Die Hard Sports Fan

The Giants had to go back to work today, unfortunately. Below you will find a bunch of notes and reports assembled by a variety of beat writers. The Giants play their first game on Thursday so make sure you watch it.

The Star-Ledger

• Since Plaxico Burress has been unable to practice, he is contributing as an adviser to the Giants’ young receivers. Plax is taking on the mentor role even if the young guys don’t ask for it.
• Mike Garafolo assembled an in-depth 8/3 morning practice report worth checking out. Below is a sample of the entire report. There’s much more where that came from so go check out the source.
  • DEs Justin Tuck (foot) and Osi Umenyiora (hip), WRs Plaxico Burress (ankle), Amani Toomer (leg), Mario Manningham (groin) and David Tyree (knee/PUP), LBs Zak DeOssie (back) and Gerris Wilkinson (knee/PUP), CB Sam Madison (sports hernia), RT Shane Olivea and S Craig Dahl (knee) did not practice.
  • There we go again: first play of team drills was a bomb. Again from QB Eli Manning to WR Domenik Hixon. Great tackle on the play by CB Aaron Ross. Too bad it was way before the ball got there. That’s a 40-yard pass interference penalty on Ross.
  • QB Anthony Wright and WR Michael Jennings hooked up for deep in.
  • WR Craphonso Thorpe got the crowd excited with a spinning, toe-tapping catch on a fade to the left side from Wright. Dockery was in coverage on the play.
  • Hall ran a nice route to catch a hook from QB Andre’ Woodson in front of Webster. Hall later went deep on Pope, but the ball from Wright was overthrown and out of bounds.
• Mike Garafolo assembled an in-depth 8/3 evening practice report also worth checking out. Below is a sample of the entire report. There’s much more where that came from so go check out the source.
  • WRs Plaxico Burress (ankle), Steve Smith (groin), David Tyree (knee/PUP) and Mario Manninghan (groin), LBs Gerris Wilkinson (knee/PUP) and Danny Clark (sports hernia), CB Sam Madison (sports hernia) and OT Shane Olivea (back) did not practice..
  • CB Corey Webster would have none of WR Domenik Hixon catching a fade on the left side. He stayed all over Hixon and knocked the ball away. Webster also stayed stride for stride on a go from QB David Carr to WR Sinorice Moss. Webster had such good position it almost looked like he was the intended receiver. Webster knocked it away for a PD.
  • Hixon ran a perfect comeback to get separation from CB R.W. McQuarters and make a diving catch. McQuarters bounced back with a PD a few plays later when WR Craphonso Thorpe ran the same pattern.
  • LB Chase Blackburn keeps making plays. I mean, this guy couldn’t get a job after the draft a few years ago and now he’s a steady backup in my mind. Tonight, he stayed with Boss on a post into the end zone and wrestled with him to grab a ball from Wright for an INT.
  • WR Brandon London made his first nice grab in a few days on a skinny post over CB Kevin Dockery. Not a bad ball at all from Woodson. London then did a great job of accelerating to at least get his hands on a deep incompletion from Manning. The ball was overcooked and I didn’t think London had a prayer of getting there, but he dove and almost made the catch after getting past CB Terrell Thomas.
• Plaxico Burress did some light running for the first time since training camp.

Big Blue Blog

• Paul Schwartz assembled his own morning practice notes. Below is a sample of his notes, but there are not too many more.
  • On Manning’s second pass, Ross made another aggressive play, storming in to bat away a pass in the flat. Unfortunately for Ross, the ball was picked out of the air by RB Derrick Ward for a completion.
  • David Carr could not have thrown a better pass on a deep toss to Sinorice Moss, who had a step on two rookies, S Kenny Phillips and CB Terrell Thomas. The ball floated down perfectly to Moss … who watched as it slid right through his arms and to the grass. Moss looked up to the sky in bewilderment.
  • TE Kevin Boss, who has caught virtually everything thus far in camp, could not make the grab on a lunging attempt from Manning over the middle.

Inside the Giants

• Tom Rock believes that Sinorice Moss is basically playing for his Giants career in this camp so he’s been under the microscope this first week and a half. That means every drop is written about, and to be fair, there have been a lot of them. Moss had a pretty good practice tonight.

The Blue Screen

• Mike Garafolo put together another morning report and another evening report.

