Off-season Football ticker

1) The Giants are interested in getting a draft pick AND a free agent to challenge Jacobs and have a total of two RB options. Both challengers will be slashing, smaller RBs so that the team has RBs w/ different looks.
2) Willis McGahee is in play and is of interest to the Giants. The Bills are interested in compensation, believing McGahee is gone after the last year of his contract. As a sidenote, it was NYG GM Reese who confirmed/leaked this story, and apparently the Bills are not pleased.
3) The Giants resigned Chase Blackburn to a 4 yr $3.5M deal.
4) The Giants have allegedly given Shaun O'Hara a final offer: six-years, $21.6M w/ ~ $7M guaranteed. The offer expires when free agency begins (~March 2). (The Giants do not like to have their offer shopped.)
5) Lovie Smith is in the last year of his contract as the lowest paid head coach in the NFL. If he does not get a contract extension, in 2008 you will add ANOTHER coach to that mix of those available.

Comments:
Coughlin Purgatory begins. You think that playing in the Coughlin zoo enters into the mind of O'Hara when he decides whether he wants another year (OR MORE) of that clown? You think that going after free agents is going to be easier or harder when Barber says that it was Coughlin's bullbleep that essentially shortened his career? You think things would be a little better for us if we knew we had Cowher or Smith in here in 2008?

Tom and Tiki revealed, Pt. 38

So now we have this from Tom: "My one regret, I would say, is not being able to convince Tiki [to return for another season]."

Andy: "And why, coach, do you think he did not return?"

Tom: "Well, you would have to ask him that."

Andy: "He said in as many words last week that he was tired of your inflexible ways, that you were hearing him (and the other players) but not listening."

Tom: "My door is open all the time, and the players know they can come to my office whenever they have something to discuss with me."

Andy: "But Tom, begging your pardon, that is a load of horsebleep, and you know it. The doors to Gestapo Headquarters are open and anyone with a complaint is free to voice it and get shot."

Tom: "Not true. An unnamed player came into my office this past season and we slit the bastard's throat. No guns were used."

Andy: "Well, I am glad that misconception was cleared up. But back to Barber, what about the perception that players ultimately do not want to play for you, that they can only take your mouth, your rules, your rigidity for so long before they want to move on?"

Tom: "I cannot speak for Tiki. All I can say is that I am the head coach and I have 45 spots that many football players will be fighting for come the end of July."

Andy: "With upwards of $109 million dollars in salary cap booty being disbursed, you could run a ... er... Gestapo Installation and people would show up."

Tom: "We're trying to convince the fans that we have a legitimate chance at winning a Super Bowl, and your comments do not help. Look, I have the support of John Mara, who has stated that 'there's substantial support for (me) in (the) locker room. If you talk to the players, they will certainly dispute that (notion of malcontents).'"

Andy: "Look, I can only interview one blind bat at a time. Is there any hope that you can win a championship while remaining intractable?"

Tom: "Intractable? What does that mean? Too many syllables. Look, I am a football coach, not an English major."

Andy: "Stubborn, unmoveable, unbending."

Tom: "Damnit, have you been speaking to my wife?"

Andy: "No, just Tiki and 44 others."

Tired of Tom

When you read the stuff below you understand why Coughlin will not win us a championship. Like it or not, THERE ARE DIFFERENT RULES FOR DIFFERENT PLAYERS. From the NY POST:

"Coach Coughlin is very hard-nosed, and I didn't get a lot of time off, couldn't sit down and rest myself, and so it was a constant grind - a physical grind on me that started to take its toll," said Barber. "The grind took its toll on me and really forced me to start thinking about what I wanted to do next. And that's not a bad thing. That's a good thing, for me at least. Maybe not for the Giants, because they lose one of their great players, but for me, it is."

Barber attributed much of the wear and tear he endured on the high standards Coughlin placed on his players during practice.

"There'd be days where I couldn't move on Tuesday or Wednesday at practice, and he'd get mad at me for going half-speed. And I told him, 'Coach, I can't do it. I'm gonna be out here, I'm never gonna miss a practice, but I can't give you what you want all the time.' And he understood.

