BleedinBlue

Yeah....I like it alot. I think I like the previous one just a little better. It's nice to reminisce now and then....especially one of the greatest (if not THEE greatest) moments in Giants history. I hope we are competing for another superbowl in the near future (knock on wood), but I cannot possibly imagine any Giants win having the same emotional effect on me that this one did. In the past, I've always cheered and hollered after my team won a championship. This last one though, I was just in a state of shock, couldn't talk for a couple of minutes, and couldn't stop tears from rolling down my face. I don't remember any game in any sport where I couldn't help but cry. It was hugely emotional for me.

I rememeber "her" all too well. I never flirted" with "her", but chatted now and then on different subjects back in the day. I was flabbergasted to find out she was a he and couldn't believe he got caught in the sham and it made the newspapers. Blew me away!

I agree whole-heartedly with everything you say...especially Mel Kipper who gets all his information from magazines that basically get all their information from other magazines. It's all speculation by "the gurus", and they speak as if they have all the inside information on everything which is total bullshit. The Giants have an army of scouts following an army of players...many whom Kipper never even heard of. And the Giants aren't going to advertise who they think has a nasty upside. Hence....Kipper praising the Giants when they drafted William Joseph.....then Kipper calling the Giants "nuts" when they drafted Osi Umenyura and laughed out loud when the Giants drafted Kiwinuka. Of course...the Giants got the last laugh didn't they. Regardless....I trust the scouts and the coaches one-thousand percent more than any magazine or stuffed shirt talking head. I agree that the talking heads and sports magazines usually know the top 10 or so players, but after that it's a crap shoot and only the dedicated and secretive scouts know the real deal. I agree that if Dan Conner is still on the board at 31 he will be too tempting to resist. But I'm not a scout with inside information so I don't know everything there is to know about the kid. I believe the Giants aren't that bad off with their current linebacking corps with Clark and Wilkenson battling it out at the "Will" spot, Pierce and Blackburn (and even DeOssie) playing "Mike" and once Kiwi is back, him and Tank Daniels should do fine covering the "Sam". None of them are perrenial pro-bowlers, but they've been pretty consistent and Pierce is very solid and Kiwi was becoming dominating before his injury. All in all....I can see why the Giants may not feel the need to go for the best linebacker on the board if there's a stud DB or DT still on the board. I think in the article that was trying to figure out what the Giants would do with their first pick had assumed that Dan Conner and Keith Rivers were both gone before the Giants turn to pick. If you look at the authors mock draft, he has Conner going at 21 and Rivers at 17 (or something like that). I trust Reese, TC and the Giants scouts. The Giants are in an enviable position because there are no glaring holes that absolutely must be addressed by the draft....therefore, they can simply pluck the very best player on the board.....even if it's at a position that is already strong for us. And oh yeah.....I would love to see Jeremy Zuttah from Rutgers end up in a Giants uniform as well. Not only because he's a quality prospect, but because he is also a "bleedin blue" type of Giants fan his whole life.

