Legit

For the past four+ years, many relatives and friends have been curious about the 'legit' gig with the New York Beacon. I have been fortunate to have been with the African-American weekly paper since early 2005, having covered and opined about the happenings of a few New York sports teams and events. While it has been a conversation starter in many circles, what has always bothered me was that the paper doesn't have a large web presence and more often than not, its former site was rarely current.

Thankfully in recent months, the Beacon has put out a new website and began placing its current editions online in PDF format. So FINALLY, those who are not in the NYC vicinity can see the paper. Those that are here who can't find the paper on newsstands can check it out online without the assistance of a GPS.

Each week something of mine is published, you'll see a post with a quote or two from the article along with the accompanying link.

As a warning to those of you who many not know the nuances of the games I discuss, I try my best to not get bogged down in the vernacular. However, as the NFL season progresses, you will see more statistics and lingo of the game of football. Please feel free to ask questions and leave comments for explanations and clarity. For those of you who are walking sports encyclopedias, your comments, questions and debates are even more welcome now more than ever.

For all in between, I haven't forgotten you. Just say what's on your mind.

Last week (see page 39), I discussed the football impact of how the grand jury's decision to no indict middle linebacker Antonio Pierce brought relief not only to him, but the team as well. This week, I focused on Mathias Kiwanuka, the hybrid defensive end/stronside linebacker who might be the "Most Valuable Giant" this season based on his new role.

Kiwanuka sits second on the depth chart behind (Osi) Umenyiora, who is expected to emerge both as healthy and productive as he was in 2007. Kiwanuka may be a reserve now, but his role in many ways will be magnified under (new defensive coordinator Bill) Sheridan. As Umenyiora and (Justin) Tuck, he’s extremely strong and agile when it comes to the team’s pass rush. When either player needs a breather on the sidelines, there won’t be a dramatic drop off in the defensive line’s aggressiveness as he can spell them for a few snaps, if not a series. However, with the need to throw different looks at opposing offenses, Kiwanuka could be on the field in a variety of packages with several other new ‘toys’ for the defense.

Read the complete article on page 38 and feel free to comment here or here. Unlike our national 'conversation' about health care, we can talk freely and honestly.

Underdog

As promised, this New York Giants preview was published in this week's New York Beacon (the website should be updated soon). Since it's flying off the shelves (I hope), it's available on Scribe. It also proves that the photo on your right hand side isn't a fake.

Champs Still Giant Underdogs in 2008
By Jason Clinkscales

A future Hall of Famer retires. A much-maligned quarterback still has something to prove despite a terrific postseason. A talented player felt slighted to the point of forcing a trade out of town. And now, one of the most feared young defenders in the NFL is out for the season.

So how much more difficult could it be for the Super Bowl champion New York Giants to defend their crown?

Barely having grasped the Vince Lombardi Trophy in February and the Giants were looked upon as a team that will have a hard time contending for a playoff spot, let alone repeating this year. The Dallas Cowboys were considered the best team in the NFC last season and are widely considered to be the best team in the entire NFL this year. New Orleans is a chic pick for a title contender, especially after adding now-former Giant tight end Jeremy Shockey through a trade last month. The Green Bay Packers, the team the Giants beat to reach Super Bowl XLII, still has a formidable team even though the young Aaron Rodgers takes over for new Jet Brett Favre. Add the familiarity of division foes in Philadelphia and Washington to a tougher schedule and the Giants have enough factors going against them headed into the season.

General Manager Jerry Reese had an outstanding first year in succeeding Ernie Accorsi, Super Bowl withstanding. In 2007, he was able to fill team needs with quality draft picks such as cornerback Aaron Ross and backup running back Ahmad Bradshaw while signing two key veterans in linebacker Kawika Mitchell and fullback Madison Hedgecock. This year, he hopes to have close to the same success with a few additions. Kenny Phillips was Reese’s first pick in April’s draft; a free safety from the University of Miami who will be groomed to eventually start in a position that allowed too many deep passes over the past few years. As for veterans, Danny Clark was brought in to replace the departed Mitchell, who left for Buffalo. Clark will play alongside MLB Antonio Pierce and has an advantage of knowing Coach Tom Coughlin’s style as he played for him in Boston College and Jacksonville. Renaldo Wynn signed as a free agent as Big Blue wanted to add depth to the defensive line after the retirement of Michael Strahan. Wynn will be leaned upon a bit more after a season-ending knee injury to Osi Umenyiora in last Thursday’s preseason game. Though a returning Mathias Kiwanuka will be moved back to the line after being shifted to linebacker before being injured last year, Wynn and Clark will become major factors in shoring up the weakside of the defense, especially considering that the Giants will play top-notch offenses in Cincinnati and Cleveland this year.

