June 30, 2008

Eric, when you look back at the 2004 draft, it’s insane how important that draft appears to be for the franchise.  The 2003 season was a disaster, Collins appeared to be on his way out (maybe), the o-line was a mess, the coaching staff was in flux and there was no foundation on the team.  How important was that draft in your opinion?  The “Trading up for Gallery” thread got me thinking…What if we had done that?  How screwed would this franchise have been?  We got Eli and we started building our o-line for the long-term with Snee and Ohara.  Had we traded up though for Gallery, blown extra picks on a bust (and likely not getting Snee), and not gotten a franchise QB with as tough as the division is today, could you see the franchise being absolutely buried in the division cellar for years and nowhere to go?  I could.  It’s scary to ponder.

Eric’s Reply: Well obviously it was one of the most important drafts in franchise history.  Had Manning not led the Giants to a Super Bowl victory, that draft would always have been questioned.  It is amazing to think what a huge disappointment Gallery has been.  He probably was considered the safest pick at the time.  It just goes to show you that the draft is very much a crap shoot.

Eric,

I was wondering what your feelings were with the Giants possibly giving Shockey a multi-year deal. Personally I don’t see the point if he’s not happy to be in NY and could be yet another Tiki Barber situation. I hope Manning has the confidence now to be able to command control of the huddle, but I just don’t see him as the type of guy ala Peyton to grab a guy by the face mask and tell him to shut the f**k up if he was being a problem. I especially worry about Shockey’s presence with Strahan no longer being in the locker room.

Also, would you agree with a Shockey for Taylor trade? I don’t understand why we haven’t done this yet as Taylor wants out of Miami and Shockey never seems to want to leave Miami.

Kelly from south jersey

Eric’s Reply: God no. Shockey is signed through the 2011 season. He hasn’t made it through one NFL season since he has been in the NFL and he doesn’t look like the same player he was when he was drafted. He’s coming off two major injuries - a broken fibula and torn ligaments in an ankle (again). I actually wonder how much he has left in his tank in terms of being a top player. Two, three more years?

Personally, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if the Giants have talked about Taylor and there was a rumor that the Giants were in three-way talks to bring him to New York. However, I don’t know if this is true and much would depend on (1) how many years he still wants to play, and (2) and contract issues he may have.

June 29, 2008

Is Manningham a lock to make the team? It’s rare to cut a low rd pick but with the character issues, if he were to screw up and be busted for drugs prior to the season, then it wouldn’t surprise me if they let him go. Also, the logjam at WR could make things interesting. Opinion?

Eric’s Reply: He’d have to really screw up not to make the team. This guy is a first-round talent.

Mr Editor,

I was wondering what your stance is on the PSL decision? I’ve read the Giants web site article and I it sounds like it was purely a business decision.

Thanks, Jon

Eric’s Reply: Jon, I’m the wrong guy to ask because I don’t have season tickets. So it doesn’t affect me personally. Being as objective as I can attempt to be, and not having all of the facts, it appears on the surface that the Giants are just doing what other teams with new stadiums are doing. This is the new economics of the NFL (and sports in general). Many of these seats are now corporate. It stinks, but the Giants are currently in the bottom half in the NFL in revenue raised. Given the fact this is a New York team, that is absurd.

Do you think Smith replaces Toomer as the primary #2 by the end of the upcoming season? I know Toomer is still E’s go to guy when he needs a big completion on 2nd/3rd down, but Smith showed tremendous ability to run solid routes, had good field knowledge and showed great poise in the postseason. His polish is beyond most at his age. Also, in terms of the final WR position this year, the battle appears to be with: Tyree, Hixon, Moss, Jennings and London. What do you think will be the tipping factor? Will it most likely be who can contribute on special teams as a returner or gunner? If you had to make a guess at this point, does Moss make the roster this year assuming he stays healthy in camp?

Eric’s Reply: No. When you play as long as Toomer has (and most importantly, he’s still playing well), there is a pecking order. I think Moss has to dramatically improve his productivity or he is gone. When I say productivity, I mean actually catch the ball and make plays with the football in his hands. He needs to do that in the preseason. Don’t discount D.J. Hall too.

As you correctly pointed out, weeks if not months ago, Shockey cannot even pass a physical, due to his December injury. His trade value is obviously not very high right now.

So, here is my question, and I realize this may be a stupid question: is placing him on the physically unable to perform list an option for the Giants? And, don’t the Giants have to place him on the PUP list prior to the start of training camp, or they lose that option? Do you think this is an option that the Giants will consider? Put Shockey on the PUP list and trade him after the season, when presumably, he would pass a physical?

