New Rochelle, NY, May 23, 2013 – Notable members of Big Blue including Eli Manning, Justin Tuck, Victor Cruz and Jason Pierre-Paul will literally be taking “Giant” steps to assist Family Services of Westchester by joining teammates with the donation of 27 pair of game-worn cleats to be auctioned off on the Steiner Sports Memorabilia “Ground Breaking” Auction to assist the charity.

Chris Snee, Prince Amukamara, Will Beatty, Antrel Rolle, Mark Herzlich, Keith Rivers and Stevie Brown are also participating in the auction, available at http://auction.steinersports.com/. Bidding continues through June 2.
There are also nine VIP “Meet and Greet” experiences with such top sports names as Matt Harvey, Rickey Henderson, Cal Ripken, Jr., Tommy Lasorda, Darryl Strawberry, Bo Jackson, Pete Rose, David Cone and Dave Winfield.

The Steiner Sports auction also includes one of the most historic artifacts from the career of the immortal Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson – a newly-discovered, authentic game-worn baseball glove used during both the 1955 and ’56 World Series (his final season).
A $500 shopping spree at Steiner Sports and a $1,000 gift card for London Jewelers are also on the block.

About Family Services of Westchester
Family Services of Westchester’s Youth Residences give a chance in life to teens who might otherwise not have a chance. Boys and girls come to us deeply troubled, having suffered hurtful neglect and abuse or serious conflict with their parents. Many have been abandoned and have never experienced what most of us take for granted: a stable and secure home. They are often ready to turn their backs on a world that has rejected them. They leave our care, almost always knowing that the world can be harsh, but there are people on whom they can depend. They learn ways to cope, to tap into their strengths, to rise above, and to find hope and joy in becoming creative, contributing members of society.

About Steiner Sports
Established in 1987 by founder and CEO Brandon Steiner, Steiner Sports has been a leader in sports memorabilia and sports marketing for over two decades. Originally focused on procuring athletes for endorsements and speaking engagements, the company has evolved into the world’s foremost provider of authenticated, hand-signed and game-used sports collectibles. Steiner Sports enjoys working relationships with many of the top athletes in sports today, and holds partnerships with the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Dallas Cowboys and Syracuse, Notre Dame and Alabama Universities on the collegiate level. Steiner Sports is located in New Rochelle, N.Y.

I’ve been biding my time on this one because the media is so over-active, and I had hoped we’d be through the Victor Cruz stuff by now.  The topic so often on my mind, but even more so as we moved past Free Agency and the draft, and as we move in on team OTAs: team unity, team cohesiveness

How critical to the success of a team is the instinctive ability to live, play, achieve as a unified force?

And therefore, how important is it for the TEAM’s success is it for all players to align, and to be in off season workouts, practicing together and working out any kinks before the clock starts to tick on the actual season?

Of course, with all the discussion about Victor Cruz, I just can’t help but to ask these questions.  In my view, team unity is one of the most critical characteristics of a championship team (not only in football, but in business and in life).  Think about championship teams from recent history and tell me they didn’t share this unified quality: Boston Celtics 2008, Miami Heat 2012, San Francisco Giants 2010/2012, Pittsburgh Steelers 2008, New orleans Saints 2009, Packers 2010, Baltimore Ravens 2012, NE Patriots in their winning seasons, and of course – the New York Football Giants 2007 and 2011… and these are a few that stand out in my head.

Interestingly, my personal belief, having closely watched the San Francisco 49ers last season from my Bay Area perch, is that a few player incidents during the 2 days leading up to the Superbowl are what broke the 100% unity on the team, and I also believe greatly contributed to the outcome of the game.  Cohesiveness in a large group is fleeting.  If it can be achieved, it’s amazing the results we see.  But it can be ruptured so easily – so every moment a team has to practice achieving it, can be all too critical.

One of the keys to developing a unified team in football, I believe, is leadership by example – GM, Head Coach, Ownership and QB operating from the same set of rules with corresponding objectives.  The successful teams outlined above, all had that quality.  The Giants have that quality.  But while so important, unity at the leadership level isn’t the only key to success.

