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Transcripts:	May, 2008  -  Tom Coughlin, Mario Manningham, Bryan Kehl, Andre' Woodson                     Terrell Thomas, Safety Kenny Phillips
	WFAN April 28 - Mike and Mad Dog with Jerry Reese.
	WFAN April 26 - Chris Carlin with Kenny Phillips.
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May 15 Michael Strahan has made his decision about whether or not to play again in 2008. He's just not ready to say it. "I'll be honest with you, I pretty much know what I'm going to do right now," Strahan said Wednesday night at Cipriani in Manhattan, where he was a presenter at the Dreams in the City fundraiser for the Diabetes Research Institute. "But you know what the thing is? If I say it, I can't change my mind. So I would rather wait until I know I'm 100% sure that when I say what I'm going to do, I'm going to do it."
"I think the guys want me to come back," Strahan said. "Osi called me out of the blue two days ago." Strahan's fellow defensive lineman Osi Umenyiora Osi Umenyiora has his work cut out for him, since this is the second year in a row that the veteran has toyed with the idea of retirement - and this time he has a Super Bowl title to complete his career resume. A year ago, Strahan skipped training camp, saying he was mulling retirement, and although veteran mini-camp is scheduled for next month, he said he's not thinking about it. "It's not on my mind at all," Strahan said.

Two hundred fifty two players were selected in this year's NFL Draft, but only one has an opportunity to play behind and learn from the reigning Super Bowl MVP. Andre' Woodson, a strong-armed quarterback from the University of Kentucky, was issued a locker just a few feet from Eli Manning's, whose late heroics helped the Giants upset New England in Super Bowl XLII. Woodson will return to the Giants with his fellow rookies on Friday to continue the process that he hopes will result in a roster spot in September.

Complete network broadcast - of Super Bowl XLII with playoff victories.

The Road to Super Bowl XLII
Release Date: 2008-06-03 - List Price: $39.98 Price: $29.99 - Check on Free Shipping

May 14 The Giants coaches have it. Preparation. Clarity. Enthusiasm. Every NFL coach from every NFL corner will tell you that coaches are teachers. But some coaches are better teachers than others. The best continually find ways to reach their players, to assist them in executing not only the schemes, but also their skills.

NFL News
Bill Belichick escaped further punishment and humiliation for his covert SpyGate operation when Matt Walsh came up empty in his dud of a meeting Tuesday with Roger Goodell. Still, Belichick's reputation, integrity and credibility all suffered irreparable damage over the last nine months.

May 13 Nate Robinson, a defensive tackle who once was one of the most heralded recruits in Rutgers history, signed Monday with the Giants. The 6-5, 315-pounder was one of seven players to be offered a contract after a weekend tryout. He was joined by OT Jacob Hobbs (Albany), DT Brian Soi (Utah), DE Alex Morrow (USC), CB Miguel Scott (N.C. State), S Terrance Stringer (Tuskegee) and long-snapper Nick Leeson (Virginia Tech).
A few weeks ago, kicker Lawrence Tynes lamented the fact that the Giants last season were the only team in the NFL that did not employ a long-snapping specialist. If Leeson is impressive in training camp and preseason games, he has a chance to stick on the roster. He served from 2003-06 as the long snapper at Virginia Tech - a team renowned for its special teams.
Hobbs, an offensive tackle who played at the University at Albany, the experience would be a homecoming of sorts. Last year, he was signed by the Eagles as a tryout player and appeared in four preseason games but did not make the final roster cut. Soi, a defensive tackle, was signed by the Dolphins just before training camp last summer and played in all four preseason games before being cut Sept. 1.
The team waived three players: Linebacker Rory Johnson of Mississippi, defensive tackle Joshua Muse of Louisiana Tech and punter Owen Tolson of Army. The Giants also terminated the contracts of tight end Eric Butler of Mississippi State and guard Carnell Stewart of LSU.
Owen Tolson's stay with the Giants did not last long, thanks in part to the demise of NFL Europe. The punter from Army, signed Thursday as a free agent, was waived Monday as the Super Bowl champions rearranged the bottom part of the roster. Tolson, who hopes to benefit from the U.S. Military Academy's alternative service program that allows graduates to turn pro before fulfilling their military obligations, was a victim of the tightened roster limits for training camps.

After surveying the Giants-rookie minicamp last weekend and gauging the current climate of the league's defending champions, here is the latest on two of their up-in-the-air, up-for-grabs stars:
Michael Strahan: All signs point to this vibrant defensive end returning for his 16th season with the Giants. The Giants will have no problem paying Strahan the money required for him to return for a final season (at least $6.5 million) and both sides believe he still has another dynamic year of football left.
Jeremy Shockey: This is very much a wait-and-see how it develops situation. Shockey is not happy with the Giants and much of it deals with loyalty issues, feeling wanted and needed and being used in his preference as a pass catcher first and then as a blocker. The Giants know Shockey's value on their team and in the market.

