19. New York Giants
Manti Te’o
Linebacker, Notre Dame

Ignore all of the hoaxes and negative press Te’o has received since the national championship game. No matter what happened there, Te’o is one heck of a football player and a natural leader. The Giants would be a great fit.

To quote Charlie Brown “Good Grief.” If it wasn’t for the fact that Te’o was on such a memorable team, I don’t believe any of this stuff would really matter. He’s a really good college linebacker with a lot to prove at the next level, but he’s no Lawrence Taylor. As a matter of fact, in my opinion he’s the third best middle linebacker in this draft behind, Alec Ogletree and Kevin Minter. It will take years to know the truth, but I’m not buying.

19. New York Giants – Dion Jordan, Defensive End, Oregon

Jordan is another elite prospect that will see their draft stock take a hit because of injury. Jordan is recovering from surgery on a torn labrum, but when he is healthy he is one of the most dynamic pass rushers available.

Jordan is far from a total package.  As a matter of fact, he may be one of the biggest projects to be drafted early in 2013.  At only 233 pounds, he would surely have to bulk up to play DE, or even OLB.  There is also talk he may need shoulder surgery after the combine.  Yes, he has great speed, and some serious athletic ability, but lets hope Mr. Reese finds a different, more consistent option on day one.

However, just as easily, the Giants could loose and the Skins and Cowboys could all win. This would leave the NFC East in a cluster and creating a final three game shot out. The Giants (FALCONS, RAVENS, EAGLES)  have the toughest schedule left  followed by the Cowboys (STEELERS, SAINTS, AND REDSKINS) and the Redskins (BROWNS, EAGLES, COWBOYS) have the easiest.  The mission for the Giants is very simple win this Sunday and then finish the season by winning two of their last three games and their golden. A loss to the Saints will put the Giants in a position they do not want to be in-needing to win and out and possibly needing help.

Sunday will be a great day to sit down, relax, pop open a quality beer and watching football from 1 till 10pm non-stop. GMENHQ will feature GameDay Essentials for both the Washington and Cowboys game. Both games are on at 1:00pm. If you do not have the Redzone network tomorrow may be the day to call your cable company and subscribe!

Oct 10, 2010; Houston, TX, USA; New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck (91) and defensive end Osi Umenyiora (72) react to a tackle against the Houston Texans in the third quarter at Reliant Stadium. The Giants defeated the Texans 34-10. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-US PRESSWIRE

Coming into this season the one constant that everyone agreed on was the Giants had the best front four In the NFL. It was said by many experts that collectively the Giants had the best pass rush in the game. And at the time how could anyone argue?

Well, after five weeks the 3-2 NY Giants pass rush is M.I.A. The big three have a total of 3.5 sacks, Umenyiora with 2, JPP with 1.5 and Tuck with 0. And they haven’t even gotten a whiff of the opposing QB the last two weeks. So, as I sit there and watch play after play of this I wonder what is going on.

TC is extremely dissatisfied by their lack of production, saying ” we didn’t touch the QB again” after their win over the 0-4 Browns. The players seem to be looking for answers to, with Tuck saying “we’ll just continue to pound it and guys are figuring us out, so we’ve got to do some different things to try and free our guys up.”

JPP is having a good season with 15 tackles, he just is not getting to the QB. Osi and Tuck though have been almost invisible out there. The only time I hear Osi’s name called is when he is losing contain and getting trapped inside while the ball carrier gets the edge on him again.

Here is an idea for the big three. Go out and beat the scheme that the “O” line is doing.Line up and beat the man in front of you. Your not all getting double teamed, your not all getting chipped, Your not all facing an all pro lineman every snap. Stop making excuses and waiting for Perry Fewell to come up with a way for you to get to the QB. Go out there and make a play! When you want a new contract I don’t hear excuses, I hear how you still are a key player and that you can make a difference in this game. Well, put your money where you mouth is and show us.

Cowboys 7, Giants 3 Halftime

Here are some Halftime Notables:

Both offenses struggled to find their rhythm on offense for most of the first half. Dallas finally got their offense cranked up late in the 2nd quarter as Tony Romo was able to drive the Cowboys 73 yards on 7 plays and cap it off with a 10 yard touchdown pass to Kevin Ogletree, giving Dallas the lead.