Giants are going to have a personal work out today with PK Piotr Czech. With a name like - one that I can't pronounce and will misspell frequently if not for "copy n paste", he seems like a shoo-in to become a Giant. Piotr is the son of Zdzislaw and Grazyna Czech...two more names worth of becoming Giants. Since the Giants are pretty set all the way around, they have the luxury of burning a pick this year on a kicker for the future. Anyway, here's a story on the kid: Jerseyan getting a leg up on NFL dream Wednesday, March 26, 2008 BY MIKE GARAFOLO Star-Ledger Staff With the wind behind it, the ball curled smoothly inside the right upright. From 50 yards away, it was good. "You've got that natural little draw there," a Colts scout said. "That's excellent." From 56 yards out, the ball traveled almost the same path. "Draw in," the scout said. "That's great." Finally, from 59 yards, the scout had no words. Well, just one. "Damn," he said. The rest of the players, coaches and family members applauded from the sideline. Piotr Czech had just made 12 consecutive field goals on a recent blustery morning at Staten Island's Wagner College, his college team. The last one, with two cell phones ringing as he approached the ball, left the Indianapolis scout -- as well as representatives from the Giants and Eagles -- amazed. Still, to close out an impressive pro day workout, the 6-5, 210-pounder needed to show that his long leg could drive the ball through the 15-mph gusts. From 55 yards, with the Indy scout rushing him by noting that the women's lacrosse team was "running us out of here" to prepare for their game, Czech nailed it. At that point, the Keyport High graduate -- once among the biggest secrets in the preparation for next month's NFL Draft -- had kicked his way onto the draft boards of a few more teams. Now, after 15 teams scouted him during the season, he has private workouts scheduled with the Giants, Patriots and perhaps the Dolphins -- with more likely to be set up in the coming weeks. So while questions about his big body, his small college and his lack of experience linger, Czech's name continues to be on the lips of personnel evaluators who didn't even know about him at the start of his senior season. "I'm hungry for this. I want this more than anything," Czech said the other day while sitting in his SUV outside his alma mater. "It used to linger in my mind in high school, like, 'Can I really do this?' In college, it was more of a reality. Now, it's more real than ever. "And I know I can do it." Czech's determination shouldn't be doubted. Not after everything his family has been through since his father Zdzislaw moved his wife Grazyna and children from Poland to America 20 years ago as communism fell in Eastern Europe. For two years, six members of the Czech family (including Grazyna's mother and brother) crammed into a studio apartment in Jersey City, where the parents slept on the fold-out couch while the children shared small mattresses. The Czechs then moved into a two-bedroom unit in Keyport that provided only a little more room for a family that by then included a baby girl, Anna. Eventually, Zdzislaw (known to his American friends by his middle name, Eugene) had earned enough money as an auto mechanic to buy a partially condemned house that was covered by overgrown shrubbery. Only recently has the home been finished after years of hard work by the men of the Czech household. "We were always in survival mode," said Arthur Czech, the oldest of the family's five children. "But our parents made sure we never went hungry. And now we're able to help them out." That's exactly what Piotr is hoping to do. By making the NFL, he can help Zdzislaw, who was laid off late last year after taking a medical leave to undergo surgery on a knee that had ached him for years. "Do I want to help him out?" Piotr said. "Hell yeah." Piotr believes his father has helped his chances of reaching the NFL. A former member of the Polish Army soccer team who was honored as krol szczelcow ("king of goals"), which was the title for the league's MVP award, Zdzislaw nudged his boys toward soccer. The family couldn't afford video games, so the Czech boys spent most days playing the game outdoors. On rainy days they wrote letters to their friends in Poland. As a sophomore in high school, Piotr played soccer as part of Keyport's collaboration with Henry Hudson High School. This came after his initial attempts at being the football team's kicker were denied after he shanked his first (and only) kick in an audition for the coaches during his freshman year. But by his junior year he won the job after spending a "summer of frustration" being coached as a kicker by Arthur, who kicked at William Paterson. At Wagner, Piotr continued to improve while tailoring the basics of what Arthur taught him to what felt comfortable for him. As a junior, he was sent on to try a 54-yarder just before halftime against Sacred Heart -- the first time Wagner coach Walt Hameline had called on him from that distance. It was good. "From then on, everything 50-plus, he was like, 'All right, we're doing it,'" said Czech, who also punted for Wagner the past four years. Of course, Czech hasn't been perfect. He missed a 42-yarder in overtime during a loss to Iona last season when the opposing coach, copying a trend that was sweeping the NFL at the time, called a timeout just before the snap on Czech's first attempt. But he had a 56-yarder against St. Francis of Pennsylvania and made a record five field goals in November's East Coast Bowl, an all-star game for small-school football programs. Czech appears capable of playing in much more important games -- if he can keep his long frame in check, that is. Unlike shorter kickers, a small break in form can have a big result on the flight of the ball. "He has to stay down all the way through the kick," said Pat Sempier, a local kicking coach who once worked with former Giants kicker Brad Daluiso and has volunteered as a tutor for Czech. "If he comes out of it a little bit, he'll pull off it completely." Czech's build could be a red flag for some teams, even though Mike Vanderjagt -- once the most accurate kicker in NFL history -- stands at 6-5. Plus, Czech's long leg helps him quickly get the ball into the air and over the outstretched arms of opposing rushers. But teams might also be worried about how he'll handle the spotlight of playing in the NFL after four years of playing in front of small crowds at Wagner. Those who know Czech say that shouldn't be a concern. "He's got 100 percent confidence all the time. That's something I never had," Arthur Czech said. "What separates him from other guys is that I never see any doubt in his eyes. "He brings that to kicking, but he also brings that attitude toward life."