Kevin Gilbride was immersed called the same play for the third time in a row, tweaking it slightly to get Plaxico Burress open for the winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl XLII, Gilbride's immediate reaction was relief. "When it was over, it was like a relief, 'Phew,'" Gilbride said. "But then I saw my wife on the field, and my children and my whole family, and then I got emotional. I chose this, but they got stuck taking this journey with me. I was just happy for them, that I was able to give them a taste of what it was like to be a Super Bowl champion."
On Monday, Gilbride, the Giants offensive coordinator, shared some of that feeling with all of Connecticut, his home state. Gov. M. Jodi Rell proclaimed it "Kevin Gilbride Day" and the legislature offered a proclamation. Gilbride received rare permission from the Giants to take the Vince Lombardi Trophy with him. Fans were allowed to pose with it at both stops, but not touch it. Even Gilbride could handle it only wearing white gloves.

NFL News
There's no NFL prohibiting a member of one coaching staff from staring at the hands of an opposing coach, with anything from a cheap pair of kiddie binoculars to the Hubble telescope. He can memorize the various semaphores and gyrations, write down what he learns, even speak his observations into a tape recorder for later reference. He can then take all of this intelligence and supplement it with 129 other forms of NFL-approved intelligence-gathering and submit it to his boss to help him get ready for next time. The only thing he can't do is use a video camera.
Belichick has said his tapings were a result of his misinterpreting the rules. But what if Walsh tells Goodell that Belichick told him the taping was a big secret and never to tell anybody? That certainly would make Belichick's defense pretty empty and would mean he lied to NFL owners when he addressed them at the league meeting last month. "Bill continued to take the position he misinterpreted the memo," one NFL owner said. "A lot of people don't find that credible."

May 12 David Carr, a former No. 1 pick of the Texans and a supposed future star, was signed to a one-year deal in an attempt to resurrect his career, as the Giants seek to dust off the layers of terrible play to uncover the potential within. Lorenzen and Wright remain on the roster for now but one of them will be gone before training camp, as in the sixth round of last month's NFL Draft, Andre' Woodson was selected to become the developmental quarterback the franchise wanted to add to the mix.
Andre' Woodson completed better than 63 percent of his passes for 3,709 yards and an SEC record 40 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions. He was told throughout the pre-draft process that he'd be a high selection, a second-rounder in fact. "Obviously that didn't work out as planned," he said. "But things happen for a reason. There is some reason why I am here and I am just glad to have another chance to get out on the field and continue to play football."
Both Tom Coughlin and GM Jerry Reese said they took Woodson so they could have a young quarterback to "grow" in the Giants' system, so he obviously will be given a chance. Carr, Wright and Lorenzen are vying for the backup job, though, so playing time for Woodson could be years away. But that's OK, because he knows there are some things he needs to fix - like his big-windup, slow-release style, which is apparently why he dropped in the draft. He heard that was the knock against him, but given his performance in the powerful Southeastern Conference, he wasn't sure why it became such a big deal.
Coughlin said on draft day that Woodson was "too good a pick for us to pass up." "Obviously, when I got drafted, I was kind of confused," Woodson said. "But this just gives me an opportunity to develop and be a lot better and learn from players like Eli and the rest of the quarterbacks and the coaching staff. "Maybe down the road I might end up somewhere else, I might still be here. But either way it goes, I know I'll become a better player and maybe eventually get an opportunity to get on the field and show my abilities."

Before Kenny Phillips' final season at Miami, Ed Reed and Brandon Meriweather provided him with a message of encouragement. "We paved the way for you," they said. "All you have to do is be you and you're going to be all right." When the Giants selected him with the 31st overall pick last month, Phillips became the fourth Hurricanes safety to be drafted in the first round since Reed was picked 24th overall by the Ravens in 2002. He joined Meriweather (also 24th overall by the Patriots last year) and the late Sean Taylor (the fifth pick by the Redskins in 2004).