James

Eric’s Reply: It’s an option. See the BBI Glossary for details on the PUP. However, I believe the Giants have said a few times he should be able to go by the time camp starts (he’ll probably be limited is my guess).

I’m surprised the division arguement favors Eli as much as it does, so for James I’ll say that Romo gets healthy in games outside of the physical NFC East. Not to mention that cold weather road games in the division have been tough on Romo as well.

Anyway my brother needs to get less fired up about the media and just enjoy the summer. I’d tell him to play golf but the only time I ever played with him he drilled some guy in the back with a 120 yard 8-iron; ouch!!! that looked like it hurt.

If he wants I’ll kick Kirwin’s a$$
cause I’m Wayne Brady be-atch.

James’s calm, rational, well adjusted brother Steve in Randolph

Eric’s Reply: I have no idea regarding Shockey. People are obviously in denial to the point of idiocy.

Regarding Romo, you have to give the man his due. He is obviously very, very over-hyped, but what he has done in two years as a starter is very, very impressive. His playoff record is 0-2 after two years as a starter. Well, so was Eli’s. And Eli was nowhere near as sharp as Romo his first two years. Eli has an outstanding line, plus Plaxico, Toomer, and Shockey. Romo had a very good line last season. He has Owens and Witten, but his other receivers don’t impress me. Both teams have very good ground games and defenses. Both QB’s have a knack for bringing their teams back from behind. Give the man his due.

Kirwan called it a “split-decision.” It’s not even close, in my
opinion. Like I said, if you’re into Fantasy Football, Romo is better.

But what has Romo accomplished in his real football career? Great regular season statistics? Crapping the bed in the divisional playoffs? Let most of the country think Romo is better; they’re wrong. Most of the country also thought the Giants had no chance winning the Super Bowl.

Watch Romo in the 4th quarter of the divisional playoff game, and then watch Eli in the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl, and tell me it’s a “split decision” as to who is the better QB.

Romo made the Pro Bowl; so did Roy Williams.

James

Eric’s Reply: James, I’d rate Manning higher because of the playoff record, but Romo has done more in his first two seasons than Manning did as a starter. And he legitimately made the Pro Bowl last year. (But not the year before).

But what Kirwan does not mention in his article, is that Eli Manning didn’t just win Super Bowl 42. He was the game’s MVP. Why?
Because with 2:42 left, and his team trailing 17-14, Manning led the Giants 83 yards down the field for the game-winning TD - against the “best team ever in the history of our solar system,” if you listened to the “experts.” When Romo does that, then we can compare the two QBs. In the meantime, I’ll continue referring to him as “Mr. November”.

Or, we should just wait a few years, and count Manning’s rings.

James

Eric’s Reply: Boy are you missing the point. Most of the country thinks Romo is the better QB. Kirwan’s article argues otherwise. Besides that, if you don’t think what Tony Romo has done early in his career is impressive, I don’t agree with you at all. He’s been very good.

Next Sunday, June 29th, at 4:00 p.m., NFL Network is re-broadcasting the week 17 game between the Giants and the Patriots, on “NFL Classic Games.” Of course, this game is included in the DVD set “Road to XLII”.

I have season tickets and I was at this game. I remember thinking two things while watching this game, surrounded by Patriot fans:

1. Patriot fans are dumber and more obnoxious than even Cowboy fans; and that means they are really dumb and obnoxious. They really believed they had the “perfect” team, and wanted eveyone to know it.

2. I remember thinking “man, my brother Steve is freakin’ nuts.” Why? Because several times both outside the stadium and in our seats, he threatened to kick Patriot’s fans’ ass if they didn’t “shut the f*** up.” I don’t know what got into him that night, but I was scared shitless. I felt like David Chappell hanging out with Wayne Brady.

James

Eric’s Reply: There is a difference between being a hard worker and working hard at being a good teammate.

Eric’s Reply: He’s in the equation, but if Shockey stays, he’s going to have to fight for a spot. Darcy Johnson can block and catch. Matthews is more one-dimensional.

Eric’s Reply: Hey, I’ve given Accorsi shit for years. I said when Eli was drafted, in order to justify that trade, Eli had to win a Super Bowl. Well, he did. The trade has been completely justified. Even if Eli never won another game, the trade was worth it. Kudos to Ernie!

Eric’s Reply: Rosenhaus is very good at what he does. His job is to get big contracts for his clients so he can get a big commission. It’s just part of the game. If it wasn’t for him, we never would have gotten Plax.