Offensively, the Giants could actually be a better team than in 2007, even without Shockey. Kevin Boss will be one of several tight ends who will try to make up for Shockey’s production as a receiver and run blocker. It will be the most scrutinized position other than quarterback, but considering the depth that the Giants have at other positions, they may not have the pressing need to replace Shockey’s receptions. At running back, the productive trio of Brandon Jacobs, Bradshaw and Derrick Ward paced New York into playoffs last year. Provided that Jacobs and Ward can play for all sixteen games, expect the Giants to once again have one of the league’s best running games. The right ankle of Plaxico Burress will be key for quarterback Eli Manning to improve upon his heady play in those playoffs. The two connected for seven touchdowns in the first six games last year before injuries kept Burress from leaping for high and long passes. Yet, Manning has Amani Toomer, Steve Smith and the emerging Dominick Hixon to toss the ball to as well. Manning leaned on his running game and made terrific throws to his receivers within 20 yards in the four playoff games. More importantly, when the games got close, he, along with offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride trusted their game plan as opposed to changing quickly to a hurry-up offense to get the passing game going. The same formula applies as the Giants will face tough defenses from Pittsburgh, Carolina, Seattle and Minnesota to go along with the NFC East.

There’s no rest for the weary or wounded, especially after winning the Super Bowl. Throughout the year, mistakes will be made and injuries will test the depth of this team. Even if the defense picks up the slack from the Umenyiora injury and the offense builds on their winter successes, the Giants will be underdogs more often than not just based on the talent from the rest of the league. Yet, this is a team that managed to win it all last year despite a 3-5 home record and criticism from every corner of the country. Be careful about counting them out again.

Depth

It’s understandable that when you are about to reunite with something most dear that separation anxiety can get the best of you. It could be anything such as a long-lost flame, a childhood friend, those Karl Kani jeans from back in 1995, what-have-you. Yet, one would be foolish to expect everything to be as it was before all of that time apart from each other.

He’s engaged. Your friend went a different path in life. Only people born before 1988 know who Karl Kani is.

For the most part, you can accept the fact that nothing is as great as the nostalgia told you. Life changes, people drift away to gather themselves and over time, you’ll discover that really, really bad fashion can make an unfortunate comeback. So you let it be and can smile at the memories.

One reunion, however, will make people say and think the darndest things:

“The Jets are Super Bowl-bound, baby! Brett the Jet!”

“You know, I think Rex Grossman’s going to have a helluva year.”

“Chad Johnson might change his name.” (Oh, that’s right. He’s actually considering that… right?)

“Preseason is too long.”

The last statement is the one that jumps out more and more with each passing August. It’s the most common refrain from the masses in regards to the NFL exhibition season. A good bit of veteran players would rather not go through the physical grind and jump straight into the games that matter. Media members and most fans share the view that no one wants to see third-string players because… well, they’re third-string players. The few fans that are season-ticket holders get up in arms because they must pay full-price for these games in order to retain their rights for seats when the games count in the standings.

As said last year in this space, the preseason is never about everyone else surrounding the game, but more about determining the kind of depth that a team has going into the regular season. Case in point: as we are twelve days away from the start of the season, two teams that will find out how deep they really are will find out sooner than expected.

The bad news for the defending champion New York Giants will have sunk in by September 4th as they will go without Osi Umenyiora. The sixth-year Pro Bowl defensive end elected to have season-ending surgery on a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee. Umenyiora tweaked his knee while pulling away from Jets offensive tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson in the second quarter of their annual preseason game on Saturday (though at first glance, did not seem as if it would be more than a sprained knee). Their guests, the Washington Redskins, will have to play without one of their defensive ends as well; the newly-acquired Jason Taylor. While Taylor will return for the team’s second contest later in the month, he is only in Washington after Phillip Daniels (an underrated end in his own right) tore his ACL during training camp.

Going without a premier player is disheartening enough because of what (s)he can bring to the table in the game. Yet, when the injury happens before the season even starts, it can be maddening and in the case of the NFL, the usual anti-preseason critics will have even more ammo in their argument to shorten the exhibitions. Yet, it is for this exact reason that coaches rarely speak out against the length of the preseason.

If an elite player misses time due to injury, more than likely, a young and inexperienced player will be thrown into the fire and have to step into that position of need. Without the preseason, that player, while likely to be overwhelmed with the higher stakes and impromptu playing time, would be the deer stuck in headlights without any practice, preparation or ‘hands-on’ experience for the real thing. In the case of Umenyiora, it’s got to be excruciating physically, mentally and emotionally to be unable to help his team defend their Super Bowl title (yet, still contend with us media if he chooses to come to the games). However, this is the time where the offseason addition of veteran end Renaldo Wynn and the return of LB/DE Mathias Kiwanuka from a broken leg last season will come into play. Giants fans are also going to learn the name Dave Tollefson, a second-year reserve end who saw time late last season in a backup role.

It is rather unfortunate that someone has to get hurt in order for another player to have a chance to show his or her skills. Every team in sports competes with the certainty that someone will miss time because of injury. It would be poor management and a lapse of common sense to not have a contingency plan built before the season starts. After all, how can a team entertain its fans without the best possible preparation?