Bleacher Report - Articles by Michael Schlossberg

David Tyree Will Not Make The New York Giants in 2009

Michael Schlossberg — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:00:13 -0400

Think back to February 3rd, 2008. Any Giants fan can tell you their exact reaction to David Tyree's fourth quarter performance and more specifically, what some call the greatest play in Super Bowl history. If you were to ask Giants fans if you thought that the last catch he would ever make as a Giant would be the one in which he fought the ball away from Rodney Harrison and pinned the ball up against his helmet, they would say "you're crazy".

But the reality is setting in, and David Tyree (the elder statesman of the Giants receiving corps in camp) will simply not be making this team.

The Giants, though they don't have a No. 1 type of WR, certainly have a deep group of young and exciting receivers. Thus far in camp, Big Blue has also seen Derek Hagan look impressive. Hagan wasn't even with the Giants until he signed as a free agent this offseason.

Depending on if Jerry Reese decides to keep five or six players, the receiving brigade should include Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, Hakeem Nicks, Ramses Barden, Sinorice Moss, and Mario Manningham. Of those players, one of those will have to contribute on special teams to fill David Tyree's void.

Ultimately, David Tyree is eighth on the depth chart right now, which is unfortunate for a fan favorite, but football is a hard business. What the Giants can do, though, is release him and potentially bring him back in a role with management or community relations if he can't find another team.

That would be the classy thing to do for an organization that has always acted with class.

The Giants Have a Decision to Make About Eli Manning's New Contract

Michael Schlossberg — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:56:33 -0400

I respect the opinion of those who think Eli Manning deserves every penny that he will be paid with his new contract. While he does have a title and a Super Bowl MVP, ultimately the Giants will be bidding against themselves. Around the NFL, he is viewed as a Quarterback who has been blessed with an excellent team around him and a clutch QB. While most people though only look at the latter, Manning at times in inconsistent and the Giants will win games inspite of him rather than because of him.

There aren't going to be many teams (if any) that will sign Manning if he hits the open market after the 2009 season. To pay a Quarterback the kind of money that Eli Manning will try to get, is a lot of money for someone who isn't asked to perform at an excellent level throughout the entire game.

For the Giants though, he fits in well within their system and is the type of leader that the organization has been coveting since Phil Simms retired. Manning is worth the money to the Giants, because he has won them a Super Bowl in addition to three other post-season appearances as well as a Pro Bowl. The Giants would be paying him for his past accomplishments.

The NFL is a business, whether anyone wants to admit it or not and if I were anyone making the decisions, I would open up negotiations at a very low number (maybe seven years, $80 Million) while obviously this is a lot of money, it is nowhere near the $120 Million that he is seeking, to make him the highest paid player in NFL history.

The bottom line is that Eli Manning needs to prove himself this year, that without Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer, he can be an effective QB. If he is able to have a successful season and make some type of playoff run, he will prove that the 2007 championship was not a fluke. If he does all of that, than pay him the money that he deserves. If the Giants are able to capture Super Bowl XLIV than the Giants should hand him a blank check. If not the Giants should try and sign him, but make sure they have enough money to bring in other players to help get them back to the promised land.

Brandon Jacobs: Get the Ball to Him Early and Often

Michael Schlossberg — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:17:45 -0400

With the Giants' 2008 season ending unceremoniously with a home playoff loss to the rival Philadelphia Eagles, the Giants will need to find new ways to move the football for 2009. After Plaxico Burress was suspended, the Giants' offense struggled.

My solution to this? Give the football to Brandon Jacobs early, and give it to him often.

With Jacobs, it's not about the yards per carry (even though that number has consistently been around 5.0 for his career), but rather about him tiring out opposing defenses.

Everyone has seen Jacob's size enable him to fall forward for three yards, and make a positive gain out of a seemingly dead play.

When December came around (think Week 16 against Carolina) no one wanted to tackle Brandon Jacobs, which helped pave way for Derrick Ward to rush for 216 yards on only 15 carries.

With Jacobs bull-dozing would-be tacklers, opposing teams will have to try and stack eight defenders in the box. This will then open up the deep ball for Eli Manning to the WR playing on the perimeter.

Ultimately, the Giants will be able to make morebig plays down the football field, and teams will respect Eli Manning a little more.

If the Giants are able to get consistent production out of Jacobs, it would help their time of possession. This means that other teams will have to try and throw the ball a lot to get quick scores.

When the Giants' defense can single in on a passing game, the pass rush will be relentless by sending Justin Tuck, Osi Umeyiora and Mathias Kiwianuka.

The point being, giving the ball to Brandon Jacobs early and often will bring about great success for New York in 2009.

New York Giants Quick Hits

Michael Schlossberg — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:50:33 -0400

Sinorice Moss has been unable to stay on the field in his short career.

Moss who was drafted in the Second Round of the 2006 Draft, has shown glimpses that he can play in the NFL; specifically against Seattle this past season when he caught two touchdowns.

Being able to look good in shorts without pads though doesn't really matter. Without full contact drills, teams are only able to practice running routes and the logistics of the playbook.

In 2007 Plaxico Burress rarely ever practiced, but yet every Sunday he performed and was able to dominate the opposing defense. The point here is simply, it doesn't matter what someone is able to do in shorts, but rather wait until Moss puts on the pads on Sunday and let's see what he is able to do.

The Giants and the Jets in 2009 will try and fair better in the last season in their stadium as opposed to how the Yankees and Mets unceremoniously closed their stadiums, missing the playoffs. Although the new stadium should be nicer, it will take a while to accumulate the many great memories like the ones the Giants had in Giants Stadium.

In order to be successful this season, the Giants need to get back to basics, which should be running the ball, sacking the QB not putting the football in harms ways and not committing penalties. If the Giants are able to do this then they can have the type of success that they had during their magical 2007 playoff run.

The Joba Debate Will Settle Itself

Michael Schlossberg — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:12:58 -0400

It's been a while since I have composed anything about the Yankees, but here is my take on the Joba Chamberlain situation.

Chamberlain's performance was excellent on Tuesday night when he went a career-high eight innings. Pitchers with the stuff like Joba aren't just laying around everywhere, but the Yankees and their fans need to let him develop into a top flight starter, which eventually most scouts think he will be.

The problem is that New York is not a very patient town and because of his prior success in the bullpen, fans want him back in the bullpen. He has not been lights out as a starter like he was out of the bullpen. It is nearly impossible to be able to develop players in the majors while also trying to compete for the World Series. The Yankees though are going to try to be able to do this with Joba Chamberlain.

Here is my big prediction.

When the Yankees make the post-season, Joba will be back in the bullpen. The rational is that with Sabathia, Burnett, Wang (provided he pitches well throughout the rest of the season) and Pettitte will be the starters in the four-man playoff rotation. This leaves Joba in the bullpen to set up Mariano Rivera in big spots during the post-season.

The reason that he will be back in the bullpen ultimately is because of the arbitrary innings limit that the Yankees have placed on Joba Chamberlain.

One way or another, even if he finishes the season as a starter, there is a good chance he'll be in the bullpen.