"We were in full pads for 17 weeks, and with the amount of injuries that we had, it just takes a toll on you. You just physically don't want to be out there when your body feels the way you do in full pads. "

Hello Jerry, Goodbye Luke, LaVar and Carlos

Welcome to 2007. Our new GM made his presence felt quickly, axing Arrington, Petitgout and Emmons.

Arrington (getting cut) was not going to be a shock because his contract was structured for the Giants to have low (financial) risk and more reward if it worked out. I am sure the medical staff said what everyone knows re Achilles... another wasted year.

Emmons? Ask Marvelous how surprised he is at this one. Not.

Petitgout? Well, here I admit to being blindsided. He took up martial arts in the last offseason and was having a great year until he went down. His penalties were down, and his run blocking was excellent as Barber was going his way with plenty of success. LEFT TACKLE IS A HUGE HOLE TO FILL. Reese must have a very good plan. If he does not, I will be more surprised by that than by the cut in the first place. This move clearly is the first significant datapoint as GM. We will learn a lot more about Reese a lot faster than any of us originally expected.

Peyton Manning, Super Bowl Champion QB

"There's no doubt in my mind that Eli will lead his team to a Super Bowl, probably more than one," Peyton said. "I know how hard he works. There's no question he's going to be fine."

I am so glad to hear that Peyton is selling us insurance on this Super Bowl. Please note he did not say that the NY Giants would win a Super Bowl. That is because Manning will be a (more cost-effective) retread on his third team by the time he wins it, IF he wins it.

Stop dreaming, Giant fans. Manning was surrounded with talent and was the weakest link 2 years in a row. Until he starts yelling and plays with fire consistently for 4 quarters, he is not going to win it. He is reluctant to be the leader, and that is part of the job description of QB, like it or not. There is a small glimmer of hope that perhaps with Barber's exit there might be an opening for him to become the leader of the offense, but if you see that meek and quiet guy out there on the sidelines and in the huddle next season, you'll know it is the same 2nd string QB masquerading as a 1st stringer.

Watch the Video Short on Simms and Taylor

Multimedia Station - New York Giants

Simms and Taylor

Lay the -7 and take the AFC

I would rather be laying -7 with Belichick because he knows how to close the deal. Dungy will invariably play footsie with his opponent because he is a nice guy and does not have the killer instinct. He has more mercy than allowed in this game. But the AFC is so far ahead of the NFC that it still will not matter. It is time to finally see the Bears get unmasked as the fraud that they and the NFC are. Lay the points.

That stench is Coughlin

That stench you smell is the one where the pieces do not add up. This week we hear:

1) Reese saying that he is here "to support Tom."
2) the news that Gilbride, our wonderful QBs coach who was responsible for Manning's development, get rewarded for that great effort with a promotion to Offensive Coordinator. Pls note that this is the FIFTH time Gilbride has been a coordinator.
3) from Reese that "it really kind of makes me sick to look at the playoff games going on right now - even with all of the injuries and the bad situations that happened to us this season, the tough schedule and all of that is well-documented. Our team is good enough to still be playing right now."
4) Reese give us another winner: "I'm looking forward to Tom being here a long time."
5) from Phil Mushnick a plea to Reese to have the Giants play with professionalism and respect, not the thuggish and irresponsible ways of MANY Giants players this year. Lose the taunting, lose the headbutts, lose the personal fouls gone wild, he begs.
6) Reese on Manning: "Obviously we need to get our quarterback playing at a high level."

MADNESS ALL OF THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Reese support Tom? Bullbleep! Tom works for the GM.
*Gilbride our Off. Coord? Coughlin stayed inside because he did not want his players getting a whole new system from a different coord. We 'settled.'
*Reese openly admits to thinking how we could have been much further along because the players we have are good enough, yet he simultaneously believes Coughlin can be here for a long time. What? All of this is Lewis and Hufnagel's fault?
*Mushnick wants Reese to find players who play responsibly and weed out the ones who do not. But isn't that the job of the head coach to enforce a code on his players (and himself) to have decorum? Isn't that the coach's realm?
*Since when is the GM involved in player assistance? It is the job of the GM to supply the coach with as many good players possible to win a championship, including bringing in new players at EVERY position and challenge for first string jobs.