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The Jints drafted Eli Manning in 2004, and fortunately for them Eli played in 57 consecutive games. They don’t want that trend to end anytime soon, but they have to plan for the worst just in case. John Schmeelk of Giants.com took a look at the backup Quarterback situation…

Anthony Wright, David Carr and Andre Woodson will battle for two roster spots in training camp. Woodson, drafted in the 6th round out of Kentucky, is considered a developmental quarterback that will likely slide into that third quarterback slot Jared Lorenzen held the second half of last season. NFL franchises normally prefer to have one of their backups be a veteran, and the other a young player they can groom. It’s doubtful the Giants would put an unproven 6th round pick in a spot where he would have to lead the franchise if Eli Manning goes down with an injury.

I hate watching backup Quarterbacks that have to play when they suck. The Giants haven’t been fortunate to have a good backup since when? The last one I remember is when Jeff Hostetler came in for Phil Simms and won the Super Bowl. I hope that the get lucky one of these years…just in case.

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SportingNews.com broke down and ranked the Quarterbacks for each team in the NFC. Quarterbacks is plural so their ranking includes the backups. Here’s the Top 5 on the list…

1. Dallas Cowboys - “The ability to sense and avoid a rush and throw from different arm slots is what makes Tony Romo an elite playmaker. Backup Brad Johnson is solid; he makes good decisions and few mistakes.”
2. New Orleans Saints - “Drew Brees is intelligent and instinctive; he acts like a coach on the field. He’s accurate on short and deep passes and also can throw on the run. Veteran Mark Brunell knows how to manage a game.”
3. Seattle Seahawks - “Like a streak shooter in basketball, Matt Hasselbeck can take over a game as he feeds off his own success. Seneca Wallace and Charlie Frye both have starting experience and will battle for the No. 2 job.”
4. Philadelphia Eagles - “Donovan McNabb has gone from elusive scrambler to mostly a dropback passer. He throws a great deep ball but isn’t as adept across the middle. Kevin Kolb is the future starter, and A.J. Feeley can run the offense.”
5. New York Giants - “Eli Manning is a mentally tough leader who showed he can make plays during last year’s Super Bowl run. Newcomer David Carr needs to regain his confidence, and rookie Andre’ Woodson is a project.”

I agree that the Cowboys have the best 2 Quarterbacks on one team in the NFC with Romo and Johnson. Johnson is a former Redskin who keeps bouncing around, but all he does is win when he plays. Winning is what it’s all about. I don’t agree at all with the Saints at No. 2. Brees is one of the best QBs in the NFC, but the other former Redskin Brunell is not good at all. I don’t agree with the Seahawks at No. 3. I think that the Eagles should be No. 2 with McNabb and Feeley. McNabb’s production has declined, but he still has no weapons. On top of that, Feeley always comes in when McNabb gets injured and the team never skips a beat. The Giants can be placed as low as No. 8 on the list because they don’t have a legitimate backup. We’ll have to see if Carr or Woodson win that role in the Preseason. Teams 6-8 also have decent starters along with decent former starters as backups.

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Today, Mike Eisen of Giants.com reported that Big Blue signed three more of the 2008 Draft choices.

• LB Bryan Kehl
• LB Jonathan Goff
• QB Andre’ Woodson

The Giants’ top three Draft choices: S Kenny Phillips of Miami, CB Terrell Thomas of USC, and WR Mario Manningham of Michigan – remain unsigned.  There is a month left until the players are scheduled to report to training camp so there is plenty of time for the Giants to sign them.

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On Tuesday, TMZ ”has learned that the romance between Jessica Simpson and hotshot QB Tony Romo is as dead as the Cowboys’ 2007 playoff run.”  I was under the impression that they ended their relationship as soon as the Cowboys lost to the Road Warriors in the Playoffs.  I guess they rekindled their relationship.  Oh well.  Since Tony Romo is 0-2 in the Playoffs, we’ll have to see how Romo screws up in the 2009 Playoffs.

Giants.com:

Giants and WNBC-TV Partnership - Giants.com announced that the New York Giants and WNBC-TV today announced that they have entered into a multi-year agreement for the network to broadcast Giants preseason games.  NBC will televise two 2008 Preseason games.  The voice of the New York Giants, Bob Papa, will handle the play-by-play duties along with Carl Banks and Howard Cross.  That sounds good to me.  How come we can’t get our guys during the Regular Season and the Postseason?

Good Situation - Michael Eisen pointed out that Andre’ Woodson will get a chance to learn behind Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning.

Mailbag - Michael Eisen answers questions posed by Giants fans.

