a major plus for the Giants, who are looking for someone to replace Pierce in that role. "I'm a leader," McClain declared at the NFL combine. "I had to lead seniors as a freshman. My biggest thing is wanting to win. So if I have to be a leader in order for us to win, that's what I'll do, no matter the circumstance.

Apr 18 A year ago it seemed so obvious. The Giants, after cutting Plaxico Burress, were desperate for receiving help. But Giants GM Jerry Reese insisted he wasn't, scoffing at the outside "panic." Then he took receivers in the first and third rounds. One year later, it seems so obvious again. The Giants, after cutting Antonio Pierce, are desperate for help at middle linebacker. But Reese is insisting that he isn't. He believes people are overreacting again.
Reese has, in the past, insisted that the Giants have some candidates on the roster at linebacker, specifically Gerris Wilkinson(notes) and Jonathan Goff(notes), both of whom are expected to compete for the middle linebacker spot where the biggest hole appears to be. However, neither Goff nor Wilkinson has taken steps to put the team's mind at ease about the position.

NFC East News
Eagles - With five of the first 87 picks and 11 selections overall, the Eagles are hopeful that next week's draft will help put them in position to be perennial Super Bowl contenders for years to come. The Eagles have just one first-round pick-the 24th overall-but have two selections in the second, third and fourth rounds.
Cowboys - Miles Austin did not go AWOL. His big season did not go to his head. Sure, he missed the first two weeks of the offseason program working out on his own with a trainer in California. Austin says his decision to go to California had nothing to do with his dissatisfaction over not getting a contract extension.
Redskins - If acquiring quarterback Donovan McNabb from NFC East rival Philadelphia was an Easter blockbuster in terms of hoopla, signing nose tackle Antonio Bryant, formerly with the division foe New York Giants, eight days later was a way, way off-Broadway move.

Apr 17 Leading up to NFL draft day, Giants safety Kenny Phillips talks about his experiences on draft day...sequestered in a bungalow in South Beach, waiting for his name to be called. "On my draft day in 2008 I knew my life was going to change. I wasn't sure when or where I was going to get drafted, but I knew I was going to get drafted that day and I figured sometime in the first round. But I watched the draft until about the 20th pick and I still hadn't heard my name called so I actually stopped watching it."

Yesterday was the deadline for teams to sign restricted free agents from other clubs to an offer sheet, and it came and went without Giants defensive tackle Barry Cofield getting any action. That means Cofield has no choice but to eventually sign a one-year, $1.759 million contract to keep him with the Giants for another season. Cofield has until June to sign his one-year deal.

By the time the NFL Draft starts next Thursday, we'll have linked about half of the projected first-round picks to the Giants at No. 15. Some names, like Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain, have been tied to the Giants for months. But there are always a few late entrants who start finding their way into the team's slot in mock drafts. Lately one of those hot names has been South Florida defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, a raw pass rusher who played only one season of major college football."

Jerry Reese's predraft press conference. When asked, "Is this a generally good draft; better than average? Any way you characterize the talent crop?", He responded. "There all good drafts, yeah. All drafts are good drafts. We only have seven picks. We are just looking for seven guys that can help us. So I don't want to qualify what the draft is - good or bad. I think there will be seven good players for us."

Apr 16 When Osi Umenyiora demanded his old starting job back and even threatened to retire if he didn't get it, it was a direct assault on Mathias Kiwanuka. After all, he's the defensive end who replaced Umenyiora in the starting lineup late last season. And he has no intention of giving that starting job back. "I want to start," Kiwanuka said Thursday.

Kenny Phillips is confident he will be on the field when the Giants open their season on Sept. 12. Since he last played - and intercepted two passes - at Dallas on Sept. 20, the Giants have significantly upgraded the safety position. They signed Pro Bowler Antrel Rolle, the former Arizona Cardinal, and Deon Grant, who played last season in Seattle and whose 144 consecutive starts is the NFL's fifth-longest active streak. The Giants hope Phillips, Rolle and Grant form one of the league's best safety trios.
While the Giants remain cautious in their optimism Kenny Phillips will be ready for the start of the regular season, the third-year safety continues to say he feels fine and will be ready to play. Barry Cofield agrees with his assessment. And he would know better than anyone because he had the same surgery to repair the same knee condition.
Barry Cofield wasn't the only Giants player to reveal the full extent of an injury Thursday. Hakeem Nicks joined him as well. The Giants' wide receiver, who had an outstanding rookie season, said he did it on a broken toe that required recent surgery to insert a screw. Nicks said the injury was a combination of a lingering issue from his time in college at North Carolina and the sprained foot he suffered in the season opener against the Redskins.

