Archive for the ‘Giants’ Category

Pat Hanlon, Man’s Man

Posted: August 12, 2011 by Keith Stone in football, Giants, Man's Man, NFL, Pat Hanlon
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New York Giants VP of Communications, Pat Hanlon, took to Twitter yesterday and lashed out against Giants fans who were upset about the team’s quiet offseason and most recently the departure of receiver Steve Smith to Philadelphia. Hanlon’s tweets included gems like:

“You like winning? Sit tight.”

“The last proclamation out of Philly that meant anything was a Declaration in 1776.”

“A lot of noisemakers end up in the ditch.”

“We don’t play on paper. You know what you can do w/ that paper?”

“Rebuild my ass! I got your rebuild.”

Hanlon is right on. He’s never been afraid to take anyone on whether it’s a fool like Rex Ryan or even his own disillusioned fans. Nobody is forcing anyone to root for the Giants. If you’re so unhappy about the team’s moves then go root for the Jets or the Eagles.

For some reason, the criticism against the Giants always seems to come doubly harsh. They won 10 games last year and missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker. That’s a good season. Not great, but a very solid season in which there were a ton of injuries. They won 10 games in 2007 and then all they did was win the Super Bowl.

Management didn’t have a ton of money to spend and they weren’t willing to take big financial risks on question marks. Some guys, like Mathias Kiwanuka, took less money to stay with the Blue. Others, like Steve Smith and Kevin Boss, went for the cash and there’s nothing wrong with that. They’re both Champions who played significant roles in the greatest Giants season of all-time and they’re allowed to think for themselves and their families. I’ll personally always think of them fondly and wish them well (even Smith playing for a division rival).

The fact of the matter is that everything isn’t as bad as everyone is making it out to be, just like Hanlon said. Every significant skill player is back. Coming out of the lockout, that’s going to be important as teams have less time to assimilate newbies into their systems.

Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs were running really well towards the end of last year when they were both healthy and should play a larger role in the offense. Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham were also money in 2010, combining for 20 TD’s and nearly 2,000 yards. With another year of Eli’s passes coming their way, their numbers should only continue to improve. When Osi Umenyiora’s situation is resolved, and it looks like it might be soon, every healthy, young player from last year’s team will be back and ready to contribute.

The losses hurt but there are a lot of young players waiting in the wings that will need to step up. General Manager Jerry Reese has proven to be a good evaluator of talent before and hopefully guys like Kevin Boothe and Travis Beckum will pan out. He may have dug himself a hole by mismanaging the cap a bit but he is also prudent in leaving some room to make adjustments as the season gets closer and even during the season. Reese is a tough guy and knows what he’s doing. He also does a great Jim Fassel impression.

Champions know that the game is played on the field. All the Giants fans that are complaining need to take their whine somewhere else. A season isn’t lost with one injury or defection. The Dream Team can start planning their parade down Broad St. as Michael Vick rides in a float with a litter of puppies and Steve Smith brings up the rear in a motorized wheelchair. I won’t start thinking about it until February 5th. Talk is cheap. Play the game. Keep calling out the haters, Pat Hanlon. You are a man’s man.

Giant Moves

Posted: July 27, 2011 by Keith Stone in Giants, NFL, PLAXICOOOOOO!!!!!!!
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Like every other team, the Giants are frantically trying to make player moves now that the lockout is over. They’re a little over the cap so it’s time to make tough decisions to move into the 2011 season and improve on last year’s 10-6 record. Surprisingly, one of the players they’re looking at is former star Plaxico Burress, which seemed unlikely as recent as last week. I cannot stress how much I think the Giants should make this move. I love Plax. He’s a slutty bartender. The only question is how much he deteriorated physically in prison. If it’s anything like Michael Vick, he’ll be fine. The G-Men have a fine young receiving corps but nobody comes close to Plax. Everyone forgets how great he was in 2007 and 2008. He’s a nice tall target for Eli (who still throws a bit high) and he commands a double team. If he doesn’t get one, he’ll burn you. Anyone remember the 2007 NFC Title Game? If you have a chance to add him to your team, you have to do it. The detractors say he’ll be a distraction and the fan base is torn on Plax, but he didn’t do anything malicious to end up in jail and I think the media focus will still be more on the end of the lockout and the massive amount of player movement. The New York newspapers seem to care more about the Yankees and Jets anyway. I don’t think Plax returning will be that big of a story. If he puts on the blue and makes big plays, everything will be forgiven. The Giants also signed undrafted free agent linebacker and cancer survivor Mark Herzlich. It’s a nice story to give him a chance to play and the Giants linebackers are undermanned. He’s a tough son of a bitch too. If he can beat cancer, the Eagles don’t look so bad in comparison. I co-sign.