Every one of the above items has one thing in common- they all seem to deflect criticism and responsibility away from the head coach and on to others. Manning's poor play and lack of improvement the past two years is Hufnagel's fault. If players are acting w/o class, it is because they were poor choices of Accorsi, not because Coughlin can't have stiff consequences and appropriate responses for these players. We underachieved because of Hufnagel and Lewis, not Coughlin.

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. THE PIECES DO ADD UP. The trail of the stench goes back to Coughlin. Have you EVER heard of a head coach firing the off. coord. AND def. coord. the same year? It does not happen. If it ever gets to that point, the head coach loses his job and the entire staff is disbanded.

Leading voice

Eli+Karaoke+Squeeze (Dr. Rob remarks: I see Eli's working on his mechanics!)

1st Annual ULTIMATENYG Awards

1) Offensive Player of the Year- Tiki Barber
2) Defensive Player of the Year- None
3) Crippling injury of the Year- Michael Strahan
4) Coach of the Year- None. Coughlin sucks and no good coach wants to work for him either.
5) Play of the Year- Manning audibling at the line in OT vs Phil for the Burress TD
6) Most Improved Player Award- Kevin Dockery
7) Rookie of the Year- Barry Cofield. His play went down at the end of the year, but any rookie on the defensive line that starts and plays the whole season by itself is worthy of the award.
8) Disappointment of the Year- Eli Manning
9) Ugly Play of the Year- Tie: Kiwanuka letting go of Young, Hester TD on missed FG.
10) The Please Cut Him Already Award- Tim Carter
11) Honorable Mention Award- David Diehl
12) Official "Bust" Tag Declaration Award- William Joseph
13) The "On-Deck" Bust Tag Award- Eli Manning, Corey Webster
14) Special Teams Player of the Year Award- Jeff Feagles
15) The Stupid Penalty of the Year Award- Frank Walker
16) (Stupid) Decision of the Year Award- John Mara
17) Inflection Point of the Year Award- Will Demps Missed Tackle on 3rd and 22.
18) Best Game of the Year- at Dallas
19) Worst Game of the Year- New Orleans
20) Prominent Player Most Likely to NOT be on the roster next year- Carlos Emmons
21) No Character Award- Bob Whitfield

Colts and Saints advance

Playoff Observations:
1) As much as I hate the Eagles, I was rooting for them tonight because I felt they were the best team in the NFC. But without Pro Bowlers Shawn Andrews and Lito Shepherd (not to mention Pro Bowlers Jevon Kearse and Donovan McNabb), that is a lot to overcome. And yet they still missed by a slim margin and played with these guys toe to toe.
2) I do not believe in the Bears. I certainly do not believe in the Seahawks. So at this point I will put the Saints ahead of these two. Yes, the Bears will likely be small favs vs the Saints but I think the Saints will win because the Bears should have been beaten numerous times this year and I think they are way overrated.
3) The AFC will beat whoever the NFC puts up. Men vs boys.
4) I was surprised that the Colts did so well today. But the common demoninator I am noticing is this Safety named Sanders. He is a gamer, he is all over the place, and w/o knowing too much about the Colts I can say that when he was out from injury the team became very ordinary... and that when he came back these past two playoff games the team ('s defensive unit) has looked totally different. I am not completely sold on the Colts but at this point I can no longer write them off the way I felt before.
5) I pick the Chargers to go all the way but will not be surprised by an upset by the Pats tomorrow. See blog below. I still will be surprised by a Colt upset of the Chargers next weekend.
6) I was talking with Richard tonight--- If the Giants had a fighter like Garcia, I think they would have had the bye and would be a completely different team. That is how much Garcia's competitiveness helped the Eagles and starkly contrasts the sorry lack thereof from Eli Manning. Manning is a second string quarterback period. He has not played a single game where he fought for 4 consecutive quarters. A 36 year old backup is a significant upgrade. POINT: get some real competition in there already and start having a viable second option to give this guy the HOOK already.

