Bleacher Report - Articles by John Fennelly

New York Giants Have Defensive Changes in the Works

John Fennelly — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:49:54 -0500

Pierce-less D Gets Much Needed Facelift

It apears the Giants’ coaches are reading our site. They have been working out second-year MLB Jonathan Goff with the first team defense replacing Chase Blackburn, who took over after Antonio Pierce ’s neck injury.

Before the season, there was questions whether the Giants had enough speed at linebacker. Those questions have been answered emphatically the past six games: NO!

Goff is a younger, faster, lighter option than both Pierce or Blackburn. The objective of the MLB is to get to the point of attack sooner, not later, as the latter were doing. Goff may be able to get to the open hole faster than the other two (we hope) eliminating those embarrassing big running plays (Leonard Weaver, Arizona in the red zone, Knowshon Moreno, etc, etc, etc…).

Osi To Get Fewer Snaps

According to Michael Lombardi of Inside the NFL and The National Football Post , the Giants plan on moving DE Osi Umenyiora around (including to the bench) so teams can’t steamroll him in the run game (like Denver did).

How novel. This columnist suggested the Giants do this weeks ago. Not just with Osi, but with all the lineman (like Steve Spagnuolo used to do).

Umenyiora has been over-pursuing trying to get to the passer, leaving him vulnerable to the run. Many have suggested that opponents have deliberately stayed away from Justin Tuck , who is the bigger of the two and a better run defender, opting to pick on the smaller Umenyiora.

The Giants will finally stop making it easy for teams to prepare for them.

It only took 13 weeks.

John Fennelly is a Senior Writer for Giants Football Blog

Plodding Giants Need to Change with the Times

John Fennelly — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:21:21 -0500

NFC East Swing Will Test Big Blue’s Mettle

In the next three weeks, we’re going to find out a lot about the New York Football Giants.

Will they put up a fight against their division rivals, or continue to spiral downward towards the front of the draft?

Will the team’s pride, which has slowly dissipated with each painful defeat, return in time to salvage the season, or will it continue to seep out the window?

Will the coaches and players who now find themselves on the bubble rise up and embrace the much-needed changes or continue to be blind and stubborn?

These questions and others will be answered before you have your first eggnog.

Stuck in the Mud

Suddenly the Giants seem like a plodding, methodical team reminiscent of the 1950s NFL. They slam Brandon Jacobs into the line, and their passing game looks like something out of the Steve Owen-era. They are so predictable, opponents cannot believe how easy it has become to prepare for and to defeat them.

They appear to have little team speed.

That could not be further from the truth. Their wide receivers and reserve linebackers are all fast. The coaches just don’t know how to properly employ them.

If they are going to find out which direction this team is headed, they must begin to increase the playing time of the following players: LBs Clint Sintim, Bryan Kehl, and Jonathan Goff; TE Travis Beckum and WR Ramses Barden.

Tom Coughlin has to get the speed out on the field.

Outdated in Just Two Seasons?

I find the scheme on defense to be the major culprit in the unit’s poor performance this season.

On offense, it’s the playcalling.

The NFL has altered and created several new rules to protect offensive players the past two years. All of those rules promote the passing game.

On offense, the Giants continue to assert themselves as a power running team. That is no longer the way the game is played. It is a passing-oriented game, almost touch-football in nature compared to years past.

Just like that, in two years, things changed. The coaches didn’t get the memo, but the GM, Jerry Reese, did.

Jerry Reese made Eli Manning the highest-paid player in the game and used four of his first five selections in April's draft on two wide receivers, a tight end, and an offensive tackle.

What did the coaches do? Nothing. They not only failed to integrate the new pieces (with the exception of Hakeem Nicks), they conservatized their philosophies negating almost every one of their strengths.

This is the 21st Century NFL and the Giants’ coaching staff is guilty of hoarding latent talent on the bench. The time to make the changes is past due.

John Fennelly is a Senior Contributor to SNY's Giants Football Blog

The Top 10 Moments in New York Giants History

John Fennelly — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:03:50 -0500

Here are the top ten moments in the history of the New York Football Giants in chronological order. The Giant shave a long, illustrious history and it was difficult for me to whittle down all the great moments into a list of ten. These are the events and games that I felt were the most important - in no particular order, so hold your fire. Enjoy!

Begin Slideshow

NFL 2009: Nine Things We've Learned About QBs Thus Far This Season

John Fennelly — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:59:15 -0500

Here are the top five things that we have learned about quarterdecks in the first 10 weeks of the 2009 NFL season...

9. Vince Young is saving the Titans' season.

Hard to believe.

When the team lost their first six games (the worst was a 59-0 whitewash in New England), Jeff Fisher turned to Young—a player who had once doubted if he had what it takes to be an NFL QB—to help change the team's fortunes.

So far, it's worked. Young is 3-0 as starter and is playing with a ton of confidence.

8. Matt Schaub has arrived.

Taken in the third round by Atlanta in the 2004 draft, Schaub was an afterthought to the Eli-Rivers-Ben windfall that took place in the first round.

The Houston Texans are benefiting from a healthy Schaub these days, not the Falcons. He is currently third in the NFL in passing, wedged in-between Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees.

7. Kurt Warner is going to Canton.

The Cards' 38-year-old QB was on the Hall-of-Fame bubble even after having a monster season and almost winning the Super Bowl with the games' most losing-est franchise.

This year, he is following that up with a beauty of a season. After nine games, Warner is on pace to throw 32 TDs and 4400 yards.

Get that bust ready.

6. JaMarcus Russell is officially a bust.

Yes, we understand that he's had little support from the coaches and the nefarious Oakland infrastructure they report to, so it's not all his fault.

In his third season, Russell is ranked 31st among NFL starters. His passer rating is an abysmal 47.7 with only two touchdown passes and nine interceptions. He's been sacked 24 times and has lost five fumbles.

Time to look elsewhere for a franchise QB, Al.

5. Rookies should not be expected to win immediately .

It's true. Last year, Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan led their teams to the playoffs in their freshman campaigns. They both won playoff games and Flacco came withing one win of the Super Bowl.

This was an anomaly. This was a freak occurrence that had never happened in the history of the sport and may not happen again. This season, both are struggling as their teams have taken a step backwards.

This season's rookie class of Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez and Josh Freeman have showed promise, but are years away from being successful players. In fact, because of the success of Flacco and Ryan had last season, these players have been burdened with heightened expectations.

4. Brett Favre is having his greatest season ever.

Love him or hate him, the guy is a phenomenal specimen. At 40, Favre is flourishing on what just may be the most talented team in football. Many thought by returning to the league he would further tarnish his legacy. Instead, he is reforging it.

After nine games, Favre has 17 TDs and only three interceptions. That is very un-Favre-like. He usually takes too many chances with the football and blows 2-3 games by trying to win them all by himself.

With the Vikings, he does not have to do that. He is utilizing the weapons at his disposal in a smart and efficient manner, not to mention he's had some luck to boot.

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

3. Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson? How 'bout neither.

The Cleveland Browns' offense is as bad a unit as I have ever seen (and that's saying something). Head coach Eric Mangini did neither Quinn nor Anderson any favors by not naming a starter until the last possible moment.

Mangini is alienating everyone in Cleveland from the players to the fans to the media, and the team apparently has not responded to his ridiculous ultra-strict methods.

That being said, how can a young quarterback grow as a player under those conditions?

They can't...but it doesn't really matter because these guys would stink no matter what team they were on.

2. Peyton Manning is the best player in the NFL.

The argument of who is better—Peyton Manning or Tom Brady—should no longer be the heated chicken-or-the-egg one it has been in the past.

Manning has surpassed Brady this season with an MVP performance. What other player in the NFL means more to his team?

Just think. The Colts are 9-0, but without Manning, they could be 0-9. Last year, the Patriots went 11-5 without Papa Tom.

Yes, I know their statistics this season are almost identical. I can read.

Manning wins no matter who is around him. Brady is great, but Peyton is proving to be greater.

1. Michael Vick has had zero impact on the NFL season.

After all the hullabaloo of whether he'll ever play again and where he will play, Michael Vick has done something this season he hasn't been able to do in years:

Stay out of the headlines.

The Eagles signed Vick with the hopes that he could add another dimension to their offense (aka wildcat). It hasn't happened. He is buried on the Eagles bench with no plans to develop the dimension Andy Reid had alluded to earlier in the year.

It's becoming apparent that the long absence from the game may have hurt Vick more than anyone imagined.

When Donovan McNabb missed two games with injury, Reid turned to Kevin Kolb, not Vick to lead the offense. Vick was left to sit and watch Kolb light up the skies with footballs, whose performance pushed Vick even further down the depth chart.

For the New York Giants, the Playoffs Begin This Week

John Fennelly — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:01:17 -0500

Bill Parcells always said the teams that won from Thanksgiving on were the real contenders.

Well, Giants, it's that time of year. There were no happy holidays for the Blue last season, but maybe this year will be different.

Did they get the bad football out of them over the past four games? Has the bye week helped refocus this seemingly lost bunch?

Perhaps. With seven games to play, New York holds its destiny in its own hands. The teams they have to beat are all right there in front of them on the upcoming schedule.

It begins this week with Atlanta and Denver. Then Dallas and Philly in consecutive home games before heading to Washington. The season ends with Carolina at home and Minnesota on the road.

Can the Giants right their ship and take five of these last seven games?

Sure they can.

With new defensive strategies and a return to the three-pronged running attack, the Giants can beat anyone.

And they might do just that.

After Five Long Years, Philip Rivers Finally Arrives in New York

John Fennelly — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:12:36 -0500

Chargers QB Philip Rivers was a New York Giant for about a minute during the early moments of the 2004 NFL draft. After the Giants selected him fourth overall, he was traded to the San Diego Chargers, along with several other future draft picks, in return for top pick Eli Manning .

These players will always be connected through that trade, along with Miami of Ohio’s Ben Roethlisberger, who was passed over in favor of them and picked 11th by the Steelers.

Rivers has not worn a football jersey in New York since that day. He has yet to face a New York audience as a player, none of this is his doing. The schedule has kept him out of Giants Stadium until now.

He is a big-time player playing in a laid-back setting. Rivers was made for New York; he’s a brash, tough, combative leader, and add to that, he can throw the football verrry well (Yes, I know,let’s see him do it consistently in the Northeast ).

It is true that Roethlisberger has gone on to win two Super Bowls with Pittsburgh and Manning led the Giants’ improbable championship run in 2007 culminating in the shocking victory over the unbeaten Patriots, but over time, it could be Rivers who develops into the best every down quarterback.