I think I just cried a little all over again. I remember after the game that I could think of nothing else for a week...but over time, I eventually got back to normal. This video reminded me just how emotional the game was to me. When Plax breaks down after the game...I understand exactly why. Thanks for sharing the vid and bringing back one of the best memories of my life!

Thanks for the post. I really hope he comes back. He still has a lot of gas left in his tank, but more importantly (IMO) his influence on the rest of the guys is just plain phenomenal and he gets the whole team fired up. My fingers are crossed!

I'm bored and am always dying for some new news concerning the Giants, so I've done a little (quite a lot actually) research. Plus, some of you diehards are hungry for something as well. This is a list of players who the Giants have met with at their campus (gleaned from kffl and NFL Draft Bible): QB - Craig Hormann (Columbia Univ.) PK - Piotr Czech (Wagner College) OT - Gosder Cherilus (Boston College) OG - Mackenzy Bernadeau (Bentley College) OG - Kerry Brown (Appalachian State) RB - Adrain Smith (Bethel College) OG - Jeremy Zuttah (Rutgers) CB - Antwaun Molden (U.of Eastern Kentucky) It would appear that the Giants have been scouting small colleges for a hidden gem. However, Rutgers and BC aren't exactly small colleges. The Giants have shown extreme interest in Jeremy Zuttah. The Giants have invited him to work out privately with them twice in the past several weeks as well as visited him at Rutgers. Zuttah has also made statements to the effect that the Giants have been his team since he was a child and it would be a dream come true to become a Giant. Zuttah is ranked as the 15th best OG by scout.com. But during the combines, Zuttah pressed 225 LBS 35 times - second to Jake Long and Vernon Gohlston who both pushed the weight up 37 times (both Long and Gohlston are projected to be gone in the first 10 picks of the draft. So the kid is strong! Also, Zuttah ran the 40 in 4.99 compared to Jake Long's 5.17. A man who is over 300 lbs running under 5.0 means he must have quite a motor. Zuttah's stats appear to be better than pretty much every other offensive guard that is rated ahead of him (well, except Long). Regardless...my bet is, is that the Giants would like to add Zuttah to the offensive line. He's flying under the radar compared to Gosder Cherilus (another lineman they'd like to add to free up Diehl on the end), so he (Zuttah) could probably be had in later rounds. Scout.com gives him 2 stars out of 5 for players in his category. But knowing the Giants, if they want someone (like they did when they went after Osi), they pull the trigger early and then the fans get to listen to assholes like self-proclaimed expert Mel Kipper tell the country how stupid it was of the Giants to take a player that wasn't high on his list - and in a round far earlier than necessary. Anyway, at the combines, Cherilus pushed up 225 lbs, 24 times and ran the 40 in 5.21. Scout.com gives him 4 stars out of 5 for players in his category. The only other players that the Giants have met with privately besides Zuttah are Cherilus and Antwaun Molden. ----------------------------- An interesting vewpoint (IMO) from MVN Giants 101, about the most likely player the Giants will draft with their first round pick - keep in mind, it's one man's opinion. But if hungry for anything, makes a decent read: My Realistic 1st round Big Board By Sean O'Sullivan | March 24th, 2008 With the 2008 NFL Draft a little more than a month away its time for the New York Giants organization to continually study prospect tapes and to adjust their big board of prospects accordingly. With that in mind I thought I would share with you what my big board would be if I were in the Giants position. This is based on players that have a realistic shot of being available when the Giants pick at slot 31. 1. Kenny Phillips S Miami (FL) Now you see a varying degree of grades placed on Phillips as a prospect depending on which draft site you visit but if you take the average it’ll grade out to be a little bit higher than where the Giants select at 31. Phillips is a prototypical Free Safety and is trying to follow along the footsteps of Ed Reed, Sean Taylor and Brandon Merriweather as the next great Safety from “The U”. Phillips has very good size and speed with good hands. He is aggressive which is a good thing but it can also hurt him at times. He also does a good job in run support. Phillips did not have a good junior year, but you can’t ignore what he did in his sophomore year. The Giants have reportedly very interested in Phillips and he would be a great fit a FS for this defense. 2. Reggie Smith DB Oklahoma The thing that makes Reggie Smith such an intriguing prospect is his versatility. Smith can probably play both safety positions and corner back in the NFL. This gives the team that drafts him multiple opportunities to try and plug him into the right spot on their defense. Smith is extremely athletic and can start right away in the NFL if he finds his niche in training camp. I feel that if the Giants were to draft him he would be another good fit at the Free Safety position. One of the reasons Smith may fall to 31 is because he has been hurt and was unable to perform at the combine. A lot of teams put a lot of stock into combine numbers and this could end up hurting Smith in the long run. 3. Antoine Cason CB Arizona Cason, like New York Giant Aaron Ross the year before him, had a great year as a cornerback and ended up winning the Jim Thorpe award for the best Defensive back in the nation. Cason has good size for a corner and has very good ball skills. The only knock on Cason is that some people feel he is a little too slow for a man to man scheme. He proved most of those haters wrong when he ran a 4.48 40 at the combine. Cason has many of the same questions that Aaron Ross had last year and they are very similar players. The pairing of Ross and Cason could make a very solid tandem in the Giants secondary for years to come. 4. Dajuan Morgan S North Carolina State Some people feel this might be a stretch but Dajuan Morgan is steadily rising up draft boards and has worked himself up to the top of the 2nd range. It is well documented that Mike Mayock has Dajuan Morgan as his best safety prospect which was a very bold move but in a few years when we look back on this draft he very well might be right. Dajuan Morgan is still growing as a player and is a great athlete with good speed and size for the safety position. He has only started one year at safety during his career but he has all the tools you look for and could end up being a great player in this league. 5. Tracy Porter CB Indiana Tracy Porter is another player that has a varied ranking depending on where you look but he is a solid 2nd round prospect and many people feel he can sneak his way into the first. Tracy Porter had a very good showing at Indiana’s pro day and is a solid corner prospect. He has great speed and great hands and is a real playmaker. He needs some coaching on his technique and I think he could excel under Spags’ defensive system. Porter is a very underrated prospect and is definitely a good candidate for pick 31. ----------------------- Oh well....just thought I'd throw up something to read and critique. I'm getting awfully antse for draft day! :brooding:

