Tag Archives: Michael Boley

The stench coming from Timex Performance Center these days isn’t pleasant. Players know it. Coaches know it. Fans know it. The media knows it.

Coming off a lackluster performance against the Redskins (on top of an already tumultuous preseason) combined with each mounting injury, the Giants’ vibe these days is unilaterally negative.

We all know the shortcomings of this team. We know there are cracks in the armor. We know that most people view this team as dead in the water.

However, the Giants, themselves, cannot feel this way. They have to put the past in the past, regroup, refocus and move on. There is no time for feeling sorry for yourself.

While Antrel Rolle can put himself in sticky situations, the man has some swagger and a never-say-die attitude. The team needs more of that.

“I have confidence,” Rolle told reporters after Sunday’s loss. “We’re not in sync yet. We obviously know that. We’re playing together and we’re trying to make things happen with what we have. We will get in sync. With the hard work and effort, I think we’ll definitely come out on top.”

I know it’s easy to get down when things are spiraling out of control, but the Giants have shown in the past that they are a confident, resilient bunch. It’s now time to dig deep within. The intestinal fortitude is being tested. Time to respond.

From the outside looking in it doesn’t look good for the Giants, but Michael Boley begs to differ.

“It is a different mentality in here than what goes on the outside,” Boley said. “What people think on the outside is exactly what it is, on the outside. We just tell them to stay tuned because it is still an early season.”

All quotes courtesy of Giants Communication Department.

Tagged Antrel Rolle, Michael Boley, New York Giants |

The NFL has changed. Face it, this is not your daddy’s league and champions aren’t defined by which team can run the ball or stop the run.

It is all about the pass, baby.

Many Giant fans are worried that once again the team may not address the linebacking corps. I’m saying that linebackers in the 4-3 and inside backers in the 3-4 are having smaller impact on the game. Have you wondered why Ray Lewis looks like he hasn’t lost a step or how young players like Patrick Willis can step in right away and become all pros?

Teams aren’t building rosters for the ground and pound game, but rather for an aerial attack. The Giants chose another cornerback in the first round of this year’s draft. That gives them 6 DBs chosen in the first or second round of their respective draft classes. Yet, Keith Bulluck and Clint Sintim are the only ‘backers on the roster chosen in the first two rounds of their classes.

A group of intelligent linebackers that know the system is more important than the overall talent level of the group. If I were to grade the current Giants line backing corps consisting of Keith Bullock, Jonathon Goff, and Michael Boley I would have to give them a low grade. Keith is far passed his prime; Boley has never been accused of being a playmaker or game changer, and Goff is still growing into his role as a leader and consistent middle backer. For those reasons the Giants receive a 4/10.

Don’t be worried Giants faithful, teams have recently won championships with lackluster line backing corps. I’ve decided to take a look back at a few of the most recent Super Bowl winners and grade their line backers as well.

(more…)

Tagged four one ent, giants, Giants Football Blog, Jonathon goff, Keith Bulluck, Kel Dansby, Linebacker, Michael Boley, New York Giants, New York Giants Blogs, NFL, Super Bowl |

Some readers asked us to voice our opinion on what we thought the Giants might do in the off-season. Right now, the financial landscape and structure is status quo (and the players would like to keep it that way) but the new CBA has yet to be negotiated. What that will look like is any one’s guess.

(more…)

Tagged Barry Cofield, Chris Snee, Eli Manning, Jonathan Goff, Kareem McKenzie, Michael Boley, New York Giants Blogs, Plaxico Burress, Rich Seubert |

When the New York Giants signed Michael Boley from the Atlanta Falcons before the 2009 season expectations were very high and fans were excited to see Boley coming to play for Big Blue.  Last year he was injured on a few occasions and I don’t think the fans ever truly got to see what Michael Boley could do.

His aggressive play was noticed.  He flies around the field and many people thought he was a key ingredient missing from the Giants defense…passion!   In 11 games in 2009 Michael Boley had 84 tackles & a sack.   There was plenty of room for improvement from this young linebacker.

(more…)

Tagged Keith Bulluck, Michael Boley, New York Giants, Perry Fewell |

Giants’ Linebackers Will Shock “Experts” This Year

It’s that time of year again…..no football for the next six weeks.  I know most of you will be exploring America, hitting the beaches and eating lots of barbecue just waiting for training camps to begin.