This is not news to anyone who is following the careers of these three men. He is considered by many to be one of the the league’s elite QBs along with Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Tom Brady. Eli and Ben are considered “second tier” players (don’t ask).

Early in Rivers’ career, his job was to hand the ball to LaDainian Tomlinson and not turn it over. It is of no fault of his that his team has not made it to the Super Bowl. He lost twice to New England and once to Pittsburgh which is nothing to be ashamed of these days.

Now that Tomlinson’s production had dwindled, the Chargers have given Rivers the keys to the kingdom. He has responded with great numbers and has become an excellent field general.

Rivers began his career behind Brees, so he has only started 48 games in his career as opposed to the other two, who have started 71 games each.

Player	Record	Cmp	Att	%	Yds	TD	Int	Y/G	Rate
Eli	42-29-0	1416	2526	56.1	16478	111	82	203.4	77.1
Ben	51-20-0	1353	2138	63.3	17036	112	75	215.6	90.9
Rivers	33-15-0	1032	1666	61.9	12733	89	40	215.8	93.4

As you can see, all three have been successful in their short careers. Eli and Rivers are only 28 years old while Roethlisberger is still just 27.

Somehow, with the Giants struggling and in need of a leader these days, one has to think how the Giants may have fared had they simply just kept Rivers, or chose Roethlisberger instead.

Would they have won the Super Bowl without Eli? Or, would they be a dynasty with one of the others? You can clearly see that Manning’s QB rating pales in comparison.

Either way, what’s done is done. Rivers finally comes here Sunday, we’ll see what he’s made of or better yet, what we’re made of.

NFC East Report: Smash-Mouth Style A Thing Of The Past

John Fennelly — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:48:17 -0400

In years past, this would have been a big deal, but the once mighty NFC East is not what it used to be. The Cowboys are in neutral, the Redskins are in disarray and the Eagles just lost to the Raiders The Giants are the best of an extremely beatable bunch.

The division has had at least one wild-card entry since 2005, but the perception that the NFC East is the conference’s toughest division is pure myth.

Yes, it was true once. The NFC East was the league’s flagship division. From 1975-95, the NFC East sent 13 teams to the Super Bowl, winning eight.

Those days are long gone.

Since the great Dallas dynasty’s last Super Bowl victory (SB XXX) fourteen years ago, the NFC East has had only three teams make it to the Super Bowl: The Giants in 2000 and 2007, and the Eagles in 2004.

Since SB XXX, the Dallas Cowboys have played seven playoff games, losing six. Their lone victory was a wild-card win over Minnesota in 1996. That’s right: America’s team has not won a playoff game in 13 years.

The Washington Redskins last won the Super Bowl after the 1991 season (SB XXIV). They have only qualified for the postseason four times since, never advancing further than the divisional round.

The Philadelphia Eagles have been to the playoffs seven times in the new millennium. After the 2004 season, they bested the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game, but went on to lose to the New England Patriots, 24-21, in Super Bowl XXXIX.

In addition to that, the Eagles advanced to the NFC Championship on four other occasions, losing to a different club each time.

The New York Giants have been to the postseason six times since 2000. They ascended to the Super Bowl twice during that period. They lost Super Bowl XXV to the Baltimore Ravens and defeated the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

In their other four playoff appearances this decade, the Giants have been eliminated without winning a single game.

The real facts are as follows: Since 1996, the NFC has been represented in the Super Bowl by the West four times and the other three divisions (West, North and South) three times each.

Oddly enough, none of the four teams that had represented the NFC the most times in the Super Bowl before 1996 (Dallas, San Francisco, Minnesota and Washington) are among those teams.

Giants Get Smashed In The Mouth By Saints

John Fennelly — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:16:23 -0400

Big Blue Gets An Old-Fashioned Bayou Beatin'

They call it the Big Easy, but this was ridiculous.

Yesterday, nothing could have been easier than New Orleans Saints' QB Drew Brees' day against the New York Giants.

He tossed four touchdowns to four different receivers while racking up 369 yards passing in a 48-27 cakewalk over the league's top defense.

Head coach Sean Payton used a jambalaya of plays to keep the Giants defense off-balance. His unheralded offensive line only allowed Giants defenders to touch Brees three times the whole afternoon, none of them sacks.

Brees fired darts in, around and over the Giants' overrated, undermanned defense with the precision one has when shooting fish in a barrel. The Saints possessed the ball six times in the first half, scoring five touchdowns. The lone Giants' stop was a goal line stand.

This victory leaves one no choice but to crown the Saints kings of the NFC. What about the Vikings, you ask? They're number two for now, along with everyone else.

Playing the Saints in New Orleans is going to be a challenge for all comers this year. The Saints have proved they can score on anyone almost at will. Their improved defense, now under the tutelage of Gregg Williams, is not asked to do much but to make a few stops.

They do more than that, which makes them a scary team now. The Saints defense has better takeaway ability these days, creating more opportunities for the seemingly unstoppable Brees.

The Giants have to wonder where they stand in all of this. They were shredded by the Saints, the refs and themselves. If they are to beat New Orleans in January, they better come more prepared, make sure they execute those deep passes (Eli missed on a few big plays yesterday) and get some help from the zebras.

Giants-Saints: Shockey Eager To Face Old Mates

John Fennelly — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:00:34 -0400

Outspoken TE Hasn't Learned His Lesson

Maybe the New Orleans Saints will buck four decades of ineptitude and finally win a Super Bowl this year.

Perhaps then, we might listen to what Jeremy Shockey has to say. That is, if he contributes.

You see, if Jeremy Shockey isn't at the center of something, he wants no part of it. The definition of a team player is just the opposite: sacrificing one's self for the good of the whole.

So, the Saints will need a different Jeremy Shockey than the world knows if they plan on beating the Giants or the Vikings en route to that Super Bowl.

From where I stand, Shockey hasn't changed. He still has a schoolboy mentality.

This week, instead of saying positive things about his time in New York, he told The Times-Picayune that he "still had a bitter taste in his mouth" about the way his Giants career ended.

"It's just something that if you cross me once—it's hard enough to gain my trust as it is—and if you lie to me and if you say something behind closed doors between that person and myself ..."

Meanwhile, the Giants, who never asked anything more of Shockey than to simply just show up, have said little.

Eli Manning, who bore the brunt of many a Shockey public barbs, was asked if he thought Shockey would come to Sunday's game with extra incentive.

"Yeah, I'm sure he's excited for the game," Manning said. "I think he gets excited for every game. I'm sure he'll be ready to play."

"Shockey was and is a tremendous player, a great talent and a great teammate of mine for a number of years," Eli said. "He scored a lot of touchdowns, made a lot of big plays for us. When he got hurt, we struggled for some time without him."

Giants' coach Tom Coughlin had this to say:

"Jeremy Shockey is an excellent football player," Coughlin said. "He was an outstanding player here. When I first came here, I don’t think that the world was aware as they should have been of the quality of the player he was, in terms of the all-around player. I thought he was an outstanding blocker. We all know about his vertical abilities and the seams and all the other things he does so well. Jeremy Shockey is a heck of a football player."

The Giants are showing class and maturity, two things that have eluded Shockey, not that he ever embraced either principle. Don't take this as a sign of weakness from the Giants. They will hit him as hard as they can on Sunday ....

About a year ago, I wrote an article on Shockey.....you can click HERE to read....

First Quarter Review: The New York Giants

John Fennelly — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:42:01 -0400

Call Them Big (Black and) Blue

The New York Football Giants may be 4-0, but ask any one of their fans: they're nervous.

Injuries have significantly sliced into this team's depth and are in danger of keeping them from making a serious Super Bowl run.

That being said, the team has not missed a beat, winning the first four games by basically going about their business, but losing key personnel at an alarming rate in the process.

In a nutshell...

The Giants are 4-0, defeating the Redskins, Cowboys, Bucs and Chiefs. So what, you say? We say the same thing, but remember, they didn't make the schedule and they also didn't lose to any of these teams. Keep in mind, they won three of these games on the road and are now 19-3 in their last 22 games away from Giants Stadium.

The Giants' lead the NFL in total defense, allowing only 232 YPG. Considering the competition, that's no big deal...... but when you consider they are operating under a new DC (Bill Sheridan) and have been without the services of Jay Alford, Aaron Ross and Clint Sintim thus far and Kenny Phillips, Kevin Dockery, Chris Canty and Michael Boley have either been placed on IR or missed significant time - that's saying something.

Last year, the Giants' historic rushing trio of Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw averaged 5.0 yards per carry, creating confusion for defenses with their distinct contrasts in style.

This year, Jacobs and Bradshaw are off to good starts (Jacobs is 3rd in the NFC in rushing yards, Bradshaw is 6th), but the average is down to 4.2 YPC.

What's missing is the Ward contribution. The Giants promoted Danny Ware to that position, but he dislocated his elbow on the opening kickoff vs Washington. Rookie Andre Brown tore his Achilles in training camp and waiver pick-up Gartrell Johnson is still getting his feet wet in the offense.

Replacing WRs Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer was perhaps the biggest concern coming into this season, but the combination of young receivers are quickly erasing those doubts.

Steve Smith the former USC offensive MVP, leads the NFL in receptions (34), receiving yards (411), receiving TDs (4) and first downs (22). His counterpart, Mario Manningham, has 306 receiving yards and is tied for the league lead in 20+ yard receptions with seven.

Pleasant surprises......

The wideouts. Manningham and Smith, of course, but don't forget this year's first round pick Hakeem Nicks. He's got big league moves.

The secondary. Phillips is gone for the year and Ross has not made much progress on his hamstring. In their absence, C.C. Brown, Terrell Thomas and free-agent rookie Bruce Johnson have stepped up and filled the bill.

Needs work...

The pass rush. You figure with Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Mathias Kiwanuka, the Giants would be tearing QBs limb from limb. Instead it's been feast or famine. They have been getting tons of pressure, but only have 8 sacks over four games and five of those came last week vs the statuesque Matt Cassel.

The kicking game. K Lawrence Tynes is perhaps the most unpredictable player in the league. You never know what he'll do. This year he's missed three FGs inside 40 yards and his kickoffs are right out of a high school game in the mud. This week, the Giants began taking a look at some other kickers, perhaps a ploy to re-focus Tynes.

Believe it or not Tynes leads all NFL kickers in scoring with 41 points.

The red zone offense. The Giants have carried this frustrating trend over from last season. Thus far, they are 4-for-16 in the red zone, which is unacceptable considering the personnel they have. Is it the play calling? Yes. Is it execution? Yes.

Potential cancers...