With any team, each player has his own critical role that he plays in effort to make the team the best that it can be, and to help win championships.  That’s what the saying (made so popular during the Giants 2011 run): ‘ALL IN’ is about!  If every one man on a team is without ego, playing and practicing for the next guy to win, that team has the highest likelihood of being ALL IN – and winning championships.

Tickets will be a special rate of $8 for groups of 20 or more and $11 for individual tickets in advance. This game featured the Trenton Thunder, who are a double A affiliate of the New York Yankees vs the Binghampton Mets….

One of the more popular New York Giants Punter Steve Weatherford will make what will most certainly be a very well attended appearance in Trenton New Jersey Wednesday June 12th.  Stay tuned to GMenHQ for more details as they arrive!

Weatherford, who got a reprieve from the Jets and came to play on a Champion is certainly very popular with fans, and thrilled to be a New York Giant.

The contest, which can be accessed at www.speakwithyourcap.com or through New Era’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/neweracaps?fref=ts) will require Giants fans to submit photos of themselves showcasing how they personally “speak with your cap.”  Whether worn sideways, backwards or flexed at the brim, showing how you bring your own style to the game is what matters.

32 fans (1 per team) will ultimately be chosen and win a complimentary trip to New York City for two. The winners will enjoy a four-day VIP experience and will be professionally styled in their favorite team’s looks for a New Era photo shoot that may be used for a year-long advertisement and promotional campaign.

Last month, we gave away a $300 worth of Sports Memorabilia…This month, FanSided and GMEN HQ have teamed up with Deals2Buy.com to give away a LG Electronics 42-Inch LED TV!!!

This LG Electronics 42-Inch LED TV is provided by Deals2Buy, a leading website for deals, discounts and close-out inventory offers. Focused on delivering best-of-web pricing, Deals2Buy is known among tech-savvy consumers as the one stop shop for deals on items like laptops, cameras, televisions and other technology products – as well as apparel, accessories, travel, and even credit card offers. Sign up for the Deals2Buy Hot Deal Alerts newsletter and follow them on Twitter and Facebook to stay in the know about the hottest deals every day!

To enter, simply like us on Facebook and sign up for our daily email newsletter, FanSided Daily. It is completely free and customizable to your unique rooting interest. Then earn additional entries by sharing the contest with friends!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C., 18 years and older, who are the owners of the property depicted in the photo. Begins: 9:00 a.m. C.T. on 5/15/13. Ends: 11:59 p.m. C.T. on 6/15/13. Subject to Official Rules at www.fansided.com. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: FanSided. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

The running backs are going to look a whole lot different in 2013 after Ahmad Bradshaw, who led the team in rushing carries and yards each of the last three years, was cut this offseason. While the veteran running back is only 27-years old and remains unsigned, it’s unlikely that the Giants would bring him back with the level of depth they already have at the position. Let’s take a look at that depth:

The Returnees

Andre Brown: Brown figures to enter training camp with the inside-track to get the majority of the team’s carries. While Bradshaw suffered through injuries most of last year, Brown emerged to average 5.3 yards per carry. He doesn’t have the same pass-catching or pass-protection ability as Bradshaw (at least not yet), but he might already be a better rusher.

David Wilson:  After fumbling away his first career carry and ending up in Tom Coughlin’s doghouse for most of the season, Wilson showed some home run ability towards the end of the year. He had a couple big runs from the backfield, but his most electric plays came on the kick return. Wilson probably opens the year as the third-down back, but he’ll need to improve his catching skills.

Also, of mention, is Mets Pitcher Matt Harvey.  Harvey, after rooting the Rangers to victory on Monday, tossed a one hit, nine inning, no walk game against the Chicago White Sox.  Harvey has clearly become the best pitcher in New York, and should continue to grow in that role for a long time to come.  For those of us lucky enough to have seen Seaver and Gooden in our lifetimes, this kid is just as special and hopefully more and more people will make the trip to the ballpark on his days to pitch to see this phenom in action.

Both the Knicks and Rangers return to the road this week just in time to allow the New York Giants to get back to work even if just for a few days.  Rookie Mini Camp start tomorrow May 10th and rune through Sunday.  Although you will see stories about how players looked and performed this is nothing more than orientation at the new job.  The real work begins in August.