So while you’re sunning on Tar Beach reading your electronic device du jour,  I will be passing some topics your way each day with my valued opinion attached.

The Linebackers – The Giants “Weak Spot”

Right now its Michael Boley at WILL, Clint Sintim at SAM and Jonathan Goff in the middle.  If they had to play a game today, those guys would be your starters. 

That probably won’t change.  Not right away, anyway.  The Giants have 12 LBs in the fold and will probably keep nine.  The three aforementioned players will be kept as will fourth round draftee Phillip Dillard and Zak DeOssie, who is the long-snapper on special teams.

That means three of the following won’t be around come September….Kenny Ingram, Micah Johnson, Bryan Kehl, Lee Campbell, Chase Blackburn, Adrian Tracy and Gerris Wilkinson.  All of these players should be in the league somewhere, it just can’t be here.

“Experts” keep harping about the Giants not having depth or talent at linebacker.  I’d like to hear their logic on which of  the above players they would cut. 

Every one of these guys can play. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Once this group slaps the pads on, most naysayers will get their comeuppance.

I am going to say that 2/3 of the NFL’s general managers would trade their LB corps for this one no questions asked.  But they don’t comment on others team’s players. It’s the media that does.

The media is about 20% credible.  The people on the ground – the beat reporters – can’t tell you everything but by saying nothing they speak volumes.

Has anyone heard the Giants’ beat pool jumping up and down screaming that the LB corps is substandard? Have you heard me say it?

I rest my case.

Tagged Clint Sintim, Jonathan Goff, Michael Boley, New York Giants, New York Giants Defense, New York Giants News |

Giants’ OLBs Looking For Fresh Start in 2010

Michael Boley came into Giants’ camp last season with high hopes.  He had just signed a five-year, $25 million free agent deal to help bolster the Giants’ shallow LB crew.

But things didn’t shake out well for Boley once he became a Giant.  Last June, he had to have surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip, which kept him off the field all summer. Then he was suspended for the first game of the season by the NFL for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

Early in the season, Boley injured his knee, causing him to miss four more games.  In the 11 games he did play, he had 84 tackles, but on that decimated Giants’ defense his efforts were hardly noticed.

This year, Boley is a bit more prepared for the challenge of being a Giant linebacker.  He has no issues with the league and he is fairly healthy, although he did sit out yesterday’s OTA with a sore hamstring.

In a session with reporters, he seemed upbeat and generally happy to be the focus of some positive attention, for once, even though injury talk was the first topic.

“It’s never fun to sit out, but I’d rather be cautious than crazy about it . Just want to take it slow, make sure everything’s covered.”  When asked if his hamstring would keep him out of next week’s mini camp he said, “No, not really.”

Q. – This is when your hip started to bother you last year..

‘It bothered me last year at the beginning of OTAs last year. I tried to fight through it but it didn’t turn out too good.”

Q- What have you been doing and how will mini-camp be different?

“What we’ve been doing so far is red zone, green zone. Mini camp is going to bring everything together.”

Q – About the linebackers….since he is the only returning starter…how are things progressing?

“Pretty good. I’ve been pretty impressed with the progress we’ve made since day one. Its a learning process not only for us but for coaches. They kind of have to get a feel for us and how we all play together.”

Q- How do you fee about practicing in the new stadium?

“I think it will be fun. For us, it’s just practice. I’m sure there will be a lot of fans there but that’s not something we’re going to worry about. The stadium is pretty impressive. That’s to say the least. Its an unbelievable stadium and I’m glad we got it.”

Clint Sintim is going through  similar circumstances.  As a rookie last season, he missed a huge chunk of time battling through a groin injury.  His staple strength is as a pass rusher but the Giants are molding him into an NFL SAM linebacker.  The learning curve for Sintim has been a continuous one.

Sintim has stated that he will have a breakout season in 2010. Going back to his collegiate career at Virginia, he has had a different defensive coordinator every year.  He hopes that Perry Fewell will be the one that helps him reach his potential.

Q- Last year…I don’t want to say you’re were an afterthought, but you didn’t get that much…

“I got expectations upon me now. People expect me to do things.  They expect me to be a player.  And that’s fine.  I look at it as a great opportunity and a blessing, so I’m going to take the best advice I can from the older guys and make the best of this opportunity. Right now that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Q- Did Perry come up to you and say “we need you for this particular role?

