Hi all

When I am not hanging around BBV, trying to get my business rolling, blogging about the environment, or chasing my 2 kids around, I teach marketing online at Upper Iowa University. (yes, I live in the SF Bay Area)

Anyway, just got an email.  It seems UIU advertised in the Super Bowl program, and one of the perks was a Eli Manning signed program.

They put it on Ebay, with all proceeds going to student scholarships.  FWIW, here it is

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270256309311#ebayphotohosting

While looking up more info on Tucker Fredrickson, I came across this article in Football Outsiders , and I thought it was fascinating

The article is mostly about Bob Timberlake, arguably "the worst field goal kicker in NFL history.

Timberlake was the third round pick in 1965, and was told that he would compete with Gary Wood for the starting job.  Problem was, the Giants brought in Earl Morrall and Timberlake became 3rd string.  At the same time,  the other players with kicking experience were traded, left, or got injured, leaving Timberlake as the primary fieldgoal and kickoff man.  The Giants did not have kicking specialists in those days.  Ernie Koy, who was the halfback,  also punted.

The article goes on to describe how Timberlake's lack of success at kicking almost scuttled the NFA-AFL merger, and almost sparked a bidding war

It is, in all a fascinating read

from espn

Mario Manningham    WR    MICHIGAN
Concerns about his character caused Manningham's stock to drop. He also lacks ideal size. However, Manningham simply knows how to get open; he's a smooth route-runner and does a good job reading defenses. He also has the ability to make spectacular catches.

Not sure what the character issues were - always a red flag to me.  He is 5'11"   and doesn't sound like a burner.

I get the impression he is a possession receiver.

With Plax, Toomer, Smith pretty set as 1, 2, and 3 - chance Smith may challenge Toomer for number 2 this year  -  looks like at best he'll be competing with Moss and Tyree for number 4

My son just turned 10 years. I have had a real hard time getting him interested in watching football with me.  Since we live in San Francisco, and both the Niners and Raiders have pretty much sucked for a bunch of years, and I don't get that many Giants games, I haven't pressed it too much.  

Last year, he played baseball in Little league, and never got past "throwing like a girl" - But, at the end of the season, the team had a picnic, he picked up a football, and threw a perfect spiral.  

After I scraped my jaw off the floor, I started throwing the ball with him and had a blast.

But even so, usually when a football game is on, he has gone off to play on the computer, or generally do something else.  But today, for the first time, he sat down next to me and started asking me about the rules, and why I cheared at certain things and moaned or grumbled over others.

It was a lot of fun, and I am really looking forward to having a football watching buddy, even if he ultimately becomes a 9er or raider fan

OK - So, we are facing NE, the last barrier to a perfect season.

Meanwhile, we have nothing to gain in the game.  

Now, no one in the Giants organization would admit that they might put anything less than full effort into the game, but..

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This was a disappointing loss, and it revealed a lot of vulnerabilities about this team, and NOTHING is worse than losing to the Cowpies.

But let's put it into perspective.

Looking back at the beginning of the season, I didn't think the Giants would be 6-3 at this point.  I wouldn't have been surprised by a 6-10 season, so most of this season has been a pleasant surprise

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Just a note on the poll question "Can this team go to the playoffs?" Based on the question, I answered, yes, as in "yes, it is *possible they could* go to the playoffs" But you could say that about almost ANY team in the league at this point. The real question is will they?

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One crystallized everything, and left me thinking that the Giants are going 3-13 this year.

He other left me with a Scooby Doo moment.  Huuh? (in Scooby voice)

More after the jump

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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/01/sports/football/01giants.html?ref=sports

NY Times reports  that Strahan "will rejoin the Giants today and expects to play in the team's regular-season opener Sunday, Sept. 9, against the Cowboys in Dallas."

Is he in shape?  Did he recover from his injury?  There is a lot of unknown still. My feel is that he is not 100% - lingering issues.

I remember the year that LT held out, in the first game back he got a hamstring.

I don't know. He was a great player, and he can still have an impact in games, but I am concerned about the effect his "holdout" or whatever it was will have on team chemistry.

I also wonder if he really still has the fire in the belly

In addition to Wright, the Giants brought in Tui Alailefaleula, (pronounced Ah-la-EE-lay-fa-lay-OO-la.)

Story in NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/17/sports/football/17giants.html?ref=sports

More over the jump

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