The Giants, according to several sources, are very high on Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, who most scouts consider the best and most explosive back in the draft. He may not last all the way to the 15th pick, but there's at least a chance he could fall near the Giants' first-round range. The trio of Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw and Andre Brown (or possibly the relatively healthy Danny Ware or Gartrell Johnson) could be a strength. But the health of Jacobs, Bradshaw and Brown - - and the growing feeling that Jacobs and Bradshaw are too injury prone - - make the position an area of concern.
Ahmad Bradshaw ran on Wednesday for the first time since a trio of surgeries in January. And it was also the first time in months the Giants running back ran without the nagging fear of injuring his ailing feet further. "It felt great," Bradshaw said at the Giants' practice facility Thursday morning. The surgery was painful and the screws still ache as he stands and moves on his feet. The screws will stay in and act like an extra bone to strengthen the outer edge of his feet.

Eli Manning is "hoping for the best" for embattled Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He also knows there's a lesson coming from what his fellow NFL quarterback is going through. "I think that just as athletes you've got to be careful where you are and what you're doing," Manning said Thursday. "You try to be conscious of it. But also, if you want to have fun - you're still a person and you have a right to enjoy yourself - but you've got to be careful about what's going on."
Manning and Roethlisberger entered the NFL in 2004 and between them have won three Super Bowls. Manning hasn't come close to any off-field controversy, while Roethlisberger recently was not charged with sexual assault for an incident in Georgia that has Steelers ownership furious at behavior that could lead to a suspension.

Apr 15 Little-used receiver Sinorice Moss signed his tender with the Giants on Wednesday. He is the fourth of their tendered restricted free agents to sign, joining OL Kevin Boothe ($1.176 million), DE Dave Tollefson ($1.684 million) and OL Guy Whimper ($1.176 million).
The signing means Moss for the 2010 season will be paid $1.176 million -- if he makes the team. That's a long shot, considering the diminutive receiver was active for only eight games last season and caught only one pass. The 2006 second-round draft pick out of Miami never has come close to living up to the expectations the Giants had for him.
Four have yet to OK their one-year deals _ DT Barry Cofield, WR Domenik Hixon, WR Derek Hagan and LB Gerris Wilkinson. The deadline for signing restricted free agents to offer sheets is tomorrow, which gives the player's current team that full week to match an offer or receive the prescribed draft pick compensation in the April 22-24 draft.

Eli Manning says he didn't put much stock in Osi Umenyiora's recent verbal tiff with the Giants because the All-Pro defensive end has "said some dumb things before." Manning feels his suspicions have been confirmed by Umenyiora's demeanor and work ethic during the Giants' offseason program that began last month. Like the rest of an angry Big Blue, Manning said Umenyiora appears determined to bounce back from a miserably disappointing 2009 season.

The NFL says it will release the 2010 regular-season schedule Tuesday night, April 20. Usually, the schedule is announced in late March or early April, but several adjustments are being made this year. The league wants as many divisional games as possible in the final two weeks, hoping it makes late-season matchups more meaningful and prevents teams that have clinched playoff berths from resting starters.

Apr 13 The Giants have done a solid job of keeping the names of the visiting NFL Draft hopefuls under wraps in recent weeks, but a bunch of players are at their facility Monday, so their identities have begun to trickle out. These visits are notable because they're not local players who were either born here or went to college in the area. The Giants are permitted to bring in a maximum of 30 non-local players, so when they use a scheduled visit on a player, it's indicative of their interest in him.

Time to mock the mocks - The worst mock drafts are the Media Mock drafts, only because the rules are never clear. I get a call and I'm told to make a pick for the Giants. I'm not told whether I'm picking the guy I think the Giants will take, the guy I think they should take, or the guy I just want to take. As a result - - especially when the Giants are picking out of the Top 5 or 10 - - the picks made before the draft gets to me usually boggle my mind.

Apr 11 Sports writers from first-round cities make picks in Sam Farmer's NFL mock draft 2.0.
4. Redskins: OT Russell Okung, Oklahoma State. (Rick Maese, Washington Post) " Donovan McNabb will have someone to protect his blind side, a luxury Jason Campbell didn't often have."
15. Giants: DE Jason Pierre-Paul, South Florida. (Ralph Vacchiano, New York Daily News) "He's a freakish athlete, and the Giants have some uncertainty at the position, especially with Osi Umenyiora unhappy."
24. Eagles: CB Kyle Wilson, Boise State. (Jeff McLane, Philadelphia Inquirer) "With Sheldon Brown gone to Cleveland, the Eagles need a cornerback who can step right into the starting lineup."
27. Cowboys: OT Charles Brown, USC. (Clarence Hill, Fort Worth Star-Telegram) "With Flozell Adams gone, the Cowboys have a hole at the position. Brown not only fills an area of need, but he fits in that draft slot."

