SB Nation User Blog: NYERinSF

Eli Manning Signed Super Bowl Program on Ebay

NYERinSF — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 23:03:34 -0000

Hi all

When I am not hanging around BBV, trying to get my business rolling, blogging about the environment, or chasing my 2 kids around, I teach marketing online at Upper Iowa University. (yes, I live in the SF Bay Area)

Anyway, just got an email. It seems UIU advertised in the Super Bowl program, and one of the perks was a Eli Manning signed program.

They put it on Ebay, with all proceeds going to student scholarships. FWIW, here it is

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270256309311#ebayphotohosting

Cool Article about years from 1963-6

NYERinSF — Sat, 17 May 2008 19:03:43 -0000

While looking up more info on Tucker Fredrickson, I came across this article in Football Outsiders , and I thought it was fascinating

The article is mostly about Bob Timberlake, arguably "the worst field goal kicker in NFL history.

Timberlake was the third round pick in 1965, and was told that he would compete with Gary Wood for the starting job. Problem was, the Giants brought in Earl Morrall and Timberlake became 3rd string. At the same time, the other players with kicking experience were traded, left, or got injured, leaving Timberlake as the primary fieldgoal and kickoff man. The Giants did not have kicking specialists in those days. Ernie Koy, who was the halfback, also punted.

The article goes on to describe how Timberlake's lack of success at kicking almost scuttled the NFA-AFL merger, and almost sparked a bidding war

It is, in all a fascinating read

3rd round pick

NYERinSF — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:44:33 -0000

from espn

Mario Manningham WR MICHIGAN
Concerns about his character caused Manningham's stock to drop. He also lacks ideal size. However, Manningham simply knows how to get open; he's a smooth route-runner and does a good job reading defenses. He also has the ability to make spectacular catches.

Not sure what the character issues were - always a red flag to me. He is 5'11" and doesn't sound like a burner.

I get the impression he is a possession receiver.

With Plax, Toomer, Smith pretty set as 1, 2, and 3 - chance Smith may challenge Toomer for number 2 this year - looks like at best he'll be competing with Moss and Tyree for number 4

My son's first football game

NYERinSF — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 03:04:25 -0000

My son just turned 10 years. I have had a real hard time getting him interested in watching football with me. Since we live in San Francisco, and both the Niners and Raiders have pretty much sucked for a bunch of years, and I don't get that many Giants games, I haven't pressed it too much.

Last year, he played baseball in Little league, and never got past "throwing like a girl" - But, at the end of the season, the team had a picnic, he picked up a football, and threw a perfect spiral.

After I scraped my jaw off the floor, I started throwing the ball with him and had a blast.

But even so, usually when a football game is on, he has gone off to play on the computer, or generally do something else. But today, for the first time, he sat down next to me and started asking me about the rules, and why I cheared at certain things and moaned or grumbled over others.

It was a lot of fun, and I am really looking forward to having a football watching buddy, even if he ultimately becomes a 9er or raider fan

NE

NYERinSF — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 20:36:50 -0000

OK - So, we are facing NE, the last barrier to a perfect season.

Meanwhile, we have nothing to gain in the game.

Now, no one in the Giants organization would admit that they might put anything less than full effort into the game, but..

What would you do?

I think that resting Plax is a no brainer

Jacobs? Strahan? Manning? Toomer? Pull the starters after the 1st half?

TC and BB were both assistants under Parcells. Any idea what their relationship is like?

Looking at the positives and looking forward w/poll

NYERinSF — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 02:46:28 -0000

This was a disappointing loss, and it revealed a lot of vulnerabilities about this team, and NOTHING is worse than losing to the Cowpies.

But let's put it into perspective.

Looking back at the beginning of the season, I didn't think the Giants would be 6-3 at this point. I wouldn't have been surprised by a 6-10 season, so most of this season has been a pleasant surprise

I was also not THAT impressed with the 6 game win streak. It came against some very bad teams. Still, what it did show was that the Giants had the discipline to focus on the game at hand, and win the games they were "supposed" to win. (Think back to the Fassel years when the Giants would regularly beat the division leaders, then lose to the worst teams in the league.

Looking at the remaining schedule. With the exception of the Pat's the Giants should be able to win every game. I watched the Chicago game today and they were freakin awful.

