Kaspers Korner

The new field turf was suppose to a huge improvement over the old artificial turf.  With New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora, tearing his ACL after getting his cleats stuck in the turf, people’s thinking might all change on that.

Already, this year there has been so many knee injuries that one has to question it now.  Even to the likes of superstars now.

I actually have experience with artificial turf.  In my senior year of high school we were able to use the old football stadium for the State University of New York at Buffalo Bulls. 

The old astro turf was essentially plastic carpet.  Which, felt like falling oon concrete.  That would also give cuts constantly to players that are not prepared for it.

The same goes for the new field turf.  It does not matter that it is made with rubber.  It is turf, and there is simply no give in it like grass.

Umenyiora’s injury brings to light that no matter how advanced technology gets there is simply no replacement for mother nature.

Simply, with out Umenyiora the Giants defensive end Justin Tuck will have to pick up the slack.  As well as the Giants offense.

If they do not, then the Giants will find themselves golfing earlier than expected.

Sport Illustrated.com’s Peter King Monday Morning Quarterback Tuesday edition finally gave the full story of the saga that happened between the team, and former tight end Jeremy Shockey.  After reading it one can only conclude that the divorce was soley that of the Giants.

The team dropped the ball completely in regards to Shockey. 

 First, the team made Shockey pay out of his own pocket for his flight to the Superbowl.  While, letting other injured players in New York take the team charter in the middle of the week.

Second, the team put Shockey up in a separate hotel across town from the team.

Finally, the team never told Shockey about the parade.

Holy crap, what is up with all the stupidity coming from teams front offices.  First, Packers general manager Ted Thompson nudge Farve into retirement, second Giants gm Jerry Reese treats Shockey like crap, and then Bills COO Russ Brandons decides to be a twelve year old girl, and not call left tackle Jason Peters, because Peters never called him asking for a new contract.

Seriously, how did these people get these jobs anyways? 

Well now the Giants better hope that tight end Kevin Boss lasts a whole season, because they have nothing behind him.

Only time will tell if  treating Shockey like crap will come to bite them in the rear.

The New York Giants are already dealing with a bad situation between the team and tightend Jeremy Shockey, and wide receiver Plaxico Burress.  Now, the team has to deal with the parole violation that running back Ahmad Bradshaw, and cornerback Geoffrey Pope being arrested for hitting someone with a champagne bottle. 

The news is not good for the Giants as both men are subject to discipline under the Personal Conduct Policy.  How long of a suspension it will be depends on what the NFL finds out about each situation. 

The positive thing is that the two are backups.  That means the team would stll would have a good chance of winning what whatever game the two miss.

What is next for the Giants? Nobody knows that, but whatever it is the team better have a plan to act when something  comes up

Jeremy Shockey has been labeled as a bad locker room teammate, over his complaining that his role with the team is not what it is use to.  After studying Shockey’s statistics, and also doing research, I have concluded that he has a ligitament gripe.

Shockey’s best year came as a rookie in 2002 when he caught 74 catches for 894 yards.  He was on pace to surpass those numbers the follwing year in 2003, but Shockey suffered a season ending injury

He has come close to the 894 yards receiving in 2005, with 891 yards receiving. However, his best total, since his rookie year, has been 66 catches in 2006. In 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2006 Shockey has played in 15 games in each season.

The numbers are definately troubling when you look at them.  Athletes get better as time goes on with playing the same position in the same league.  Shockey’s numbers does not reflect that at all, and do not get me wrong i am not saying that Shockey’s play in decline. 

Even if Shockey played the last two game he most likely would of ended with 65 catches on the year again.  The tight ends were shut out in week 16 against the Buffalo Bills.  Then in the season finale tight end Kevin Boss caught four passes. 

Shockey is right, since Giants head coach Tom Coughlin has become the head coach of the team his numbers have droppped, which was even before wide receiver Paxico Burress was signed before the 2005 season.  The drop indicates one thing, and one thing only that being the running game has been used more than passing.

The proof of that is in a former teammates statistics, and that being Tiki Barber.  Before 2004, which was Coughlin’s first year, Barber surpassed 300 rushing attempts once, and that was 2002.  When Coughlin came on Barber had no less than 322 attempts per a year.  That means that at least 20 passing plays per a year is taken away to run the ball.

The fact is that the league is starting to move away from running, because of the abundance of quality wide receivers.  yeah Coughlin had a young quarterback in Eli Manning, but that is no excuse.  If anything the Giants should of been throwing just as much, because of Shockey being the security blanket for Manning in the offense.

Shockey is getting a bum rap for playing for an old school coach that will eventually wear out his welcome with the team.  Playing for a hard nosed in your face coach is tough, especially mentally.  That is due to the name calling that these guys use not like todays coach, which comes up to you pointing out what you did wrong.

In the end Coughlin did win a Superbowl, but this is a what did you do for me lately league, and if Coughlin does not win another Superbowl all this one will be is a fluke.  If he does not he will be fired before his contract runs out, and you know guys like Barber, and Shockey will be sitting there saying I told you so.

After the Super Bowl ended many questioned the futre of Jeremy Shockey with the New York Giants.  Now, that question has evolved into will Shockey go to the New Orleans Saints.

The saga took to another level when World Wide Entertainment’s Jim Ross wrote in his blog that Shockey is going to be traded to the Saints, and is looking foward to playing with them.

The Giants can deny it all they want, but the cat is out of the bag, and trading Shockey is a no brainer for both teams.  The Giants get an extra pick, and the Saints will get another weapon for quarterback Drew Brees.