Both teams had a difficult time getting the running game going in the first half. Ahmad Bradshaw only has 12 yards on 8 carries for the Giants. It wasn’t any better for the Cowboys. The Giants defense limited Demarco Murray to 20 yards on 8 carries. Giants rookie David Wilson had a fumble in the 1st quarter that was recovered by Dallas. The knock on Wilson coming in was that he is fumble prone. The Giants were fortunate that the Cowboys were unable to captilize on Wilson’s fumble, thanks to a brilliant 4th down stand by the defense.

If the Giants were concerned about Michael Boley’s troublesome hamstring, he may have put those worries at ease in the first half. Boley intercepted a Tony Romo pass and then returned it 51 yards before he was forced out at the two yard line on a horse collar tackle that was called by the replacement referees. However the Giants could only get a field goal from Lawrence Tynes after Dallas got away with a hold on Victor Cruz that the referees appeared to have missed.

The first sack of the season for the Giants defense goes to …  DT Rocky Bernard.

Victor Cruz 4 catches for 46 yards, however he also dropped a couple that should have been caught.

The Giants are going to have to find their rhythm on offense in the second half. If they can’t get the running game going, look for Eli Manning to look to open things up in the air with the passing game

Once again, the G-men will be working through some defensive back issues. With Thomas gone Prince Amukamara will step into the starting role with Corey Webster playing the other side of the field. Prince Amukamara, 2011 first-round draft pick, is under pressure to perform this year. He missed the first nine games last year and didn’t play with the confidence required to be a NY Giants cornerback. Prince suffered a high-ankle sprain in the first preseason game this year and is expected to miss the season opener against Dallas on September 5. Michael Coe will play the right cornerback position until Amukamara’s return. Safety Tyler Sash is suspended for the first four games of the season for not requesting a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for his Adderall prescription. The current Giants depth chart lists Sash second to strong safety Kenny Phillips.

August 24, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants tight end Martellus Bennett (85) and wide receiver Ramses Barden (13) and center David Bass (64) celebrate Barden

Well, there was not quite as many questions entering this season as compared to last year, but there were still some areas of concern. With training camp drawing to a close and the season only being a week away let’s look at what we got out of  the preseason and who is poised to help this team.

On the offensive side of the ball the Giants had questions and TE, WR and RB. So what did we learn? The biggest concern was at TE,and the aquisition of Martellus Bennett turned out to be huge. The big TE had a monster preseason and showed great hands and physical toughness that has made me long forget about Kevin Boss and Jake Ballard. He looks like exactly what the Giants needed and should make his presence felt immediately against his former team in week one.

At WR the two players that impressed me this year were Ramses Barden and rookie Rueban Randle. I had hoped Barden would finally step his game up this year And live up to some of last years hopes that he could be a bigger part of the offense. Randle looked impressive in his route running especially for a rookie. The Giants have missed that receiver who could go up and get the jump ball since Burress left and height of both Barden at 6’6″ and Randle at 6’3″will help in the green zone this year. And both will see significant playing time this year and could move up past Jernigan and Hixon respectively.

With Brandon Jacobs gone this year it was time for Ware or Scott to finally step up and take control of the number two RB spot. Well, both backs had unimpressive training camps and that opened the door for rookie David Wilson who seized the opportunity and is clearly a head above the other two backs to be behind Bradshaw. Wilson showed a lot of burst and vision against the bears as well as a few nice catch and runs in the preseason and will help the run game improve this year.

Once again the defense has suffered some injuries that is a cause for concern. With T2 and Prince starting the season injured once again it could be a little make shift in the defensive back field again early on this year. But a few new players have shined bright in the preseason, namely Keith Rivers at OLB and Jayron Hosley at nickle back and will add depth to what could be the number one defense in the NFL. The DL will be a beast again especially with Osi starting the season on the field and the contract out of the way.

This could once again be a very special year for the NY Football Giants and have to be on everyone’s board when it comes to post season picks.