Injuries...yes, this has become a REAL issue. Giant fans are very nervous right now. Injuries killed the Mets this year and the Giants' situation has an eerie and familiar taste to it.

Here's the score card through Week Four—on defense, DT Jay Alford and S Kenny Phillips are gone for the season to knee injuries. CB Aaron Ross (hamstring) and LB Clint Sintim (groin) have yet to play. CB Kevin Dockery (hamstring) missed two games. DT Chris Canty (calf) is still out. Bryan Kehl (finger)may miss this week and LB Michael Boley (knee) will miss the next four.

On offense, Manning has a sore right foot and it may impair his ability to throw the football. RB Andre Brown is on IR and Hakeem Nicks missed two games with a knee injury. Danny Ware (elbow) is still out. WR Domenik Hixon (knee) is working his way back. TE Kevin Boss is limping around on a sprained ankle.

Going forward...the Raiders come to town this week, and the Giants should be able to improve to 5-0, but after that, they may be in trouble unless they can get some of these bodies back on the field and producing.

The rest of the schedule is not easy, but nothing is ever easy for the Giants. They go to New Orleans, Philadelphia, Denver, Washington and Minnesota. They host Arizona, San Diego, Atlanta, Dallas, Philadelphia and Carolina.

Prediction: after going 5-0, the Giants will go 7-4 in the final 11 games, that is, providing they solve some of those glaring issues.

Giants-Chiefs: Adversity-Stricken G-Men Stay Undefeated

John Fennelly — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 18:16:25 -0400

Beat Chiefs, but Problems Still Abound

Most NFL fans would love for their teams to be 4-0 right now, so I must tread lightly with this piece.

The Giants defeated the Kansas City Chiefs today, 27-16 at Arrowhead Stadium, in a game that thrilled and shocked no one.

It was a contest between a good team that has been plagued by injury and inefficiency and a rebuilding team that just didn't have enough to compete.

It wasn't a very pleasant game to watch for fans of either team.

Kansas City has two dozen new faces on their roster and is still in honeymoon mode with new coach Todd Haley. They are a mishmash of veterans and young players that may gel someday as a team, but as of yet they have not.

They don't protect their quarterback Matt Cassel very well, and they try to generate a running game with Larry Johnson, who—let's face it—has seen his better days.

Their young defensive line is still finding itself—mostly on the turf—as they don't seem to be getting to opposing quarterbacks nor stopping the run.

Today against New York, they looked disorganized and out of sync until the fourth quarter, when the Giants stepped up and squashed any dreams of a comeback.

The Giants were flat and benefited from a few generous calls from the officials. The Eli Manning-to-Steve Smith connection continued to buoy most of their drives until the running game got cooking.

The Giants racked up 429 total yards on offense and held the Chiefs to only 193, most of those coming late in the game.

Still, the scoreboard showed only 27 points for New York.

They continued to sputter in the red zone, only scoring once in four trips, furthering their inside-the-20 futility to the tune of 4-for-16 this season.

Their kicker, Lawrence Tynes, missed another makeable field goal—this one from 38 yards, the third such "chippy" he's blown thus far this young season.

Giant fans had two "hold-your-breath" moments: when Manning pulled up lame in the third quarter after stepping oddly on his heel, and when TE Kevin Boss got his knee wrenched in a Chiefs sandwich after making a reception inside the five-yard line.

Both should be fine, but after all the injuries that team has had, losing these two for any amount of time would have spelled big trouble.

Once again, the defense was up to the task. The Giants had not had a sack in the two previous games but recorded five today. The secondary seems to have become an elite one, even without the services of two former first round picks—safety Kenny Phillips and corner Aaron Ross.

Next week, the Oakland Raiders come to the Meadowlands, and the Giants will seek to improve to 5-0 before they take on some real competition in the final 11 games.

Let's hope they get some of these kinks out of their game. The New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, and San Diego Chargers won't be as charitable as the last five opponents.

Business-Like Giants Focusing On One Game At a Time

John Fennelly — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:42:20 -0400

The New York Football Giants as a franchise have always been considered "establishment."

They have traditionally practiced conservatism on and off-the field, in the locker room and in the media.

This week the 3-0 Giants face the 0-3 Kansas City Chiefs, but you would never know that by listening to the comments made by the coaches and players.

Here are some of the things Giants Coach Tom Coughlin said today:

“You are talking about a franchise that has a great fan base, great tradition. Incredible players have gone through there. New coach working his tail off trying to get his team to where he knows exactly what he has. They have done some really good things.”

“I don’t look at it the way you do – I don’t look at the 0-3, I look at – two of the games were extremely close and we know the Philadelphia Eagles very well. So you have to take spots and look for progress and know that there certainly is a lot of talent there.”

“We just have to do our – again, as I always say, we are concerned about our team and getting our team ready to play and being at our best and improving in the areas that we need to improve on.”

This was Kevin Gilbride on the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense:

“I see a lot of first rounders and second rounders, particularly up front, that look like they fly around real well for the football. So I guess they are able to generate some heat. So we are going to have our hands full.”

Gilbride on the perception that Brandon Jacobs is “tip-toeing":

“Someone just told me about it. I wasn’t – to be honest with you – sure what the story was until about 15 minutes ago……But I certainly don’t see anybody that is tip-toeing. That has not been — I haven’t been aware of that at all….”

Bill Sheridan on Chiefs’ RB Larry Johnson:

“He is as good a back in my mind that we are going to see…..he’s legit…”

Sheridan on Kansas City QB Matt Cassel:

“We know the kind of year he had a year ago. I think he’ll be good to go. They got pressured last week and kind of got overwhelmed a little bit by some of the pressure that Philadelphia brought. But he is not going to get rattled.”

RB Brandon Jacobs on the Kansas City Chiefs:

“We don’t ever look at opponents as 0-3 and not playing well and all that other stuff. We know Kansas City has a lot of talent on their football team and we know that they can peak at any minute. We don’t want to be the team that they peak on. We are working hard all week long. Working together to get better and to go into the game on Sunday giving it everything that we have.”

2009 New York Giants: New Faces, Same Results

John Fennelly — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:54:10 -0400

Injuries, defections, arrests, doubts, criticism.

You name it, the Giants have been through it.

The football gods are throwing the kitchen sink at the Giants and yet, they won't blink. Yesterday against the Bucs, the Giants had exactly 45 healthy players to dress for the game.

Their required eight inactive players did not make the trip. They were all injured and could not play, even if asked.

It didn't matter.

The Giants whipped the Bucs, 24-0, in a game where many "experts" were calling for them to get trapped.

Not this team. Not anymore.

The Giants have seen the peaks and experienced the valleys. Led by their unflappable, emotionless leader QB Eli Manning, the Giants are operating in an even-keeled manner—not getting too up, nor too down.

They basically bodyslammed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with one arm tied behind their back.

The workmanlike approach for this team is not an option, having had to deal with issues that would sink lesser teams. Their depth, professionalism, and leadership have them pointed towards the postseason once again.

On the surface, they never seem to run out of talented players. When someone gets hurt, another comes right in and does the job without missing a beat.

When an injury hits, the front office is right there with a replacement. The coaches know exactly what they want done and the players understand what the coaches want. Not a bad system for success.

In Tampa yesterday, the Giants emptied their bench in the fourth quarter to give the starters a break on a hot, humid day. The game had been one-sided for too long and the coaching staff did the right thing.

What they actually did was showcase their depth. The Bucs could still not compete even with the Giants' second string in front of them.

Their receivers have proven that the Giants have moved past the Plaxico and Amani era. Their defense is still healing, but if yesterday was any indication, they are beginning to gel. And Manning has matured into the franchise player the club has always hoped he could be.

We all know that the Giants are at the top of the league as an organization. But their 3-0 start is not as impressive as some others' because they defeated three flawed teams: Washington, who just lost to Detroit, Dallas, a team that has trouble winning meaningful games, and Tampa, a team in transition.

This week, they go to Kansas City and then host Oakland. Two very winnable games that, if they win, will put them at 5-0.

The schedule is not so kind after that: The Eagles twice, Dallas and Washington again, San Diego, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Minnesota.

They don't seem to be fazed at all by the prospects of facing those teams. They are the standard, that's why.

NY Giants' Succession Plan Is One Of NFL's Best

John Fennelly — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:00:53 -0400

Reese and Crew Have Dynastic Intentions

Some teams just seem to come up with players. The New York Giants are one of those teams.

Every year the draft comes, and every year the Mel Kipers and the Todd McShays of the world tell you the New York Giants did "OK" but they didn't satisfy their major needs.

And every year, they are wrong.

As a Giants fan and writer, I am glad that Giants GM Jerry Reese pays little or no attention to them or anyone else who doesn't work in the industry.

Every year, Reese's team: Assistant GM Kevin Abrams; Mark Ross, the Director of College Scouting; Dave Gettleman, the Director of Pro Personnel and former Giants fullback Charles Way, who is the Director of Player Development make the team better.

And this is a team that won the Super Bowl two years ago and finished 12-4 last season.

To be fair, Reese did not walk into a mess i.e. Detroit. He began with a roster that had some very good players: Michael Strahan, Eli Manning, Tiki Barber, Chris Snee, Plaxico Burress, Fred Robbins, Jeremy Shockey, Amani Toomer, Osi Umenyiora, Antonio Pierce, Shawn O'Hara, Mathias Kiwanuka, Brandon Jacobs, Justin Tuck, Jeff Feagles, Derrick Ward, Gibril Wilson, David Diehl, Corey Webster, Kareem McKenzie, Sam Madison, Barry Cofield, Rich Seubert, Chase Blackburn, R.W. McQuarters, James Butler, Sinorice Moss and Davis Tyree. Whew!

But the NFL is a tentative proposition. Over time, players come and go, and in recent history, the Giants' planning team has proved to be up to the task when it comes to back filling and upgrading their roster.

The team does not panic and make rash moves. Every option is explored; no avenue is left untraveled. Thus far, Reese and crew have made few mistakes.

Loose Ends

In 2007, Reese's first year, the Giants lost longtime left tackle Luke Petitgout to free agency. They were lambasted for not picking up a veteran OT in the offseason and then for not taking one in the draft.

Reese did not see the need. Internally, the Giants knew they had Richie Seubert coming back from a knee injury. The solution was to shift David Diehl from guard to tackle and insert Seubert into Diehl's spot. The result? I think you know the answer to that...

Tiki Barber retired after the 2006 season as the Giants' all-time leading rusher. The Giants decided not to panic. They replaced Barber to a triumvirate of various talents: Jacobs, the 264 lbs battering ram; Ward, who was elusive and versatile; and Ahmad Bradshaw, a rookie that no one could catch up to late in games. The Giants' running game was better than ever in 2008, averaging 5.0 yards per carry.