May 11 As reports have cast doubt over Jeremy Shockey's future with the Giants, offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride reached out to his Pro Bowl tight end to tell him he still has a place in East Rutherford. "I just told him, in essence, I hope he comes back. If he does come back, I'm looking forward to working with him. And I think his teammates and coaches all feel like I do, that we'll be a better football team because he's here," Gilbride said at the team's rookie minicamp yesterday. "I just wanted to make sure he understood that."
What Gilbride declined to answer is whether the tight end, who requested a trade before the draft, wanted to return to the Giants. Several members of the organization - players, coaches and members of the front office - have reached out to Shockey to let him know he's wanted. But Shockey has yet to publicly make his desires or intentions clear.
It is not known if Shockey feels he's an integral part of the offense, especially after watching Eli Manning Eli Manning blossom seemingly the moment after Shockey was injured and lost for the playoff run. Gilbride feels Manning's emergence had nothing to do with Shockey's exit and had plenty to do with the return to health of rookie receiver Steve Smith. Clearly, there's an air of uncertainty around Shockey.

Kenny Phillips is sure he can handle what is required of him as a first-round draft pick of the Giants New York Giants . He knows he must purchase doughnuts for the veterans during the season. "I can do doughnuts," Phillips said. He knows he will be asked (more like told) to sing the Miami fight song or some other ditty on the first day of training camp. "I think if I sound pretty good, they might not ask me to do it anymore," Phillips reasoned. He grimaced when informed he will be expected to take the defensive backs out to an expensive dinner. Then he brightened a bit when reminded that dinner will come only after he signs his first NFL contract.
Kenny Phillips never played football with Sean Taylor. And even though they were both safeties at the University of Miami, they'd never met. Yet there was a bond between them. And when Taylor was murdered last November, Phillips felt a loss. "It touched all of us," Phillips said. "We are a big family down there at the University of Miami. He was our brother and when we lost someone we were really sad." That's why when Phillips, the Giants' first-round draft pick, took the field for the Giants' rookie mini-camp this weekend, he was wearing No. 21. That may have been Tiki Barber's old number with the Giants, but it was also the number Taylor wore with the Washington Redskins. The 21-year-old Phillips said he's wearing it "out of respect" to him.

Terrell Thomas is used to being overshadowed. He was part of a defense at Southern Cal that featured five players who were drafted, three in the first round. Taken by the Giants with the 63rd pick, he was the seventh player from his team taken in the draft. And when he finally landed with the Giants, he was again a bit of an afterthought; He wasn't the first-round pick like Kenny Phillips, and he didn't have the headline-inducing off-the-field troubles of third-rounder Mario Manningham. "It's been like that my whole career," Thomas said Saturday at the team's rookie minicamp. "At USC we always had stars and sometimes I was overlooked, but at the same time I kept battling and I got myself into a great situation."

Two Giants draft picks got hurt during Saturday morning's rookie mini-camp session at Giants Stadium, but neither injury was serious. Mario Manningham, the third-round receiver out of Michigan, injured his hip flexor while running a pattern. Andre' Woodson, the sixth-round quarterback out of Kentucky, strained his left quad while running with the ball toward the sideline. Coach Tom Coughlin called them "soft-tissue injuries."
"The big lesson for these young guys is it is not just straight ahead running," Coach Tom Coughlin said. "You do have to work side-to-side and we had about four soft tissue injuries (including one to free agent running back Jerome Messam and another did not force the player off the field) that are going to be frustrating, but are going to take time. It is going to reduce their practice opportunities. It is unfortunate, but hopefully it is a good lesson for these guys. The twisting, the turning, the stopping, and the starting, that is what this game is about. You do have to have cardiovascular conditioning, but you do have to also work in the short bursts and the change of direction and all those kinds of things so that you don't have that kind of (injuries)."
Since players are not in pads, minicamps pretty much are geared towards showcasing wide receivers and cornerbacks. With that in mind here are the three stars from the Giants rookie camp which concluded Saturday afternoon.
1. WR D.J. Hall - The free agent from Alabama dropped one or two but made the best catches of the camp. He will contest for a spot at what might be the deepest area of the Giants roster.
2. CB Terrell Thomas - The second-round draft pick from USC stayed with his receivers and broke up a couple of passes.
3. WR Willie Idelette - The first-year tryout player from Wake Forest caught the ball well and fielded punts cleanly.

To impress the Giants coach, his new boss, Jonathan Goff will have to rely on just about every one of the lessons learned from his mom Tyre, a single mother who demanded discipline -- knowing it would lead to her youngest son's success. "There were a lot of limits and boundaries to keep me and my brother out of trouble," said Goff, a middle linebacker whom the Giants drafted in the fifth round last month. "She always kept us busy."

NFL News
Mike Ditka leads charge for 'Gridiron Greats,' which is teaming with OAA Orthopedic Specialists in Allentown, Pa., to offer free health care for hurting NFL players in need. Terry Simpson wants to change the way the NFL looks at medicine: Team doctors, he says, are more worried about getting hurt players back on the field than treating injuries.