Aug. 18, 2011; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants running back David Wilson (34) is tackled by New York Jets strong safety Antonio Allen (bottom) during the fourth quarter half at MetLife Stadium. Giants won 26-3. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

The defending Super Bowl Champs have a big problem, they can’t run the ball. The Giants beat their cross town little brother last night for the Snoopy bowl; But they have a big problem that needs to get fixed. The Giants had another night of not being able to run the ball. It’s true Bradshaw left the game early after a cyst popped on his hand, but DJ Ware could not get anything going either. The “o” line could not sustain blocks or move guys and get to the second level of defenders.

The Giants lack of a run game was overshadowed by a complete lack of offense by the Jets. The G-Men rushed for 58 yds on 32 attempts last night. After 2 games that gives them a total of 184 yds on 58 attempts for a 3.2 avg yards per carry. That ranks them 20th in the league.  Most of the yards gained so far are in the 3rd and 4th quarters with the back ups in. After finishing at the bottom of the league in rushing last year Coughlin and Manning were both hoping for better. And with their defense it would have been nice to have a run game to chew the clock in the 4th quarter. If the Offense doesn’t fix this problem it will once again be up to Eli and the Passing attack to lead the offense to a winning season. Can they do that 2 years in a row?

The offense seems to be coming together, although the execution could have been better. The chemistry between Eli Manning and Victor Cruz already looks to be in midseason form. Cruz gave the Jets secondary fits in the first half, finishing with five receptions for 51 yards.

Ahmad Bradshaw didn’t see much playing time tonight. He left early in the first quarter to get x-rays on his right hand which turned out to be negative.

The battle for Bradshaw’s primary backup didn’t get much seperation tonight. D.J. Ware saw early action after Bradshaw went out of the game, however didn’t really make a get that attention grabbing moment tonight against the Jets. Ware finished with 15 yards on 11 carries. Rookie David Wilson had 26 yards on eight carries and it seems the first round selection may have the inside track on getting more time.

Jayron Hosley had the highlight of the night when he intercepted Mark Sanchez and returned it 77 yards for a touchdown. Hosley may have opened more eyes tonight with that play.

The battle for the third wide receiver spot remains to be a battle. Ramses Barden failed to gain any seperation from the pack of receivers battling for the position. Barden was the first on the field to receive a chance on third down and dropped the pass Manning threw his way. The next pass thrown to him also went incomplete in the end zone when he couldn’t get seperation from Darrelle Revis. Second round pick Rueben Randle’s one catch on the night was an impressive one on a deep pass from David Carr that went for 49 yards. It wouldn’t surprise me if head coach Tom Coughlin is thinking this might just be a receiver by committee scenario until someone breaks out from the pack.

If there is an area of concern it would definitely be the stability and depth of the Giants defensive line. They have been hit hard by injuries this summer. Backup middle linebacker Mark Herzlich left the game in the third quarter with a hip pointer. Herzlich has played well in camp and is pushing Chase Blackburn for that starting spot.

Next week the Giants get to play their first official “home” game when the Chicago Bears come in for week 3 of the preseason.

This year the opportunity to make an impact is clearly there for Barden to grab. The Giants depth at wide receiver will be put to the test in 2012. Mario Manningham is now catching passes in San Francisco thanks to free agency and big-play receiver Hakeem Nicks is rehabbing from a broken foot. If there was ever a chance for Barden to show the Giants he’s ready it’s now.

Based on what head coach Tom Coughlin has said about Barden, it’s apparent that the Giants feel it’s time to see if he is indeed the impact player they believe he can be.

“It’s time, it was time last year. The guy is going to make a mark in the league. He’s smart. He’s been around long enough. He’s been in the heat of it. You know, he’s made plays. He just needs to make them more consistently. That’s all I hope. (That) this is his time.”

It’s the size of Barden that caught my attention when the Giants started talking him up after taking him in the third round of the 2009 draft. He’s 6-foot-6 and was so impressive in his first training camp, it brought back reminders of how successful quarterback Eli Manning was throwing red zone passes to Plaxico Burress.