The Rangers and Giants are cut from the same cloth when it comes to fan loyalty.  True New Yorkers couldn’t care less how many times the Islanders or Devils have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup…..1994 is still the most important year in New York Hockey.  The Giants, Rangers, Knicks, and Yankees are the big four, although the Mets have distinguished themselves by having the fortune of playing in two of the most memorable World Series in history, and in 3 of the top 5 games of all time according to MLB.com

1. Linebacker: Incredibly enough, the Giants didn’t draft a single linebacker this year, the second consecutive they chose not to pick one.  Tentatively, the expected starting linebacker core is Jacquian Williams at weakside, Dan Connor in the middle and Keith Rivers at strongside. This is not exactly an encouraging group to say the least. Williams has graded out negatively in each of his first two seasons according to Pro Football Focus. Connor did very well in the Carolina Panther’s 4-3 in 2010-2011 but struggled mightily as a 3-4 ILB for the Dallas Cowboys in 2012 and has never been particularly strong against the pass. Rivers is talented but has struggled mightily with injuries the past couple of years and was ineffective when he did play for the Giants this year.

Luckily enough, the linebacker market never really developed and there are still many options out there who could help the Giants. The best guy out there is middle linebacker Karlos Dansby. Cut loose by the Miami Dolphins despite a strong season, Dansby visited with the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals but got turned away. At age 31, he’s still a very productive player and would immediately become the best linebacker on the Giants. Dansby is strong against both the pass and run, plus he can play outside or inside. The other linebacker the Giants could target is former Buffalo Bill Nick Barnett. Barnett spent the previous two seasons with the Bills and was very productive, producing the 11th best and 9th best grade amongst 4-3 outside linebackers during his time there. Barnett would be an upgrade over Rivers and allow the Giants to use the oft-injured linebacker as a valuable reserve.

2. Safety: The Giants have done very little to address the position this offseason, drafting Cooper Taylor in the fifth round and adding mediocre Steelers safety Ryan Mundy. With the loss of Kenny Phillips, an already shaky safety core got worse. The Giants project to go with Antrel Rolle at SS and Stevie Brown at FS, with Will Hill as the third safety. Considering Rolle isn’t very good and Brown used an abnormally high number of turnovers to cover up the fact that he wasn’t very good in coverage or at stopping the run, the Giants could use help there.

Two top-tier safeties still remain on the market, in Kerry Rhodes and Quintin Mikell. Rhodes excelled in coverage, allowing just a 64.5 QB rating at passes thrown in his vicinity. Mikell isn’t quite the marveloso in coverage Rhodes is, but he’s an effective pass rusher and excellent at stopping the run. Mikell might be a better fit than Rhodes as Mikell has played in a 4-3 his entire career whereas Rhodes has played in mostly a 3-4 the last few years.

3. Cornerback: The Giants made minimal moves at corner this offseason, signing former Giant Aaron Ross and bringing back Terrell Thomas. The team also elected to bring back Corey Webster despite a career worst year from him in 2012. The outlook for 2013 is grim. Prince Amukamura was an above average corner in 2012 and should only improve in 2013, but he’s the only corner on the roster who doesn’t have huge question marks. Thomas is coming off two torn ACLs, while Ross, Jay’Ron Hosley and the aforementioned Webster were ripped apart in 2012.

Unfortunately for the Giants, the corner market is bare thin at this point. While names like Quentin Jammer and Marcus Trufant are out there, those guys don’t have much on the field impact anymore. The only corner out there who figures to provide a noticeable upgrade over any of the other Giants corners is former Cleveland Brown Sheldon Brown.

4. Running Back: With David Wilson and Andre Brown both averaging over five yards per carry in 2012 and the Giants drafting Michael Cox in the seventh round, running back would not seem to be an area to focus on. However, it would not be crazy to see the Giants bring back Ahmad Bradshaw. Wilson, while he excelled in short bursts, still has concerns about his pass protection and Brown is coming off a broken fibula. Despite chronic leg injuries, Bradshaw was excellent in 2012, running for over 1,000 yards on 4.6 YPC and more notably, doing well in pass protection. Bradshaw’s market has bottomed out, as the two teams most likely to sign him, the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, both drafted running backs relatively high in the draft. While it’s possible Bradshaw could find another suitor, teams seem legitimately scared off by his medical reports and thus the Giants could potentially bring him back on a veteran minimum deal.

