New York Giants Strength and Conditioning Program Media Day

New York Giants Strength and Conditioning Program Media Day:  The media was granted access to the players yesterday for the first time since the Giants’ offseason strength training and conditioning program began on March 31.

“It has been a good start to the offseason workout program, good attendance, guys are focused, and I think what we realize is that we can become a better team,” said QB Eli Manning.  “Last year we got hot at the end of the season, but we need to become a better team all-around.  We have a lot of things to work on and guys realize that.  Guys understand we can’t just stay content with where we are.  At every position we need to improve.”

“I think we need to keep the same attitude we had last year,” said Manning.  “We don’t have to talk about repeating, that doesn’t have to be part of our discussion.  Our discussion is getting better, becoming a better football team, and that is what we are trying to do.”

“You have to say last year was a great season and it was fun, but it is over,” said Manning.  “There will still be time to enjoy it when we get our rings, when we go to the White House, those types of things.  It is the time you enjoy those moments and celebrate and that is fine.  But once you are in here, once you are working out, once you are committed to getting better and doing the football stuff, you have to turn the page and say it is a whole new year.  If we stay the same team as we were last year, we are not going to be able to do this again.  We have to become a better team.”

“You still have to manage your time,” Manning said.  “I thought the greatest thing I did after the game was I did my regular kind get-away and I was gone for three weeks.  I didn’t do an appearance, I had to get my rest and my time back.  After that I started working out and you have to do some commitments and things come up and everybody is pulling at you.  But you still have to be picky in what you do and understand that it is my job to get ready for this season.  I have my workouts, I have my work here that I have to get done.  If something comes up between that and you are capable of doing it, you can do stuff, but my work here is my number one concern.  That is my job.”

“It is a hard page to turn when everybody you see is bringing (up the Championship),” said OC Shaun O’Hara.  “I think we all realize where we are.  For most of us, this is kind of the first time through this process.  So we are all kind of adlibbing and trying to feel things out for ourselves.”

“I mean, we are having a great time,” said O’Hara.  “We should have been doing this every year.  There are a lot of NFL players that go through their career and never get to experience it.  I think that winning a Super Bowl is something that every player and coach should have the opportunity to go through.  The reality is that not everybody has that chance.  You get to cherish it for what it is, relish the moment, and just keep it as a great memory.  But you can’t dwell on it just like if you hadn’t won the Super Bowl.  You can’t dwell on that, either.”

“I think you just have to come out of the clouds,” said WR David Tyree.  “It’s a euphoria that comes along with winning a championship, but at this point you have to come out of the clouds.  You can still enjoy the moment, but at this time it’s a preparation time.  It brings us back to reality that there’s still more and there’s still greater.  There’s still work and room for improvement.  If you keep that perspective and have an attitude of humility, you can win it again.”

“You realize in a place like New York, as soon as things start going downhill, people will forget relatively quickly,” said DT Barry Cofield.  “For a veteran who has never won, they may want to soak this in a little more.  For a guy like me, I want to get back and experience that feeling again.”

“The Super Bowl will never be forgotten,” said HB Brandon Jacobs.  “We will always be talking about it.  But we have to hang it up right now and get ready for next season.”

“Nobody ever thinks this team is any good anyway, so what’s the difference this year,” LG Rich Seubert said. “We just need to play and have fun again, that was the key last year.  We all enjoyed playing and wanted to win for each other.”

Shockey, Strahan, Umenyiora, and Burress No-Shows:  As expected, TE Jeremy Shockey has been a no-show for the offseason workouts.  “When I talk to him, I say I’m excited about this season,” said Manning.  “I’m excited about what we can become as a team, as our connection between Jeremy and I.  I don’t think we’ve reached our potential in our connection and in the tandem we can become.  That’s what I’m excited about because I see room for improvement in all areas.”

Manning was asked if he thinks Shockey is excited to be a part of the Giants.  “I hope so,” said Manning.  “I hope he understands we would like him back.  He’s a tremendous player.  He helps us out and helps out our offense when he’s out there.”

“Jeremy is a big part of the team, he’s a big part of the emotion of this team,” said O’Hara.  “I’d much rather play with him than have to play against him.”

Also absent from the workouts are DE Michael Strahan, DE Osi Umenyiora, and WR Plaxico Burress.

Latest Rumors:  According to The Star-Ledger‘s Giants’ Blog:

• The Giants have scheduled pre-draft visits with LT/RT Gosder Cherilus (Boston College), LT Chris Williams (Vanderbilt), DE/LB Quentin Groves (Auburn), DT Gabe Long (Utah), S Tyrell Johnson (Arkansas), and WR Mario Manningham (Michigan).  Each team is allowed only 30 pre-draft visits from non-local schools.

• The Giants and HB Brandon Jacobs are far apart in preliminary contract extension talks.

• The Giants may be giving David Diehl another raise soon since he now is a left tackle.

• CB Corey Webster is close to reaching some incentives that will void the last year of his contract, making him a free agent after this upcoming season.  The blog says look for him to also receive an extension.

• S Craig Dahl, who was cut by the Giants earlier this offseason because of the torn ACL he suffered at the end of the 2007 regular season, could be re-signed by the Giants before training camp.

Article on PK Lawrence Tynes:  Brothers’ Bond Stays True Despite Trying Circumstances by Ben Houser for ESPN.com

Notes and Quotes:  S Michael Johnson has changed uniform numbers from 43 to 20.

The Star-Ledger is reporting that the Giants worked out the following unrestricted free agents recently: WR Carlyle Holiday, RB John David Washington, and QB Jeff Smith.  The paper says none of these players was offered a contract.

The Giants’ press release said Sammy Knight will play at free safety. “There’s no pressure at all for me,” Knight said.  “I play the game, so my thing is I am confident in my ability, I am confident in my ability to help others and others to help me and listen.  I don’t have an ego.  My bottom line is when you get on the field it is one ball and if you go after that ball you will be okay.  In the history of my career I have done that.  I want to continue to do that and that is what the offseason is for, preparing to do that.  I am really excited for this opportunity to play with these guys and just for us to grow together as a team and to win.”

Knight on his new teammates and their NFL Championship:  “I take my hat off to them, but for me coming in, it is like riding the wave a little bit.  But I am hungry.  If anything, it is the added incentive for me because I really can smell it, I will see the ring, I see the banner.  It just pushes me that much more, especially seeing the joy that these guys have from winning the Super Bowl.”

Manning on what he would like to improve during the offseason program:  “I would like to add 10 more yards to my throw and to my deep ball.  The weightlifting, the stretching, and everything you can do to do that.  There are a lot of things you work on and a lot of it is in the film room and a lot of it is out there on the field or in the weight room – just doing everything the right way to improve your game.  It is not a matter of just going out there and seeing how far you can throw it.  You will be able to tell in practice when you have a guy running down the field and just be able to get it a little bit farther.  You would like to hit it at 45 yards, that is not a problem, but sometimes you have to hold it a little longer, you have to move in the pocket, and the guy gets downfield.  Just to work on improving your deep ball.  It was something we weren’t very good at last year and I think we can get better at.”

General Manager Jerry Reese on free agency:  “Free agency just doesn’t have the same bite as it used to.  People are keeping their own players.  They want to get (a contract) done before those guys hit the market.  So what has happened is you have a better opportunity now for trades, and we’re seeing that quite a bit…You have to play your hand every day.  Anything can happen in personnel.  You prepare yourself for anything.”