The $1.6 billion New Meadowlands Stadium drew rave reviews as the new home of the Giants and Jets officially opened with a college lacrosse tripleheader on Saturday. The Big City Classic drew 25,710 for the first look at the stadium. The exterior of the new 82,500-seat facility was made with recycled aluminum. Everything about the new stadium is designed to be bigger and better than Giants Stadium, including four gigantic scoreboards, more concession stands, larger bathrooms and concourses. It is more than twice the size of the old Giants Stadium, which is currently under demolition directly next door.
The opening day of the New Meadowlands Stadium, was much like the dress rehearsal of an off-Broadway show with plenty of wrinkles to smooth out. Jets owner Woody Johnson was in attendance and personally experienced the growing pains of the stadium's soft opening, five months before the NFL season but only six weeks before a Bon Jovi concert at the venue. Johnson and friends could be seen waiting for an elevator that never came. "This building is still a couple of years away from really being completed," Johnson told the Daily News of the facility that will see its first NFL game this fall. "This place is still evolving. But I love the way it looks. This is 10 years' worth of work. But we're still getting ready."

Apr 10 New York could really go a number of directions with this pick. Most of those directions point towards the Giants drafting defense at number 15. I really believe the final decision will be based largely on the best player available that will fit one of the Giants' needs, and not soley on what New York thinks is it's greatest need. The G-men could really use another linebacker. Weather it's an inside or outside backer, the Giants have voids they need to fill.

Stadium News
No 'arbitrary deadline' set for naming rights of New Meadowlands Stadium. Stadium CEO and president Mark Lamping said the stadium company is continuing to have "active discussions" with "certainly more than five" potential candidates. The stadium already has four cornerstone sponsors -- Bud Light, MetLife, Pepsi and Verizon -- but the grand daddy will be the title sponsor.

Apr 9 Free-agent guard Darnell Stapleton, who started for the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl championship team two years ago, visited the Giants earlier this week, according to a report on Scout.com. The 24-year-old lineman spent all of last season on injured reserve after undergoing surgery on his right knee in August. He was scheduled to be a restricted free agent this year, but became unrestricted when the Steelers did not tender him an offer.

Stadium News
The skeleton of Giants Stadium still stands in East Rutherford, but adjacent to the partially dismantled piece of New Jersey history, its $1.6 billion successor will debut this weekend. With the football season months away, much is still incomplete, including construction at the 16W Turnpike exit, the upper deck and the two big questions of naming rights and the pending bid to host Super Bowl XLVIII.

Former Giants
Tiki Barber's 23-year-old girlfriend convinced her family she was baby-sitting for the ex-Giants star as their romance heated up and his marriage fell apart. Blond beauty Traci Johnson's father and aunt both believed the former NBC intern was helping out - instead of hooking up with - the three-time All-Pro and father of two.

Tiki: My Life in the Game and Beyond		Tiki Barber: All-Pro On and Off the Field
The Smiling Giant makes everything look easy.		All-Pro On and Off the Field (Sports Stars With Heart).

Apr 8 Kicker Lawrence Tynes was honored Tuesday night by his native Scotland during a ceremony at the Manhattan penthouse of Sir Allan Collins, the British Consul General based in New York.

Former Giants
Tiki Barber tried to come crawling back to Fox News Channel's "Fox & Friends" last year because he was upset about being sidelined on the "Today" show, but he got nowhere, say insiders.

Apr 7 A mini-version of the NFL scouting combine will take place at the Meadowlands tomorrow when the Giants host their "local Pro Day" - - the annual event when they're allowed to take a good long look at all the "local" college prospects before the draft. Each NFL team is only allowed to bring in 30 players for an official visit before the draft, and they're not allowed to work those players out. But that rule is only for "out of town" players. There are no such restrictions for locals.

Former Giants
Tiki Barber has dumped his 8-months-pregnant wife, Ginny, for sexy former NBC intern Traci Lynn Johnson, sources told The Post last night. The football star-turned-"Today" show-correspondent left his wife of 11 years, Ginny, for the 23-year-old blonde, who also worked at 30 Rock, the sources said. Ginny, who is expecting twins, found out about the relationship late last year, after the run-around running back moved out of their Upper East Side home.

Apr 6 Having targeted Donovan McNabb at least twice a season for years, sometimes hitting the mark but more often watching McNabb escape harm, Giants defensive end Justin Tuck expressed an understandable reaction to the shocking news that the Eagles traded McNabb within the NFC East. "I don't know what the Eagles were doing, but it's a good trade for the Redskins," Tuck yesterday told The Post. The Giants know all about McNabb. In slightly more than a decade they saw him more than they saw any other quarterback. In McNabb's 11 years with the Eagles, he played against the Giants 18 times in the regular season (he was 10-8), completing 57.8 percent of his passes for 3,461 yards, 25 touchdowns, six interceptions and a rating of 90.4. He was sacked 46 times.
Among active quarterbacks, only Minnesota's Brett Favre, Indianapolis' Peyton Manning and New England's Tom Brady have more regular season victories than McNabb's 92. Only Favre has been to as many conference title games. And among active passers with at least 60 starts, only Brady, Manning, Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger and San Diego's Philip Rivers have a higher winning regular season percentage than McNabb's .648.