That’s right… If you read the Final Breakdown, posted just hours before the draft started, I managed to get this one right almost perfectly. Everything I read, said as much smoke the Bills and Jets were blowing about former West Virginia WR Tavon Austin the St Louis Rams were not leaving this draft without him. They sent picks #16, 46, 78 and 222 in order to get Austin and the #71 pick, of which the Bills should have been thankful to get such a bounty. Think about this, Darrelle Revis got the Jets the #13 overall and a 3rd round pick next year, while a kid who has yet to play an NFL down, was able to haul a first round pick only 3 picks lower than what the Jets got for Revis, as well as a 2nd, a 3rd, and a 7th round pick in a draft class as an organization, you should already be prepared for. To me that’s amazing. I get the slot receiver in the NFL is a really sexy position and with guys like Wes Welker, Victor Cruz, and Danny Amendola getting new big contracts. (We all know Cruz is getting paid!), there should be a certain allure to giving your quarterback a guy who fits that mold. Sam Bradford should be thrilled. Austin will be an immediate upgrade along with college teammate Stedman Bailey to give the Rams some legitimate threats across the middle. Now, finally we can get to the Bills.

With the #16 pick in the 2013 NFL draft the Buffalo Bills select: Florida State QB E.J. Manuel.
Wait… what?? Not Geno Smith? Not Syracuse Alum Ryan Nassib? Not possible 1st rounder in 2012 USC Matt Barkley? No folks, the Bills seem to think that charisma can win you football games. If you listen to an interview with Manuel, you can’t help but fall in love with the kid. He seems to think and speak clearly and his smile will look great on a cereal box, but can he make a difference for the Bills this year? NO. The Bills took a major risk with this pick. First round picks should be players that fill a need. They got a player that down the line can make an impact, not an immediate one. If we made out grade based on just the first round the Bills would get a PUSH. Good thing we have a few more picks to look thru in a more succinct manner.

#41 – USC WR, Robert Woods – Matt Barkley’s most consistent target should be able to help spread the defense and give Buffalo their wish of using Stevie Johnson in the slot.
#46 – Oregon LB, Kiko Alonso – 81 tackles, 14 for a loss, and 4 INT his senior season at Oregon.
#78 – Texas WR, Marquise Goodwin – Raw receiver with incredible (4.27) 40 speed.
#105 – North Carolina State Safety, Duke Williams – a sure tackler with off field issues that drove him out of the 2nd round. The bills have said he will be on the field in Nickel packages from day 1.
#143 – Clemson Safety, Jonathan Meeks – A 6’ 209lbs “thumper” who fills a need at Strong Safety. DaNorris Searcy should be on notice.
#177 – FSU Kicker, Dustin Hopkins – Hopkins became the NCAA FBS All-time kick scorer with 459 points, and can also kick off, a great value pick in the 6th round.
#222 – Arkansas TE, Chris Gragg – caught 72 passes for 1, 003yards and 4 TD’s in 4 seasons.

PASS, FAIL OR PUSH? – PUSH – The Manuel pick is and overwhelming WHOA to what really isn’t a bad draft for the Bills. GM Buddy Nix got a lot of value late in the draft and as we said before helped his team with good talent at an inexpensive price. In three years, when we see E.J. Manuel either flourish or flop this grade will obviously change from a push.