I think it's the current rule that hair must be tucked under the helmet if it longer than a few inches. However, they don't bother to enforce the rule so I don't know why they even have it. There is nothing illegal about pulling a guy down by his hair. But most players on the offense are fully aware of that so I don't know of any who have it and of course, there's no reason to tackle a defensive player....although, if breaking up a tackle on your own guy, it's fair game. Personally, I think the hair down to the middle of the back looks ridiculous and my first thought is the guy is looking for attention so he sticks out in the crowd.....as it's nearly impossible to know who is who except by looking at the number on the jersey. It's funny how these long dreadlocks on athletes only seem to show up in the NFL......well, except Manny Ramirez of the Red Sox. Again....just another attention getting device for the insecure as far as I'm concerned.

Since SS Troy Polamalu of the Steelers was dragged to the ground by his long hair and almost got a broken neck, there has been controversy about how long a player should be allowed to grow their hair. Apparantly, a few other long haired players have complained about their hair being pulled out while in a tackling situation. Personally, I hope they instill the rule this year as it looks like they might. I don't think any of the Giants have to be concerned with the possible rule change since McQuarters got himself sheared last year. I like the rule - anyone disagree - bring it on?

Yeah...he's listed on the roster. I don't know a whole lot about him other than Miami cut him because he was too heavy and didn't lose weight. Bills picked him up, then cut him because he couldn't lose 30 lbs. I don't recall anything he did for the Giants, but apparantly they're keeping him for the time being. Seems he came to Miami with a lot of hype, but he's had too many issues with his weight to stick on a team.

The Giants didn't resign Russell Davis and he's now a free agent getting little attention.