Cheers,
Alan in Toledo

Eric’s Reply: Eli Manning has a long way to go in order to be considered on par with Tom Brady and his brother. You should pick up Vacchiano’s new book on Manning. It won’t be out until September, but I read the advance copy and it is quite good.

Hope you are having a great summer thus far. I just wanted to write in and comment about all of this crap going on here in the offseason. I know that none of this is generally a good thing when you have contract issues and distracting players like Shockey. However, let’s not forget that this IS NY. The media is going to have a frenzy with these types of things. All teams have these same issues at times. Remember the Patriots going through this with Deion Branch? They seemed to end up just fine that season. I always “liked” Shockey as a Giant for all of the same reasons why everyone else has - his fire, intensity and back when he was younger his ability to create mismatches. However, I have never thought of him as an elite TE. He’s become a good blocker and was a decent weapon in the offense. The fact is he drops a lot of passes, he complains, refuses to work with his QBs in the offseason and would rather put beer and skirt before his career. The guy has always felt he was entitled to his “elite” TE status. For what? Everyone is tired of him and his lack of commitment to his profession. He seems to forget that it is a privilege to play in that league, not a right. Also, I don’t think it’s fair to say that Reese screwed up by not making the trade. Hindsight is always 20/20. How was he to know that Shockey would react the way he has? I think he was trying to make sure the best players were wearing the right uniform. In the long run, this isn’t all that horrible for the Giants. We have solid players at the TE positon, an elevating receiving corps, and a QB on the brink of stardom. I think things will work out fine. Let’s get Burress his new contract, dump Shockey and get back to business.

Thanks,
Chuck in Austin

Giants fans should realize once and for all just what kind of an egomaniac self- absorbed piece of trailer trash we have been dealing with and indulging all these years. Here’s a guy whose team WINS THE SUPER BOWL, and all he can think to do is pout and come up with some delusional paranoia about the Giant front office “leaking information” about him. This asshole is actually not happy that his team is World Champions because he wasn’t front and center hot dogging it up and acting the fool. So now he figures to cause as much shit as possible. One doesn’t know wether to laugh at that kind of megalomania or simply weep. Can you imagine being so completely out of touch? Mind boggling.

Hey Jeremy, here’s a piece of information for you that any one who follows the Giants already knows; you are a brain- dead hick with the maturity level of a two year old, who has a chip on your shoulder because Daddy didn’t stick around when you were growing up. So rather than have you screw up my team, here’s a suggestion; You can fuck off right now and don’t let the door hit your red-neck ass on the way out.

Mick

Eric’s Reply: What’s more mind-boggling is that fans are actually standing up for this guy like he is the victim. Derrick Ward is at practice. Mathias Kiwanuka is at practice. Everyone except for Plax who is not happy with his contract is at practice (and even Plax is sticking with his teammates).

(1) Reese blew it by not trading him during the draft. He’s going to have to accept less now, and perhaps nothing for a malcontent who still can’t pass a physical. That boat has sailed. Waiting isn’t going to drive his price up.

(2) I don’t see the connection at all with the other players. If anything, it tells the other players the Giants aren’t going to put up with this shit and they can go someplace else if need be. It won’t come to that regardless.

My question is about what you’ve seen so far. Obviously, we knew winning the SB would cause drama, our big players wanting more money, etc, but did you see it going to this length. With the Shockey nonsense and all, are you very concerned at this point that the team may not be mentally focused to compete this season, a little bit or not really considering it was only minicamp? I think the signs are there for it to be a tough go this year but I’m hoping we work it all out over the next 6 weeks. I think if we get to training camp and alot of this is still going on, then there is legit concern.

Happy Father’s DAy to you Eric.

Eric’s Reply: Define priority. Ideally, it’s something the Giants would like to get done. I’m a big fan of Jacobs, but he doesn’t deserve to be paid like one of the best. If he can’t accept that, the Giants can survive without him. Snee is one of the best guards in the NFL, but good guards are being paid an astronomical amount now. My guess is that the Giants re-sign both, but I don’t think it is a sure thing. Again, the Giants could survive without Snee.

I think it is a legitimate concern now. The odds are against any team repeating. But this was a bad week for the Giants. I think they need to dump Shockey ASAP and send a message.

I know, I’m nuts.

James

Eric’s Reply: It’s not tampering. And Shockey himself said he wouldn’t mind being traded to New Orleans. James, if you can’t accept the fact that Shockey doesn’t want to be here, you really have some issues dealing with reality.