Injuries and a deep depth chart at the wide receiver position has slowed down Barden’s development. However with Manningham’s departure, there is a prime spot up for grabs. If Barden can stay healthy and produce, he’ll fit nicely in the passing game with Nicks and Victor Cruz for Manning.

Barden is entering the final year of his contract. The Giants went out and drafted receiver Rueben Randle and re-signed Domenik Hixon. If that’s not enough for motivation to get it done, I don’t know what else would work. Nothing is going to be just handed to him, he’ll have to earn it.

Game Time: 7:30 pm EST

Location: EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL

TV: MY Tv 9 (NY, NJ, CT)

Announcers:  Paul Dittino and Carl Banks

Radio: WCBSFM 101.1 (WFAN has the Mets game)

Game Time Weather:

Kick Off: 85* 10% Chance of T-Storms

Half-Time: 83* 60% Chance of T-Storms

4th Quarter: 78* 60% Chance of T-Storms

Current Line: It’s the preseason…..

Jul 27, 2012; Albany, NY, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz (80) and wide receiver Domenik Hixon (87) share a laugh during training camp at University Field at SUNY Albany. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-US PRESSWIRE

“Y’all should come to that (Cowboys) stadium and watch us beat the Giants’ ass,” Jones told fans during a ceremony to signal the opening of Cowboys’ training camp Monday, a festival-like event that featured a few skydivers and a performance from the franchise’s famous cheerleaders.

Now, it is possible that  Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, is just looking to start some smack-talking in order to sell seats at Cowboys Stadium. However, whether he believes this statement or not it is a ridiculous statement.

Including a playoff game on January 13, 2008, with Eli Manning at the starting QB position, the Giants are 4 and 1 in Cowboys Stadium. In those five games the Giants’ offense averaged 278 passing yards per game with three games over 300 passing yards including one game with 400 passing yards. In the last three years the Giants have averaged 345.33 passing yards per game in Cowboys Stadium.

Giants @ Cowboys when Eli Manning is starting QB

In addition to a great record in Cowboys Stadium, the Giants are 3 and 1 at home against the Cowboys from 2008 to 2011. The Cowboys have made no impressive acquisitions in the off season to make anyone think they will be better this year. The only news out of Dallas these days is starting WR Dez Bryant’s arrest for assaulting his mother and starting RB Felix Jones’ inability to pass the team’s mandatory physical fitness test.

Will the Giants beat the Cowboys in the season opener September 5, 2012? My money is on the Giants. It is, of course, possible that the Giants will lose. If they lose, it won’t be an ass-kicking from Cowboys, it will be a close and hard-fought game in which the Cowboys manage to eek out a win. As I stated before, my money is on the Giants.

Nick Laham / Getty Images

Cornerback Terrell Thomas has re-injured the right ACL, anterior cruciate ligament, that he tore in preseason last year. Thomas visited doctors today where it was confirmed that Thomas re-injured the ACL that was surgically repaired last year. An official statement has not been released but the Giants are not optimistic.

On Sunday, Terrell Thomas fell during practice and then iced his knee for the remainder of practice. Today, Thomas had swelling in his knee and he was sent to the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City for an examination.

This looks to be a major setback for Terrell Thomas and if he has in fact torn his right ACL again, there will be serious questions about his ability to recover and become an effective player again. If Thomas is unable to return it looks like Prince Amukamara would replace him at the starting Cornerback position opposite of Corey Webster.

There was a second high-profile Giants injury today. Linebacker Michael Boley was also sent to the Hospital for Special Surgery to have a hamstring injury examined.

At this point there is not much information available. We will release more information as it becomes available.

…owns the Mall of America near Minneapolis and the West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, want to transform the Meadowlands site into a 3 million square foot megamall filled with shops, restaurants, nightclubs, a 26-screen movie theater and 3,000-seat performing arts theater, indoor glass-domed amusement and water parks, a skating rink and a ski slope with real snow

June 14, 2012; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow (15) during minicamp at the Atlantic Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-US PRESSWIRE

The Giants and Jets claim in their lawsuit that this new project does not conform to the guidelines they established when the former Xanadu site was built and that the estimated 55 million people the mall would draw a year would cause “epic” traffic problems. The Giants and Jets filed the injunction in the Superior Court located in Bergen County, New Jersey.