The Mystique of Yankee Stadium Is Gone

Michael Schlossberg — Sat, 23 May 2009 22:09:12 -0400

Today I was lucky enough to go to "The Palace that George Built," and frankly, it was so much nicer than the old one. The wide open aisles and the many different eating establishments made it much more enjoyable than the old Yankee Stadium.

In doing all of this, the Yankees have created a truly state-of-the-art facility but, the one problem that I found is it is missing the Yankee Stadium mystique it once had across the street.

In the old Yankee Stadium it was just very loud and chants would start often and continue for long periods of times. But now in the white collar environment that COO Lonn Trost has created the Yankees have lost the home field advantage with the lack of noise that is made by "Yankee Fans" in attendance.

Comparatively to the old stadium, it seems almost like a neutral site, and it didn't help that a lot of Phillies Fans' made the drive or took the short train ride up to New York to see the game.

The reason for this is simply because the prices of tickets and food at the ball park are just too much. In the old stadium it was a "blue collar, lunch pail" type of environment in which fans on off days from their jobs who lived and died with the Yankees would make it hostile for opposing teams to come into the Bronx and try and win a baseball game.

Now there are a lot of "Chardonnay drinking, sushi eating and disinterested fans" sitting behind home plate while the people who could once afford those tickets are now no where near the field.

Also, fans are not allowed in the "Legend Suites" before the games, but these suites are simply just seats that happen to be very close to the field. This really is a slap in the face to young fans who come to the ball park early to watch batting practice.

It used to be a joy for children to go to Yankee Stadium and for parents and grandparents to say "this is the same field that Ruth, Gehrig, Dimaggio, Mantle played on."

Even though I am only 19 years old, I understand the great history of the Yankees because of how much I learned about them when I was a child, but I now feel as that because of the outrageous prices for everything in the stadium children will not be able to become enamored with the Yankees as I once did.

Ultimately, in a capitalist society, who am I to tell the Yankees to lower their prices but it is a bit outlandish to pay $43 for a lunch at a BASEBALL GAME for three people. The Yankees though do need to realize that catering to the rich isn't what running a baseball team is about.

The sooner they realize this, then the stadium will seem more like a home field all the time instead of only when the Yankees get walk off hits.

Chalk Talk: Why The Giants Shouldn't Run Brandon Jacobs Outside As Much

Michael Schlossberg — Tue, 12 May 2009 04:49:39 -0400

Brandon Jacobs is a 6'4", 260-pound feature back who over the past couple of years has shown he can run anywhere. Conventional wisdom, though, would say that he should try sticking between the tackles, and bull linebackers and other second and third level tacklers.

For Jacobs to succeed running the ball inside, the interior linemen Shaun O'Hara, Chris Snee and Rich Seubert need to dominate the guy in front (a DT or LB) of them in order for Jacobs to run in the 0-4 holes. When Jacobs runs to the outside (holes 5-8) it takes him a longer time to move right and left than rather going north and south.

Giving the ball to him on a toss doesn't make much sense because of his speed, but that's the solution. The tackle to the play side is isolated to hook the outermost in the front seven whether it be a 4-3 DE in a loose nine technique or an OLB in a 3-4. I like running up the middle with Jacobs because the play deals with more team- or zone-oriented blocking schemes than a critical one-on-one match up on the outside. The reason the Giants OL is so great is because their work as a team and running a toss play hurts the oppositions' strengths.

In a toss play the opposite tackle essentially has a role of getting a second or third level tackler, which once again takes away from the strength of the OL working as a team. If the Giants are going to run a toss play with Jacobs, they should consider pulling the offside guard to chip on the DE or LB before getting a second level defender. This will try and help with the one-on-one match up on the outside.

In the Giants' own division, there are two elite edge players in OLB—Demarcus Ware of the Cowboys and DE Trent Cole of the Eagles. These guys aren't one-dimensional pass rushers, but rather explosive third-down play makers. So running at them four times per season is no easy task.

Basically, leave the outside plays for Ahmad Bradshaw, a player with excellent speed and the ability to turn the corner much better than Jacobs and runs better with space.

Breaking Down the New York Giants Quarterbacks

Michael Schlossberg — Wed, 06 May 2009 18:01:07 -0400

The Giants come into camp with three QBs behind starter Eli Manning in 2002: No. 1 overall pick David Carr, 2008 sixth rounder Andre Woodson and 2009 fifth round selection Rhett Bomar. Carr played only sparingly last year, but is seen as an improvement to former beloved backup Jared Lorenzen. Here is my breakdown of each player.

Starter: Eli Manning

In 2004 when the Giants traded Phillip Rivers, along with the draft picks that netted the Chargers LB Shawn Merriman and K Nate Kaeding, some thought that the Giants had given up too much just to have the name "Manning."

Eli has not quite played up to the expectations of his surname, but since being named the starting QB for a full season in 2005, the Giants have made the playoffs every year, something that only his brother Peyton can say over that same span.

Manning has yet to miss a start even after injuring his shoulder in Week One of 2007, where he was thought to miss a month. While his numbers don't jump off the screen to impress you, he has played his best when the pressure had been at its highest.

He has delivered the Giants a Super Bowl title, in which he was a part of arguably the greatest play in sports history. Overall, a 76.1 career QB rating ultimately is mediocre at best.

This season will be a true test for Manning without 6'5" WR Plaxico Burress, who shot down his (literally) and the team's chances of winning a second Super Bowl in a row last year. This year, he will also be without the club's all-time leading receiver in Amani Toomer. Manning will have to make due with Domenick Hixon, Steve Smith, and 2009 first rounder Hakeem Nicks.

The big positive for Manning, though, is that he has the big game experience and has never missed a start. The Giants know who their field general will be game after game. Eli Manning is also not a celebrity QB like Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys. Manning also cut his interceptions down from 20 in 2007 to 10 in 2008, but with that led to decreasing TD numbers from 23 to 21.

After this season, the Giants will have to re-sign Manning to a big deal, which I'm not so sure he deserves based on his numbers. No matter what he does the rest of his career, he will ultimately live in big bro Peyton's shadows, and he will always be remembered for the 2:07, 83-yard drive in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLII.

Backup: David Carr

David Carr came into the league in 2002 to be the face of a new franchise when he was taken with the No. 1 overall pick. He failed to do that, mostly because of a poor offensive line in front of him.

Carr showed last year against the Vikings, a team that was playing to get into the playoffs, that can be a more than ample backup. Carr, who could go elsewhere to compete for a starting job, chose to re-sign with the Giants and backup starter Eli Manning.

If Manning were to miss his first start ever, Giants fans shouldn't worry about Carr stepping in.

Andre Woodson

When Woodson was drafted by the Giants in 2008, they were coming off of a Super Bowl win, and this pick was puzzling to Giants fans. GM Jerry Reese said that he was the best player on the board, and he threw for 40 TD his senior year while playing in the ultra competitive SEC while at the University of Kentucky.

Woodson spent the entire 2008 season on the practice squad. He has only attempted nine passes in two preseason games, making it really tough to tell what he will develop into.

Rhett Bomar

He was once a top recruit at the University of Oklahoma, until he was expelled from school for getting paid at a local car dealership without actually showing up for work.