May 10 After the first pass of his first NFL practice, Andre' Woodson cringed. In the first 11-on-11 scrimmage of the Giants' rookie minicamp yesterday morning, the former University of Kentucky quarterback promptly hit a target -- the waiting hands of linebacker Jonathan Goff, the fifth-round pick from Vanderbilt.

Mario Manningham has given people a lot to talk about with all his off the field problems. On the field with the New York Giants for the first time Friday, the troubled third-round draft pick from Michigan showed flashes of why he might have been one of the biggest steals in the NFL draft. Manningham caught a short pass in the morning workout, deked a defender, spun past another and jogged down the field with a flair that raised eyebrows at the Giants' minicamp for rookie and free agents.
Before this spring is through, coach Tom Coughlin said he'll make sure to sit down for private conversations with all seven Giants draft picks. Prior to yesterday's start of the two-day rookie mini-camp, Coughlin showed some urgency by making sure he visited with Mario Manningham for what the young receiver called "a long talk."

Although it has been three years since his collegiate career ended at Wisconsin, former Edgemont fullback Matt Bernstein has never given up the dream of playing in the NFL. On Thursday night, as Bernstein was working with the discus throwers as an assistant track and field coach at Edgemont, that dream called. When Bernstein didn't answer his phone during practice, the dream became annoyingly persistent. "I saw I missed 10 calls," said a smiling Bernstein, who is trying out at the Giants' rookie mini-camp this weekend.

Safety Kenny Phillips - "I definitely felt great. Especially after training for the combine and stuff and now I get a chance to actually play football and put on a Giants helmet, the team that just won the Super Bowl, I mean it feels like I won it, except I don't have the ring."
About wearing the number 21? - "I definitely did it out of respect to the late Sean Taylor."
Is it tough knowing that it was also Tiki Barber's number? - "Not really."
More Transcripts.

Archie Manning admits it. He's getting greedy. The patriarch of America's reigning first family of football wants sons Peyton and Eli to keep going back to the Super Bowl. Just not at the same time. The Manning family celebrated Peyton's first NFL championship when the Indianapolis Colts won the 2007 Super Bowl. Then came an encore when Eli guided the upstart New York Giants to this year's title. What's more, each was the game's MVP in this remarkable brother act.

May 9 MAN, a not-for-profit organization co-founded by former Giants Ron Johnson and George Martin in 1989, is dedicated to positively influencing the lives of disadvantaged youth in the tri-state area. The MAN scholarship/mentorship program has awarded more than $800,000 to more than 200 students. GM Jerry Reese and Antonio Pierce received the 2008 Man of the Year awards from MAN.

May 8 After helping pull off a Super Bowl upset for the ages, Eli Manning promised, "I'm going to Disneyland!" Wednesday, he finally did. Better late than never, Manning and his new wife, Abby, finally kept their date with Mickey Mouse and friends, as they took their ride down Main Street, USA, in Anaheim, Calif., in the traditional Super Bowl MVP parade. They were originally scheduled to take that ride in a 1958 baby blue Cadillac the day after Super Bowl XLII in February, but bad weather in the Phoenix area delayed their flight and caused a change in plans.

Amani Toomer thinks Michael Strahan will play in 2008. Antonio Pierce thinks he'll retire. Osi Umenyiora first thought he was coming back, but now thinks he might retire. And Strahan is leaning one way, but won't say which. Just in case that didn't clear up the Strahan Saga, another county was heard from last night when David Diehl weighed in on Sirius NFL Radio's Late Hits. And yes, Diehl does think Strahan is coming back.

Special Report - Then there was unofficial, unconfirmed and uncorroborated news that defensive end Michael Strahan, after 15 years of service to the Giants, has decided to retire. Remember, nobody with any knowledge of the situation has spoken to anybody in authority, and so this is all rumor. (That is what must be said. The bottom line is that Strahan, who almost decided to retire last year when he held out for the entire run of training camp, is extremely unlikely to play this coming season.)
He came back for one more shot at a Super Bowl ring, and defying almost incalculable odds the team managed to provide that final fillip to his Pro Bowl career. He has, as they say, "gone Hollywood" now, and would probably like to enjoy his fame and the fruits of his sacks and accomplishments without the tedium and torture of meetings, two-a-day workouts under the broiling sun, practices, preseason games and, finally, another long and physically draining season.
Want more? - Send a request to davesklein@aol.com for a free week's worth of news!"

May 7 The Giants recently gave their left tackle a new six-year contract despite the fact he had four years remaining on his existing deal. Diehl's agent, Peter Schaffer, confirmed the new deal yesterday but did not provide financial terms, though someone familiar with the terms of the contract said it's worth $31 million and runs through the 2013 season.
Diehl's salary will be about $1 million per year more if he plays left tackle than if he's moved back to guard. The latter might be a team option if right guard Chris Snee, entering his contract year, leaves via free agency at the end of the season. That could force Diehl back to guard and perhaps young Guy Whimper into the critical left tackle position.