Former Giants
Tiki Barber has split with his wife, Ginny, after 11 years of marriage, Page Six has learned. The former New York Giants running back and "Today" show correspondent has been living apart from Ginny, a former fashion publicist and full-time mom whom he started dating 16 years ago while they were both students at the University of Virginia.

Apr 5 There were plenty of Giants fans - - and I'm guessing at least a couple of Giants - - who were hoping the Philadelphia Eagles really would go through with their crazy idea to trade Donovan McNabb. But nobody expected they'd trade him within the division. Amazingly, that's exactly what they did Sunday night in one of the strangest NFL trades I've ever seen. The Eagles sent the 33-year-old McNabb just a couple of hours down I-95 to their NFC East rival Washington Redskins for a second-round pick in this year's draft and a conditional pick in 2011. They've now put all their Easter eggs in young quarterback Kevin Kolb's basket, while making sure the only division team they were absolutely certain to be better than in 2010 will now be vastly improved. And yes, I think this deal is terrible news for the Giants.

NFC East News
The Redskins were definitely in the market for a quarterback in the draft, after going 4-12 in 2009, and incumbent Jason Campbell is an unimpressive 20-38 in his career. They were likely to struggle offensively - now they are set to prosper. Even Reid admitted Washington is now a better football team with McNabb. And why send Donovan McNabb to Mike Shanahan? McNabb fits Shanahan's run-oriented West Coast offense perfectly. Why Reid never paired McNabb with a power running game mystified Philadelphia fans. On occasions when Reid's Eagles did run the ball effectively, McNabb prospered as well. Shanahan and McNabb may be a perfect late-career marriage for both.
The Eagles - Donovan McNabb, a six-time Pro Bowl quarterback, led the Eagles to five NFC championship games and one Super Bowl in 11 seasons in Philadelphia. His failure to lead the team to its first NFL championship since 1960 plus the emergence of Kevin Kolb made him expendable. McNabb threw for 3,553 yards and 22 touchdowns with 10 interceptions in 14 games last season, leading the Eagles to the playoffs. His passer rating of 92.9 was the third-highest in his career. But McNabb played poorly in a loss to Dallas in Week 17 that cost Philadelphia a division title and a first-round bye. He also struggled in a loss to the Cowboys the following week in the wild-card game.

Apr 3 In 2009, things went downhill for Brandon Jacobs almost right from the start. In addition to the knee injury, he was asked initially to run plays - unsuccessfully at that - which the team had previously assigned to Derrick Ward, who had signed with Tampa Bay. While Jacobs tried to gut out the 2009 season amidst criticism that he wasn't running with his usual power, he was glad to see the season finally end and almost immediately began focusing on reinventing himself for 2010. For starters, Jacobs had knee surgery even before the season ended and has declared himself fully healthy with no limitations, though he did admit to holding himself out of certain activities considering it's early in the offseason preparations.

NFC East News
The Eagles bolstered their bounty of 2010 draft picks to 10 by dealing cornerback Sheldon Brown and outside linebacker Chris Gocong to Cleveland on Friday.
The Cowboys - Already needing to add depth along the offensive line and at safety during the NFL Draft April 22-24, the Cowboys' needs at those positions were further crystallized with the release of left tackle Flozell Adams and free safety Ken Hamlin on Friday.
The Redskins Santana Moss is a pretty laid-back guy, befitting his status as clearly the Redskins' No. 1 receiver. But the 30-year-old Moss is excited about the offense being installed by new coordinator Kyle Shanahan, the fourth system in which Moss has played during his six seasons in Washington.

Apr 2 Special Report - Who the Giants pick with their first round selection is only in their minds - and probably not yet etched in granite, either - and why not focus on what they need and what might happen if things fell apart and players not expected to be there at the 15th spot suddenly show up. No, we're not talking about Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford. If that gifted child is available in the 15th hold it means his shoulder has fallen off and he has to learn to throw with the other hand.
Safety Eric Berry of Tennessee; defensive end Derrick Morgan and wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, both of Georgia Tech; cornerback Joe Haden of Florida and defensive tackle Gerald McCoy or Oklahoma. Those five are all "predicted" to be taken within the first seven or eight spots, but what happens if one (or more) starts to slip? What happens if a position the Giants don't immediately need falls into their laps? Would they take Berry or Haden? Thomas the wide receiver.

Punter Jeff Feagles will be back with the Giants for his 23rd season, according to Giants VP of communications Pat Hanlon. The 44-year-old's future with the team was uncertain last month, when The Star-Ledger reported he and the Giants were locked in a contract standoff that was far from a resolution. On March 18, the team signed former Australian Rules Football player Jy Bond. But Feagles, whose two-year deal was up after last season, signed a new contract with the Giants Thursday.
Feagles, who turned 44 on March 7, has never missed a game in his career. He has played in an NFL-record 352 consecutive games, or 65 more than runner-up Brett Favre. The 352 games played are the third-highest in NFL history, just one less than No. 2 Gary Anderson and 30 behind record holder Morten Andersen. Feagles holds every significant NFL career punting record, including most punts (1,713, or 312 more than Sean Landeta), 71,211 yards and 554 punts downed inside the 20-yard line.