LB Kawika Mitchell came in, played one year, won a Super Bowl and left for Buffalo via free agency. The Giants responded by signing former Jaguar Danny Clark in 2008, who has proved to be a positive influence and a steady performer. They also slipped overachieving reserve Chase Blackburn into the lineup, who has played with grit and heart, becoming a fan favorite.

TE Jeremy Shockey was a perennial Pro Bowler, but he was a selfish player and put himself before the team. His disruptive behavior, on and off the field was not befitting of the decorum being set by Reese and his staff.

The team won the Super Bowl without Shockey, who was out with a broken leg, and dealt him to New Orleans before the 2008 season. The move made sense since the team had a budding star at TE in Kevin Boss.

The great defensive end, Michael Strahan, decided to take his Super Bowl ring and call it quits last June. He passed the torch to not one, but four excellent defensive ends: Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka and Dave Tollefson. The first three players were drafted by Reese's predecessor—Ernie Accorsi—whose mantra was that "you can't have too many pass rushers."

The biggest conundrum that Reese has had to deal with is replacing Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer at wide receiver. Unless you've been living in a cave the past year, you know the Burress saga. Toomer was left unsigned after last season and finished his Giants career as the franchise's all-time leading receivers.

Every hack in America had a solution for Reese. He actually began to listen, but the void was so obvious that he knew action was needed. The Eagles had exposed them in the playoffs last January.

There were overtures that the Giants were going to make a trade for a Braylon Edwards or an Anquan Boldin. It didn't happen, and it appears that Reese's decision was the once again the best course of action (see below).

The NFL Draft

The 2007 draft saw the Giants select eight players. All of them are still with the team and most of them are on their way to becoming stars. CB Aaron Ross, S Michael Johnson, TE Kevin Boss and WR Steve Smith are starters.

LB Zak DeOssie is a Pro-Bowl special teamer. DT Jay Alford was an integral part of the DL rotation before blowing out his knee this summer. Ahmad Bradshaw is an electric runner and OG Adam Koets adds depth to the offensive line.

Since then, the Giants have had the luxury of drafting for the next season, and that is exactly how you create a dynasty. They are in the driver's seat when it comes to personnel right now.

Three of last season's draftees: S Kenny Phillips, CB Terrell Thomas and WR Mario Manningham are also starters. Phillips picked off Tony Romo twice Monday night. The 6'2" Thomas is a physical corner who has opened lots of eyes with his play. Manningham, along with Smith, are currently the NFL's top receiving tandem. LBs Bryan Kehl and Jonathan Goff add depth to the linebackers and are valuable ST players.

This year's draft has yet to yield any starters, and it remains to be seen whether WRs Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden, OT Will Beatty, LB Clint Sintim, RB Andre Brown and TE Travis Beckum turn out to be as productive as past draftees.

Notes

The void at wide receiver had been a priority all along. The Giants used a second rounder in '07 (Smith), a third rounder in '08 (Manningham) and a first and third rounder (Nicks and Barden) in '09. So far, so good.

Steve Smith should not be a surprise to anyone. Maybe its his name that confuses people and underestimates him by comparing him to his Carolina Panthers namesake.

In fact, Smith has always been a star. At USC, he was the Trojans' MVP in 2006. He played on the same offense as Heisman Trophy winners Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush. Smith ranks 5th all-time in receptions at USC, which for those of you don't know, is a storied program.

As a Giant, Smith has been nothing but clutch. He made key receptions for the Blue during their historic Super Bowl run in 2007. Since then, he has established himself as a quality receiver with great field sense and prolificacy.

Manningham should have been a rookie this season. He was drafted in '08 after his junior year at Michigan, where he was an explosive performer on an offense that bragged such stars as Chad Henne, Mike Hart and Jake Long.

When you look at the receiver class of '09 (Darrius Heyward-Bey, Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin, Percy Harvin, Hakeem Nicks, Kenny Britt, Brian Robiskie, Brandon Tate just to name a few), Manningham has the leg up.

Last year, he got acclimated to the league with no pressure on him. This season, he has been asked to step up and thus far, he has.

Super Mario Manningham Shows the New York Giants He Has Serious Game

John Fennelly — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:26:43 -0400

Had Mario Manningham stayed at the University of Michigan for his senior year, there is little doubt that he would have been taken in the first or second round of this year’s NFL Draft.

Instead, Manningham left Michigan after head coach Lloyd Carr retired in 2007, choosing to forego his final year of eligibility and try his luck in the NFL.

The New York Giants were looking for a young receiver to backfill the potential void that would be left by Amani Toomer, also a former Wolverine, who they did not plan to re-sign after the 2008 season.

Manningham fit the mold perfectly. After seeing him grab 72 receptions for 1,174 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior in 2007, Giants’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">the Giants selected Manningham in the third round of the 2008 draft, but soon would realize that the college wunderkind was still a bit green.

Before the draft, scouts had downgraded Manningham because he had failed several drug tests for marijuana and his reported Wonderlic score was 6 out 50. But in all actuality, he was just another kid and neither of those things kept the Giants from drafting him. He has been nothing but a hard worker and a team player since he arrived here.

The truth about the rookie wideout was that the explosiveness was there but his frame was slight and he could not tangle with with pro defensive backs the way he did on the collegiate level. He got touched up in training camp, which sent him to the bottom of the team’s depth chart.

The Giants didn’t really need Manningham to produce right out of the box. Toomer was still in front of him as was Plaxico Burress, Steve Smith and Sinorice Moss.

He was at least a year away.

That year is here. Manningham has become a favorite target of QB Eli Manning, working from the slot as well as the outside. The electricity he had in Ann Arbor is now being displayed in East Rutherford.

Yesterday, Super Mario was one of seven receivers that caught passes for the Giants, but it was his elusive 30-yard tap dance down the sideline for the team’s only offensive touchdown that had people talking.

The usually grounded Manning seemed excited about his newest weapon. “Mario did some real good things today. He’s got a lot of ability. That touchdown pass was all him. That’s what we need…our receivers to makes some plays, make guys miss and get some yards after the catch.”

Manningham downplayed his efforts. “I was trying not to run out of bounds. We work on that in practice. I’m just one receiver in our receiver corp. We all can make plays.”

Not like that. His moves may just be a preview to a long and productive career for the New York Football Giants.

Fatty's Iron-Clad NFL Picks for Week 1

John Fennelly — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 10:42:14 -0400

Yes, the ultimate guru is back!

The paunchy prognosticator is in the house to provide his followers with his uncanny ability to pick football games.

Last year, the obese oracle went 41-10 in the regular season, and an incredible 10-1 in the post-season. When he speaks (usually with his mouth full), you should pay attention.

Week One's Three Best Bets

SAINTS (-13) over Lions

The Lions didn't win a game last season. Odds are they'll win a few this year. This ain't one of them. The Saints and Drew Brees can score loads of points on anyone, period. Detroit's quest for a win will have to wait.

New Orleans will empty their guns on the improved Lions, who are starting a rookie at QB. This is a layup. If this were a boxing match, it would be like a heavyweight fighting a lightweight. Ugly. Lay that lumber.

Bears (+4) over PACKERS

Regardless of personnel, never lay more than three points in this rivalry. That being said, I am going to make a habit of taking points with Jay Cutler.

The Bears steamrolled Giants’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">the Giants' first-string defense in the pre-season. If they could do that, what are they going to do to Green Bay?

The Packers will need to score 30 points in this game to win. If you think they can do that, good for you. Hand over your money right now. This game is a take all the way.

BROWNS (+4) over Vikings

Everyone's taking the Vikings, which is good. Maybe the spread will climb to five. Under Brad Childress, the Twin City chokers have gone 4-7 in the month of September.

Now they go to Cleveland, outdoors on grass—not their best venue—going only 4-11 over the past three seasons on natural turf.

Still wanna lay the points? Go ahead. They may win, but not by four...

NFL Facts For The Incredibly Bored

John Fennelly — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:14:21 -0400

This is an article for you to just it back and enjoy. You won't have to lift a finger, or get emotional. Just comment with how much you enjoyed this and keep coming back every week for more.

Fact: The Miami Dolphins are the winning-est franchise in NFL history. They have a .583 won-loss percentage (380-272-4) from their inception in 1966 to the present. The Chicago Bears are second with a .579 percentage.

Fact: Howard Cosell was the most annoying announcer / personality ever to cover an NFL game on television. You can debate this if you like, but you'd be wasting your time. I enjoyed Cosell's use of vocabulary but it had no place in sports broadcasting.

Fact: The Chicago / St.Louis / Arizona Cadinals have lost 674 games, the most in NFL history. The Detroit Lions are second with 569 losses.

Fact: The New York Giants have never sent a pure wide receiver to the Pro Bowl. Frank Gifford was really a halfback and Homer Jones was a kick returner and flanker (don't get wise). David Tyree made the Pro Bowl as a special teamer.

Fact: Joe Montana, considered by many to be the greatest QB of all time, only threw more than 30 TDs in a single season one time in his career (31 in 1987). FYI, 1987 was a strike-shortened season. Montana only played in 13 games that year.

Fact: Since the NFL and AFL merged in 1970, the Pittsburgh Steelers have had only three head coaches: Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin. The New York Jets have had 15 coaches over that period and the L.A./ Oakland Raiders have had 12.

Fact: The New York Jets have not had consecutive double-digit win seasons since 1985-86 (11-5 in '85; 10-6 in '86), when Joe Walton was the head coach.

Fact: Tony Romo is tied with Peyton Manning for second all-time in passer rating (94.7). Steve Young is first with a rating of 96.8. So, why does everyone think he stinks? Picky, picky...

Fact: Only three teams have failed to qualify in the post season in the new millennium: The Buffalo Bills, the Detroit Lions and the Houston Texans. The Texans have a partial excuse. They've only been in the league since 2002.

Fact: Bill Parcells' real name is Duane Charles Parcells. He adopted the name Bill in high school because he was always confused with another student whose name was Bill. He played linebacker at Wichita State University and was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the seventh round of the 1964 NFL Draft. He was cut before the season started and never played a down in the NFL.

That's it for this week. Enjoy the games..

How Technology Has Changed the NFL Experience

John Fennelly — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:33:39 -0400

Let me premise this piece by stating that I am considered "old-school" when it comes to the NFL. Let me also state that I possess a 21st century B.A. in media studies. I know a few things about a few things...