Today, for the seventh or eighth time since the Super Bowl ended - I'm sorry, I've lost count - Michael Strahan said that he hasn't made up his mind whether he wants to retire or play again in 2008. The latest non-declaration-of-intent came this morning on Fox & Friends (which used to be Tiki Barber's show, but now he's on another network).

Dan Reeves is a former NFL head coach, part-time broadcaster and full-time gentleman, so it was perfectly in character for him to write Tom Coughlin a note after the Giants won Super Bowl XLII. What surprised Reeves a bit was the reply he received.

May 6 Most people, including his own players, rarely see Tom Coughlin in anything less than full intensity. But those close to him have long said that the public image was only a partial reflection. To see the true Coughlin, watch him among friends and family, away from football. The makeover of Coughlin's image has been stunning. A year ago, he had a tenuous hold on his job and was trying to unwind his reputation as a soulless disciplinarian. Now that the Giants have won the Super Bowl, there is less need for Coughlin, holder of a fresh four-year contract, to be explained.

May 4 Amani Toomer feels good, wonders if Mario Manningham can make it in New York, thinks Sinorice Moss needs to be on guard, and expects to see Michael Strahan in the Giants' locker room next season (and not just as a visitor).

Michael Strahan had something more important to do than go with the Giants to the White House on Wednesday - a trip to the Kentucky Derby. After attending the Playboy party Friday night, Strahan was interviewed on NBC's pre-Derby show Saturday. The defensive end reiterated what he recently told the Daily News' Gary Myers: He's undecided on retirement. This time, though, Strahan sounded a bit more pessimistic about the chances of his returning to Big Blue.

The Giants would have traded Jeremy Shockey for a first-rounder or two second-rounders or a second- and third rounder. But it never came close to happening. The Saints were counting on the Giants being desperate when they're not even sold that trading Shockey is the right thing to do.
The reported trade of TE Jeremy Shockey to the New Orleans Saints never came off on draft day, but sources from both sides insist "it isn't dead yet." Apparently, the Giants wanted S Roman Harper and the Saints' second-round pick (40th overall) and wouldn't budge, while the Saints felt the pick alone would suffice.

NFC East News
Redskins - He has started just seven NFL games, but Reed Doughty is now firmly ensconced as the Redskins' strong safety after the team didn't sign a free agent at the position and didn't take one until the sixth round of last weekend's draft. Doughty, who made the team because of his relentless work ethic, became even more dedicated in the wake of the stunning loss of Sean Taylor which made him a starter.
Cowboys - There was a lot of talk about the Cowboys getting a receiver in the 2008 draft. That didn't happen. The Cowboys resolved early on that a rookie was not going to help because the position lacked great quality in this year's draft crop. Terrell Owens will be 35 next season though he has shown no sign of slowing down. Terry Glenn missed 15 games last season and will be 34 in 2008. There is no guarantee he will be back, though the Cowboys remain hopeful..
Eagles - It remains uncertain how much longer cornerback Lito Sheppard will be an Eagle. The two-time Pro Bowler was expected to be traded by the draft. But as the team prepares for this weekend’s post-draft minicamp, he still is on their roster. "We're not going to give him away," coach Andy Reid said when a trade involving Sheppard failed to materialize during the draft.

May 3 Two-hundred and fifty-two players were selected in the draft here this weekend. One stands apart in volume of pre- and post-draft character speculation, in enormous fall from first-round consideration to a late third-round landing and in incessant analysis at to whether he will become boom or bust. Mario Manningham, A deep search is required to find a player in recent draft history who has taken the shots that Manningham took. Some of it was well earned. Much of it certainly was not.

May 2 The Super Bowl champion Giants visited the Walter Reed Army Medical Center on Wednesday, with two dozen players and coaches talking with wounded soldiers and listening to their stories. The Giants split into three groups, with the third going to a training center, a 31,000 square-foot facility that offers rehabilitating soldiers cutting edge equipment to help with their recovery.

The Giants added six rookie free agents yesterday: defensive tackles Joshua Muse of Louisiana Tech and Ogemdi Nwagbuo of Michigan State, guards Andrew Bain of Miami and Camell Stewart of LSU, center Digger Bujnoch of Cincinnati and offensive tackle Dylan Thiry of Northwestern.