Up next, with the #9th pick in the 2013 NFL draft, the N.Y. Jets (who probably should have traded one of their top two picks, but decided against it) select Alabama CB Dee Milliner. After trading away their multiple pro-bowl corner Darrelle Revis to Tampa only days before, Rex Ryan and his defensive mindset grabbed Milliner after both Detroit and Cleveland went in a different direction. Milliner was a unanimous 1st team All American in 2012. He finished his college career with 6 INT’s in 30 starts. His numbers are not outstanding, mainly because he had the Nnamdi Asomugha effect, where offenses knew better than to throw in his general direction. Milliner is not afraid to hit anybody, the problem with that is his injury history, including the torn labrum that kept him from fully participating at the NFL combine. Dee will compete with Antonio Cromartie for the CB1 job from day 1 of training camp.
The problem here will be the distractions. Milliner only 5 minutes after being drafted was asked what he thought of the sound of “Milliner Island?” Dee, even if he were to win DROY would still be hiding in the shadow of Revis, and that is something he just can’t control.

With the #13th pick in the 2013 NFL draft the NY Jets select: Missouri DT Sheldon Richardson – This means only one thing. The defense is going back to a 4-3. Richardson is a complimentary player in a 3-4 system but is a pass rushing penetrator in a 4-3. Perhaps the most athletic interior lineman in the draft, Richardson compiled 6 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and 18.5 tackles for loss while at Missouri and managed 30 reps of 225lbs at the combine. (Whoa!) As for whether or not it fills a need… NO. The Jets needed an outside rusher or an offensive weapon, even an offensive lineman would have seemed like a more reasonable, safer decision. This pick left most Jets fans hanging their heads. Richardson isn’t going to win the Jets any games the way a Tyler Eifert could have. Even Texas Safety Kenny Vaccaro would have been possibly a better call if you are trying to fill a need. If this was picking the best player on the board, then I again would question; with so many needs, why not trade out of this position in order to obtain more picks for either this draft or next year?
The Jets also traded their 4th round pick to New Orleans for RB Chris Ivory. Ivory is exactly what Rex Ryan always wanted from new Titans back up Shonne Greene. At 27, the Jets signed Chris to a team friendly contract and should be the starter right from the start. This was a great trade on the part of GM John Idzik. Jets fans should be excited to finally have a running game. Let’s review the remainder of the NY Jets selections
#39 – West Virginia QB, Geno Smith – Great value at #39. What some considered the best QB in the weak QB class, Smith will challenge David Garrard for the starting job right away. This clearly spells the end of the line for Mark Sanchez, as the new GM now has his guy at QB. Pack your bags Mark, it may take until the trade deadline to find someone interested in your services, but it’s bound to happen if he isn’t flat out released.
#72 – Kent State OG, Brian Winters – Wrestling background with a nasty streak in him. He is a “brawler” which is exactly what the Jets offensive line needed, some toughness. I had hope the Jets would have decided on a guy like Chance Warmack at #9, Winters is a great complimentary piece while also getting Milliner at #9.
#141 – Virginia OT, Oday Aboushi – 32 starts at LT. He will give the Jets some depth at need position. He is not a starter, but can help fill a hole in case of injury or certain packages.
# 178 – Michigan DT/ OG, William Campbell – A DT the Jets are hoping to turn into a mauler in the middle as depth for the interior line. He put up 35 bench presses of 225lbs at his pro-day which is unbelievable.
#215 – Wake Forest RB/FB, Tommy Bohanon – John Connor is gone, and the Jets will be hoping to find their lead blocker in the 6’1, 246lbs Bohanon.

PASS, FAIL OR PUSH? – FAIL – The NY Jets were in a position to hold this draft hostage with two first round picks, and did nothing to address some serious holes on their roster. The team now has 5 QB’s after releasing Tim Tebow, thank god (no pun intended) and has no targets for whoever wins the QB1 job to throw to. The Offensive line is still a work in progress, as is the pass rush. I fully understand you couldn’t fix this team in one draft. Like the saying goes “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” I do however, feel trading one of the two top picks the Jets had after the Revis deal would have created both cap space, and given them the ability to fill more holes with good young talent. That’s the deciding factor why the Jets got a failing grade.

And finally last but certainly not least:

• Ohio State linebacker Etienne Sabino, as per Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
• LSU tight end Chase Clement, as per Jenny Vrentas of the Newark-Star Ledger.
• Virginia Tech linebacker/safety Alonzo Tweedy, as per Vrentas.
• Charleston Southern cornerback Charles James, as per Vrentas.
• Mount Union linebacker Charles Dieuseul, as per Vacchiano.
• Virginia Tech Wide Receiver Marcus Davis as per @bigbluebloggers

The Giants started the draft process with 77 players on their roster, and drafted 7 more, which left them at 84 and room for 6 undrafted free agents. Not sure if the Giants have another move in the back of their collective minds, or if they will go ahead with 89.