“Not exactly, but when he got here I was already up here and I stopped by his office. I had actually met him prior to this through the recruiting process coming out of college so I knew who he was the the kind of system  So, I came in to talk to him, asked him what he was trying to do and told him what I was trying to do and told him what my commitment was and we had a little bit of a discussion.”

“Ever since then  its a bout me just proving myself.  I know what I’m going to get out of him right now and he needs to know what he’s going to get out of me. He needs to trust me just like I  need to trust him. So that’s what I’m trying to get done.”

Q – How’s the feedback going?

“Good and bad (smiles) That’s fine with me that’s why we practice. You practice to get better. More importantly for me the last few days have been more good than bad . That’s a plus for me.”

Q- Going into mini-camp, what are you’re goals?

“I just want to get better every day. Every day better than the last. Then at camp better day than last, then the season better game than last.  I just want to continue to progress. I’m not dwelling too much on bad practices. I’ll just watch the tape, make corrections and try not to do it again.”

Knowing that these two are grounded and healthy should help the worriers ease their fears….

Tagged Clint Sintim, Michael Boley, New York Giants, New York Giants News |

By now we all know that Michael Boley has been suspended for the first game of the regular season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

The reason for this suspension actually stems back to an incident before the 2008 season involving the linebacker attacking his wife.

In a report dating back more than a year from the Gwinnett Daily Post, Boley supposedly got upset that his wife accused him of cheating on her and took some ‘aggressive’ actions against her.

“when she questioned her husband about the alleged affair he grew angry and threatened to leave their Misty Rock Cove home, but she hid his car keys because he had been drinking earlier in the evening. Michael Boley later grabbed her, pushed her against a living room wall and threw her over a couch, his wife said. When he tried to push her outside the home, she fought back, and he pushed her into the kitchen cabinet door.” -Gwinnett Daily Post

Also in the report, Boley was labeled as the “primary aggressor” in the feud.

Does that mean there was more than one aggressor? I don’t get it. Who were the secondary and tertiary aggressors.

Regardless, new free agents Boley and Rocky Bernard both have (or had) off the field issues before joining Big Blue. Hopefully not a sign of things to come.

To read the full report, click here..

Tagged Michael Boley |

Giants linebacker Michael Boley has been suspended for the 2009 season opener for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. The suspension stems from a domestic battery charge Boley received in Spring 2008.

Boley was my favorite free agent signing. Good to see he’s getting his Giants career off on the right foot (note: sarcasm)…

Boley’s status for the season opener against the Redskins was already up in the air due to surgery he had to repair a torn labrum in his hip.

Tagged Michael Boley |

In a report from ESPN.com, there is some buzz around the league that the Giants could take a look at perennial pro-bowler Derrick Brooks to help at the weak side linebacker position. With new addition Michael Boley out at least 8-10 weeks and no guarantee of him starting the season on time, a player like Brooks could definitely help shore up an already solid linebacking core.

Behind Boley on the depth chart sits Gerris Wilkinson, Bryan Kehl, and Chase Blackburn.

It’s all good and well to hope that Boley’s hip surgery goes as planned and that he will be ready to go once the season starts; But the fact of the matter is that coming into a season without participating in training camp and playing at the level you are expected to play is easier said than done.

Boley’s a good player, I nor anyone else in the Giants organization doubt that, but why not bring in an aging pro-bowl veteran like Derrick Brooks. He proved last year that he still has some gas left in the tank, and he definitely wants to play.

The New Orleans Saints are also rumored to have interest in the pro-bowler. Returning to Tampa Bay is not out of the question either.

Regardless, Brooks is going to sign somewhere before the sesaon starts, and I can pretty much guarantee that he will make a positive impact wherever he goes.

Tagged Michael Boley |

Mike Garafolo at the Star-Ledger reports the Giants are close to signing LB Michael Boley to a 5-year $25 million deal.  The deal is expected to guarantee $10 million.

Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News confirms the signing is close as well.

Update 8:47 a.m. ET -  The deal is done pending a physical according to Newsday. Here is the Daily News article on the signing.

Tagged Michael Boley | Newer posts →