May 1 Giants visit the White House, meet real patriots. The Super Bowl winners visited the White House, the traditional last stop on the championship circuit, where the President honored them with a ceremony on the South Lawn. Prior to their stop at 1600, however, many players and coaches spent the early part of their day visiting with wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
"People called us the 'Road Warriors,' " Giants coach Tom Coughlin said, referring to the team's 11 straight victories away from Giants Stadium. "But we pale in comparison to the real warriors we visited today at Walter Reed."
The team made a stop at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to visit injured solders and were escorted by Lt. Col. Greg Gadson, the injured Iraq war vet who gave a moving speech to the Giants the night before they won Super Bowl XLII. "That's a moment I'll always remember because they feel like my teammates," Gadson said of the big game. He also said his fellow soldiers and service members "were just ecstatic that the Giants came to visit."
At about 3:15 p.m. yesterday, the Giants players emerged from the White House with running back Brandon Jacobs and offensive lineman Grey Ruegamer leading the way. The players walked down the twin curved staircases and filled the platform while the rest of them filled in the steps on both sides. "This is a great team that worked together," President Bush said. "You won the Vince Lombardi Trophy and you won the deep gratitude of the 1972 Miami Dolphins."
President Bush, wearing a blue suit with a red tie, greeted the players and the crowd by saying, "Welcome to the White House. It's an honor to recognize the Super Bowl champs - the New York Football Giants." A loud ovation followed, after which the president singled out John Mara, his mother Ann, Steve Tisch and his mother Joan and Tom Coughlin and his wife Judy.
Transcript - "I appreciate the fact, Coach, that you and your players support our troops, but more importantly our troops appreciate the fact that you support them. (Applause.) You've come to know the story, like I have, of Lieutenant Colonel Greg Gadson. He lost both of his legs while in Iraq."
Transcript - "Thank you, Mr. President, for those words of inspiration. You did a great job of summarizing our season, and it's a true privilege for all of us to be here. Thank you for inviting the New York Giants to the White House."

Special Report - "The Giants will go to Washington, D.C., for a meeting with President George Bush on Wednesday. It is the latest (and perhaps) next to last perk associated with their Super Bowl XLII triumph, the final and most glamorous being the awarding of their emblematic rings...
Through the sources of colleges, on-line sports centers and the like, it is possible to build a list of about a dozen undrafted free agents who have been signed by the Giants since the end of the Great Body Snatch last Sunday night...
This season the Giants will play only three games (with a 10-day rest period between the opener and the next one) before getting their bye...
Want more? - Send a request to davesklein@aol.com for a free week's worth of news!"

Apr 30 When the Giants selected quarterback Andre' Woodson in the sixth round of the draft this past weekend, Jared Lorenzen thought, "Uh-oh." That's brutal honesty from a veteran backup who knows he just became a long shot to keep his job. Earlier in the day, when the team picked wide receiver Mario Manningham in the third round, Sinorice Moss had a much different reaction. He said he was excited. Believe it or not, that's also genuine honesty from a former second-round pick who sees Manningham as an added weapon to the offense, not competition for a roster spot.

Three players most affected by the way the Giants went about their draft business yesterday pushed aside the threats to their own jobs and were unanimous in their vocal support of the newly-imported talent. The selection of safety Kenny Phillips in the first round has a direct bearing on incumbent starter James Butler. The pickup in the third round of receiver Mario Manningham can be seen as a knock on third-year Sinorice Moss. The sixth-round addition of quarterback Andre' Woodson is likely the death-knell for the Giants career of Jared Lorenzen. Yet seldom was heard a discouraging word.
"You look at it and it's a numbers game, that's what the NFL is," said backup quarterback Jared Lorenzen, who could be displaced before training camp by incoming rookie Andre Woodson, a fellow Kentucky product. "At the same time, it's Andre. It's someone I know pretty well. I'm happy to have him here."
"I'm not looking at [Phillips' selection] as how it affected me," Butler said Tuesday in the Giants' locker room. "I'm looking at it as the Giants needed another safety. We only had three or four guys on the roster." As an undrafted free agent in 2005, Butler does not even watch the draft. "Brings back bad memories," he said. But he learned quickly his team's first pick was a safety. He said some coaches sought him out afterward to assure him the selection wasn't made with him in mind.
Sinorice Moss figured to be the odd man out when the Giants drafted another receiver on Sunday. But the disappointing third-year pro warned everyone Tuesday not to count him out. "I need to wake some people up," Moss said. "That's what I really need to do. I've been on the shelf. So I'm ready to come out here and shock the world. That's what I plan to do."
The arrival of third-round selection Mario Manningham ratchets up the level of competition for Moss at wide receiver. It's the third year in a row the Giants took a wideout in the first three rounds: Moss in 2006, Steve Smith last year and now Manningham. With Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress returning as the starters, the battle for playing time could be fierce."