Bomar has talent, though, and if the Giants can develop him, he could become a backup to Manning, or eventually he could start somewhere else.

This season, he will compete with Andre Woodson for the job on the practice squad.

from blognyg.com

Breaking Down WFAN 660 AM New York's Hosts

Michael Schlossberg — Mon, 04 May 2009 19:52:20 -0400

WFAN, the flagship station which is largely accredited to sports talk radio as we know it today, covers all nine New York- New Jersey sports teams. They broadcast game of the Mets, Devils, Giants and Nets as well as number of other nationally syndicated broadcasts. The reason most of the listeners tune in is to hear good hard sports talk from a variety of hosts. I will break down the major hosts for you.

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Chalk Talk: The Giants Passing Game Without Plaxico Burress

Michael Schlossberg — Fri, 01 May 2009 02:32:41 -0400

Last year, the Giants offense looked lost without Plaxico Burress when Eli Manning was asked to try and carry the unit. I want to be a football coach one day, so I am going to give my opinion of how to operate the passing game without a true No. 1 WR.

The Giants need to come out in a Spread Shotgun, with TE Kevin Boss lined up either in a three point stance or standing up acting as the "Y" WR while being on the line.

To that same side, should be "Z" receiver Hakeem Nicks. The key to this right side needs to spread out the distance between Boss and Nicks. Also the Giants can use rookie TE Travis Beckum as the "Y" receiver, because of his ability to stretch the field. If the Giants have a TE who can stretch the field it can open up routes such as slants and posts for the "Z" receiver.

On the other side, the Giants should use Domenick Hixon split out, on the line of scrimmage with WR Steve Smith lined up in the slot. The Giants can then try and run short to intermediate routes, with Smith on intermediate to deep routes with Hixon.

The idea of using three WR and a receiving TE can spread opposing defenses out so they can't key in on one WR without leaving others open. With Plaxico Burress in the line up, teams would double him regardless, thus opening up the middle of the field for Steve Smith.

This idea will allow the passing game to thrive, but if the passing game is established with this formation, draw plays and screens can start to open up.

The running back (whether it be Jacobs, Bradshaw, or Ware) should be lined up to the strong side (in this case, with a balanced formation, to the throwing arm side of the QB). The draw play can open up if teams have to commit extra defensive backs to try and cover all four receivers.

If none of this works, the Giants can go back to their bread and butter, which is following Brandon Jacobs and the dominant OL up the middle and trying to out-muscle the opposing defenses.

I hope some of these thoughts make sense.

Originally posted at blognyg.com

2009 Draft Evaluation: New York Giants

Michael Schlossberg — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:05:15 -0400

The 2009 draft for the New York Giants seemed to satisfy one obvious need in getting WR Hakeem Nicks in the first round, as well as WR Ramses Barden in the third round.

At pick No. 29, the Giants found the best player on the board as well as WR who can fill a need.

My biggest question about this pick, though, is the Giants are now dealing with a receiving corps with no one has who has proven anything in the NFL level.

QB Eli Manning misses high a lot with his throw and Nicks is only 6'0 3/4 inches, so while people are anointing him the replacement of Plaxico Burress, they have to realize the height disparity between the two players.

His lack of height, though, doesn't mean he can't become a dominant WR in the league for the next 10 years. Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers stands at only 5'9 and there is no one around the NFL that thinks his height is an issue.

My issue with the draft has nothing to do with either of the two WR selected, but simply that Jerry Reese wouldn't part with a second-round pick and a player to get Anquan Boldin, a player who Hakeem Nicks could potentially turn into.

The Giants need to sign a veteran WR such as Marvin Harrison in order to help these rookie WR develop.

Clint Sintim is going to be a Linebacker that could potentiall back up the aging Antonio Pierce at MLB or also step in at OLB.

This versatility to play multiple positions in multiple schemes is something that a GM in today's NFL covets. Recent linebackers drafted by the Giants have all made a contribution on Defense or Special Teams in their rookie year.

William Beatty is a smart pick for the Giants because they desperately needed to address the lack of Offensive Line depth. While the Giants have a dominant line right now, but when LT David Diehl left the game against Dallas in Week 15, Kevin Boothe looked like he had never played OL in his life.

Now David Diehl could eventually move back to his natural position of Guard and have Beatty develop into Eli Manning's blind side protector.

Ramses Barden will be a project but you have to love his dimensions (6'6, 229 lb). In his rooke year he will probably be integrated into "The Green Zone" as Coach Coughlin refers to it. The reason that K John Carney made the Pro Bowl last year was because the Giants often missed opportunities to score touchdowns and had to settle for field goals. Giving Eli Manning a 6'6 WR makes it easy for him and Barden to play jump ball on a 5'10 cornerback.

Travis Beckum who was taken with the 100th overall pick will be able to give Eli Manning a vertical target which will enable the big play offense. Despite his poor blocking skills this will help the run game because opposing defenses will not always be able to place a safety in the box to stop the running game.

Andre Brown is a pick that was made because of the loss of RB Derek Ward to free agency. Hopefully Brown can contribute as either the third RB or on special teams.

The pick of Rhett Bomar really is a head-scratcher. The Giants have an able back up in David Carr who showed in Week 17 with the Vikings playing for a playoff spot that he is able to run the offense and distribute the ball.

The Giants had also been grooming Andre Woodson who was a 6th round pick last year. Taking another QB especially in the fifth round, in which the Giants have found players such as Kevin Boss in 2007 who can contribute right away doesn't come across as a smart move.

Bomar was a top recruit when he entered Oklahoma for his freshman year, so the logic is that Jerry Reese took the best player on the board.

Deandre Wright was the only player of the draft picks that I have seen play live. As a junior in 2007 he came to Arizona Stadium and defeated the Wildcats in a game in which he defended future 2009 fourth-round WR Mike Thomas as well as NFL prospect TE Rob Gronkowski.

He should be able to compete for a roster spot as a special teamer and could be a work in progress.

Stoney Woodson is another pick that the only justification that I can make would be him being the best player on the board.

The Giants are loaded with young talent at CB with Aaron Ross, Corey Webster and Terrell Thomas as well as Deandre Wright.

The bottom line is that you can't evaluate a draft class as a whole for another 3-4 years to see how these players play at the NFL level.

Originally posted from blognyg.com

Anquan Boldin a Serious Priority for NY Giants

Michael Schlossberg — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 02:55:15 -0400

Last week when the Arizona Cardinals officials said they would listen to offers for Pro-Bowl WR Anquan Boldin, I said the New York Giants must make a move to get him.

It seems almost too simple to me. They have both an extra second and fifth round pick to spare. I understand it will certainly take a first round pick, along with those other two at the minimum, and maybe a defensive player as well to acquire Boldin, but the Giants should be in an all-in type mode at this point.

We all saw how Eli Manning and the rest of the offense couldn't get it done without star receiver Plaxico Burress.

If they were able to add a player like Boldin, they should become the immediate favorite to win the NFC East.

While Anquan Boldin stands at only 6'1”, he is still an excellent target to make plays with the football in the air.

If Eli Manning was given the chance to play with another dominant WR, he would be able to make the big throws and also do what he does best: the two-minute drill.