The Giants have has a lot of success with players in these late rounds in the past, like Ahmad Bradshaw.  They have also done well with undrafted players who they will begin calling and signing immediately following todays draft.  Look for some names to surface quickly as the Giants search for the next Victor Cruz.

Speaking of Victor, he is expected to sign a deal this week at some point.  All of the Giants picks will be signed in orderly fashion and without drama as usual.  Overall it seems the Giants got good value from a very different draft.

04/08/2013 – 2013 Richmond Pro Day: Scouts brave the cold at Richmond Pro Day…The weather was crisp – about 35 degrees – for Richmond’s outdoor pro day on March 19. Scouts from 20 NFL teams braved the cold to watch seven players work out. Nobody there that had gone to combine, but there were three players of note: Cooper Taylor S (6-4??”, 228 pounds) – Taylor ran 4.58 and 4.49, did 36??” in the vertical, 10-foot-7 in the broad jump, 4.29 in the short-shuttle, 6.96 in the three-cone and 23 reps on the bench press. The coaches worked Taylor out as a linebacker. His official position will be strong safety, but he’s one of those guys who could possibly bulk up and play outside linebacker. Reminiscent of Kam Chancellor of the Seattle Seahawks. – Gil Brandt, NFL.com

Once again the Giants go with a versatile player who can play multiple positions and might develop into a strong Safety or An Outside Linebacker.  As the NFL has continued to evolve so have the positions on the field.  Linebackers have become more like safeties in both size and speed, and the size of the receivers have forced safeties and corners to evolve into bigger stronger players also.  Another good quality value and athletic pick.

Keep up the good work Jerry!

Former International Student Program standout from Berlin, Germany, attending 2013 NFL Draft in New York City and is featured on NFL.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – GRANBURY, TX – Thursday, April 25, 2013 – A dream to play in the NFL that began in Germany and was nurtured in Connecticut and Florida will come true this week when German defensive end Bjoern Werner is selected in the 2013 NFL Draft.

ACC Defensive Player of the Year Werner came to the United States through the International Student Program, an initiative created and operated by Global Football in 2006. Having dominated for two years at the Salisbury School in Connecticut, the former star of his hometown Berlin Adler club team started as a true freshman, sophomore and junior at Florida State before forgoing his senior year, and now stands on the cusp of the NFL.

Accompanied by his family, Werner will attend the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, hoping to be selected in the first round.

Global Football will post social media updates live from the NFL Draft following Werner’s night on Twitter @GlobalSportsGuy and @PRMikePreston and at www.Facebook.com/GlobalFootballLTD.

Read the NFL.com story of how Bjoern Werner came to the United States and watch a video of his success story.

“His ability was evident from the moment you saw him walk onto the field, and it was matched by his humble demeanor and how grateful he was to be playing over here,” said Global Football President Patrick Steenberge. “Our network of coaches in Europe had told us he would be the next Ritzmann and projected he had the ability to play at as a high a level as he liked and they were right. Now here he is on the brink of the NFL and he deserves it.”

Patrick Steenberge will be available to talk to media before and during the NFL Draft by calling +1 817-219-7274

Since 1996 Global Football has created and produced American football games and events in 20 different nations on 6 continents around the world and will orchestrate return tours in 2013 to Finland, Ireland, Italy, France, Greece, Mexico, Sweden and Panama.For more information regarding Global Football tours and events, contact Patrick Steenberge: Tel: 817-219-7274 / Email: Patrick@GlobalFootball.com

Three players who first played the game of American football with European club teams have been selected in previous NFL Drafts: DT Romeo Bandison (Netherlands / Oregon / Washington Redskins 1994), Sebastian Vollmer (Germany / Houston / New England Patriots 2009) and Markus Kuhn (Germany / North Carolina State / New York Giants 2012).