Cowher's bank

by John Czarnecki (FOX)

Bill Cowher picked the perfect year to retire.

And the explanation is pretty simple. Salaries for head coaches are going well past the $5 million barrier, so by this time next season, Cowher will be the NFL's highest-paid coach and his magic number could be $10 million per season.

I know it sounds (or reads) crazy, but Larry Brown received that kind of money in the NBA. And next season Seattle will pay Mike Holmgren around $7.5 million. The rub with Cowher is that his team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, beat Holmgren in last year's Super Bowl. In Cowher's eyes, what's the difference between the two coaches? Well, they both have won a Super Bowl and Holmgren has lost two of them, Cowher only one. Holmgren's run was with Green Bay where he had Brett Favre and GM Ron Wolf providing him with very good personnel.

But the best reason why Cowher could break the bank is that four franchises could be bidding for his services next year and two of them, the Redskins and Cowboys, have owners who won't quibble with the asking price.

Add the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants into a potential Cowher bidding war, and you get the picture.

Browns owner Randy Lerner loves Cowher and he wouldn't hesitate to dump Romeo Crennel or write such a huge check. The Giants should enter the picture regardless of what Tom Coughlin accomplishes. The only thing holding back the Giants is that they probably wouldn't be inclined to pay much above $6 million. But you never know, and that's what Cowher is banking on. Cowher may like the Giants, considering two of his daughters play basketball for Princeton, which is a short drive from the Meadowlands. The bottom line is that Cowher will be able to make up whatever money he lost in 2007 by not working or coaching the Steelers.

San Diego vs. New England

In what promises to be a very good game this weekend, SD plays NE. SD is -5 over visiting NE. My favorite story within the story is Schottenheimer (playoffs 5-12) with the better team vs Belichick (12-2 playoffs). I just finished reading "The Education of a Coach" by David Halberstam, a book about Bill Belichick. There are many nuggets within the book that make it great reading; one item is valuable imo for understanding Sunday's matchup- the lesson of his first Super Bowl victory over the Rams. The Reader's Digest version is like this- stop Marshall Faulk, not Kurt Warner. So in practice, he kept on drilling it into his defense: "Where is he? WHERE IS HE?" before each scout team's snap. Where is he? Where is Marshall Faulk? The defense spent all week focused on stopping Marshall Faulk. I expect the same playoff mentality and maniacal preparation to be drilled into his defense once again to find out where LaDanian Tomlinson is and to stop him at all costs. Will Rivers and Gates et al beat the Patriots on Sunday? Perhaps. If the Patriots win it will be because Schottenheimer did NOT read Belichick's book.

BIG MISTAKE

The writers in the NY Post pretty much covered it all, said it all. Yes, SEVEN articles on the SWAMP GAS they passed yesterday. (See right side of blog for links.) Notable highlights within include Carson's remarks on Manning, yet another player's ripping of Coughlin while the bird brain owner says that no player has said a bad thing to HIM, and the interesting statistic which speaks volumes:

Under Coughlin the Giants are 17-7 in the first half of the season and 8-18 in the second half of the season. These guys tire of Coughlin, and then they plain TIRE. YEP, WE ARE WINNING A CHAMPIONSHIP WITH THIS LOSER! NOT! To quote Andy L., will it be in Game 1 or Game 2 when the fans start chanting "FI-RE COUGH-LIN"..? This is the same shit I warned about with "Warm Porridge" post back in December. Just warm enough to fool the pussy management that we can be the venerable and deliberate franchise that stays the course and does not get weak with change for change's sake. The same pussy thinking that lost us Fox and gave us two more years of that prevent offense loser Fassel. Get ready to whip it out and piss away a year on this clown.

Bad beat.

FULL HOUSE.