In fact, so far, the Giants have played the best and the worst teams. Now they will play a bunch of teams that (like the Giants) are in the middle. What we will find out is whether the Giants are at the top of the middle, or the bottom

Poll

Giants final record will be

Poll Question

NYERinSF — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 22:01:50 -0000

Just a note on the poll question "Can this team go to the playoffs?" Based on the question, I answered, yes, as in "yes, it is *possible they could* go to the playoffs" But you could say that about almost ANY team in the league at this point. The real question is will they?

And my answer here is (I am sorry to say) is probably not. For the Giants to get to the playoffs this year 1. They need to stay healthy. There is almost no depth, especially on the O-Line, one or two injuries there, and they are cooked. 2. They will need to play "complete" games. For the first two weeks, the offense looked greatm and the defense looked like they weren't even on the field. For the next two, the defense looked pretty awesome, and the offense slid downhill. They need both. 3. They need to keep playing like underdogs.

Poll

OK - WILL the Giants make the playoffs

2 articles in the NY Times...

NYERinSF — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 06:32:45 -0000

One crystallized everything, and left me thinking that the Giants are going 3-13 this year.

He other left me with a Scooby Doo moment. Huuh? (in Scooby voice)

More after the jump

First the Scooby.

In this article

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/21/sports/football/21giants.html?ref=sports

we get pretty much standard faire about how Kiwi and Pierce handling the questions from reporters differently, blah blah blah. But then I saw this quote
"Kiwanuka has been such a liability in passing coverage that he has often been banished to the sideline on third downs."

and I went "huh?" why have him playing pass coverage? His strength is pass rush, and pass rush has been anemic. Leave him in, and line him up to blitz. Take out a tackle. You can then have Kiwi, Strahan, and Osi rushing the passer at once.

It doesn't seem like rocket science to me.

OK - the other one crystallized the whole season.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/22/sports/football/22giants.html?ref=sports

This article notes "Maybe their troubles on the field are much simpler. Maybe the Giants are just not that talented."

The article goes on to talk about how Reese, in the first year has a youth movement going on. The Giants are the 3rd youngest team in the NFL

They note that Reese is building a team for the future, While Coughlin needs to "win now"

If you think about the moves that Reese made, he cleared salary cap room, and went young. That's laying a foundation for the future.

Strahan Coming back

NYERinSF — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 00:03:51 -0000

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/01/sports/football/01giants.html?ref=sports

NY Times reports that Strahan "will rejoin the Giants today and expects to play in the team's regular-season opener Sunday, Sept. 9, against the Cowboys in Dallas."

Is he in shape? Did he recover from his injury? There is a lot of unknown still. My feel is that he is not 100% - lingering issues.

I remember the year that LT held out, in the first game back he got a hamstring.

I don't know. He was a great player, and he can still have an impact in games, but I am concerned about the effect his "holdout" or whatever it was will have on team chemistry.

I also wonder if he really still has the fire in the belly

BIG Boys

NYERinSF — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 03:39:08 -0000

In addition to Wright, the Giants brought in Tui Alailefaleula, (pronounced Ah-la-EE-lay-fa-lay-OO-la.)

Story in NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/17/sports/football/17giants.html?ref=sports

More over the jump

Both Wright and Tui are officially listed at 345. Neither have played in the NFL

"I was not prepared," said Wright, who was cut by the Dolphins in 2005 and the Buffalo Bills last spring. "I wasn't ready." Asked why he thought his football career might work out with his third N.F.L. audition, Wright answered: "Because I have actually trained this time. I have been working out. I am not just big."

The thing with big bodies is that they get tired really fast. So 1)They do need to be in shape, and 2) they need to platoon in and out so that they can stay fresh. Maybe they can platoon one of these big guys with Cofield or Bell, and just have 4 guys who go in and out.

Poll

SB Nation User Blog: NYERinSF

Eli Manning Signed Super Bowl Program on Ebay

Cool Article about years from 1963-6

3rd round pick

My son's first football game

NE

Looking at the positives and looking forward w/poll

Giants final record will be

Poll Question

OK - WILL the Giants make the playoffs

2 articles in the NY Times...

Strahan Coming back

BIG Boys

Will these new additions help the G men?