Personally, I think it is worth it to give up a lot to get Boldin because the Giants should be trying to win right now. I really only see one hole in this team and that is a No. 1 WR to go along with Steve Smith and TE Kevin Boss in the passing game.

The Giants have the core of a team that is still capable of winning a Super Bowl.

With Osi Umenyiora returning to RE, along with Justin Tuck at LE, the Giants have two DEs in the prime of their careers in the NFL. The rest of the defense also has young talent, such as CB Aaron Ross and veterans like MLB Antonio Pierce.

Martin Brodeur Records His 551 Win As Goaltender

Michael Schlossberg — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:05:53 -0400

On Saturday night, Martin Brodeur recorded his 551 win as the goalie for the New Jersey Devils, when they defeated the Montreal Canadiens.

(Before I start this article I will declare that I have been a Devils fan my entire life despite growing up 20 minutes from Nassau Coliseum where the Islanders play).

Brodeur has been the model of consistency, class and excellence of athletes in the Tri-State area.

Brodeur is the only member on the Devils roster who has brought home Lord Stanley's Cup all three times for New Jersey without leaving to sign a lucrative contract.

Prior to this season Brodeur had never missed significant time due to injury.

All of this has gone unnoticed simply because the Devils used to play in the swamps of the Meadowlands.

Even now when the Devils play at the Prudential Center, only about a 25-minute drive from New York City, they still can't get any love.

Sean Avery's two goal effort is still the more talked about story in the Tri-State area.

Brodeur is a hard working man who loves the history of hockey, and the one thing that you have to love about Brodeur's excellence is that he deflected all of his 551 wins as a credit of his teammates scoring goals and playing defense.

In a time in which we have to deal with steroids and corruption on a daily level it is about time someone gives Martin Brodeur some due credit for his excellence during a long period of time.

Brodeur has played for one team his whole career, which really goes to credit how properly the Devils organization is run.

Lou Lamairello, the GM of the Devils has been the top sports executive in the New York City region over the past 15-years and he has also gone unnoticed.

Maybe, now, with Brodeur's individual accolades the Devils will finally get the credit that he deserves.

If the Devils played in New York City they would have statues built on the way into the Garden, yet, no matter what the Devils do, they will always be a second-class citizen to the Rangers in the Tri-State area.

Albert Haynesworth's Effect on the New York Giants

Michael Schlossberg — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:59:44 -0500

Sorry folks, it has been a while since I have composed an article for the BR, with taking 19 credits, having a job, and a radio show, it has been tough to sit down and just write.

But unless you are living in a technology-free world, you now know Albert Haynesworth will be going to the nation's capital (or Landover, MD) as he inked a seven-year, $100 million contract, that includes $41 million in guaranteed money.

Haynesworth is a behemoth of a man, tipping the scales at 320 pounds. He is an interior run-stopper, as most of us know.

The Giants will now have to play him two times a year for then next seven years. With Brandon Jacobs just signing a four year $25 million contract it may be tough to run against the Redskins.

This means that look for Ahmad Bradshaw to see a lot of carries when the Giants face the 'Skins. We have all seen Bradshaw have breakaway runs, whether it be the 88 yard touchdown run inf Buffalo, the 77 yard run against Seattle or the touchdown that was called back in the NFC title game in Green Bay.

Haynesworth will clog the holes against Big Blue which will try to use Jacobs a stretch play or Bradshaw on a toss.

This should also effect Eli Manning because it will force him to take more shots down the football field because of Haynesworth halting New York's otherwise dominant ground attack.

If the Giants don't go out and find Manning someone even within the same breathe as Plaxico Burress in athletic ability and pure dominance, playing Washington could be a challenge for years to come.

Other notes

The Giants, thus far in the first 15 hours of free agency, have stayed consistent to the Jerry Reese way, and that is not breaking the piggy bank for free agents. In the 2007 offseason, they brought on Kavika Mitchell (one year, $1 million) as the only free agent.

This method in Reese's short but successful reign as GM has also made the Giants focus more on bargains and player development through the draft. With an extra second and fifth round draft pick (via the Shockey trade) it will be seen what Jerry Reese will do with those picks.

This article was composed by Michael Schlossberg, a writer and New York Giants, New York Sports Community Leader for Bleacher Report. Michael also hosts a Sports Radio show at 11 am Arizona Mountain time (Same time zone as LA after the first Saturday in March, Denver time zone during the winter) which can be heard here.

Why Martin Brodeur's Injury Has Helped the Devils

Michael Schlossberg — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:41:35 -0500

As a lifelong Devils fan, I thought that I could never say this about the control-the-puck-to-the-red-line-and-dump Devils, but this offense right now is absolutely clicking.

Every move coach Brent Sutter and general manager Lou Lamoriello have made has paid dividends.

Bringing back Brendan Shanahan, who has two goals in his first three games, has worked out.

Zach Parise has been able to shine like he never has before in earning a trip to Montreal for his first All-Star game.

According to ESPN.com, the Devils are tied for fifth in the NHL in plus-minus at even strength.

This means that New Jersey isn't so reliant upon power-play goals. The Devils now have a legitimate offensive threat and their games aren't going to be all about defense and goaltending.

Having Martin Brodeur at this veteran age, it will be easier for him to hit his stride once April and the playoffs come around.

In the past two postseasons, particularly last season against the Rangers, he looked old, as well as intimidated by the idiot of the NHL, Sean Avery. Now Brodeur will have all of his energy saved to try and gear up and tie Patrick Roy with four Stanley Cup titles.

This Devils team has character and leadership which is embodied by Captain Jamie Langenbrunner, who had two goals in the overtime victory against Eastern Conference-leading Boston.

This Devils team has a nice mix of veterans Langenbrunner, Patrik Elias and Jay Pandolfo. Elias has tapped into the fountain of youth, as coming into Friday's action he had 56 points, good for second on the team behind Parise (57).

Scott Clemmensen has taken his 2.27 GAA and been a stable force for the Devils between the pipes. He has done more than just keep them in contention, rather he has put them in the position to capture the No. 2 seed in the East.

On March 1, Martin Brodeur is supposed to start skating again. With Brodeur healthy for the playoffs, this could be a team that no one wants to face.

Giants-Eagles: This Game Is Going To Be a Street Fight

Michael Schlossberg — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 12:36:48 -0500

Battles within the trenches usually seem to be what decides tough playoff games. The Giants hate the Eagles, and the same can be said about the teams fans as well as the cities. Some are dubbing this matchup the battle of the broads (New York's Broadway and Philadelphia's Broad Street).

The Newark Star Ledger (a top suburban New York Paper) posted a video of the geographic mid-point between Times Square in NY and City Hall in Philadelphia. These two cities are so close to each other, and New Jersey is a key state that is divided in the rivalry.

With the recent success of the Phillies over the Mets, it only heightened the rivalry between The City of Brotherly Love and The Big Apple.

That being said, both of these teams embody the spirit of grinding it out in order to win this football game. The snow and in climate weather that is being called for this game should just mean the game will become a more of a Smash Mouth situation.