On the flip side of things, the Giants will be cutting two offensive line stalwarts, Shaun O’Hara and Rich Seubert, for salary cap relief. These two were a vital cog in the offense and rose from obscurity to help lead the Giants to the Title. Though both had injury problems last year and were getting older, O’Hara was a strong leader and Seubert fought through a horribly broken leg to return to the field and become a versatile player who could shift positions selflessly and skillfully. They will be sorely missed.

Pay Osi

Posted: June 18, 2011 by Keith Stone in football, Giants, NFL, Osi Umenyiora
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Osi Umenyiora has had a contentious tenure with the Giants. It hit a new apex this week when a heated affidavit was released as part of the NFL players’ lawsuit against the owners. In the statement, Osi says that in 2008 he was promised a renegotiated contract or trade prior to the 2010 season by Giants GM Jerry Reese contingent on playing at a continued high level.

Osi sounds angry and bitter but this has also been blown out of proportion by the press. Osi tore his meniscus in the 2008 preseason and struggled in 2009 while feuding with the coaching staff. Presumably, he didn’t deserve a new contract especially with the injury concerns. However, Osi had a great 2010, leading the team in sacks and posting a NFL-record 10 forced fumbles despite a torn labrum. Osi may have a beef with playing time or the depth chart, but the Giants always have a glut of defensive ends. He had to deal with the same problem in 2007 when the team won the Super Bowl and he made the Pro Bowl, except now he’s finally getting back into form.

Osi still probably isn’t too happy about his salary. He is underpaid.  He had a major role in winning the Super Bowl and the Giants owe him for that. His teammate, Eli Manning, is one of the highest-paid players in the league. At the same time, perhaps this is less against the Giants and more in helping the players in the lockout. Despite his unhappiness, Osi has played hard the last two seasons. Losing him would be a huge blow to the defensive line and the entire defense. Osi is a beast. He doesn’t hit quarterbacks; he crushes them. From a strictly on-the-field standpoint, the Giants should give Osi a raise, not only to keep him in blue but to keep him happy. They can’t afford not to.

Plus, he always rolls with the ladies.

NY Daily News

Giants WR Victor Cruz On Mom’s Health Insurance

Posted: May 12, 2011 by Keith Stone in football, Giants, NFL, NFL lockout, Victor Cruz
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The NFL lockout has affected players in many ways you wouldn’t think about, such as the loss of health insurance. Wide receiver Victor Cruz, the MVP of the Giants’ preseason win over the Jets last year and hopeful contributor to this year’s team, found an easy solution to that problem. The 24-year-old was eligible to go on his mom’s health insurance plan and that’s exactly what he did. While many players are taking a risk in participating in lockout practices with their teammates, Cruz is fully covered.

When I finished college, I was on my parents’ insurance for a bit. I wasn’t, however, an NFL player scoring three touchdowns in a game and putting my body on the line. Cruz has a lot of potential and is coming off a season spent on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. It’s guys like him that have the most to lose in the lockout. The owners need to realize that for every Peyton Manning there’s 10 Victor Cruz’s whose livelihoods and futures are being affected. They’re the ones that really deserve the money, not the owners.

NY Daily News

Coach Eli

Posted: May 6, 2011 by Keith Stone in Eli, football, Giants, Hoboken, NFL, NFL lockout
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Barred from working out at the team’s training facility until the NFL lockout is over, several Giants players led by Eli Manning have been practicing at Hoboken High School this week. The sessions are focused on passing so Eli and his receivers can remain acclimated with each other and stay in football shape. Kevin Boss, Hakeem Nicks, and Mario Manningham have been among the receivers at practice, while David Diehl was there for moral support. Imagine being in class, looking out the window, and seeing a Super Bowl MVP in action. Fucking awesome. Although with Eli in charge, there’s no knowing if kill the carrier or capture the flag will eventually become part of the daily routine. I just hope nobody pees on the street or they may miss the beginning of the season doing community service.