Now, the question is will the Giants take less than what they offered the Saints, since the cat is out.  It was reported that the Giants told the Saints they want a second round pick, and safety Roman Harper.  With what has been reported the Giants will be lucky to get a second rounder out of the Giants.

The fact if the matter is that the Giants should just take a second rounder for Shockey, and be done with the trade. 

The New York Giants have publicly stated that they are not going to trade tightend Jeremy Shockey.  Thanks to an someone outside of the National Football League they will not be able to get as much for him.

World Wrestling Entertainment announcer Jim Ross in his blog wrote this, “My sources tell me that the New York Giants are going to trade outstanding TE Jeremy Shockey to Bush’s Saints, prior to the NFL draft.  Shockey is an Oklahoma kid from Ada who told me last week he was looking forward to playing for the Saints.”

Even if this is a false rumour the fact that Shockey’s comments leave no doubt that the Giants have to unload Shockey.  He is a real big pain in the butt, and every Giant fan should want to slap him upside the head for what he said.

The Giants now will not be able to get nearly as much as they want as before, and that was they most likely could have gotten a second round pick for Shockey.  Now, the Giants will be lucky to even get a third rounder for him.  The question now is what will the Giants do?

A possibility is that out of spite they could keep Shockey, and use a two tightend sets.  The reason being to teach Shockey a lesson to keep his mouth shut.  It is mosy likely that they will trade him though, because of the emergence of tightend Kevin Boss last year.

In the end it is only now going to get ugly from here on out between Shockey and general manager Jerry Reese.

 

The New York Giants are coming off a mind blowing Super Bowl win this past year, and along with it comes the raiding of the team of its free agents.  However, with the offense set for many years to come the Giants will address their defense this year.

The only real losses the team suffered was the loss of linebacker Kiwika Mitchell, and safety Gibril Wilson.  Wilson has already been replaced with saftey Sammy Knight, and signed linebacker Danny Mitchell. 

Other area of concern is if defensive end Michael Strahan will come back this season to play.  However, if they do retire they will be fine there thanks to Justin Tuck.  They also let defensive tackle William Joesph walk away by signing with the Oakland Raiders, but he has been a dissapointment as he has been riddled with injuries.

So, where will the Giants go with their first round pick.  That is anyones guess at this point.  Teams at that point in the round usually keep their options open.  That is due in part to picks at this stage are usually back ups, and have very little immediate impact on a team.

Usually, teams that are consistently in the playoff hunt have their picks to step up in the starting lineup in their third year.  The first and second years they usually spell the starter.

With free agency quiting down more likely news will be coming soon as to what direction general manager Jerry Reese will do with the pick.  Afterall the roster is already pretty much set.

The New York Giants this past year pulled off the upset of the century in Super Bowl XLII.  As free agency has started the only thing coming out of the Giants front office is silence.

The Giants have lost three players  Kawika Mitchel,l to the Buffalo Bills, Gibril Wilson, to the Oakland Raiders, and Reggie Torbor, to the Miami Dolphins.  Then add in the possible retirement of defensive end Michael Strahan, and you have a receipe for disaster.

According to the New York Times Mitchell is the biggest loss of the three.  The times put it this way, “Mitchell, who was the Giants’ lone notable free-agent signing last year, signed a five-year contract.”

It is pretty sad to see that the Giants are doing nothing to improve their team.  Especially, when you have a disgruntled superstar in tight end Jeremy Shockey.

There is always room for improvement, and the best way to do that is sign your own guys first.  Then in the draft add depth, so that when a player does leave he has someone to immediately to replace  him.

The fact that they are doing nothing is mind blowing.  The only thing in free agency they have done is schedule safety Sammt Knight for a vist.

Keep up at the pace they are going they will be lucky to make the playoffs.  That is considering who else is in their division.

Ernie Accorsi retired after last year as the New York Giants gerneral manger.  However, it is due to a lesson that Accorsi learner decades ago that the Giants were able to slay Goliath.

The New York Times did a great article on Accorsi this past week.  In it was a great lesson that all should take note of.  That lesson according to Accorsi in the New York Times was this, “This is how you judge a quarterback: Can he take the team down the field with the championship on the line and get it in the end zone?”

Now, you look at some of the great Super Bowl moments all of them are that of a quarterback leading his team down the field for the win.

However, only two of them in the past twenty years have been last second drives for touchdowns.  Besideds Manning the other was former San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana in Super Bowl 23 against the Cincinatti Bengals.

That means that for many years to come the Giants will now be the team to beat.  THey are a young group, and the only real significant player that they stand a chance of losing is Michael Strahan to retirement.

With that in mind look out NFL the more powerful conference could be swinging back to the NFC.

Football today has become the main American sport.  It has become so popular that even vice presidents of local television stations are pulling programming to affect the other team.

According to Pro Football Talk.com WLUK has pulled Seinfeld from its regular saturday afternoon time slot.  “We do not want to give them any comfort when they come to town,” according to Vice President and General Manager Gene Zollar.

Wow what a freaking loser this guy is.  Are you kidding me.  Like Eli Manning, or anyone in the NFL is going to worry about their favorite TV show not being on when it is a rerun.

All Manning has to do is go down to the local department store, and by a season on dvd, and a cheap $35 dvd player, or even his lap top computer.  If he is that much of a fan then he will already have a dvd at home.

The fact of the matter is that it does nothing, and humiliates a city, and the good people of it.

The only real way that the Green Bay Packers will win is if they run the ball effectively, and not commit any turnovers. 

So, get a life Jay Zollar you loser.