This type of mentality makes it seem as though each team will show up with 53 players and whichever team is less physical will lose the football game. Big Blue should be able to overpower the Eagles with their superior Offensive Line play as well as the bully of a RB in Brandon Jacobs.

The Giants will be better off. Jacobs is able to touch the ball in the upwards of 25 times and plough through Eagles defenders. This could go along with the basic Giants game plan of running the ball, as well keeping the ball away from Eagles play makers.

The Giants have to approach this as a street fight in that they better be the one doing the hitting or else Eli Manning and his teammates will feel the wrath of the Eagles. In a street fight it comes down to who wants it more, and in this one the Giants will want it more.

Giants Fans: Enjoy This Week Off

Michael Schlossberg — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 12:01:53 -0500

The New York Giants will be watching the two NFC Wild Crd weekend matchups to anticipate which of the teams that they will play. As a fan, though, Big Blue Nation can just kick back and watch the games play out.

That being said, Giants fans should have their eyes glued to the Vikings vs. Eagles game. The Eagles were able to beat the Giants only a couple of weeks ago during the Week 14 showdown in the Meadowlands. The Vikings, of course, were able to beat a Giants team who was resting most of it's starters in the Week 17 game.

If you are a player or coach for the New York Giants, there is no way that you want anything to do with the Philadelphia Eagles. This Eagles team has a swagger and has been in "must win" mode since their tie with the Bengals. They have speed at all eleven positions on the defense. Philly has a super-star, do-it-all tailback in Brian Westbrook as well a quarterback with tons of playoff experience who is trying to get the one thing that has eluded him in his career, a Super Bowl title.

The Vikings, on the other hand, haven't seen Brandon Jacobs play this season and while they stop the run well, they aren't as balanced as New York. Tavaris Jackson doesn't have much experience on the big stage. They have Adrian Peterson, who is a monster feature back, but in the Week 17 showdown they held him in check outside of the 67-yard touchdown run.

If the Vikings defeat the Eagles, then New York would face Arizona in a rematch of the Giant's 37-29 victory in Glendale earlier this season. This game the Giants won without the presence of a running game or Brandon Jacobs.

Arizona has not won a game on the East Coast, going 0-5 when flying cross-country. This bodes well for the Giants; the Cards play in the perfect weather of the Phoenix metropolis, so the Meadowlands winds could have a negative effect on their otherwise explosive passing game.

No matter who the Giants play, though, they have to stick to the formula that worked last year: no turnovers, an emphasis on clock control, run the football 30 times per game, and put pressure on the opposing quarterback.

In Eli Manning they have something that only the Steelers and Colts can say they have: a Super Bowl winning starting quarterback. Eli Manning, in this postseason, will have to not only manage the game but make big throws in the most pressure packed situation.

The Giants have three x-factors in what they want to do on offense: Brandon Jacobs, Steve Smith, and Kevin Boss. As I have mentioned before, Jacobs sets the tone for this team on offense, but Steve Smith is a prolific WR on third down. We all can remember his catch on 3rd-and-11 last year in Super Bowl XLII. With Smith and Boss able to go over the middle to move the chains, it will help the team play clock control and keep-away against either the Eagles or the Cardinals.

Overall, for this postseason, I see Eli winning over Peyton down in Tampa, with Eli passing Peyton in the only thing that matters in the sport: number of Lombardi Trophies. The Giants won last year wearing their white away uniforms, this year they will take the field for the postseason wearing the home blues.

The New York Giants Should Play Everyone This Sunday, Period

Michael Schlossberg — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 13:24:33 -0500

"You play the game to win the game"- Herman Edwards, the former New York Jets coach.

This is what Giants head coach Tom Coughlin will have to debate on the moments up to the Giants' 1 PM game in Minnesota.

The decision to me is easy: Play everyone who isn't injured. There is nothing to be gained by not playing those who are healthy enough to play. Last year, the Giants were able to gain motivation that they were able to play and beat the top teams including the Cowboys, Packers, and Patriots.

This season, the Giants seemed like they were going to limp into the playoffs until the wind swirled John Kasay's 50 yard potential game-winning field goal away from the goal posts. The Giants have a bye week to rest all of the guys who just want a game to rest.

Also, Eli Manning in his career has thrown two touchdown passes with eight interceptions against the Minnesota Vikings. If the Giants could try and eliminate them from the playoffs, it will give them one less threat along their road to Tampa.

Just something to consider while you finish up on those Christmas leftovers.

Brandon Jacobs Return- What It Would Mean For The Giants

Michael Schlossberg — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:33:21 -0500

When the Pro Bowl rosters were announced yesterday, it was shocking to find out that Brandon Jacobs wasn't on the roster, despite him gaining over 1,000 yards and over 5.0 yards per carry. His meaning to the New York Giants though isn't something that is a tangible number, his presence effects not only the Giants but it effects their opponents as well

Even though some may argue losing Plaxico Burress is a bigger loss than Jacobs being sidelined they really don't have complete understanding of what Brandon Jacobs brings to the table. Replacing Plaxico Burress can be done because the Giants do have other Wide Receivers that can run deep patterns, or they can use to TE Kevin Boss more.

My question I then ask is simply this: Do the Giants have another 265 pound RB who every time he touches the ball he can drag defenders forward for an average of 5.3 yards per carry? The obvious answer is no, in games in which Jacobs hasn't played (Arizona and Dallas), Ahmad Bradshaw and Derrick Ward have averaged 3.7 yards per carry.

Jacobs (Earth) is the key component to the trio of Earth, Wind and Fire because he sets up Ward and Bradshaw. If Jacobs plays on Sunday Night in the wintry mix the Panthers will get tired of getting bulled over by his hard style of running. If you were a defensive player, wouldn't you get tired of tackling a bull?

When Jacobs needs a rest they can put in Derrick Ward who has tallied over 1,000 yards from scrimmage this season and run draws and screens with him. They also can get Ahmad Bradshaw more involved who has the ability to break any run for a touchdown with his exceptional speed.

With Jacobs running the ball well from the inset, the Giants can establish play-action passes that have Eli Manning at his best. If the defense stacks the box with eight defenders then Manning will have single coverage on Amani Toomer on the outside. If not, then the Giants are happy playing smash mouth football and having Jacobs pound the ball inside.

The best part about the Giants running attack with Jacobs in there is that there are no gimmicks with him, he is going to take the ball, carry it and frankly other defenses are unable to stop him and they know it. When the Giants have their opponent beat mentally the game is over.

Brandon Jacobs running the ball on first down and second down sets up a manageable third down conversion. With Jacobs running the ball it also enables the Giants to control that all important time of possession. This in turn leads to Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiuwanuka having more rest so when opposing offenses take the field the Ends of the Giants can get after the QB.

I bet you didn't think one player could have this much effect on the Giants did you? Hopefully on Sunday night when I am in the stands for what should be an epic game he is able to play and have a classic Brandon Jacobs game.

Plaxico Burress: What to Expect from the Giants without Him

Michael Schlossberg — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:47:30 -0500

As I write this article, I am listening to my second favorite New Jersey team play a Philly team. But on a serious note, what can Big Blue expect without star WR Plaxico Burress?