New York Daily News:

Michael Strahan has a plan about future but keeps it quiet

New York Post:

STRAHAN  NOT SAYIN’ IF HE’LL DO IT AGAIN

The Star-Ledger:

Veteran DE Wynn visits - Mike Garafolo reported that DE Renaldo Wynn visited the NY Giants.  According to Wynn’s agent Peter Schaffer, Schaffer says that, “He had a good visit and there’s interest on both ends. We’ll continue to talk and see what develops.”  Wynn has been around for a decade, and he’s played for the Jaguars, the Redskins, and the Saints.  If you would like to check out Renaldo Wynn’s Player Profile on NFL.com, click here.

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Yesterday, Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Post wrote an article about how Andre’ Woodson was supposed to be selected in the second round, but the Giants picked him in the sixth round.  Vacchiano also talked to Woodson and found out what he thought after falling well below expecations.  If you really think about it, it must be rough on an athlete who is told by people that they will be selected in a certain round and then it doesn’t happen.  Well, who are these people?  I don’t know the answer in general, but I found out something interesting Woodson’s case.

Today, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com wrote a post titled, “DID MCSHAY MISLEAD WOODSON?”  Todd McShay is an what ESPN calls an “expert” scout who put together a Mock Draft on ESPN.com.  In this Mock Draft, McShay had the Bears picking Woodson in the third round.  Obviously, that didn’t happen which is why Florio began investingating this situation.  Florio found out about McShay through sources, and this is a small sample of what the source had to say,

The problem with people like McShay is that they have no accountability.  They can say what they want and when they are wrong no one cares, [except] the kid’s family.  McShay could not get a job with any NFL team, even as an intern.  He is a very poor evaluator.  He proved it with his evaluation of Woodson.

This quote goes on and on, and you can check out the source if you want to read it in it’s entirty.  You get the gist of it.  If you try to open up the Mock Draft that McShay put together, it comes up as “null” because it was taken down.  So the problem is that the media hires unqualified people to do the job who make more money than real NFL scouts.  And guys like Andre’ Woodson are the people getting all bent out of shape when they get selected three rounds lower than ESPN’s “experts”.  I barely even watch that channel anymore because it changed a lot over the last few years.  There are too many clowns on that channel, regardless of the sport.  I watch Sports Center when I want to know what’s going on, but most of their Analysts on other shows bother me.

New York Daily News:

Giants ink former Rutgers product - Ralph Vacchiano lists the roster moves that the Giants made yesterday.

New York Post:

JINTS SNAP INTO ACTION - Paul Schwartz pointed out that the Giants might actually try to get a long snapping specialist on the team this year because they signed Nick Leeson yesterday.  All Leeson has to do is make the roster.

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Boy, I love it when Phessional writes a post out of nowhere.  Don’t you love that attitude?  I miss the energy that he brings to blogging.  It’s quotes like this that make me want to go watch the Divisional Round Playoffs again, “We are still being categorized under the Cowboys and can’t wait to turn these knuckleheads’s brains around.”  I hope the Big Blue Wrecking Crew can find a way in ‘08 to get Jerry Jones’ face the same way as it was after the Giants beat the ‘Girls in the Playoffs.  And make T.O. cry again…And continue to not allow Tony Romo to get a Playoff win.  That was priceless, can it happen again?

Now back to the Giants, Phessional wrote that he heard that Jeremy Shockey may be traded for Ray Lewis.  I cannot find anything supporting that, but rumors are rumors.  Some are real and some are not.  I hope that’s not the case.  I do not want Shockey because he whines like a girl, and he practices with his college squad rather than his NFL team.  Shockey has expressed that he wants to play with an offense like New Orleans because he played under Sean Payton when Payton was the Offensive Coordinator under Jim Fassel.  Shockey preferred to have 1,000 receiving yards, without blocking, when the Giants were 4-12 than have 600 yards when the team won the Super Bowl.  The Shockey news is old already, and he is still on the roster.  This Lewis rumor is new, and I’ve never heard it before.  If I don’t want Shockey for whining, then you know I don’t want a murderer.  Strahan, and his wife beating, is more than enough for a Giants fan to stomach.  It’s like I said last summer, I wish that Strahan would retire before the Giants won the Super Bowl because I don’t want to have to root for scum.  I want to root for classy guys to win the Super Bowl.  The Giants put us fans in an awkward situation by putting these guys out on the field.  The good thing is the Giants only have one mistake.  If I was a Bengals fan or a Cowboys fan, then half of the team is a mistake.  So I hope the Ravens offer Lewis an offer he can’t refuse so no more rumors even surface about him.