Three years ago, Jerry Reese lost out on Deon Grant when the Giants' general manager waited until Grant was already visiting the Seahawks to attempt to set up a trip to East Rutherford. Thursday, Reese scored a partial victory when he finally signed Grant, thanks to his approach in '07. Grant confirmed he signed a one-year contract with the Giants and that he's aware he'll have to compete for a job should Kenny Phillips make a full recovery from knee surgery.
Phillips recently told the Daily News he expects to be ready to play when training camp starts in early August and that he believes he'll recover "100%" from the surgery, despite a degenerative condition in his knee. But GM Jerry Reese recently said the team can't "put all your eggs in Kenny's basket right now," and Tom Coughlin said last week he's only "hopeful" Phillips will be ready for the start of the season.

Apr 1 Usually, the Giants face the Jets in the third week of the preseason. This year, with the new stadium set to open and both teams clamoring for a piece of the spotlight in the regular season, the local teams will square off in the preseason opener. The game, which will be the NFL debut for the new Meadowlands Stadium, will be played on Aug. 16 and will kick off at 8 p.m. as ESPN's first Monday Night Football broadcast of the 2010 season.
In Week 1, fans will get one or two series of Eli Manning and Mark Sanchez before settling into three-plus quarters of Jim Sorgi and Rhett Bomar vs. Kevin O'Connell and Erik Ainge. Hopefully ESPN realizes the "B" squad game will have fans, especially those outside the New York area, switching to some other form of entertainment after they get a look at the stadium and the two or three passes Manning and Sanchez will throw.
The first official Giants home game will occur the following weekend (at a time and date to be determined between Aug. 19 and 23) against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Giants will round out their four-game practice schedule by playing at Baltimore in Week 3 (Aug. 26-29) and at home against the New England Patriots, probably on Thursday, Sept. 2.

Four years ago, the Giants tried to make a football player out of George Mason's Jai Lewis. That, uh, didn't work out so well. Perhaps they will soon make another foray into converting a former basketball player. But at least this one has some college football experience. The team will bring Houston tight end (and onetime Arizona Wildcat hoopster) Fendi Onobun in for a visit on April 11, according to someone informed of the planned trip.

Mar 29 The Giants remain optimistic that Kenny Phillips, who is recovering from microfracture knee surgery, will be back on the field by opening day. However, just by listening to head coach Tom Coughlin, it's easy to tell the Giants still have some lingering concerns as to how effective Phillips might be if he does return.

NFC East News
Eagles coach Andy Reid finally acknowledged what everyone has known for weeks: his seven-time Pro Bowl quarterback, Donovan McNabb, is for sale. Reid said the team is "entertaining offers" for all three of its quarterbacks - McNabb, backup Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick. But a club source said McNabb and Vick are only two they are interested in getting rid of. Kolb then would become the team's starter.
Eagles - Whatever theys decide to do with their quarterback situation, they need to remember that old Kenny Rogers song, "The Gambler": know when to hold 'em, and know when to fold 'em.
Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, a noted stickler for making "voluntary" workouts anything but wasn't happy that his team's highest-paid player was breaking ranks. Said Albert Haynesworth, "He was like, 'I wanted you to train with our guys' ...and I said, 'I totally respect that and all that but to get me back to where I want to be I need the serious training. I need the stuff that got me where I'm at'."’
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones promised changes in the offseason. So far the Cowboys haven't made one move. But that doesn't mean the Cowboys might not look different next year without doing anything. Jones admitted at the owners' meeting that the ream is seriously considering moving running back Felix Jones into the starting lineup and moving Marion Barber to the closer role that he played so successfully in 2007, his only Pro Bowl season.

Mar 27 Osi Umenyiora spoke volumes by saying very little. Instead of giving you guys the pre-programmed, robotical answers or coming out and saying things the way I feel I think it's just best I say nothing at all." His new approach is likely a result of a stern talking to by coach Tom Coughlin and general manager Jerry Reese after Umenyiora threatened to retire rather than be a backup. The disgruntled defensive end has taken part in the Giants' voluntary workouts over the last two weeks, but that does not mean he's over his anger toward the team over a reduced role last season.

Andre Brown is seven months removed from an unfortunate break -- or tear, rather: a ruptured Achilles tendon in an evening practice at training camp. The injury, which occurred as Brown was leaping, ended the fourth-round pick's rookie season before he even put on a game jersey. Now, after more than a half year of rehab, Brown says he's encountering no pain and is running at full speed. But while the physical healing is pretty much complete, he knows he still must mentally mend. If any of you folks knows of one or can Google "running back Achilles" better than I can, let me know. I'm very curious to see how running backs return from such a tough injury.

The Giants have the 15th pick in the NFL draft, which begins on Thursday, April 22, so if you're the GM you only have about three weeks to make up your mind. Are you taking a middle linebacker - - the painfully obvious choice? Are you going running back instead? Maybe a corner? Or something else entirely?