However, not many people appear to be feel sorry or even agree with the Giants and Jets. New Site developer, Triple Five released a statement saying:

“In suing the State of New Jersey and our company, the teams have revealed they want to exert monopolistic control over the entire complex,” a company statement said. “They want to tell us when and how we can operate our business. I am sure they would not want us to tell them when they can play their football games.”

The Mayor of New Jersey went on to say

 ”It’s a telling sign that these two New York-based teams are throwing up legal roadblocks to an economic enterprise that will benefit thousands of people in the region,” said East Rutherford Mayor James Cassella. “They don’t want to be good neighbors. They just want to exploit New Jersey.”

You can read the full article here.

This is dicey situation for both the New York Football Giants Organization the New York Jets. However, one thing I do know is that the

Feb 5, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz (80) celebrates after Super Bowl XLVI against the New England Patriots at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Farrell/THE STAR-LEDGER via US PRESSWIRE

Mayor of New Jersey just needs to shut -up. To say these two clubs just want to “exploit New Jersey” is a load of hogwash. Let’s be honest here; If it was not for the Mara Family and the Giants organization the Jets would be playing football in the West Side and the Giants would be playing who knows where. Simply put: No body knows where East Rutherford, New Jersey is without the Giants.

Around 8:45PM Sunday New York City Police received reports about a car hitting several cars along 35th Avenue in Queens. When they arrived they found David Diehl driving his BMW. Diehl blew a 0.18 on the breathalizer, twice the legal limit.

Diehl was then arraigned on two counts of impaired driving and ordered to be released on his own recognizance. His license has been suspended and he must return to court on July 26. This is also the first day of Giants’ training camp.

Diehl made this statement: ”I’ve worked hard during my career to set a positive example, and yesterday I fell far short of this standard. I apologize to my family, my fans, the New York Giants, and the NFL. I made a poor decision that I sincerely regret, and, as always, take full responsibility for my actions.”

The Giants released this statement: ”Obviously we are aware of the situation, although we have not yet had a chance to discuss it with David. Since it is an ongoing legal matter, we will refrain from comment at this time, although we will say that David has been an outstanding representative of this organization for the past 10 years, and nobody knows more than David does what is expected of our players both on and off the field.”

Diehl was selected by the Giants in the fifth round in 2003. He’s missed just four game since then and helped the Giants to two Super Bowl victories. On May 22 of this year he was given the team’s Wellington Mara Man of the Year award.

“It has always been my belief that it is an honor and a privilege to be the head coach of the New York Giants,” said Coughlin. “I’m thankful to John Mara and Steve Tisch and their families for their support and the recognition of what our players and coaches have accomplished. And I’m grateful for the working relationship Jerry Reese and I have. We’ve got a lot of work left to do.”

As I stated already, this was expected but it is still exciting to have it confirmed that Coughlin will

“Tom is the right person in the right job at the right time,” said Chairman Steve Tisch. “I just really appreciate how our players respond to his leadership, and obviously our organization has benefited tremendously because of the relationship Tom has with his players.”

“I wanted Tom as our head coach going all the way back to the early ‘90s,” said John Mara, “so it was with great confidence that Ernie Accorsi and I recommended to my father and Bob Tisch in 2004 that we hire Tom. Of course, my father didn’t need to be convinced. He saw what we have all seen, a man who has a singular focus and incredible dedication when it comes to his work. In so many ways, Tom represents to me who and what the head coach of our franchise should be.”

Coughlin’s 74 regular season Giants victories are the third-highest total among head coaches in team history, behind only Owen (153) and Bill Parcells (77). His eight Giants postseason victories tie him with Parcells for the franchise record. Coughlin has led the Giants to two NFC East titles and five playoff berths in eight years.

Coughlin has eight postseason victories, the same number as Bill Parcells and also the franchise record. Under Coughlin the Giants have won two NFC East titles and have made it to the playoffs five times in eight years.

