Monthly Archives: July 2009
About ten minutes ago, team officials from the Giants organization announced the signings of both second round picks, OLB Clint Sintim, and OL William Beatty.
With these signings, only first round pick Hakeem Nicks remains unsigned.
Agent Peter Schaffer said they were “still grinding” through negotiations as of a few days ago.
Terms of both the contracts are undisclosed at this moment.
Good to see that the Giants have all but one of their rookies signed before the start of training camp.
As if preparing for the grueling days of training camp wasnt enough…
By supporting former teammate Plaxico Burress and testifying today in front of the grand jury, Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce had to waive his immunity. Therefore, Pierce could be facing criminal charges as well.
It is said that Pierce can be charged and possibly indicted as soon as early next week. The charges are said to possibly be the same ones that Burress is facing, being possession of a loaded and unliscened weapon in Manhattan.
If this happens, and Pierce is found guilty, he will be facing a minimum of 3.5 years in prison. (very similar to what Burress is facing)
Also, any sort of indictment or charges made will bring the NFL into play, causing Goodell to take some course of action with Pierce. (in other words, this could get messy)
Man…what a bummer. Lets hope the DA and the grand jury have a heart. I mean, yes, Antonio was there, and yes technically he committed a crime by picking up the gun and transporting it, but come on.
I honestly feel that for Pierce to get some sort of “celebrity” preferential treatment here would not be frowned upon. (especially by Giant fans) Let the guy play football this year, it’s not like if he’s not behind bars, he is a danger to society.
The only people Pierce is a danger to is opposing offenses..
All this information courtesy of Melissa Grace of the Daily News. To read the report, click here..
Update: 3:17
Antonio Pierce’s testimony is going a bit longer than expected.
“Mr. Pierce’s grand jury presentation is ongoing,” the lawyer, Michael Bachner, said. “He hasn’t completed his testimony, and in respect to the process it’s inappropriate for either he or myself to comment.”
Here’s a clip from last night’s Geico SportsNite where SNY’s and the Newark Star-Ledger’s very own Mike Garafolo reports from the court house. Also in this clip is analysis from Rebecca Rose Woodland of Lonuzi and Woodland LLP.
To check out Mike’s blog for the Newark Star-Ledger where he constantly has up to the minute news and features, click here..
Citing Ralph Vacchiano again. In his recent answers to his “first ever” twitter mailbag, Vacchiano was asked what the plans are with the DT’s this year.
“Cofield said the plan is for Bernard to replace him on third downs or when a pass rush is needed. If and when Robbins is healthy, I suspect he’ll be a backup who would rotate in occasionally for Canty,” said Vacchiano.
So Ralph seems to think Mr. Robbins is not going to be healthy enough as the day one starter…which is a bit disappointing.
Looking back on the Giants moves, it’s all starting to make a bit more sense. One had to question why they went out and got two proven defensive tackles to ride the bench. Apparently that’s not the case.
Looks as though Canty (or Bernard) could be day one starters at DT aside Cofield. The plan of action here has to be to let Robbins take his time to get healthy so that he can be as effective as possible. Bernard and Canty are seeming more and more like good moves with every day that passes.
Vacchiano also said that Tuck may be used in the DT position in certain situations as well.
Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News posted on his blog today a list of the 19 “injured” Giants.
Of those injured, Vacchiano expects both starting DT’s Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield to be placed on the PUP list at the start of training camp, as well as recovering OLB Michael Boley.
Do not be alarmed however Giant fans, the PUP list for training camp is pretty much meaningless. A player can be taken on or off the PUP list during training camp without it having any affect on the regular season.
When a player is placed on it starting the season, that’s when we have a slight problem. Starting the season on the PUP would mean that they could not return to action until the middle of the season.
By the way, in case you were wondering PUP stands for “physically unable to perform.”
If you want to read a quite amusing and ‘interesting’ take on whether to be a Jet or Giant fan, I encourage you to go to realfootball365.com where they have an article titled “Jets or Giants, a New York fan’s choice.”
Now I don’t mean to bash the writer of this post “mopo,” but seriously, this piece has no backbone and I just felt the need to post something about it.
In this little article, the Jets and Giants are compared at some positions and at coach, and then asks the question of which one is better than the other, and which can coerce a New York native to the Jets or the Giants.
I’m pretty sure that one being a Jet or Giant fan is not going to change because Mark Sanchez is now the quarterback for the Jets or that the Giants have a better defensive line.
You know what, I’m convinced, Rex Ryan is boisterous and entertaining…I’m a Jet fan now.
(that was a joke)
Here’s a clip courtesy of SNY of Plaxico Burress and his attorney Benjamin Brafman giving comments after Plax’s hearing with the grand jury:
After listening to Brafman’s little speech, I’m almost convinced that Burress should just be a free man. Man…some lawyers are just so good at making their side of the story sound so good.
In an ongoing piece from NFL.com titled “On the Fringe,” Giants wide receiver David Tyree was the focus of today’s article.
The “On the Fringe” articles basically take a player from certain NFL teams that are somewhat proven NFL players being threatened by the possibility of being cut from the opening day roster.
David Tyree fits the bill..
“There’s only one thing I visualize, and that’s running out the tunnel at the home opener. I’m a Jersey boy, and it’s been a great six years,” said Tyree. “I know there’s folks rooting for me, I know there’s folks that’s saying, ‘He’s in the can.’ It’s going to mean that much more to me to run out of the tunnel again as a New York Giant.”
I’m one of those folks rooting for you David, get it done in training camp.
Is it over?? Is it over? I cannot believe its over! Finally there is a conclusion to this overtly annoying conundrum, also known as the wavering decision of Brett Favre and retirement.
I am so happy that I do not have to turn on sportcenter or go to any sports site and not see “the latest” on Brett Favre’s decision.
Well, now “the latest” is the “last.” It’s the last decision Brett Favre will hopefully ever make in regards to playing professional football. He was done last year, and everyone but him and the Minnesota Vikings seemed to know it.
Honestly, what would have happened if he actually came back and played…realistically? I’ll tell you. Favre would have played average to slightly above average football for the first third to half the season, then slowly drop off and tank the season…kind of like what he did for the Jets.
Even when he was playing “well” last year, and the Jets were 8-3, he still was the reason they lost that one game to the Raiders, and his stats were padded with a ridiculous six-touchdown game in Arizona. Favre was also definitely the reason they went 1-4 in their last five and missed the playoffs.
The tank’s been empty for a while Brett, I’m glad you made the right decision.
Yesterday, just two days after the Eagles announced that Sean McDermott would take over for the ailing Jim Johnson, he passed away.
Johnson died at the age of 68 from a cancerous tumor in his spine.
“It is a sad, very sad, day,” said Giants head coach Tom Coughlin. “I didn’t know Jim personally, but we would always talk to each other, mostly about the NFC East and what a great, competitive division it is. It was a respectful critique about what great players, coaches and organizations there are within the division. In talking with people who worked with Jim, you sense what a class act Jim was.”
Paul Domowitch of Philly.com writes about Johnson’s replacement McDermott saying that he may be young, but is not inexperienced.
“McDermott will blitz. Whether he’ll be as innovative as Johnson was, only time will tell. A peach-fuzz-faced lieutenant just out of West Point might be a little less willing to dial up an all-out assault on the enemy than a grizzled veteran who has done it a hundred times,” said Domowitch in comparing the young McDermott to his predecessor.
Good metaphor.
The NFL had a little darkness added to the day yesterday with the news of a passing great. Jim Johnson will always be remembered as one of the best.
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