Now is about the time when news of the Giants' pre-draft visits begins trickling out. And right on cue, we have word of the first player who is scheduled to visit East Rutherford as one of their 30 allotted visits. That player is William & Mary defensive end/linebacker Adrian Tracy, an FCS All-American and last preseason's CAA defensive player of the year who had 12 sacks in his senior season. .

Mar 26 Osi Umenyiora indicates his situation with the Giants is not yet resolved. Tom Coughlin noted Wednesday Osi Umenyiora has been at offseason workouts with "a smile on his face." Apparently, the Giants' coach read too much into the defensive end's expression. "I'm always smiling," a grinning Umenyiora told reporters Thursday.
But that doesn't mean he's happy. In fact, it sure seemed like he wasn't - at least not completely - when the defensive end spoke to the media Thursday. He pointedly refused to comment on anything about his situation, which once had him pondering retirement. In fact, his new policy seems to be that if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

David Diehl has been the Giants' left tackle for the past three seasons, and he expects it to remain that way despite a push from last year's second-round pick William Beatty. Diehl wouldn't be going to the bench if Beatty beats him out. Rather, he'd either slide back inside to guard or shift over to right tackle.

Both LB Michael Boley and DT Chris Canty, who suffered through injury-plagued first seasons with the Giants, report they are 100 percent and anxious to show why they were the Giants big-money pickups in 2009. LB Gerris Wilkinson says he has been told he will compete at MLB with Jonathan Goff, Chase Blackburn and a draft pick yet to be named.

Bryan Kehl and Gerris Wilkinson are hoping for a chance at middle linebacker for Giants. Kehl, who talked before last season about playing a more physical style of football, will also need to become more aggressive in his approach before even thinking about being a middle linebacker.

NFL News
The NFL announced procedures for fans wishing to attend the 75th NFL Draft on Thursday-Saturday, April 22-24 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. For the first time in history, the NFL Draft goes primetime with Round 1 slated for 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 22. The NFL Draft is a free event, however seating is very limited.

Mar 25 Though Osi Umenyiora has received none of the guarantees he wanted, he has been participating in the Giants' offseason workouts since last week, according to coach Tom Coughlin, with "a smile on his face." And, apparently, a pain in his hip as well. The two-time Pro Bowl defensive end, whose situation has been clouded since he was demoted to a situational pass rusher last season, is now also battling complications from a lingering hip injury, according to someone informed of Umenyiora's health status.

The outlook for Giants safety Kenny Phillips just keeps getting dimmer and dimmer. Coach Tom Coughlin said yesterday that the Giants don't expect Phillips to be available for full participation at the start of training camp, and Coughlin wasn't exactly upbeat about Phillips in general. Phillips, the promising free safety whose 2009 season ended abruptly after just two games because of arthritis in his left knee that resulted in microfracture surgery, has not yet been cleared to run.

At the end of the Giants' miserable 2009 season, it seemed to be a lock that there would be changes along the offensive line. The injuries were piling up. Their collective age was creeping up too. And offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride even said as much during the final week of the season. Yet the Giants' starting five - -which had started 38 straight games together before the streak was broken late last season - -remains intact and has a chance to play at least one more season together. That may be a surprise to some. But not to them.

Regarding the new overtime rule - Tom Coughlin certainly indicated he liked the old rule better, but co-owner John Mara was on the competition committee that pushed for the new one. "I'm in favor of it now," Coughlin said. "It's voted in." Unlike Ryan, however, Coughlin said he would not defer if the Giants win the coin flip to start overtime. Coughlin had just finished playing in the golf tournament set up by the commissioner for the coaches to play with sponsors when he found out the new rule had passed. Ryan, who was not playing golf, found out from a reporter.

Former Giants
Plaxico Burress could be released in late spring in 2011. He wants to resume his career, but Tom Coughlin said a return to the Giants has not been discussed. "Never say never," he said.
Plaxico Burress has vowed to play again after his release, but not surprisingly, Coughlin made it clear the Giants don't have interest in bringing him back. "I would expect that he would get a chance [with another team]. I mean, you're talking about a rare talent."

Mar 24 With the release of Antonio Pierce and no obvious replacement on the roster, it would seem as if middle linebacker is a logical position of need for the Giants in next month's NFL Draft. Not necessarily, according to GM Jerry Reese. "Well, I think there's good players in the draft at that position, but we think we have some players on our team," Reese said yesterday on Sirius NFL Radio. "Last year everybody said, 'You need receivers, you need receivers.' I said, 'We have some young receivers; let's see what they can do.' " Reese proved to be correct in his assessment of the Giants' young receivers.
Osi Umenyiora may have spent the last few months venting his frustration over his situation with the Giants, but GM Jerry Reese isn't worried. And he expects Umenyiora to be with the Giants in 2010. Despite rampant speculation that the 28-year-old's days with the Giants are numbered, several team sources have expressed confidence that Umenyiora will eventually calm down. The team appears to have no interest in trading him, despite his displeasure with what happened last year. Reese, during the brief interview, also addressed several other topics.