This year, the Giants have gotten ahead early in games, particularly using their running game to pound opposing defenses into submission while rushing for over 200 yards in five of their first 12 games.

Is losing Plaxico Burress going to have a negative effect on this? The answer is pretty obvious: It will have no effect on the Giants running the ball.

Eli Manning has typically thrived on throwing a deep ball by setting it up with play action. The Giants only managed 102 rushing yards last weekend against the Redskins.

This is because Washington insisted on stacking the box with eight defenders and having Manning beat them. He did just that by throwing for over 300 yards through three quarters.

As we saw last week, while it would help to have Burress in the lineup, Eli Manning showed he is willing to throw to inferior talents such as Domenick Hixon. The Giants this season have a different leader in catches, yards per catch, and touchdown receptions.

The only way in which the Giants will be negatively affected is when they have to come back from behind to win a game. We all can remember during the Super Bowl XLII when Burress made the game winning catch.

Also this year, against the Bengals, he had a pivatol catch when the Giants were driving to put the game into overtime.

Overall: I still expect the Giants to be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the year, as I have said numerous times. This will show the NFL what a team is able to do.

Giants-Redskins: Tough Game Looming for Big Blue

Michael Schlossberg — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 04:55:58 -0500

I have not published an article about my beloved Giants because, unfortunately, my computer crashed and took forever to be fixed.

The Giants will go into Landover, MD tomorrow and will try and beat the Redskins at home, who will be honoring the late Sean Taylor, who will be the 43rd member inducted into the Redskins' ring of honor.

The Giants will have to slow down the rushing attack of Clinton Portis, who was the closest with Taylor. Portis should be inspired to have a great game, but the Giants will look to slow down Clinton Portis and back-up Ladell Betts and force Jason Campbell to take shots down the field to Santana Moss.

Last week Eli Manning had one of his best games as a starting QB while tossing three touchdowns and a QB ranking of over 120. This was all done without the services of WR Plaxico Burress for a vast majority of the game.

Look for Eli to continue to spread the ball around to Amani Toomer, Kevin Boss and Domenick Hixon. The Giants should also look to find as I call him "The Human Chain Mover" Steve Smith on third down, who always seems to come up with a big catch on third down.

If Brandon Jacobs is injured the Giants will try and throw the ball more if Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw are unable to get the running game going. Ward is averaging 5.0 yards per carry and of "Earth, Wind and Fire" he has the lowest yards per attempt to Jacobs 5.3 and Bradshaw's 6.7.

Look for the Giants to get Fire involved more if Ward is unable to run on this Washington defense.

For the Giants on defense they need to pressure Campbell and force him to make mistakes, something he hasn't done for the most part all season long. Even though the Giants only recorded one sack last week in Arizona, they still were able to harass QB Kurt Warner and make him think about the pressure that was looming.

Overall

The Giants should win this game 24-17 in a close one, led by another Eli Manning fourth quarter comeback.

Giants-Ravens: Keys for a Giants' Victory

Michael Schlossberg — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:32:55 -0500

Last Sunday's victory over the Eagles was exciting, but it really shouldn't have been that close. The key for the Giants in that game was controlling the ball and running the football.

Eli Manning bounced back from his opening drive interception to lead two 80-yard touchdown drives. Although the Giants gave up 31 points, you can accredit that to two Giant turnovers that gave the Eagles a short field.

1. Whose strength will be stronger: Giants running attack or Ravens rush defense?

New York will need to show a variety of running plays, including pounding it up the middle with Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward.

Ward had a very poor game against the Eagles, only netting 3.1 yards per carry, down from his over five yards per carry as he had previously done. Realizing this, Tom Coughlin put in Ahmad Bradshaw to spell Jacobs, which provided a spark. Bradshaw went on to carry the ball five times for 38 yards, including a long run of 23 yard run.

The Ravens, though, can stop the run; they give up fewer than 90 yards per game. Although, they haven't faced a rushing attack quite like the Giants, who have Earth, Wind and Fire.

The Ravens have athletic players on the outside, particularly LB/DE Terrell Suggs, who could get sucked in a lot on a shotgun draw play. If the Giants are stuffed inside at the inset of the game, look for them to try draw plays, which have been very effective for Derrick Ward.

2. Can the Giants pass rush get after Rookie QB Joe Flacco?

Last week, the Giants recorded a whopping zero sacks. I accredit this mostly to the Eagles preparation and knowledge of the Giants blitz happy scheme.

Joe Flacco, however, is a rookie, and the Giants should try to confuse him with stunts and safety blitzes. Although this goes against what the Giants want to do (rush only four and still apply pressure) it could be effective in causing turnovers.

3. Can Eli Manning continue to spread the wealth?

Last week, Kevin Boss had his best game as the starting tight end, catching six balls for 69 yards and a first quarter touchdown reception. Manning can't come in and try and get the ball to Plaxico Burress all of the time. He should make sure that he scans the field and doesn't throw foolish interceptions.

Taking a sack in that situation isn't the worst idea because the Giants need to control the time of possession.

Those are my three keys to the game. Feel free to comment.

A Student's Perspective: Lute Olsen's Departure

Michael Schlossberg — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:10:03 -0400

It is a winter evening on a school night for many of the students, yet there is a line of students present four hours prior to tip-off outside of the basketball arena. Where else would you find this other than in Tucson, Arizona—the home of the Arizona Wildcats?

Here at our glorious University we have the type of devoted student fans that will wait on a line four hours prior to the start of a basketball game just to make sure they are able to get the seat of their choice.

Then the pep band is playing "Bear Down, Arizona" as well as other alternative and contemporary songs prior to tip off, there really is no other place to catch a basketball game as there is here on campus. This excitement has been all because of one man; Lute Olsen.

In 1982 the Wildcats finished a 4-24 and won only a single conference game. In came the savior, Lute Olsen who had previously led Iowa to a Final Four Appearance. Within two years, Olsen turned the Wildcats into the talk of the PAC 10.

Since the 1984-1985 season they haven’t missed a single NCAA tournament, which is the longest active streak with 24 straight seasons. In 1986 the Wildcats won their first ever PAC 10 conference title, something that prior to Olsen’s arrival seemed unimaginable.

In 1988, the Wildcats played in their first ever Final Four and it came with players such as Tucson’s own Sean Elliot as well as Steve Kerr. Those two players were later reunited in 1999 in the NBA when they helped the San Antonio Spurs win a World Championship.

Since Olsen’s tenure began (later to be interrupted by a year off in the 2007-2008 season) he has won 10 PAC 10 titles, which is the most of any other team in the conference.

He has posted an amazing 589-188 win-loss record since he took the head coach position. Since arriving at Arizona, Lute Olsen has averaged 25 wins per season. Lute Olsen has led the Wildcats to a total of four Final Four’s: 1988, 1994, 1997, 2001.

The 1997 team was what officially helped Lute Olsen cement his name as an all time legendary basketball coach. That season, the Wildcats finished fifth in the competitive PAC 10 behind conference champion UCLA.

When tournament time came the Wildcats were given the number five seed in the Southeast regional. In that March Madness they went on to defeat three number one seeds in the tournament, which was culminated by a 84-79 overtime victory over the Kentucky Wildcats. During this tournament, the Wildcats defeated two other No. 1 seeds besides Kentucky in Kansas and North Carolina.