Giants.com:

Roster Moves - Michael Eisen reported that the Giants today announced the signing of seven players who attended rookie mini-camp on a tryout basis.

Additions:

• DT Brian Soi of Utah
• DT Nate Robinson of Akron
• DE Alex Morrow of USC
• DB Miguel Scott of North Carolina State
• DB Terrance Stringer of Tuskegee
• Long Snapper Nick Leeson of Virginia Tech
• OL Jacob Hobbs of the University at Albany.

Waived:

• LB Rory Johnson of Mississippi
• DT Joshua Muse of Louisiana Tech
• Punter Owen Tolson of Army

Terminated Contracts:

• TE Eric Butler of Mississippi State
• Guard Carnell Stewart of LSU.

Fans Take - A Giants fan expresses his thoughts on the Giants’ improbable 2007 season.

Newsday:

Rookie Giants DB Thomas is pro system friendly - Tom Rock wrote up an article about the Giants 63rd pick: DB Terrell Thomas of USC.

Shockey, Strahan status not definite - Tom Rock wrote, “The two most talked about players this offseason were talked about again Saturday. While Giants offensive and defensive coordinators Kevin Gilbride and Steve Spagnuolo spent some time discussing the rookies they are mentoring at this minicamp, questions inevitably turned to Michael Strahan and Jeremy Shockey.”  Multiple stories have been written about this story already.

New York Daily News:

Andre’ Woodson miffed by Giant drop - Ralph Vacchiano pointed out that Andre’ Woodson was supposed to be selected in the second round, but the Giants picked him in the sixth round.  Vacchiano found out what Woodson thought after falling well below expecations.

New York Post:

KNOCK ON WOOD - Paul Schwartz stated that the Giants want to develop Andre’ Woodson into a solid backup QB.

The Star-Ledger:

Giants add 7 rookie FAs, cut 5

Safety first at Miami - Mike Garafolo pointed out how successful the Safeties at Miami who went pro have been, historically.  One should conclude that Kenny Phillips sould be able to live up to the hype.

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Michael David Smith at ProFootballTalk.com also assembled a Giants Minicamp Report.  For the most part, it is the same as what is below.  The other day, Mike Garafolo of The Star-Ledger stated that Kenny Phillips might be wearing No. 21 as a tribute to the late Sean Taylor.  According to multiple articles below, it turns out that he was correct.

Giants.com:

Transcript: Coach Tom Coughlin - Giants.com had a Q&A Session with Tom Coughlin.

Rookie Mini-Camp Report - Michael Eisen reported on the first day of practices that the Giants held with 2008 rookies.

Transcript: LB Bryan Kehl - Giants.com had Q&A Session with Bryan Kehl.

Transcript: QB Andre’ Woodson - Giants.com had a Q&A Session with Andre’ Woodson.

Newsday:

Rookie Phillips grabs No. 21 in homage to Taylor - Tom Rock informs us as to why Kenny Phillips wants to wear No. 21.

New York Daily News:

Mario Manningham is a test case - Ralph Vacchiano lets us know why Mario Manningham is on a “short leash”.

New York Post:

TALK TO STRANGERS - Paul Schwartz stated that Coach Coughlin plans on having a chat with the rookies about his expectations.

MARIO LOOKS SUPER AT GIANTS MINICAMP

New York Times:

Safety Set to Blaze Path With Familiar Number

The Star-Ledger:

Even Gilbride’s unsure about Shockey - Mike Garafolo captured Kevin Gilbride’s thoughts on the Jeremy Shockey situation.

Woodson and Manningham hurt

Giants can invest long-term in Woodson - Jenny Vrentas discusses Andre’ Woodson’s role on the team.

Phillips’ 21 is a tribute

Afternoon practice report

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Your Super Bowl Champion New York Football Giants are at the White House today.   How cool is that?  According to Mike Garafolo of The Star-Ledger, the NJ.com website is going to have live video coverage of the ceremony which begins at 3:20 p.m.  A link will be added to the NJ.com home page prior to the start of the event.  This can be hysterical so don’t miss it.

Giants.com:

Shock the World - According to Michael Eisen, Sinorice Moss will try to prove critics wrong in ‘08.

Newsday:

Giants veterans well aware of numbers game - Tom Rock explained how veterans can get cut when young players that are inexpensive perform better than expected.