He’s also coached the Giants to 74 victories. This ranks him third in victories behind Steve Owen with 153 and Bill Parcells with 77.

The following stats were provided by Giants.com:

The 2011 Giants gained a franchise-record 6,161 yards. The former mark of 6,085 was set in 2010. Those are the only two 6,000-yard seasons in Giants history.

The Giants shattered their franchise record with 4,734 net passing yards. The former mark of 4,019 was set in 2009. Those are the only two 4,000-yard passing seasons in Giants history. In 2011, the Giants also set a team record with 359 pass completions and had at least 200 passing yards in every game for the first time in their history.

Last year, the Giants won five regular season games in which they trailed in the fourth quarter, tying the franchise record they set in 2002. They tied Denver and Cincinnati for the NFL’s second-highest total. Arizona led the league with six.

In the last six seasons, the Giants’ regular season records have been 11-5, 8-8, 10-6, 12-4, 8-8, 10-6 and 9-7. Their six-year streak without a losing record is the Giants’ longest since they had 10 in a row from 1954-63.

The 2011 Giants were unique Super Bowl champions. They were the first team to win the title after a) losing seven games in the regular season; b) losing four consecutive games in the regular season; c) finishing with a negative scoring differential (394-400) in the regular season, and d) finishing last in the NFL in rushing in the regular season. They did so thanks to the resilience, toughness and tenacity which characterize Coughlin-coached teams. In their four postseason victories, the Giants defeated 10-6 Atlanta, 15-1 Green Bay, 13-3 San Francisco and 13-3 New England to become the first team to beat four teams in the playoffs with better regular season records. The Giants are the first team to twice win four games in a single postseason (doing it in 2007 and 2011).

“I’m just happy, I’m happy all that’s over with,” said Umenyiora. “It’s time to get back to work. It was definitely frustrating (not being on the field this spring), but hearing some of the things they said, whether it was Kiwi or (Justin) Tuck or JPP (Jason Pierre-Paul) or Antrel (Rolle) – hearing the way they supported me, it made me want to come back even more and be around them. Those guys really stepped up for me. I really appreciate it and I’m happy to be here with them.”

This has been difficult for Osi because he loves the Giants and did not want to leave his teammates or the fans. 2012 will be his ninth season with the Giants and has played with no other team in the NFL.  Recently, other defensive players have been given contracts larger than the 2007 $41 million dollar extension he agreed to. This was the catalyst for Osi’s requests for more money. He was to make $3.975 million in the 2012 season. He has not been practicing with the team during the contract negotiations. Details of the new agreed have not yet been released.

“This gives me peace of mind, definitely,” Umenyiora said. “We just resolved a situation. It really was affecting me in a bad way. Because I didn’t like all the negativity that was surrounding the whole situation. I couldn’t stand it, because if you know me, you know I’m not that type of person. I’m just happy all that is over with and I’ll be there. I’ll play out this contract, I’ll play this year and I’ll play my heart out.”

“I appreciate Osi’s patience and effort through this process,” stated Giants GM Jerry Reese. “We talked it out, and it makes sense for everybody involved. We are very pleased, excited and looking forward to seeing number 72 on the field at Monday’s OTA.”

In his career, Umenyiora has made 333 tackles, 69 sacks, 30 forced fumbles, and recovered 13 fumbles. Last season he played 9 games and made 25 tackles, 9 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles.

Oct 26, 2008; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress (17) warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-US PRESSWIRE

Did a time and a Super Bowl victory ease the pain Plaxico Burress caused on Giants fans with his idiotic act of shooting himself? Not for Coach Coughlin it didn’t. According to the Daily News, when Coughlin was asked he shook his head and mouthed no. But with the injury or Nicks would it make sense to bring him in on a one year deal?

With the lack of pass catching TE’s and not knowing what to expect from the recievers after Cruz it may be worth at least thinking about. Yes, he is past his prime and he appeared pretty slow with the jets last year. But, he can still catch the ball, especially in the red zone. It seemed that age and prison may have matured him on the field, so he may have become an ideal Coughlin pupil and just show up on time and do what is asked.