NFL News
NFL fumbles new overtime rule. if the team that wins the overtime coin toss in a playoff game makes a field goal on its first possession, the other team will get a chance with the ball. Since nearly 60 percent of overtime games were going to the team that won the toss, this makes sense. But the 60 percent figure covers all overtime games. The change is for the postseason only. This doesn't make sense.

Stadium News
Roger Goodell has heard just about enough on Coin-Flip Gate, thank you very much. "There was a coin flip -- I did it myself, so I know," Goodell insisted testily during a break in the league meetings when asked if the toss had actually happened. Goodell met with Jets owner Woody Johnson to talk about the owner's critical statement, but Goodell claimed he wasn't angered by it and obviously didn't want to talk about it anymore. Johnson agreed yesterday, saying: "We've moved on."

Mar 23 Say what you will about the lack of returns the Giants got from Chris Canty, Michael Boley and Rocky Bernard as free agents signed last year (and we've all said plenty) but the NFL believes the team got enough to warrant a grand total of zero compensatory draft picks. Comp picks are awarded to teams who lost more than they gained in free agency the previous season.
The Giants lost RB Derrick Ward (Tampa Bay), S James Butler (St. Louis) and DE Renaldo Wynn (Washington) last year. The mysterious compensatory pick formula apparently showed that the Giants got more (or at least the same) out of Canty, Boley, Bernard and Brown in 2009 than Ward, Butler and Wynn gave to their new teams.

Stadium News
The 2014 Super Bowl at new Meadowlands stadium got another loud endorsement from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and several prominent owners yesterday.
Roger Goodell says he doesn't expect Woody Johnson's comments that were critical of him to have a negative effect on the Giants' and Jets' bid for the 2014 Super Bowl.

Former Giants
Steve Spagnulo as head coach of the Rams is clearly going the familiarity route in free agency. The former Giants defensive coordinator today signed two former Giants players, cornerback Kevin Dockery and tight end Darcy Johnson. Both players were restricted free agents whom the Giants wanted no part of and were not offered tenders. Spagnuolo previously signed defensive tackle Fred Robbins.
Mark Ingram, who jumped bail in December after a judge refused to let him watch his Heisman-winning son play football, will spend extra time in prison for the stunt. Ingram, who won a Super Bowl with the Giants 18 years ago, had two years tacked onto his seven-year sentence for money laundering and bank fraud at Monday's hearing.

Mar 19 With Jeff Feagles currently in a contract standoff with the Giants, the team has taken an interesting approach to their punting situation. The Giants signed former Australian rules football player Jy Bond Thursday after Bond worked out for the team. The 30-year-old Bond has been attempting to kick start his NFL career for a few years and was with the Dolphins from April to June last year. He's never kicked in an NFL game.

Mar 18 In January, the question about Jeff Feagles' future was his desire to return for a 23rd season. Now, it's a matter of money. The 44-year-old punter and the Giants are currently locked in a contract standoff and are not close to a resolution, according to someone informed of the progress of negotiations. The person, who requested anonymity because neither side has commented on the status of talks, said Feagles and the Giants "are not seeing eye-to-eye on salary" right now.

Ahmad Bradshaw defied pain, overcame infrequent practice time and challenged logic in becoming one of the Giants' most productive offensive players in 2009. Bradshaw believes he's poised to have the best season of his career this year. He expects to take the field pain-free for the first time since he was in college. Bradshaw has rushed for 1,323 yards in three seasons, but believes he's just now getting started.

Stadium News
The National Football League should hold the 2014 Super Bowl at the new Meadowlands football stadium, a state Senate committee concluded Monday. The NFL temporarily has waived a requirement that Super Bowl sites must either have temperatures above 50 degrees in February or a domed stadium.

Mar 16 The Giants will play the first game in the new Meadowlands stadium on the Sunday of opening weekend, though the Jets will follow with a home game that Monday. Despite the compromise, the Jets weren't appeased -- and took issue with fact that neither team was present for the coin flip.
Hours after the league announced that the Giants - via coin flip - would host the first regular-season game at the new Meadowlands stadium with the Jets playing at home the next night, Jets owner Woody Johnson released a statement aimed directly at commissioner Roger Goodell and his coin toss, which took place without a representative for either team in attendance.
The NFL had no comment on Johnson's remarks. Long before this controversy, the Jets were thrown a bone by the league. The Post has learned the Jets informed some of their suite holders during Super Bowl week that they will host a Thanksgiving night game, a perk they are expected to announce during next week's owners' meetings. Goodell is responsible for determining the NFL schedule and he had to be creative with this one.