In 2001, the Cats had an emotional ride with the passing of the late Bobbi Olsen. This team was able to stay motivated for such as strong and courageous women who kept fighting and attending games even until her last day. Arizona made it to the National Title game and just fell short against Duke 82 to 72. It was an inspiring effort throughout that season.

In November 2007 Lute Olsen announced that he was going to take a year of absence in order to tend to personal matters. Kevin O’Neil took over the coaching reigns for a year and had a rather unsuccessful campaign, finishing with a 18-13 record to go along with a First Round NCAA tournament loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers.

This rich tradition here at Arizona has led to numerous players who played here to go on and play in the NBA. These players include the aforementioned Sean Elliot, Steve Kerr as well as current superstars such as Mike Bibby, Andre Igoudala and Richard Jefferson.

In the 2008 NBA draft, freshman Jerryd Bayless was drafted No. 11 overall by the Indiana Pacers. Overall, the University of Arizona has produced over 35 NBA players.

While this program has seen ups and downs much like any other NCAA basketball team, it has been a team effort to get the Wildcats to be one of the most respected teams in the country. The fans that show up game after game to cheer on the Wildcats have always been loud and have helped make attending a game a highlight to any person’s life. This tradition will carry on even after I graduate and I hope to see the program continue the winning ways.

With Olsen stepping down this means that in comes a new coach, the second in two years here in Tucson. I have been an Arizona fan only for two seasons now, but my dad has met Lute on a number of occasions and says you will not find a classier guy. Lute Olsen was influential on campus with his CATWALK to raise money for cancer, which has the majority of the student body participate.

This finally could mean what was almost pre-eminent, that Arizona will be in a re-building mode for the first time in 27 seasons. The Wildcats already lost out on high school sensation Branden Jennings, who was unable to attend Arizona due to poor SAT scores. Fowards Chase Buddinger and Jordan Hill will probably leave for the NBA after this season.

Since I have been a student at Arizona, I actually have never seen Lute Olsen coach a single game. But just the hope of him coming back this season got my excited for basketball season. Lute still is king in Arizona even to someone like me who is not a Tucson native.

Today, I received a text message from a friend saying "Lute resigned", at first it was shocking, but due to his recent medical history it is understandable that he just couldn't put his full-hearted effort into it.

As Mike Dunlap takes over on an interim basis, there will soon be an official announcement and maybe even a Lute Olsen day at the McKale Center for a home game. But for many Tucsonians and Arizona students and alum this is a sad day, just two days before the homecoming football game.

New York Giants Set To Battle Pittsburgh Steelers

Michael Schlossberg — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 08:29:13 -0400

We will call this game the cliche bowl, for all intents and purposes, because the experts are going to deem this a possible Super Bowl preview. This game matches the No. 1 quarterback taken in the 2004 draft in Eli Manning with the No. 3 quarterback taken in that same draft, Ben Roethlisberger.

Depeding on this game, some analysts will say, "Oh, the Giants should've gone with Roethlisberger or the Steelers should've traded up for Manning."

The Giants and Steelers both come into this game with the possibility to get after the quarterback. Justin Tuck and Fred Robbins have each had two games in which they have gotten two sacks each. For the Steelers, OLB James Harrison will come into this game looking to turn the edge as the rush LB in their 3-4 scheme.

The Steelers this year have had struggled on the offensive line. Max Starks, who was once thought to be a star, has now been benched. Willie Colon has been playing consistently for the Steelers while anchoring down the right side of the line.

The loss of Alan Faneca has really plagued the Steelers' pass protection of Ben Roethlisberger, who tends to hold on to the ball for too long. This could spell a monster day for Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka, and the most underrated defensive tackle in the NFL: Fred Robbins.

Big Blue, as well as the Steelers, both want to run the football. The Steelers have lost Rashard Mendenhall for the season but have been able to run it effectively, even with Mewelde Moore as the featured back. Willie Parker is questionable for this game and could provide a spark for the Steelers, should he play.

The Giants come in with all three running back (Jacobs, Bradshaw and Ward) averaging over 5.4 yards per carry.

Overall, this game should be a highly physical game in the trenches. The long-term forecast calls for temperatures in the mid 40s, with windy and rainy conditions. This game should be a real throwback, smash-mouth game. The game can be seen at 4 PM ET, which finally means that a Giants fan on the West Coast can sleep late!

Plaxico Burress returns to the Steelers for the first time since the 2004 season, the year before the Steelers got one for the thumb in winning Super XL. This should be an emotional homecoming for Burress, who played the first five years of his career in the Steel City.

My prediction: Giants 17, Steelers 15

The NFL Is Becoming a Soft League

Michael Schlossberg — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 06:57:37 -0400

Is football as tough as it used to be? Yesterday, on NFL Live on ESPN, Trey Wingo posed the question to analysts Rod Woodson and Mark Schlereth, asking if the NFL is becoming softer. They both were adamant in saying that the NFL isn't even as tough as it was when the two were playing in the 1990s.

Think back to the 1960s of the NFL, with Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke playing linebacker, a time when football was played with a physical, rough nature. Since then though, the league has put more emphasis on offense by eliminating a lot of rules that defenses were allowed to do.

Now, in the NFL, a defensive back is no longer allowed to touch a wide receiver more than five yards away from the line of scrimmage. Roger Goodell, the current commissioner, is known to be a stickler for disciplining his players, coaches, and front-office personnel.

Troy Polomalu thinks that all of the fines imposed by the league’s are simply for money as opposed to the concern and safety of the NFL’s current players. The NFL currently has a $3.7 billion television deal with FOX, CBS, NBC, ESPN and Direct TV, and this league still wants to collect more and more money.

The NFL attracts fans because of the intense level of contact that is made by players on the opposing teams. The NFL profits off of sales of DVD’s that highlight the biggest hits in league history. Most of those hits were during the 1960s and 1970s in an era in which the players were allowed to make the contact that they needed to make a play.

The bottom line is that when grown men are running full speed to make a play on the ball, and their helmet happens to be the leading part of their body when making a hit, they shouldn’t be fined $25,000.

Jerry Reese: Finding Gold in Other Teams' Garbage

Michael Schlossberg — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:09:12 -0400

Jerry Reese, the Giants' General Manager, is like the guy you see roaming the streets with his van, trying to pick up scraps that were thrown to the curb by people who felt what they had purchased was no good.

Case point one

Look at last week, Domenick Hixon described on ESPN as a "who dat reserve wide receiver," caught four balls in last week's game for 102 yards.

Of course, most sports fans remember the tragic moment when Kevin Everret of the Buffalo Bills was unconscious when making a tackle on the kick-coverage unit, the return man was then-Broncos WR Domenick Hixon.

The Broncos later cut him in the 2007 season, and there was Jerry Reese saying, "You don't need him? Fine, that is our starting X Receiver just in case Plaxico Burress misses a practice." That is pretty impressive that Jerry Reese has that great of an eye for talent.