The Super Bowl champions will be honored by President Bush in a ceremony on the South Lawn this afternoon. While many of the players spent yesterday gearing up for their first encounter with the commander in chief and a behind-the-scenes look at the building in which he lives and works, Manning spoke about sitting down with him in the Oval Office two months ago for a chat. Besides being MVP of the Super Bowl, Manning is also a member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. "We just kind of talked and chatted about different things going on," Manning said of the meeting that lasted about 25 minutes. "Nothing too serious. He's easy to talk to and fun to be around."

Apr 29 Tom Brady was drafted eight years ago at pick No. 199. Andre Woodson went to the Giants on Sunday afternoon at pick No. 198. Similarities exist in these sixth-round picks. Both are quarterbacks with big arms. Both possess superior football intelligence. Both found their college production relatively ignored. And the major common element: Too many teams passed on these two snappy passers. I am not saying that Woodson is Brady. I am saying that Woodson was certainly not deserving of being the 12th quarterback taken in this draft. He deserved much more. And I believe he will become the best quarterback in this draft.

Giants' top 3 postdraft questions:
Will Michael Strahan return for another season? A. The smart money is leaning toward another season from the veteran, although certain matters still have to be resolved.
Has the Jeremy Shockey watch officially ended? A. Not necessarily.
Can No. 1 draft pick Kenny Phillips earn the starting free safety job? A. If the Giants are correct about his attributes, Phillips certainly could become a starter in a hurry.

Some of the free agents expected to sign with the Giants or be invited to next month's rookie mini-camp include: S Nehemiah Warrick (Michigan State), DE Wallace Gillberry (Alabama), DE Antonio Reynolds (Tennessee), OL Glenn Bujnoch (Cincinnati), G-C Andrew Bain (Miami), OT Dylan Thiry (Northwestern), WR D.J. Hill (Alabama) and OT Carnell Stewart (LSU).
Army punter to sign with Giants. Owen Tolson will sign a two-year, non-guaranteed contract within the next few days. Soon, he will head to East Rutherford, N.J., for the May 8-11 rookie camp. "This is just a foot in the door," said Tolson, who will kick, punt and hold for placements. "Now I got to make the program."

Mario Manninghame is a "good person" who has made some bad mistakes, but his former college coach believes the newest Giants receiver is determined to turn around his life and his career. Lloyd Carr, the former Michigan coach who spent three seasons with the Giants' third-round draft pick, told the Daily News Monday he's confident Manningham won't be any trouble in New York.
The Giants' drafting of wide receiver Mario Manningham in the third round Sunday does not necessarily spell big problems for third-year man Sinorice Moss, who has been a disappointment since his selection in the second round of 2006.

The 2008 Giants draft list contains seven names and no one can be sure if it's a class to remember or forget. Still, it is not too soon to already stamp the Giants New York Giants as big winners after this weekend's talent grab-bag simply because they did not trade away Jeremy Shockey Jeremy Shockey . Smartly, general manager Jerry Reese resisted the temptation to gain a prime draft pick (the Saints' second-rounder, the 40th overall selection) and kept Shockey where he belongs.

Apr 28 Paul Needell's NFL Draft Grades:
The rule of thumb is that it takes at least three years to properly evaluate any team's NFL Draft. My bosses say that's utter nonsense, so I supply you with grades right after this year's "Mr. Irrelevant" is crowned. It's a gift, ladies and gentlemen.
Giants -- B, Eagles -- B, Cowboys -- B-minus, Redskins -- C.
Professor Serby grades the NFL Draft:
Giants -- Safety first, corner next. Talented-but-troubled WR Mario Manningham is a roll of the dice. You dont give Jeremy Shockey Jeremy Shockey away. Grade: B.
Redskins -- Two big receivers and possession TE. Didnt address DE though. Grade: B.
Eagles -- Traded out of first round for Panthers 2009 No. 1 pick. WR DeSean Jackson is atomic toy for Donovan McNabb. Grade: B.
Cowboys -- RB Felix Jones complements Marion Barber. CB Mike Jenkins is insurance for Pacman Jones. Grade: B.
Line of Scrimmage: NFL Draft Grades:
Giants -- The champs addressed their major needs in the secondary, and otherwise acquitted themselves well by selecting value. Grade: A-minus.
Cowboys -- Two backup running backs? A reserve tight end? A cornerback with questionable heart? It all adds up to the most head-scratching Draft of the bunch. Grade: D.
Eagles -- Not a lot to get excited about for Eagles fans, who must also be concerned over the maturity of Jackson and Ikegwonu. Grade: C-minus.
Redeskins -- The organization is serious about making the west coast offense work, and that's a good first sign for Jim Zorn. Grade: B-plus.
USA Today Draft grades:
Giants -- B-plus, Redskins -- B, Cowboys -- B-minus, Eagles -- C-plus.
FOX Draft grades:
Giants -- B, Cowboys -- A-minus, Redskins -- B, Eagles -- C-minus.