I loved the way the NFL used to taste, smell, feel, and sound. I loved the sound of voices such as Pat Summerall, Marty Glickman, Ray Scott, Charlie Jones, and Curt Gowdy. I loved the way the game was played over makeshift fields in baseball stadiums.

I loved the smell of the cigars and stale beer in the old Yankee Stadium. A time when the Rams wore blue and white, the Cardinals were in St. Louis, and coaches had names like Landry, Lombardi, Brown, Ewbank, Grant, Shula, and Allen.

Those days are long gone, distant memories of my boyhood. The league has come a long way since then and brought technology along for the ride. Some people my age (49) have ridden it out. Others cherry-pick what they can still relate to and follow the game in a tertiary manner.

Technology has affected the NFL just as it has the other aspects of American life. No longer do we need to be present to be accounted for. We can all meet in McLuhan's "global village," the barber shop and corner bar of the new millennium. You know it as the Internet.

I am one of the few from my generation that has navigated through the changes, mainly because I saw most of them coming. In fact, I was one of the drivers of that change. I have a Shelley-esque sentiment about that. The monster I help create is now roaming through the countryside and its taking no prisoners.

Here's a short list of items that many of you take for granted or do not even realize that they have occurred or are occurring:

1. Fantasy Football

In the beginning, it was pockets of a dozen guys or so in garages, conference rooms, backrooms of bars, Joe's basement, etc. Now it's a massive online enterprise with collective revenues in the hundreds of millions.

Everyone's got a team or a part of a team. Many are learning about football through fantasy leagues or other gambling-type games. The fantasy mentality has crept into the mainstream football train of thought. Football "experts" these days are nothing but stat regurgitators—fantasy players who hold yards and points in a higher regard than a team's victories.

That's dangerous. Although I was integral in popularizing fantasy football and defining its rules, I never mistook it for the actual game itself. Football is still a game of big, strong, fast men colliding with each other at high speeds. Fantasy players tend to forget this "hat-on-hat" aspect of the game.

That is why when "unsexy" teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants win the Super Bowl, fantasy fanatics are shocked. They wonder how those teams were able to beat statistical darlings such as Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Kurt Warner, and Larry Fitzgerald.

2. Blogs

No one has been contributing to as many blogs as I have been for the past decade, especially when it comes to Giants’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">the Giants. In culling the major blogs around the net, I uncovered a startling fact.

Many Giants bloggers are not in the NY-Metro area. Some of them have never even been to a Giants home game.

This is not just happening in New York. It's everywhere. Blogs are a good source for stories, op-eds, and sometimes even facts. You no longer have to be in the proximity of a team to become a reporter or columnist.

3. Online Ticket Brokers

There was a time when only the vigilant would go to the games. They had to be vigilant just to score tickets. Season tickets, before they became outrageously priced, were the hardest things to get here in New York for the past several decades.

Now with the new stadium on the horizon, many of those season ticket holders have been priced out. You can go to any game you want here, providing you have the scratch.

But it's the current state of football tickets that is an even more interesting story.

Season ticket holders are being permitted to resell their tickets through secondary markets on the Internet. This is a great opportunity for non-ticket holders to finally get to go to some games.

All of this takes place on the Internet. Season ticket holders put their tickets up for sale in an online auction, hoping to recoup some of the high costs they inherently incur for maintaining the privilege of having an account with the team.

The downside is simple. Anyone can buy the tickets. Last year, many cash-strapped Giants fans re-marketed their tickets for the playoff game vs Philadelphia’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">Philadelphia. The result? Thousands of Eagles fans scarfed them up, changing the dynamic of the stadium.

That is happening everywhere. The dyed-in-the-wool fans are not going to the games anymore. Instead, they sell their tickets to the highest bidders, who are usually fans of the opponent or business-types from out of town.

4. Cable/Satellite Television and Radio

When is enough enough? I say that every day when I turn on my TV. There is just too much of everything on television these days. Now, if you miss a program, you can retrieve it through either DVR, VOD, or TiVO.

One of the genres that has gotten supersaturated through the excessive medium of television is sports. Almost every college basketball and football game is televised these days. Every NFL game can be had for a price as well.

Not only are all the games accessible, but so is all the conjecture, analysis, prognostication, etc.

It's simply overkill. There comes a point where it just gets to be too much. Brett Favre, Michael Vick, Plaxico Burress. It's overboard. I'm sure the guy who cures AIDS or cancer won't get this much exposure. It's no wonder the Chinese are beating us to everything that matters these days...

John Fennelly is the founder of blogNYG.com, the fastest-growing blog in the NFL.

Giants Poised To Surprise Opponents Through the Air

John Fennelly — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 08:08:07 -0400

"Fasten Your Seatbelt" Sign Officially On

The biggest question going into this season was "Can Giants’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">the Giants' put some mojo back in to their passing attack?" That question, of course, was prompted by the glaring hole left in the offense by the untimely departure of Plaxico Burress.

The last time we saw the Giants' passing game in action, they looked feeble, small and weak. QB Eli Manning looked lost. The powerful Giants, who were on their way back to the Super Bowl, were sent packing by the Eagles who played full tilt in the absence of Burress, who they could never solve.

The mismatches that made the Giants so difficult for the Eagles to prepare for were no longer. TE Jeremy Shockey, who played Moby Dick to Eagle safety Brian Dawkins' Ahab, had been traded before the season. Burress' "accident" got him suspended and subsequently jailed. He regularly roamed through the Eagles' height-challenged secondary with impunity.

Teams had to make a choice on who they wanted to cover: Shockey, Burress or the ground game. By last January, those choices were down to one, and it was the easiest of the three for Philadelphia to handle. The Giants crashed back to Earth.

In the offseason, GM Jerry Reese fended off the temptation of trading for an established No. 1 wideout, even though it would have been a welcome move. The price for such players as Braylon Edwards, Anquan Boldin and Brandon Marshall’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">Brandon Marshall was simply too high for the fiduciary-minded Reese.

"There are other ways to win games." he said in grounded fashion.

Instead, he rolled the dice in the NFL Draft and took three very interesting and intriguing athletes to augment the passing attack.

The first round pick was a no-brainer. North Carolina WR Hakeem Nicks is an acrobatic receiver with tons of potential. He reminds viewers of former Dallas Cowboys great Michael Irvin. Reese snatched him up with the 29th overall selection.

Later on, in Round Three, he grabbed Cal Poly's 6'6" Ramses Barden and Wisconsin TE Travis Beckum. Barden would hopefully fill in some of the void left by Burress while Beckum would add another big, versatile body to send into enemy territory.

So far, Reese's vigilance is paying off. Nicks led the NFL in receiving yards this preseason. He also showed the propensity to make big plays with his steely concentration and sticky hands.

Beckum and Barden are still finding their way around the Giants' offense. Barden is physically imposing, but has yet to translate that size to his advantage in an actual game. It will come. Beckum is foolishly being tinkered with at the H-back position, a formation the club did not have in its playbook before drafting him.

It's only a matter of time before these two join Nicks as playmakers.

These three join five returning players (Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, Mario Manningham, Sinorice Moss and Derek Hagen) to form a unit that no one is harboring any respect for.

The starters, for now, are Hixon and Smith, with Kevin Boss as the tight end. They are starting because that is where the club left off in January. By this January, the picture promises to be much different.

Nicks will be a starter, and soon, the way he is progressing. Moss can get deep much like his famous sibling, Santana, the Redskins' Pro-Bowler. Manningham has been getting a lot of first-looks from QB Eli Manning. Smith is a reliable player with excellent field sense. Hixon and Hagen are on the roster mainly because they showed grit on special teams. Don't be fooled—they can catch passes, too.

This diverse group may just be the best receiving unit the Giants have had in the past half-century. Teams that underestimate them may find themselves down by two or three touchdowns in the first half. It's very possible.

The Eagles, the team that usually vexes the Giants in big games, will once again stack the box with nine players, throttling the run and daring Manning to beat them with his new crop of receivers.

This time, we're betting he will.

John Fennelly is the founder/publisher of blogNYG.com, the largest fan-based Giants' blog on the Internet.

2009 New York Giants Roster Analysis

John Fennelly — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 11:35:16 -0400

Yesterday the final cuts came down and there were few surprises. Giants’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">The Giants are sticking to the old NFC East credo that you win games in the trenches.

They retained 19 lineman—10 on offense and nine on defense. The composition of the roster is heavy some areas and light in others. But that is always subject to change.

A quick breakdown...

Offense (26)

Quarterbacks (2) - Eli Manning’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">Eli Manning and David Carr

Carr may as well come to the games in his pajamas. Eli has not missed a game in his career, which began here in 2004. George W. Bush was still in is first term as President. Carr will only see action in mop-up situations. A third QB will be added to the practice squad, most likely it will be one of the two players that were cut yesterday (Andre Woodson or Rhett Bomar).

Running Backs (3) - Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw and Danny Ware

This would have been a quartet had rookie Andre Brown not tore his Achilles. Jacobs will open games and the other two will get carries as well. The system has worked well in prior years. Last season the backs averaged 5.0 yards a carry. Most teams would kill to have that kind of production. The only drawback is that the unit is too thin. If one of these players gets banged up or injured....well, let's cross that bridge if we get there....

Fullback (1) - Madison Hedgecock

Some teams have more than one. The Giants need only Hedgecock, who is a guard masquerading in a running back's jersey. He is a devastating blocker that opponents actually fear. His only weakness are his hands. If he could catch the ball a little better, the Giants would have yet another weapon in their arsenal.

Tight Ends (3) - Kevin Boss, Travis Beckum and Darcy Johnson

Boss is on the verge of becoming a star. Beckum is somewhat of an enigma. They might use him as an H-back, but they would have to take Hedgecock off the field to do that, so it's like robbing Peter to pay Paul. Johnson beat out Michael Matthews. Neither will take you to the promised land, but Johnson has more upside as a receiver.

Wide Receivers (7) - Domenik Hixon, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Sinorice Moss, Hakeem Nicks, Ramses Barden and Derek Hagan

The group is a very capable one. No one wants to openly say it, but Nicks will be the first Giants' wide receiver to make the Pro Bowl in the post-merger era. He can just flat-out make defenses look foolish. He plays like Michael Irvin and he just may become as productive. The more we see of him, the more we like.

The rest of the wide outs are all serviceable and almost interchangeable (except Barden.. we have yet to see him use his 6'6" frame to his advantage).

That's both good and bad. Good because you can rely on all to make plays and doesn't allow opposing defenses to prepare for one or two players. It's bad because they still get no respect and they must earn that early on in the season.