Case point two

The Giants' rushing offense was dominant as usual last weekend, racking up 254 yards on the ground. The three-headed running-back monster of Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, and Ahmad Bradshaw has totaled a 6.17 yards per carry, something unheard of for a four-game stretch.

In their running game, the fullback is vital—particularly on lead and trap plays for Jacobs and Ward and on toss plays for Bradshaw. Madison Hedgecock, for anyone who doesn't know, is the starting fullback. Last year he was put on waivers by the Rams before the start of the season. Not a bad pick up for the Giants off of waivers, right?

How did Jerry Reese again say, "Oh, you don't want him? Fine, that's our starting fullback." Hedgecock is, in my opinion, the best pure fullback in the NFL. He's a throwback player, my type of player, who works hard and doesn't get enough credit for how great of a player he is.

These are just some quick points off of the top of my head. If anyone else can think of other examples, please post it in the comments. I would love to hear other Giants fans' opinions.

The End of Yankee Stadium, Part I: The Fans

Michael Schlossberg — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:27:28 -0400

On April 18, 1923, the Yankees opened their doors for New Yorkers to see what would soon become the cathedral to baseball. This is the stadium in which legends were made and championships were won—where memories were made. Babe Ruth hit the first ever home run at the Ball Park in the Bronx.

Yogi Berra said it perfectly Sunday Night: "I won't miss the stadium because the memories will move on; it is the memories that will stay in your heart.”

I haven't seen quite the amount of history that Yogi Berra has seen, but from reading countless numbers of books and watching the YES Network specials, etc., it almost feels as though I have lived through all of them.

The Yankees have always had the best fans, the ones that would show up ready to cheer on the legends that took the field day in and day out for the Bronx Bombers. Whether in the 1920s with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig or the 1930s with Joe DiMaggio, the Yankees always have had figures that appeared larger than life.

Going to Yankee Stadium for 19 years of my life, I have always felt that no matter who you were, when attending a game, Yankees fans always banded together. I’ve felt this at all games, whether sitting all the way upstairs, in the bleachers, or with my father in some client's first deck seat—fellow Yankee fans always respected me.

The "Roll Call'' that was done from the Bleacher Creatures in section 37 and 39 was something that I always looked forward to at the start of each game. The recognition that the fans showed to their stars on the field really proved how we idolized these players.

In Game Five of the 2001 World Series, when it was Paul O'Neil's last game at the stadium, was the moment in my mind when fans truly paid tribute. During the end of the game all of the fans started to chant, “PAUL O'NEIL!”

He was a player that all the fans absolutely respected because of his desire to win at all costs. Any fan—particularly the blue-collar type like me—views Paul O'Neil as the key to the Yankees dynasty of the late 1990s and in 2000.

Yankee fans are always insightful, which is something I couldn't find across town at Shea, and definitely not something I find in my new home in Arizona at Chase Field.

While some argue it is easy to be a Yankee fan, I disagree. There is so much hatred brought upon the ownership and the team. If you were to ask other MLB players, they would all say that they want to play under Steinbrenner because, to him, winning is all that matters.

Bottom line—when playing at the Ball Park in the Bronx for the Yankees, you have the best fans who will idolize you and pour all of their emotion into watching the game.

And this is not always true for other organizations.

New York Giants Set to Battle the Cincinnati Bengals

Michael Schlossberg — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 13:25:42 -0400

The Giants are set to play the Cincinnati Bengals tomorrow morning at 10 am. That is Pacific Time of course for me out here in Arizona. But on a serious note, the Giants should look to run the ball as always to set up play action for Eli Manning.

I don't see the Bengals' secondary doing much to cover Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, Steve Smith, and Domenik Hixon. Marvin Lewis, once considered a defensive guru when he was the coordinator for the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV against Big Blue, has since seen his defense look pathetic at times.

That being said, the Bengals have some talent on offense with Chad Ocho Cinco, TJ Houshmandzadeh, and Carson Palmer. The secondary of the Giants will face some challenges stopping the pass, but look for Justin Tuck to help lead the pass rush and Aaron Ross to help shut down these wide outs.

Prediction: Giants 31 Bengals 14

This game will be close for most of it but then Ahmad Bradshaw will seal the deal with an electric run after the Bengals' have had a steady dose of the bull dozing Brandon Jacobs and the versatile Derrick Ward. Look for Eli Manning to keep the ball out of harms way as well.

Giants Fans, That Win Was against the Rams

Michael Schlossberg — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 06:20:38 -0400

Okay, admit it—if you were a Giants fan you were impressed by yesterday's win.

They let the Rams hang in there for a little while and then shut the casket on the game with some pivotal plays. So far, it is looking like the loss of Osi Umeyoira hasn't hindered the Giants' pass rush at all.

Justin Tuck looks not only like a star, but like a super star. He now has three sacks in the first two games, and in Sunday's game he had a 41-yard interception return for a touchdown.

The defensive backfield looked great at times, and even the Rams' touchdown was on a pass that Kenny Phillips tipped, leading to Tory Holt making a circus catch in the end zone. Kevin Dockery and Cory Webster had some nice pass break-ups.

The Giants are showing that they can and will run over anybody in sight. All three of the backs got involved. Brandon Jacobs led the way with 15 carries for 93 yards. Bradshaw finally got some carries and averaged 10.4 yards per touch, including a 31-yard breakaway on 3rd-and-2 in the fourth quarter. He also caught an 18-yard pass for a touchdown. On the day, the Giants averaged 7.5 cards per carry.

Eli played much better yesterday, throwing for three touchdowns. As usual, it was a win for the Giants, their 12th straight win while wearing their away whites.

This all being said, it was the Rams; they are just an absolutely pitiful team. They did sack Manning twice, but besides that they have obvious flaws on the offensive line, and Steven Jackson seems worlds away from his 2006 campaign.

While that game was exciting and a pretty impressive win, there is no reason to evaluate this team based on that game. Next week the Giants take on the Bengals, so I am not going to be too strong on evaluating them based on a win in that game, either.

Plaxico Burress Needs to Practice

Michael Schlossberg — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:25:36 -0400

Adversity is what helped lead the Giants to a triumphant Super Bowl win over the previously undefeated New England Patriots. The Giants had a leader in defensive Captain Michael Strahan. In the wake of his retirement, the Giants need another leader to emerge.

It should be Plaxico Burress.

Last year, Burress played through injury and, without practicing, he was still able to be Eli Manning's go-to target. He caught a team-high 12 touchdowns in the regular season as well as the game-winning Super Bowl score.

Despite Burress' sore ankle, he should be practicing. Training Camp is a bonding experience for players, or at least it sure was during my High School football days. The other Giants, to some degree, probably resent that Burress does not have to go through Tom Coughlin's intense practices daily at SUNY Albany.

Burress needs to do more than sit on an exercise bike. He needs to be running routes and learning any changes that may have been made to Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride's system.

Burress should go out for the morning practice and seek treatment on the ankle all afternoon. Though he was Manning's best receiver, their connection will improve with more time on the practice field. Because teams are focused on individuals match-ups for upcoming games, this relationship is tough to strengthen during the season, and is best suited for building now.

The point is: Plax needs to step up like the leader he is and practice.