Champion Giants to be honored at White House - Tom Rock informed us that, “The Super Bowl champions will be honored by President Bush in a ceremony on the South Lawn this afternoon. While many of the players spent yesterday gearing up for their first encounter with the commander in chief and a behind-the-scenes look at the building in which he lives and works, Manning spoke about sitting down with him in the Oval Office two months ago for a chat.”  The Giants are at the White House.  I can’t wait to hear what stupid things Mr. Strahan and others say to President Bush.  I’m sure it will be in the papers tomorrow.

New York Daily News:

Giants’ Sinorice Moss playing catch-up

New York Post:

NOT A GIANT CONCERN - Paul Schwartz says that the veterans are not concerned about the draftees.

The Star-Ledger:

Giants at the White House today - live video - Mike Garafolo wrote, “NJ.com will feature live video coverage of the event, scheduled for aproximately 3:20 p.m. Go to the NJ.com homepage for a link that will go up in plenty of time to catch the ceremony.”

Moss welcomes Manningham - Mike Garafolo explains why Sinorice Moss was so excited when the Giants drafted Mario Manningham.

Lorenzen (genuinely) scared by Woodson - Mike Garafolo found out what Jared Lorenzen thougth when the Giants drafted Andre’ Woodson.

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At the end of the NFL Draft, here’s the list of the players that the New York Giants selected (click on the player’s name to view the NFL.com Draft Player Profile):

• Round 1, Pick 31 (31): Miami FS Kenny Phillips
• Round 2, Pick 32 (63): Southern Cal CB Terrell Thomas
• Round 3, Pick 32 (95): Michigan WR Mario Manningham
• Round 4, Pick 24 (123) (From Steelers): BYU OLB Bryan Kehl
• Round 5, Pick 30 (165): Vanderbilt LB Jonathan Goff
• Round 6, Pick 32 (198): Kentucky QB Andre’ Woodson
• Round 6, Pick 33 (199) (Compensatory selection): Southern Miss DE Robert Henderson

According to Bob Brookover of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Eagles are suing Terrell Owens “in an attempt to recover the bonus money Owens never paid after being suspended for the final seven games of the 2005 season.”  The Eagles and their fans have never given up messing around with T.O.  It keeps going on and on.

New York Daily News:

Former coach Lloyd Carr says Mario Manningham is Giant bargain - Ralph Vacchiano found out what former Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr thinks of Mario Manningham being drafted by the Giants.  Here’s what Coach Carr had to say about Manningham.

I think Mario is a good person and he’s made some choices that he has apologized for. I believe him. I’m confident that he’s going to have a very good career.

He went to the combine without much preparation because he had a problem with his agent. He’s made some mistakes. Yet I think he’s with an organization that will give him good support. I think the biggest thing is, I’m sure and I’m confident that he’s learned some things in this process. He’s a young guy.

The biggest thing is that he has an opportunity now to go to a great organization in a very, very difficult environment, where the expectations are big, the media and scrutiny in New York certainly is as intense as it gets. But he’s got an opportunity to go in with a great young quarterback, an organization that’s coming off of a Super Bowl, so he couldn’t ask for a better opportunity. And I think we’re all confident that he’s going to take advantage of that.

New York Post:

NO GIANT SHOCK-ER - Paul Schwartz explains why he believes that keeping Jeremy Shockey in New York was the right move.

JINTS GIVE DT A SHOT - Paul Schwartz wrote an article about the undrafted free agents that the Giants are interested in.  Like Mike Garafolo of The Star-Ledger wrote yesterday, Paul pointed out that one of the undrafted free agents named Nate Robinson came out of Irvington, NJ.  Schwartz lets us know what Robsinson has been up to since graduating from Irvington.  At the bottom of the article, Paul wrote, “Some of the free agents expected to sign with the Giants or be invited to next month’s rookie mini-camp include:”

• S Nehemiah Warrick (Michigan State)
• DE Wallace Gillberry (Alabama)
• DE Antonio Reynolds (Tennessee)
• OL Glenn Bujnoch (Cincinnati)
• G-C Andrew Bain (Miami)
• OT Dylan Thiry (Northwestern)
• WR D.J. Hill (Alabama)
• OT Carnell Stewart (LSU)

The Star-Ledger:

Moss (genuinely) excited about Manningham - Mike Garafolo found out what Sinorice Moss thinks about the Jints drafting Manningham.

Giants sign Irvington’s Robinson - Mike Garafolo reported that the Giants signed defensive tackle Nate Robinson as an undrafted free agent.

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