Offensive Line (10) - Shaun O'Hara, Chris Snee, Rich Seubert, Kareem McKenzie, David Diehl, Kevin Boothe, Tutan Reyes, Guy Whimper, Adam Koets and Will Beatty

This unit has been nicked up all summer, that's why they go ten-deep. When healthy, they are among the league's best. There is a fear they are breaking down, though. There's no depth at center and the seconds are nothing to write home about. Rookie William Beatty is learning fast, so hopefully he can lend some relief, if needed.

Special Teams (2) - Jeff Feagles, punter and Lawrence Tynes, kicker

Feagles may beat Ray Guy to Canton as the first punter ever elected to the Hall of Fame. He's been playing in the NFL since Tom Coughlin had dark hair. He remains the master of punt placement. Tynes is still way too inconsistent. He can kick with anyone. He can miss with anyone, too.

Defense (25)

Linebackers (8) - Antonio Pierce, Danny Clark, Chase Blackburn, Gerris Wilkinson, Clint Sintim, Zak DeOssie, Jonathan Goff and Bryan Kehl

Everyone of these guys can play. DeOssie is really a special teamer, with his specialty being a long snapper. Pierce is fully focused and is ready for a big season. Danny Clark will start at SAM for now and Bryan Kehl is the WILL until Michael Boley can get back up to speed (week two and beyond). Goff, Wilkinson, and Blackburn are solid backups. The rookie Sintim is a very interesting prospect with a knack for rushing the passer.

Defensive Line (9) - Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Fred Robbins, Barry Cofield, Mathias Kiwanuka, Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard, Dave Tollefson and Leger Douzable

Tuck and Umenyiora are Hawaii-caliber ends. They've both been to Pro Bowls. Tackles Robbins and Cofield are coming off surgeries, which led to the signings of Canty and Bernard. All four are a go for opening day. Kiwanuka and Tollefson provide excellent depth at end. Douzable played well in preseason, but he may be the player cut to make room for Boley in Week Two.

Safeties (3) - Kenny Phillips, Michael Jonson and C.C. Brown

Have to question the depth of the unit, especially since Phillips sat out several preseason games with a knee. Johnson has just been solid since they day he got here in 2007. Brown was signed as a free-agent from Houston and has been nothing special as of yet. This is one of those thin groups I alluded to earlier.

Cornerbacks (5)- Corey Webster, Aaron Ross,Kevin Dockery, Terrell Thomas and Bruce Johnson

All five are excellent players, but Ross is still battling with that hamstring. Webster has become a fine pro. Thomas is the guy who really brings this unit together. Dockery is small, but a real playmaker. Johnson is a free-agent rookie who will see playing time in certain packages.

John Fennelly is the founder/publisher of blogNYG.com

NY Giants Get Down to 53: Cuts Include Super Bowl XLII Hero David Tyree

John Fennelly — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 14:31:43 -0400

Super Bowl XLII hero David Tyree's greatest game as Giants’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">a Giant turned out to be his last.

The 29-year-old former Pro Bowler was released by the Giants today as they cut their roster down to the mandatory 53 players. Tyree will always be remembered for his legendary catch in the Super Bowl and his tenacious special teams play.

It is being reported that there are multiple teams seeking Tyree's services, even though he hasn't played much this summer due to a sore hamstring. Tyree spent all of 2008 season on injured reserve with a knee injury.

The team shed themselves of a total of 20 players today. One of the 20 players waived was surprisingly reported to be TE Michael Matthews.

Matthews had been considered a lock to make the roster as the third TE behind Kevin Boss and rookie Travis Beckum. Instead, the Giants kept Darcy Johnson, who has more upside as a receiver.

The Giants sensing Mathews was too good to cut, decided to trade him instead - to New England for a conditional draft pick.

The other players waived were: QBs Andre’ Woodson and Rhett Bomar, DE Maurice Evans, CB DeAndre Wright, OL Cliff Louis, LB Kenny Ingram, DT Jeremy Clark, S Travonti Johnson, S Sha'reff Rashad, DE Robert Henderson, DT Orrin Thompson, S Vince Anderson, DT Anthony Bryant, WR Shaun Bodiford, DL Tommie Hill, RB Allen Patrick, OL Terrance Pennington, and FB Dwayne Wright.

Some of the players that were waived could get re-signed to the practice squad, providing they clear waivers.

For the first time, the Giants have cut players drafted by GM Jerry Reese. Interestingly enough, all eight players he selected in the 2007 draft are still on the roster. Five of the seven he drafted in 2008 are still here as well.

The final three selections in this draft (Rhett Bomar, DeAndre Wright, and Stoney Woodson) were all cut, but that doesn't mean Reese didn't have any "finds."

The Giants will start the season with six rookies rookies on their roster: WRs Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden; LB Clint Sintim, TE Travis Beckum, OT Will Beatty, and undrafted free agent CB Bruce Johnson.

A Note To NY Mets Fans: We've Been Here Before

John Fennelly — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:04:18 -0400

If you think the ownership of the Mets id bad now, think back to to when Mrs. Payson passed away and M. Donald Grant took over the team in the mid-1970's.

After Gil Hodges died in 1972, the organization went downhill. Read some of the comments we culled from the Mets Ultimate Database:

Charlie
March 18, 2005
Don't get me started...

I'm happy as long as this man remains dead.

Jonathan Stern
March 21, 2005
The man was dead on in his predictions about the long-term effects of free agency on baseball and his decision to aggressively fight that trend was in some respects admirable. But did he really have to be that much of an ogre?

On his way out the Mets' door, he told the reporters, "You will come to my grave and look down at me, and say 'You were right.'" In light of what was written above, imagine Grant miraculously raised from the dead. Would you want to tell the man who fought free agency by destroying Tom Seaver that he was right?

Mike
March 26, 2005
While Grant certainly foresaw the worst in free agency, he also saw players as indentured servants, making him a dinosaur. And by refusing to adjust to the changing economics of baseball, he along with the DeRoulets turned the Mets into a barren wasteland in the late seventies with little relevance other than being other team's punching bags. Could you imagine how vilified he would be today if the ran the organization the same way?

original mets
May 25, 2005
There were many things, all bad that I recall about M. Donald Grant. One was that Mrs. Payson listened to him all the time re baseball decisions. Another thing was that whenever he spoke he always referred to "our fans", and "our fans" hated him. I will never forget the day a fan brought a placard in to Shea (around 1965) and it read "GRANTS TOMB"; of course the placard was destroyed. As far as I am concerned Mr. Grant, a Canadian I might mention, was responsible for the departure of 1) Whitey Herzog 2) Bing Devine because of his interference with baseball matters and of course 3) George Thomas Seaver because he was too cheap to pay him. When the De Roulets sold the team it was a great day day for the Mets because Grant was no longer in power.

Josh
July 5, 2005
I'll never forget M. Donald Grant. One can never forget a root canal either. The Mets of Grant made many of the worst moves ever. Among others - the Seaver and Dave Kingman trades; Nolan Ryan for Jim Fregosi; Amos Otis for Joe Foy; and using the first pick of the 1967 amateur draft to choose catcher Steve Chilcott instead of Reggie Jackson. Grant was a major league cheapskate, and when the Mets were sold in 1980, Met fans celebrated like they'd just won the World Series. R.I.P. Mr. Grant. Met fans won't miss you.

Stan
July 18, 2005
Josh, you are so right about Mr. Grant being like root canal and he was a huge cheapskate. However, just a few points, he didn't have anything to do with Nolan Ryan for Jim Fregosi. Ryan was inconsistant before he was traded, wild and not very dependable. He had a world of potential but then again so did Hank Webb. As for Joe Foy for Amos Otis, again he had nothing to do with it. That was the product of Gil Hodges who hated Otis (he wanted Amos to be an infielder). Also, Steve Chilcott was drafted ahead of Reggie was not the result of Grant, but more of a real (stupid) conservative thought process.

Gary Seven
August 15, 2005
While one of nine members of the New York Giants Board of Directors in 1957, M. Donald Grant was the only one to vote to keep the Giants in New York.

Michael
September 3, 2005
M. Donald Grant may have been the only NY Giants board member who voted (on behalf of Mrs. Payson) to keep the Giants in New York, but a lot of Mets fans may or may not have remembered is that in the late 1970s, he also spearheaded the vote to move the Mets to Washington, D.C. if New York was awarded the 1984 Olympics.

Genius
September 24, 2005
We'd have been better off with Mickey and Donald than with M. Donald. All those years of humiliation at the hands of Yankee fans, courtesy of M. Donald. To think that he put the expression "Met Family" in many a Mets yearbook makes me want to puke. A real victim of M. Donald's cheapness is Jerry Koosman, one of my favorites, who went out there and gave it 200+ innings for many years and ended up with some lousy W-L records thanks to no run support.

paktype
October 13, 2005
Love him or hate him, Grant was right when he said in 1979 that free agency would ruin baseball.

metsfanforlife
November 6, 2005
This man was not beloved by Met fans, to say the least. I will never, ever forgive him for two things:

1) Trading Tom Seaver. Unconscionable! How do you trade your best player, the one who brought respect to the franchise? the one who fans came to see every time he pitched?

2) Humiliating Cleon Jones (one of my favorite Mets). For that episode alone, Grant should be cleaning toilets in hell for all eternity. That could have, and should have been handled privately, out of respect for all involved and the fans as well.

I remember going to a Banner Day in the late 70s. Two rough looking guys next to us had a huge banner. It was dark and had gravestones on it and it read "Grant's Tomb." Probably why they don't have Banner Day anymore!

Hate to speak ill of the dead, but he was a mean old bustard.

Buddy
November 6, 2005
Count me down as not liking him. But I think his comment about free agency ruining the game shows just how little he knew about the game. By all accounts baseball is breathing and more alive then ever!

Putbeds 1986
January 15, 2006
I was in Florida on that Turkey Day weekend when M. Donald bought the farm and it was a blurb in the sports section of the Ft. Lauderdal Sun-Sentinel; he died a week after a beloved aunt passed away. I cried when she died but I didn't cry one damn bit when M. Donald died. Him and that crusty Dick Young got rid of Seaver (Enough Said). And he was a racist jerk too. He loved to use the word "boy" around black people in the 60's and 70's. Let a Caucasian owner try doing that in 2006!

FannySlap
July 27, 2006
What do you say about a man that traded away your FAVORITE Met of ALL-TIME? I remember the morning after he was traded. I was nine-years old with tears running down my face and having my dad try to explain 'contract dispute' to me.