Meanwhile, in news that doesn't involve heads or tails (but rather biceps, triceps, delts and thighs), the Giants' 2010 season begins today. Okay, so the actual season itself doesn't start. And there won't be any organized football-related workouts. But the hard work involving a nearly complete roster starts today with the opening of offseason workouts.
"It's like the first day of school again," tight end Kevin Boss said. "It's been a while since I've seen a lot of guys. I'm excited to see everyone." Quarterback Eli Manning said. "The last couple of weeks (I was) kind of itching to get back and see all the coaches and your teammates and getting back to work and getting ready for this upcoming season.
Players who haven't been working out at the team's facility and who had surgery immediately after the 2009 season will be assessed in order to give the team a better idea as to where each player is in his rehab. If anyone is found to be significantly behind schedule in their rehab, don't be surprised if some of the veteran free agents the Giants reportedly investigated move back to the forefront.

NFC East News
The Eagles have stated over and over again that they feel they are in an enviable position, with three quarterbacks. But if nobody steps up with an offer they like, are they still in an enviable position in August, or October? Vick remains the most likely of the trio to be dealt, though the Birds are going to have to reconcile themselves to getting something like a fifth-rounder for him.
The Redskins don't have a legitimate left tackle and have no way of landing one except in the first two rounds of the draft. And Stephon Heyer is no great shakes on the right side. With three-year starter Jason Campbell likely to return only for a one-year deal as a restricted free agent, expect new coach Mike Shanahan to choose a quarterback early and prepare him to be the starter in 2011.
The Cowboys are keeping an eye on what's going on and Jerry Jones has outlined a few targets that the Cowboys might be interested in. However he maintained that nothing is imminent and the Cowboys are going to wait until the market comes to them. "We will be active," Jones said. "I'm anticipating some value and opportunities that are not there right now."

Mar 15 Meadowlands coin flip? Not so fast, says NFL The Jets announced on their Web site Saturday night that the NFL had approved a plan to flip a coin to determine whether the Giants or Jets get to play in the new Meadowlands first. The only problem with that is the story may not be true. And at the very least, it appears the coin flip plan hasn't been officially approved.

Mar 14 The man of Sanya Richards' dreams was living a nightmare last year, and she wasn't used to seeing Aaron Ross look so down. He called his 2009 season with the Giants "torture". But that was several months ago when Ross, the Giants' cornerback, was still dealing with a lost season thanks to three separate injuries to his left hamstring - and before his lavish wedding to Richards in Austin, Tex., on Feb. 26.

Former Giants
Fred Robbins - I had some great years in New York, played with a lot of great players, but things like this happen all the time in this game. You don't always finish with the team that you started with. I do want to thank the fans, the coaches and everybody else who helped me with my career when I was with the Giants. I would have liked to have finished my career in New York, but things happen.

Stadium News
Host of Stadium's Opener? We'll Flip You For It. The NFL has said the game will be decided by a coin toss and the Jets have presented a plan for the flip at the new stadium in the week ahead to make this decision easy. Think about it: the first coin toss at midfield of New Meadowlands Stadium, and it comes between the Jets and Giants.

Mar 13 For the first time in three years, the Giants player who received the most in performance-based pay was not Michael Johnson. But it was a Johnson. Bruce Johnson, to be exact. The rookie cornerback, an undrafted free agent who made the final roster and saw plenty of duty this past season because of injuries to Aaron Ross and Kevin Dockery, received $270,766 in PBP, according to NFL Players Assoociation records. Not a bad payday, considering his salary for his rookie season was only slightly more at $310,000.

Mar 12 The Giants addressed their top need in free agency by signing safety Antrel Rolle. Now, there's only one glaring hole on their defense that's yet to be filled: middle linebacker. One of the candidates to plug that gap is Raiders linebacker Kirk Morrison, a restricted free agent who appears obtainable because of a low tender that would net Oakland only a third-round pick if another team lures him away.

Mar 11 Kenny Phillips knew what people were thinking when the Giants signed Antrel Rolle for $37 million on the first day of free agency. He knew some took it as a sign the Giants were worried he'd never make it all the way back. But Phillips insists those fears are completely unfounded. In fact, he told the Daily News earlier Wednesday that his recovery from left knee surgery is on track to have him on the field for the start of training camp in July.

Jim Sorgi is in line to earn roughly $1.15 million if he makes the team as Eli Manning's backup, according to someone informed of the contract details who requested anonymity because the financials weren't to be discussed publicly. The person familiar with the deal said the max value of the contract is $1.8 million. To reach that number, Sorgi would have to see a lot more playing time than he got in six seasons working behind Peyton Manning.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin attended the Alabama Pro Day Wednesday. He saw MLB Rolando McClain, one of the Giants expected draft day targets, run his 40s in rather uninspiring 4.71 and 4.74. Of course the national champions have other players who might pique Coughlin's interest on defense.
Linebacker Rolando McClain, who looks to be the highest Tide player taken in this year's draft, said he knows he can run a 4.5, but that he is still not 100 percent from a hamstring issue that has bothered him since this past season's Tennessee game.