Daily News

>John Mara: Juror # 16

Posted: April 7, 2011 by Keith Stone in crime and punishment, Giants, John Mara
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Giants owner John Mara has a lot on his plate these days: the lockout, the upcoming draft, and jury duty. Mara was named the fourth alternate juror for an international drug case in U.S. District Court and is expected to take three weeks to hear the case. The judge refused to let him off. This is ridiculous. The judge is obviously an Cowboys fan. There’s no other explanation. I could see if he was one of the actual jurors, maybe even the first alternate. BUT HE’S THE FOURTH ALTERNATE! He’s only going to have to do something if four jurors somehow get bounced. This isn’t the Springfield Nuclear Plant softball team. Is Juror #8 going to overdose on nerve tonic while Juror #11 gets thrown off the trial for failing to shave his sideburns? Mara is a lead negotiator in the lockout and runs a billion-dollar business. I’m all for fairness but if you run a billion-dollar business, you shouldn’t have to serve as an alternate in a three-week court case. There’s an easy solution. Replace Mara with the racist Asian lady that has to serve jury duty for life. Bing, bang, boom.

NY Daily News

>Worst Interview Ever

Posted: March 23, 2011 by Keith Stone in Giants, LT
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LT was sentenced to six years’ probation yesterday after pleading guilty to sexual misconduct and patronizing a prostitute. Then he went on Studio B with Shepard Smith on Fox News to talk about it. The result did not turn out well. I don’t condone LT for what he did but at the same time, how was he supposed to know the chick was 16? As he put it, he’s not going to card her. Unforgivable, however, is this interview in which he tries to defend himself. It’s a shame that nobody was around to put the kibosh on this. He needs to let the whole ordeal die down. Hopefully, LT doesn’t Charlie Sheen this and hit the media rounds.

>Tiki Is A Beast

Posted: March 11, 2011 by Keith Stone in Giants, NFL, Tiki Barber
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There’s been a lot of negative publicity about Tiki Barber’s comeback, but people forget one thing. On the football field, he was an absolute beast. Tiki’s never been my favorite player but there were countless times that he carried the Giants on his back. In his final regular season game, in a game the Giants needed to win to make the playoffs, he rushed for 234 yards and 3 touchdowns. Look at those numbers. Tiki Barber came through when the team needed him the most. That’s what winners do.

If Derek Jeter hit a home run to tie a game in the bottom of the 9th and then another one in extras to send the Yanks to the playoffs, it would be the stuff of legend. The fans and media would go gaga. That’s essentially what Tiki did. It wasn’t Willis Reed, Mark Messier, or Joe Namath, but it was badass. He just wasn’t a likable player. I’m not going to deny that Tiki has his flaws. He’s in the A-Rod Zone. He tries too hard and comes off as not genuine, but that shouldn’t detract from his on-field accomplishments like too many critics let it.

Tiki might not be a good person. He dumped his pregnant wife for a 23-year-old chick. It’s shitty any way you look at it. He announced his retirement during the season and it was a huge distraction for a team that was supposed to be competing for the Title and then dumped on Tom Coughlin and Eli Manning the following year on TV. Tiki’s burned his bridges with most Giants fans, but you have to give him credit for doing things his own way (minus the infidelity). He knew he was leaving so he announced it and he was trying to be an objective analyst. Doesn’t mean you have to like it. I didn’t.

Tiki is an all-time great Giant and football player no matter what. He had over 15,000 all-purpose yards, is the franchise’s leading rusher, and led the team to a Super Bowl. Tiki was originally expected to be a third-down back. He exceeded expectations tenfold but all anyone wants to talk about is his personality and failed TV career. It’s unfair.

And then he announced his comeback. It’s a little hypocritical. Tiki left the game in his absolute prime. His last game was his best but he said he wanted to be healthy for his family. Now, he’s almost 36 so why would he risk it? Does he need the money for alimony? Maybe. People are allowed to change their minds, though. I used to not like sushi and now I like it. Tiki has earned the right to come back. It’s not going to be with the Giants but I hope he doesn’t sign with the Jets. He is certainly a polarizing figure, but when I think about Tiki Barber, the only image I have is him cradling the ball against his bicep, making Redskins miss, and soaring towards the end zone. Don’t count him out.

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