M. Donald Grant didn't give a tinker's damn about the fans. He traded Tom Seaver away to try and prove some stupid point. I hated the man then and even as old as I am now, I STILL hate him. I'm not sorry he's gone. Bitter? Oh, a tad.

Tony
September 15, 2006
Mr. Grant should not have let the greatest pitcher in the history of the Mets, perhaps the greatest pitcher of the modern era after Koufax go like that. It is just so hard to believe. If Seaver would have stayed then, he would be our pitching coach right now.

IntroMET
October 1, 2006
This man will always be remembered for the trade of Tom Seaver, but he did more than that. He prevented the Mets from becoming a more successful team. He didn't promote Whitey Herzog to GM when he had the chance, instead giving the job to a guy who didn't even want it. He wouldn't accept the fact that free agency was a reality in baseball (he could have signed a few good ones) and his crass attitude alienated the players and others in the organization. The ball club would have been in more October games if he didn't create such a dark atmosphere around it with his arrogance.

He also hurt the New York sports scene by keeping the Jets from playing at Shea Stadium in September every year. This served as the initial step in the Jets' eventual move to New Jersey. If the Jets don't get their own stadium in New York and wind up relocating to another city, don't blame their owner. It would be a result of the egotism of M. Donald Grant.

Steve
December 22, 2006
Whitey Herzog once told Grant to his face that he "didn't know beans about baseball." Herzog knew the personnel in the entire organization better than anyone else and would have a perfect fit as GM or even field manager.

Had Hodges remained alive, there's no way the Mets would have tanked the way they did in the late 70s. He was such a tower of strength that Grant never questioned any of Gil's moves.

Grant served as a textbook example of how to run a franchise into the ground.

Alan
December 30, 2006
M Donald Grant was a snooty WASP who didn't care for the common folk. In my mind he is not only responsible for the "Massacre" of trading Tom Seaver away but not caring about anyone but himself.

From June of 1972 until July of 1974 I worked for a CPA firm, then located on the 23rd Floor of 37 Wall Street, which is now a residential condominium. Prior to my arrival the building was acquired by a bank and where the floors matched up the walls were broken through. The bank elimiated any express elevators and only about 3 times in the four years did I ever catch a non-stop trip.

On part of our floor and on the complete 24th Floor was a small brokerage firm owned by "The first Donald". His employees were subjected to the same frustations with the elevators. Obviously it must have been beneath him to come to the office. If he had and been subjected to all the stops, I'm sure that one call to the bank would have changed their policies.

Doug
May 8, 2007
The words "racist codger" come immediately to mind.

Michael
July 17, 2007
M. Donald Grant was my grandfather. He was a wonderful man who grew up in a very conservative time. He loved his family, he loved the New York Mets and he loved the fans. No matter what any reported or bitter account tells you this is the truth. Agree with his policies or don't agree with his policies. Play Monday morning quarterback with his trade decisions, he may have been wrong but he thought, truly, what he was doing was best for the team.

Please don't make it personal, you didn't know the man and everything you read isn't always true.

And Seaver was just as much a villain in that situation than everyone else. But I don't want to get started on that.

Bill T
July 17, 2007
M. Donald Grant was ultimately too stubborn, limited in his thinking, and a failure in his leadership of the Mets. First, you don't exactly have to be clairvoyant to see the long term effects on free agency. However, Grant's stubbornness missed a great opportunity. The New York market gave him an enormous competitive advantage. He had the chance to greatly improve the product he put on the field, build a competitive team, and increase revenues and the value of the team. Instead, he ran the team into the ground. His tenure and "vision" was a failure.

agee_of_aquarius
July 26, 2007
Don't get me wrong—Grant should have stepped in and prevented Joe McDonald from trading Seaver—but when you consider where Grant came from (basically a self-made millionaire, not from a rich background, and steeped in Depression-era ideals), the idea of a someone demanding to renegotiate his contract was unthinkable.

Seaver demanded the trade (it was not forced on him) when he felt that Daily News writer Dick Young overstepped boundaries and personally attacked him. Young had written that Seaver (and Seaver's wife Nancy) was jealous of Nolan Ryan's contract with the Angels. Of course, this was probably true. Seaver knew he was underpaid, and rightly complained. Grant was from another era, and rightly resisted. It was an unavoidable situation, unless Grant had some magical ability to transcend it and work out an agreement. He couldn't. C'est la vie!

JFK
July 26, 2007
In an article of the 30th anniversary of the "Midnight Massacre" Seaver revealed some tidbits that no one knew about Grant.

Grant called Seaver a communist because Seaver was a union rep. Now that is ironic—here are players trying to do away with the indentured servitude of baseball to install a free market society.

Grant also attacked Seaver after Seaver joined the Greenwich Country Club, claiming that Seaver was not worthy of such status because he was a ball player and not blue blood.

Alan
August 5, 2007
Sorry, Mr. Warner (Grant's grandson), I myself have heard nothing good of your grandfather. I have two first hand accounts from people who had been associated with him. The first, from a former Met great, who I have had business dealings in the past. And, from a upper echelon Anglo-Saxon employee at your grandad's Investment Banking firm. For reasons of privacy, I will not reveal the miserable stories of a miserable man. Besides running the Mets into the ground, he was keen on moving the club to Washington and breaking the hearts of Mets fans a second time. He was also a snob and a racist. Every time I think of Grant, I thank God for the Wilpon family. M.Donald Grant, Mach Shemo. Thats Hebrew for "May his name be erased".

Dan Gurney
September 28, 2007
Donald Grant was not a man who should have been running a baseball franchise. He did good things occasionally such as asking Bing Devine to interview Gil Hodges and if he liked him, he would arrange a trade with the Senators for him. But too many decisions went wrong: not hiring Herzog as GM or manager, not building up the team with Latin players as the Pirates were doing, ignoring free agency, humiliating Cleon Jones in public.

Long Time Mets Fan
February 3, 2008
Lets face it. You didn't exactly have to be a rocket scientist to figure out the long term effects of free agency. There were a lot of people making the same predictions as Grant. He was a small market mind with a big market team and, given the resources he had with the large New York market, he failed miserably.

He had an opportunity to make something great (or since it's the Mets, Amazing), and he blew it. The Yanks dove into the free agent market to put the best product they could on the field, and came out of it with multiple championships and increased revenue and value for the franchise. Grant took the opposite approach, traded the face of the franchise for little in return, did not go after free agents (i.e., invest in his product) and set the Mets on a course where they would have 7 losing seasons in a row, compiling a 434 - 641 record in that span with two 5th place finishes, and five 6th place finishes.

So congratulations M. Donald, like countless others, you saw that free agency would EVENTUALLY lead to a huge problem, but you failed to see that you could benefit enormously from that problem, failed to utilize your huge economic advantage, and failed in your job with the Mets. In the process, you completed a transaction that fans view with disdain over 30 years later while the team compiled a huge losing record for nearly a decade in the process. Some legacy!

Joseph Levy
February 9, 2008
M. Donald Grant ruined the Mets. His trading away Tom Seaver, a future Hall of Famer, for Pat Zachry, Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson and Dan Norman in and of itself qualifies him for the Hall of Shame. Besides this, he always thought he knew how to run a ball club better than the people around him, and when given the chance, hired sycophants as General Managers. He could not accept criticism of any kind. He could not understand that building a winner involves spending the money, not cutting corners.

Robert Fenton
November 7, 2008
I was his boat captain in 1973. I had just graduated from college. He was an interesting guy, old school for sure. He loved his gimlets and enjoyed a frequent hot dog and didn't socialize with players. He was fair as an employer although he did consider himself a blue blood and made it clear where you stood. Charlie (his chauffeur) and I certainly knew our places but he wasn't abusive. He couldn't help himself and I believe he meant well. He had lots of weird quirks but who doesn't? I think fondly of those times where he took guests out to dinner on his yacht. He loved to take short boat rides from Cedarhurst to his favorite lobster restaurant on Reynolds Channel where he at times invited me in and made me eat lobster (I had never had it before). I went to about 40 games that year and could have gone to them all. My memories are good and although I understand how many could think of him in a different light, I feel he was a tough old bird from a different age.

Mark31656
May 15, 2009
Ugh, what a nightmare.

Eagles May Have Unplanned QB Controversy On Their Hands

John Fennelly — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:13:14 -0400

Porch is Only Big Enough For One Dog

From the day the announcement was made by the Philadelphia Eagles that they had signed Michael Vick, I smelled smoke. The smoke of a slow-burning fire that may end up spreading out of control.

Whether the Eagles or their fans want to believe it or not, they have awakened the proverbial sleeping dog (pun intended).

They have a QB controversy in the making. Andy Reid tells us that Vick and Donovan McNabb will both see action. He claims that Vick opens up his offense to all types of possibilities.

Reid also tells us that McNabb is his starter and there is no room for negotiation on the issue.

He's right in both cases. Vick does bring an unquantifiable dimension to his club and McNabb is a franchise quarterback with a long record of successes.

But what Reid is not letting the public know is that he is walking on ice in this situation. This isn't Montana-Young or Bledsoe-Brady. These are two proud players in their primes.

McNabb was booed during last night's preseason game vs the Jaguars, a regular occurence since he became an Eagle in 1999. Vick came in the game and gave the crowd a glimpse of what he could still do on the football field.

Immediately, the synapses snapped into place. I asked myself, "What happens if McNabb lays an egg? Will Reid go to Vick right away?" Then I wondered, "How long before the controversy starts?"

Answer: it started already.

I knew once Vick got blood in his mouth again, he'd want more. He's a former superstar who once had the game's biggest contract. He's not going to be content on the sidelines for very long.

McNabb has a tendency to have some really bad games; some inconsistent games. Philly fans do not have the patience for that any longer. They will call for Vick and they will call for him loudly.

You can have running backs by committee, defensive line rotations, etc., but quarterback is not a platoon-able position on a football team. The Eagles are under the illusion that it is.

Andy Reid is about to fall through the ice.

Giants Football Reporter Becomes Latest Casualty Of Media Convergence

John Fennelly — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:49:59 -0400

Ernie Palladino Is Without A Home After 33 Years

Those of us who have joined the sports reporting arena in the last decade saw the writing on the wall. Others, who worked in the print media were slow to adapt to the transition of media forms from hard copy to electronic.

I'm not saying Ernie was one of them. He did have a blog and he did use Twitter. His employer, The Journal News - a fixture in the Lower Hudson Valley, is experiencing what many print-centric news providers (newspapers) are these days: dwindling circulation, reduced advertising revenue and massive layoffs.

Ernie was let go by the Journal News this week. That means he won't be at Giants Stadium this year and he won't be providing that veteran insight that we have all come to know and love.

