Vinny DeTrani of True Blue blog tells us that Michael Strahan visited with Tom Coughlin while at Giants Stadium yesterday to do some conditioning. If Coughlin knows anything the rest of us don’t about whether or not Strahan has made a decision on his possible retirement he’s not telling. Coughlin said of Strahan’s retirement thoughts:

“His term for it is whatever decision I make I know I’m not going to change my mind,” Coughlin said. “So I want to be right.”

Coughlin also added that Strahan has not set a timetable for his decision.

Mike Garafolo of Ledger on Giants blog has some rookie camp notes from today that include the tough day that QB Andre Woodson had. LB Jonathon Goff’s made himself noticed. Some thoughts on WR Brandon London, who Garafolo is very impressed by and WR Mario Manningham’s session with reporters.

Tom Rock of Inside the Giants blog has a couple thoughts from Tom Coughlin regarding rookies Kenny Phelps and Mario Manningham and in a separate Post Rock writes about Woodson’s first trip to NY.

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Recently, I spoke to Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News regarding the 2008 NFL Draft.  Ralph and I discuss the Giants draft as well as some other teams.

Jared Blank, GiantsFootballBlog:  What was your take on the Giants drafting S Kenny Phillips in the first round?

Ralph Vacchiano:  I thought it was a great pick — and not just because I predicted it. The truth is, we all knew they were targeting him for quite a while, and it always made a lot of sense. He was the best safety on the board and anytime you can get the best guy at one position with the 31st pick in the draft, it’s a great move. Plus, when is the last time the Giants had a top safety? Gibril Wilson never really lived up to what he showed as a rookie. Before that … Shaun Williams? He never really lived up to expectations either. Now think of what Brian Dawkins did in Philly’s defense all those years. That’s what Steve Spagnuolo envisions with Phillips. 
 
JB:  Was taking WR Mario Manningham a worthy risk in the third round?  What, if anything, have you heard from around the league with all the negative’s regarding him?

RV:  Yes, he was worth the risk. It is absolutely a risk, but it’s one the Super Bowl champs can afford to make. If he doesn’t work out, it’s not like the miss will ruin the team or one bad guy will ruin their chemistry. Plus, they have enough veterans in there that they might set him straight. And if he does work out, boy did they get a steal. He’s a first-round talent with the last pick of the third? You can’t pass up value like that in the draft.
 
Now, I did hear that many other teams had him off their board entirely. I haven’t heard good things about him and his character from people I know in and around the Michigan program either. A lot of people thought the way he lied at the combine about his failed drug tests was a big warning side. Either he was too stupid to know that the people asking him already knew the truth, or worse — he didn’t care. Whatever, it scared a lot of teams off. And so did what I’ve heard were not exactly all-positive recommendations from his old coaches.

Still, while I don’t want to diminish what he did off the field, this isn’t Pacman Jones we’re talking about. Or Christian Peter, for that matter. Guys have made it in the NFL with a lot worse and more offensive problems than Manningham had.

Click here to read more

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While these are only minicamps, and any of the players numbers can change, it has been announced that first-round pick, safety Kenny Phillips will be wearing a famous, and recent jersey number. The Giants have given Phillips jersey No. 21 of former Giants running back Tiki Barber.

The rest of the rookies have also been given their numbers. Cornerback Terrell Thomas will wear No. 30, wide receiver Mario Manningham will wear No. 82, linebacker Bryan Kehl will wear No. 53, Jonathan Goff will wear No. 94, defensive end Robert Henderson will wear No. 90 and finally quarterback Andre Woodson will wear No. 3.

With minicamp’s starting tomorrow, the Giants have released the official list of signed undrafted rookie free agents.