I agree with you guys that it's no emergency. But if we could get an athletic, potentially solid DT (by solid I mean, better than Joseph) with 6-7 years of experience...and get him for cheap. It would be worth it to throw him into the mix to see what he's got for a motor and football sense. At worst....you cut him after spring training.

I think it's pretty much universally accepted that the Giants filled the holes in the team from the loss of free agents Mitchell and Wilson. But we also lost William Joseph and have a hole in the defensive line now.....not that Joseph was ever a stud, but a somewhat worthy backup. Cofield is solid, but Robbins isn't getting any younger and Alford isn't proven. The Giants released Russell Davis as well, so we only have 3 DT's, with an aging Robbins and an unproven Alford. Now Alford gets much attention from his plowing over Tom Brady in the superbowl, but was that an anomoly, or is it a sign of great things to come from him? I don't recall any super moments during the regular season in which Alford stood out, but it's possible I missed it. Also, Tuck comes in a plays an occassional DT position that throws the opposition off guard. Anyway, should the Giants be looking at picking up a free agent defensive tackle like Larry Tripplett? Personally, I think so. Tripplett was a second round draft pick in 2002 and is still young and had a breakout year in 2005, the last year of his contract. Of course.....he went for the big money in free agency and landed on the Bills roster. But the Bills were looking for a huge impact player rather than a steady lineman and because of that, have released him and are searching for a Marcus Stroud type player. As far as I'm concerned, we have such dominent DE's that all we need is rock solid DT's to keep the line intact. I think picking up Tripplett would make a lot of sense because he would be surrounded by great talent and wouldn't be expected to be the stud of the line. In fact, he'd be freed up as the offensive line has to put so much emphasis on Osi, Strahan and or Tuck (and maybe Kiwanuka). At the worst, he could compete for the job against a crop of DT's that come during or after the draft. Anyone else think we should go this route....or am I just thinking crazy?

Especially Cowboy fans!

I love it when the Giants are taken for granted and analyzed as an average team with little chance to do damage....or even lower for that matter. Depending on which articles you read last year, we were either cast to come in third or fourth in our division....if not for the Redskins, every analyst in the country would have picked us dead last. And I love it when they give us a low draft grade, while raving on and on about the great draft Oakland or San Francisco had....even though those teams did nothing and the Giants won the Superbowl after every player they drafted made the team. Nothing better than a solid team that people think isn't that good. Hyped teams getting beat by "average" teams makes trash talking WR's cry after the game (boo hoo, boo hoo, don't say nuttin against my quarterback ....boo hoo), and people shake their heads in disbelief, and overhyped angry coaches march off the field in front of millions of viewers before the biggest game of the year is even over. Rankings don't mean a damn thing. What gets done on the field....the way the coach changes a strategy to overcome injuries or weaknesses in an area, etc., ..... that's what means something. And nothing is worse for a team than being held up in awe by every analyst in the country.....especially when the team starts believing its own hype. If the Giants were being held up as "the team to beat"...."guaranteed to repeat", etc.,....then I'd be nervous.

According to the last report I read, the Giants have 9.5 million left in cap space. Of course, Suebert's contract wasn't taken into consideration at that time, but I don't think his contract is heavy. More like another 1/2 million and an extension.

I think what it would mean to the Giants is that they would go into the draft targeting a top tier tight end...and of course, the need for a top tier safety would no longer be an issue. Also, cap wise, Shockey's contract is probably back loaded meaning that it would also free up more cap space for future endeavors. Personally, I like the trade if we could pull it off. I'll also be content if we don't make the deal. I trust in TC's and Gilbride's judgement here.

According to the rumor mill at ProFootballTalk.com, the Saints didn't offer a 2 and Roman Harper....it was the Giants who said they wanted a 2 and Harper and the Saints said no. However, the same rumor mill says that talks have not stopped and "those on the inside" (take that for what it's worth), say both teams are determined to make a deal. If that is the case, then the Giants obviously think Shockey is expendable and that they believe Eli rises to his potential when Shockey isn't suited up. The exact quote: "In response to a report in the Newark Star-Ledger that the New Orleans Saints offered a second-round pick and safety Roman Harper for Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey, a source with knowledge of the discussions tells us that the Giants wanted a two and Harper, and that the Saints refused. We don’t know what if anything the Saints offered for Shockey. But the fact that the Giants articulated a trade request for Shockey tells us that they’re willing to move on without him. And for good reason. He has been a disruptive influence in the organization, and we think it’s no coincidence that quarterback Eli Manning came of age once Shockey was done for the year with a broken leg".