Last year the Giants took a chance in the seventh round when they selected Ahmad Bradshaw, a talented running back with midround talent who slid to the bottom of the draft because of character concerns. Bradshaw was given a short leash but became one of the keys to the team's Super Bowl run. The Giants took an even greater risk yesterday, using their third-round choice to select Michigan wide receiver Mario Manningham -- a first-round talent whose off-field issues dropped him to the 95th overall pick.
Based on football ability alone, Mario Manningham probably is a first-round talent. Good speed on the outside. Terrific athleticism. Exceptional production in a big-time college program. If only it were that easy to judge the kid. In Manningham's case, his problems were never on the field, where he produced 27 touchdowns and had a 1,174-yard season for Michigan last year.
In three years at Michigan, Manningham totaled 2,310 receiving yards and 27 touchdowns, ranking him fifth and fourth in school history, respectively. The Giants see him as a big-strike receiver on the outside. Coughlin said he gives the Giants what they need against defenses in the division: a legitimate deep-ball threat.

This past February at the NFL Combine workouts, Mario Manningham denied ever testing positive for marijuana while at Michigan, but subsequently he sent a letter to all NFL teams admitting he "wasn't straightforward" and that he indeed had tested positive twice. He apologized for being "nervous and scared." Reports circulated following the Combine that multiple teams took Manningham off their draft boards. The Giants were not one of those teams.
He's a big-play receiver with first-round talent, but his failure to admit past drug problems and a reported score of 6 on the Wonderlic intelligence exam raised serious questions about his head. "We did our homework on him," Reese insisted. "Our coaches spent a lot of time with him. He convinced me, he convinced our coaches, that he made a couple of mistakes. Hopefully he learned from his mistakes."

The Giants are hopeful an Eli Manning-to-Manningham connection will strike deeply into opposing defenses this season, opening up things for Plaxico Burress on the other side and Jeremy Shockey (he's still here) in the middle. The other offensive addition, quarterback Andre Woodson, probably will replace another former Wildcat, Jared Lorenzen, as the third QB this fall. "For years we've wanted to bring in a young quarterback we can develop," said Reese of the somewhat surprising choice with the first of two selections in the sixth round. "He was very productive at Kentucky, can make all the throws and is a pretty good athlete."
After four years with the Giants, Eli Manning has finally solidified himself as a franchise quarterback who has already taken the team to a Super Bowl title. So why would the Giants draft a quarterback a few months later? As an investment, of course. In the sixth round yesterday, the Giants selected Kentucky quarterback Andre' Woodson, a player both general manager Jerry Reese and coach Tom Coughlin said they hope to "develop." Part of the hope is they can "develop" Woodson and, in a few years, trade him for a high draft pick.
Let the quarterback battle begin Say goodbye to either Jared Lorenzen or Anthony Wright. This was probably pretty obvious, but given the sudden glut at quarterback on the Giants' roster, one of those two will almost certainly soon be gone. At the moment there are five quarterbacks on the roster. By the start of camp in July there will be only four.

Apr 27 - UPDATE The Giants selected five players and made one trade on today's final day of the draft. The Giants relinquished the first of their three sixth-round selections to move up seven spots in the fourth round to take Bryan Kehl. After the significant contributions last year's draftees made during the Giants' championship season, the new group has a high standard to match. Five of the Giants' draft choices were defensive players.

Apr 27 - UPDATE With the 199th pick in the 2008 NFL draft, the Giants selected Robert Henderson DE
Apr 27 - UPDATE With the 198th pick in the 2008 NFL draft, the Giants selected Andre' Woodson QB
Apr 27 - UPDATE With the 165th pick in the 2008 NFL draft, the Giants selected Jonathan Goff LB
Apr 27 - UPDATE With the 123rd pick (from the Steelers), the Giants selected Bryan Kehl OLB
Apr 27 - UPDATE With the 95th pick in the 2008 NFL draft, the Giants selected Mario Manningham WR
Mario Manningham insists the Giants didn't take any risk at all when they made him their third-round pick. Despite a drug-related arrest in his past, a reported score of 6 on the Wonderlic, and a questionable reputation, the 21-year-old Michigan receiver said a few minutes ago that "I don't think I'm a risky pick." He insisted his past problems aren't an issue and said he came clean with the Giants' coaches when he visited here two weeks ago, and that neither he nor they are concerned.

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