Andrew Bain, G, Miami
Camell Stewart, G, LSU
Digger Bujnoch, C, Cincinnati
Dylan Thiry, T, Northwestern
Joshua Muse, DT, Louisiana Tech
Ogemdi Nwagbuo, DT, Michigan State
D.J. Hall, WR, Alabama
Wallace Gilberry, DE, Alabama
Antonio Reynolds, DE, Tennessee
Nehemiah Warrick, S, Michigan State
Eric Butler, TE, Mississippi State
Owen Tolsen, P, Army

Head over to Giants.com to see the jersey numbers for each of the undrafted rookies.

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Tomorrow night, Lawrence Tynes will be signing autographs at the Dunkin’ Donuts in Midland Park to help raise money for the Midland Park Public Education Foundation. The Midland Park Public Education Foundation is an all-volunteer not-for-profit foundation that enhances and supports new curriculum initiatives and enrichment opportunities within Midland Park’s school system.

The Dunkin Donuts is on 80 Godwin Avenue and Lawrence will be signing from 6:30 to 9:30pm.

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Greg Bishop of the NY Times is reporting that eight video tapes that show the New England Patriots recorded play calling signals from five opponents in six games were sent to the NFL.

Matt Walsh who worked for the Pats from 1997 to 2003 handed over the tapes after an agreement was met that indemnifies Walsh from all future legal fees.

The tapes show offensive and defensive signals from opposing coaches. They are from both regular season and playoff games.

Regular-season games against the Miami Dolphins, the Buffalo Bills, the Cleveland Browns and the San Diego Chargers and against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2002 American Football Conference championship game.

The infamous so called “walk though tape” of the Rams before the Super Bowl was not apart of these tapes. Walsh’s lawyer said “Mr. Walsh has never claimed to have a tape of the walk-through.”

The New York Times obtained a list of the Walsh videotapes. The information was later confirmed by Walsh’s lawyer, Michael Levy, from the Washington offices of McKee Nelson.

In this report from the Times these tapes are described as sophisticated because of the angles and the amount of camera’s used. They say the Pittsburgh 2002 AFC Championship game tape was the most extensive showing two camera angles on each play.

Read a ton more at the Times website.

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According to Vinny DiTrani of the Bergen Record’s True Blue blog former Jet, now NO Saint Jonathon Vilma has been in contact with his fellow Miami Hurricane alum Jeremy Shockey. Vilma’s been telling Shockey how great it would be for them to hook up again. But DiTrani writes:

A source who has proved himself reputable insists enough Giants have talked to Shockey and convinced him to stay.

DiTrani is also reporting that the Giants are trying to get a new deal done with Brandon Jacobs before the start of training camp.

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Scott Ferrall, Brandon Tierney and host Brian Custer on SNY’s “The Wheelhouse” discuss Jeremy Shockey’s future as a New York Giant and what he is worth on the trade market.

The Wheelhouse airs weekdays at 5:30 p.m. on SNY.

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I spoke with Bo Bounds of WSFZ Supersport 930 in Jackson, Misssissippi this morning about Eli Manning, who grew up not far from Jackson, and the Giants.

You may be able to catch my segment on their website later today, I will let you know if they post it.

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The Wall St. Journal is reporting that NBC, who own the broadcast rights to the 2009 Super Bowl, are going to ask advertisers for more than a 10% increase over last year’s fee. That will push the asking price for a thirty second ad to three million.

“If they believe it’s a target they can reach, then that’s fantastic,” Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports & Olympics, said of his sales team.

Advertisers who have a history of buying ads, and those who buy in bulk pay less, but according to the WSJ report this increase is unprecedented.

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According to ABC-11 out of North Carolina, the New York Giants recently ripped up the old contract of starting tackle David Diehl and gave him a new six-year, $31 million contract.

The deal has an annual escalator clause that will increase his salaries between $750,000 and $1.1 million a year as long as he plays offensive tackle.

Diehl, 27, came to the Giants six years ago, drafted by the team in the 5th-round of the 2003 draft, and has never missed a start since day one, playing in 80 consecutive games. He was in the the third year of a $15.5 million deal that was set to expire after the 2011 season.

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