Perhaps he will catch on somewhere else. Maybe some of these excessed sportswriters can work for Bleacher Report in some capacity. Then again, maybe its time for sports journalism to keep moving forward.

That's too bad - for everyone.

As one of the internet's senior blog/writers, I find that the old-school reporters are still the best. They know how to get the story, get it straight, frame it and produce it in a matter of minutes.

Most web 'journalists' simply don't have the background. Everything is done remotely and the stories are usually second-hand accounts. Sure there are reporters who work strictly for the web, but there are few readers who have the ability to separate the seasoned reporters from the 13-year-old bloggers anymore.

You can thank social media and open-source for that. It has its positives but its negatives are far worse.

The internet reader is more likely to read a piece based on conjecture then they are to read one based in fact. Its the just the lay of the land.

I would like to see more veterans on sites like Bleacher Report to help raise the bar on web reporting.

John Fennelly is the founder/publisher of blogNYG.com, New York's fastest-growing fan-based blog.

For a Team as Good as the New York Giants, Only the Bad News Makes Headlines

John Fennelly — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:24:48 -0400

For teams as talented as the Giants, the only news that can make headlines is bad news.

It is only natural for the media to try to expose the negatives of something publicly deemed as positive. In the Giants’ case, every injury, every dropped pass, every little failure has been exemplified and magnified to the 10th power.

Blogs, talking heads, pundits and beat reporters are all looking for an angle. It’s a very competitive business.

We realize that we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that the Giants’ corps of young receivers has not distinguished themselves. We are also under no illusions that injuries have not, and will not hurt this team.

That being said, the Giants are still a powerhouse in the NFC. They were 12-4 in 2008 and this year’s roster is definitely deeper.

Their offensive line is still one of the best. Their running attack, tops in the league in 2008, may be better than ever.

They have Eli Manning, who despite his detractors, IS a franchise quarterback. They also have Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Antonio Pierce, Chris Snee, Shaun O'Hara, and Jeff Feagles. All Pro Bowlers.

They have young bucks coming up through the ranks who show enormous promise: Kenny Phillips, Mathias Kiwanuka, Mario Manningham, Clint Sintim, and Bryan Kehl.

They have Kevin Boss.

So, they have a few injuries, big deal. Didn’t they win the Super Bowl without Tiki Barber and Jeremy Shockey?

Don’t read too much into the negatives, Giant fans. The positives are too great to ignore.

New York Giants: Tuesday Morning News and Notes

John Fennelly — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:03:07 -0400

Are Giants’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">The Giants Leaving U Albany?

The Giants will break camp today in Albany. Although they set a single-summer attendance record, they may opt not to return.

One of the possibilities is the new Timex Performance Center across from Giants’ Stadium, but co-owner John Mara did not rule out a return to Albany or perhaps “another destination.”

The Giants have held their training camp at the University of Albany for the past 14 summers.

Carr Falling Into Old Habits

QB coach Chris Palmer and Head Coach Tom Coughlin are concerned that David Carr is regressing back to his old form. You remember, the one that made him skittish and ineffective in his days in Houston? Palmer used a horse analogy when describing the action plan.

“We’re in the process of retraining him” said Palmer.

Injury News

DT Chris Canty is in New York to have his torn hamstring evaluated. He could be headed to IR.

CB Aaron Ross practiced lightly. He has missed both preseason games thus far with a sore hamstring.

DT Jay Alford is on a two-week medical watch. Doctors have stabilized his knee in hopes of saving him from the knife. No decision on his status will be made until the brace is removed.

OGs Chris Snee and Rich Seubert both practiced and may see action vs the Jets.

OLB Michael Boley (hip) is still relegated to individual workouts, but his progress has seemed to please Coughlin (”He’s looking better”).

John Fennelly is the founder / publisher of blogNYG.com, the fastest-growing blog in NY sports.

Mets Nightmare Season Continues

John Fennelly — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:31:23 -0400

Please Stop, We Can't Take Anymore

Just when you think the Mets' 2009 season had reached its nadir, hang on because the bottom is deeper than we thought.

No, I'm not speaking about the unassisted triple play that ended yesterday's 9-7 loss to Philadelphia. I'm speaking of the latest medical report from the front line in Flushing.

Johan Santana will miss at least his next start with elbow pain. Yikes! The Mets will take extra precautions with Santana, so don't be shocked if they place him on the DL.

The rotation is a mess with Santana. If he misses two weeks or more, things will be uglier than they are now, if that's even possible.

To add injury to insult, the Mets found out that OF Jeff Francouer has a torn ligament in his left thumb and is day-to-day. Translation: See you in 2010, Jeff. That's a six-week injury and we're almost into September.

Francouer was one of the few Met players that could hit a home run at Citi Field. David Wright might make it back on Sept. 1st, but nothing has been said either way if that will happen.

I've been watching baseball for over 40 years and I've never seen anything like this Mets team. It is unfathomable to have all of your stars on the disabled list for long stretches simultaneously.

Its as if the team plane went down. All that's left are the batboys and the kids that shoot those cheap t-shirts into the stands between innings.

If I were K-Rod, I would put myself in a glass case between games until this injury bug leaves town.

Tom Coughlin Warns Giants To Ignore the Hype

John Fennelly — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:34:26 -0400

Tom Coughlin stood before the media yesterday reminding us that regardless of what is written and said, his team has yet to prove themselves on the field.

He was referring to the depth of the defensive line, of course, the unit that has been receiving a boatload of praise this summer. The same unit that was steamrolled by the Chicago%20Bears" title="See other pages Jiglu tagged with ‘Chicago Bears’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">Chicago Bears Saturday night.

“I don’t know what you’re watching,” said Coughlin. “The players who are supposed to be the depth haven’t even practiced yet. You’re talking about something that looks good but hasn’t really materialized.”

The defensive line has taken some injury hits and had not gotten a chance to show it’s full potential. It has been revealed that Chris Canty is recovering from a torn hamstring and Jay Alford’s season could be over with a double tear in his knee. Rocky Bernard and Fred Robbins just returned to action this week.

Coughlin also seemed frustrated with the lack of statistical data needed to properly gauge the progress of the wide receivers. Injuries to the offensive line have led the quarterbacks to dump the ball off to the backs rather than look downfield for the wide outs. The starting guards, Chris Snee and Rich Seubert should both be available for Saturday’s game against the Jets.

Through all of the uncertainty the constant of Giants’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">the Giants’ running game continued to stand out. The combination of Brandon Jacobs, Danny Ware and Ahmad Bradshaw racked up 115 yards on 21 carries and another 46 yards on seven receptions.

The unit has been been a strong one since the day Coughlin and RB coach Jerald Ingram took the reins in 2004. Even in defeat, the rushing attack remains successful.

John Fennelly is an accredited member of the media covering the Giants for several major news outlets.

Bears, Cutler Wallop Giants

John Fennelly — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 07:54:30 -0400

Giants’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">
The Giants were outhustled and battered from the opening whistle to the final gun in Chicago’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">Chicago last night.

Head Coach Tom Coughlin had warned us that the short week would lead to less preparation. He was right.

The final score was 17-3 but it could have easily been 31 or 34-3. The Bears had some big plays negated by penalties and Jay Cutler’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">Jay Cutler missed out on another score when he overthrew a wide-open Devin Hester in the first quarter.

Anyone who thinks the Cutler trade has left the Bears devoid of talent should watch the replay of this game. They appear to be a very capable team in all phases of the game. RB Matt Forte and TE Greg Olsen are two rising stars.

Cutler wasn’t particularly sharp (8-13, 122 yds), but he has a great field sense and his rifle arm allows his receivers opportunities for additional yards after the catch, hence those big plays.

While the football world is caught up in the Brett Favre’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">Brett Favre riptide, the reality is that Cutler is the new boss of the NFC North.

Some quick hits……

DT Jay Alford left the game with a sprained MCL in his left knee. Too bad, he was having a nice preseason. We should know more about his condition by Monday.

Coughlin said the team’s lackluster play has inhibited the coaches’ ability to make determinations regarding roster spots. Next week’s game against the Jets will have a lot riding on it.

The WR competition remains at a standstill. No wideout caught more than two passes. Steve Smith returned to action and caught two passes for 30 yards, with one of those receptions going for 25 yards. Hakeem Nicks caught a 55-yard pass from Andre Woodson at garbage time.

The defense looked soft, especially in the middle. That would normally be worrisome, but keep in mind MLB Antonio Pierce, S Kenny Phillips and DTs Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard did not play, plus Alford left with an injury. CB Aaron Ross was also inactive.

The offensive line is obviously not the same without guards Chris Snee and Rich Seubert, but give credit to their replacements—Kevin Boothe and Tutan Reyes. The running game still flourished, but the pass protection needs work. Snee will most likely sit out the entire preseason with knee swelling, Seubert may return this week vs the Jets.

Eli Manning’" onclick="return(Jiglu.overlayOpen(this))">Eli Manning went 7-10 for 62 yards. The Giants RBs rushed for a total of 115 yards on 21 carries.

New York Giants' LB Corp Proving Their Worth

John Fennelly — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:07:20 -0400

Kehl, Wilkinson, Sintim All Playing Well

Outside of Wide Receiver, Linebacker was considered a question mark going into camp. As the days pass, the questions are being answered one by one.

In the absence of injured free-agent OLB Michael Boley, Bryan Kehl and Gerris Wilkinson have filled in more than adequately at weak-side linebacker. Kehl has shown a fire that was not apparent in his game a year ago as a rookie and Wilkinson, who was on the edge of the roster bubble at the outset of camp, has impressed the coaches with his quickness and intelligent play.

“I’m just excited about watching his continued growth,” Head Coach Tom Coughlin said of Wilkinson.

Kehl is still ahead of Wilkinson at this point, but Wilkinson is closing fast. Boley, who will not be able to practice for a few more weeks and is suspended for Week 1, is way behind in claiming his new job. The play of the existing players on the roster makes one question why he was signed at all.

Rookie Clint Sintim made a name for himself immediately in the first preseason game vs. Carolina. Considering he comes from a 3-4 defensive scheme at Virginia, he has picked up the 4-3 almost immediately. His pass-rushing prowess caught the eye of everyone and evoked praise from ESPN analyst Jon Gruden, who was unaware of who Sintim was.

Even though Sintim played like a dynamo against the pass, Coughlin told reporters that Sintim was more than just a pass-rusher, pointing out his ability to play the run.

“We think he is going to be a powerful guy against the run. We think he’s got good leverage. I think it’s just a matter of him lining up there next time.”