It always nice to have weapons on offense, the question is what would his asking price be. But, even if it was low it is highly doubtful he will be back. The offense may have just enough options to live without Nicks for a week or two. And Coughlin and Reese have earned the right for us not to question there free agency moves or non moves,  At least for now.

In government speak, that translates directly to, “it’s a pretty big freaking deal.”  The New York Post reports Coughlin was humbled and almost moved to tears by the ceremony.  The journey he took to reach that moment is a journey many have taken.

Celebrities have given their time to the troops for many years.  As an Air Force veteran of 22 years, I’ve interacted with many celebrities in and out of war zones.  They all say basically the same thing.  Spending time with the troops changes them…forever.

Gene Simmons from KISS is another celebrity who has a history of supporting the troops and often visits wounded warriors.  Simmons says he is always amazed by young men and women whose bodies are broken, but not their spirits.  He also has trouble talking about the subject without tearing up.

It appears Tom Coughlin has also gotten “the bug.”

In 2007, Lt Col Greg Gadson became a member of the Super Bowl XVII champions.  He lost both legs and severely injured one arm from a roadside bomb in Iraq in May 2007.  Through the entire experience, Gadson has remained positive.  Four months later, he gave the New York Giants a pep talk before playing the Washington Redskins.  FOUR MONTHS!

That speech was the beginning of an incredible championship run.  From that point forward, Gadson attended as many games as his recovery would allow.  Yes, he was in Arizona.  Gadson is still a member of the Giants today and he also has a role in a new movie called, “Battleship.”

Aug 2, 2010; Albany, NY, USA; New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell holds up a play card for his players during training camp in Albany. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray/THE STAR-LEDGER via US PRESSWIRE

As OTA’s get started and training camp right around the corner, what are the keys to watch for this season? For the Giants to get a playoff birth and make another run at the title they will need to fill the holes of outgoing players and upgrade at a few other areas.

1. Who will be the Victor Cruz of 2012? When Steve Smith departing last offseason there was a huge question mark at the WR position. Thankfully out of virtually no where Cruz emerged and had a monster season finishing behind only Calvin Johnson in recieving yards in the NFC.  With Mario Manningham gone to the left coast and now a question mark on Hakeem Nicks season the WR position has yet again become a problem area. So, who will step up? As of now we have Cruz, Domenik Hixon coming off injury, and rookie Rueban Randle as the likely top 3. After that it’s  Ramses Bardan and Jerrel Jernigan both of which have yet to show any promise. Hopefully Nicks can return to form by week 4 or 5.

2. The linebacker position seems to be the opposite of last year at this time. With Chase Blackburn being re-signed and emerging as a force in the middle and the signing of Keith Rivers from Cincinnati really will solidify the LB corp with Boley and Kiwi flipping between LB and End. And the experience that Williams, Jones and Herzlich gained last year filling in now makes this a strength and no longer the weak link of the defense.

3. The running game had an extremely lack luster year in 2011. Being non existent for most of the year only emerging in the latter part of the regular season and the playoffs, mainly due to the respect for Eli and fear of the big play, needs to be better. With Jacobs joining Manningham in SF and DJ Ware and Da’rel Scott showing very little last season it was clear that Bradshaw would need help. The Giants turned to the Draft and picked David Wilson. With Bradshaw always fighting injuries from his running style and Wilson being a rookie it would appear the G-Men will probably go to a 3 headed running attack with Bradshaw, Ware and Wilson. But this area will be a question with only 1 back That is battle tested.

4. The Offensive Line had an up and down year in 2011, giving good protection in the passing game and poor run blocking. The one constant on the line has been and will be Chris Snee at right guard. With Kareem McKenzie not being re-signed mean that Will Beatty and James Brewer fighting for right tackle, off season signing Sean Locklear with provide depth. The left side appears it will be David Diehl at LT and Kevin Boothe and Mitch Petreus battling for RG. Petreus would add needed toughness and help for the running game. David Baas had a rough start, but seemed to settle in at the center position nicely.

These questions should be answered by the end of training camp and will be key areas that will need to be solid for the Giants to make another run to the playoffs and possible championship.