I can find something positive to say about first rounder Joseph. First rounder Ron Dayne was worse

What doesn't make sense to me.....is that they don't have enough money left to sign their draft picks as it is. If they try to trade up for Long, then they've got to cut the hell out of the team in order to make room for the cash to suit him up. I have no idea what is going through Davis head? I'm glad my team's execs understand "value" and "holding the line on outrageous contracts".

I know what you mean. There are some great guys over there, but there is so much flaming, immaturity, and negativity for me. Not as many threads here as over there, but for the most part, everyone on this board knows football and doesn't go negative every time something doesn't go exactly as planned. Regardless....welcome aboard. Glad to have ya.

No doubt that was what he was thinking. The problem with that though is that he absolutely has to be aware of the first down marker. There was a couple of times that he had the first down, then doubled back and lost it because of it. Breakaways are great, but priority one is getting that first down. I still believe he's going to show enough to make the team and then he's going to have a bustin out party down the road. Sure hope so.

This is a good deal - Seubert gets a raise and an extension, yet gives Giants more cap room (about 9.5 million left overall), and he's been solid on the line since his return. From the Star Ledger: "Three years ago, Rich Seubert wasn't certain if he'd ever play football again. Now, he's got job security for the next couple of seasons. Seubert, the Giants' starting left guard last season, signed a contract extension through the 2012 season today, according to someone familiar with the negotiations. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately available. Seubert, who turns 29 on Sunday, had two seasons remaining on his existing contract. After the Super Bowl win, he presented the Giants with a contract proposal that would allow him to finish his career with the team. Seubert's proposal also made his recent salary increases (from $1.05 million to $2 million this upcoming season) due to incentives reached more palatable for the Giants' salary cap because they'll now be converted into a signing bonus and spread over five years. Seubert told the front office he understood his extension might mean he'll once again become a backup in the future. But the most important part of the deal for him was his being able to remain with an organization that has been loyal to him. Seubert's stint with the Giants began in 2001 when they signed him as an undrafted free agent. He started all 16 games the following season and had established himself as one of the league's best young guards when he suffered a ghastly leg injury in 2003. Eagles defensive end N.D. Kalu accidentally stepped on his leg, resulting in several broken bones. After a handful of surgeries and a missed 2004 season, Seubert returned to the field as a backup in 2005 and '06 before officially regaining his starting spot this past season. He started all 16 games and was a key part of a line that paved the way for a four-back rushing attack that racked up 2,148 yards during the regular season - fourth most in the NFL."

From the Star Ledger: ".... looking around to find out what the Raiders' cap figure is right now. Remember, when the D-Hall trade went down, I guessed the team might have a problem finding some money for CB Nnamdi Asomugha, whom the Giants like very much. Well, I got it for you. As of today, Oakland has roughly a whopping... ...half a mil under the cap. Now, that figure is the top 51 on their current roster and they'll be able to shave some of that (perhaps by cutting RB LaMont Jordan), but it doesn't include the money they'll have to pay their rookies (Darren McFadden maybe?). Plus, you need more than $500k to operate during the season. Does this mean the Giants will trade for Asomugha? No more than the Saints trading for Shockey right now. But it's definitely a situation that bears watching"

The link you supplied didn't work, but maybe the site is just down. Here's something on this from the Star Ledger: "Once again, there is a report stating the Saints are trying to trade for Giants TE Jeremy Shockey. I (Mike Garaflo) did some sniffing around and came up with very little. Not saying nothing's cooking, just that there aren't signs of it. All I know is what I heard recently - that the Saints' original offer was a second-round pick (No. 40 overall, if it was this year's pick they offered) and S Roman Harper, their second round pick in '06. The Giants said, "Nah." So unless NO is reloading for another run at Shockey, nothing's cooking on that front. And believe me, if they plan on prying Shockey from the Giants, they'd better come with a seriously good offer".