It's another slow news week for the Giants (off-season blogging must be a lot easier for the flashy teams like the Redskins and the Cowboys), but some interesting stuff coming from the Siena College research department, which reports that, among New York state residents, the Giants are tied with the Mets as second most popular team, with the Yankees out in front (official report here). This makes sense to me: New York is a baseball town first and foremost, but the Giants are clearly the most popular football team in the area.
This also puts to rest that little debate that's been going on lately, which I covered last week. The Jets are tied for fourth with the Buffalo Bills. It's OJ, Jets fans: I'm sure once the Bills playoff drought hits 15 years, you might pass them! It also speaks to the sad state of New York basketball that the Knicks rank behind the Red Sox(!), the Sabres, the Steelers, and Syracuse. Has any person ever had a better chance to become a New York God than LeBron James?
- Some more stadium news: first, an announcement that there is no deadline for the naming rights to the stadium. Generally I'm not a fan of teams selling naming rights, but Meadowlands Stadium sounds just as bad a corporate name would, so they might as well make some money off of it. I'm still holding out hope that either JetBlue or Green Giant will step in and buy the rights.
- Second, the stadium got mostly positive reviews from it's lacrosse debut.
- Vinny DeTrani reports that former Cowboys personnel "guru" Gil Brandt believes Jason Pierre-Paul (aka Freak II) is in the Giants plans for next weeks draft. I'm not a huge fan of high-risk high-upside guys like Pierre-Paul in the first round, where you're looking for guys who can have an immediate impact. I hope the Giants go a different direction with their first pick.
- The Redskins have signed a player who spent last season on the Giants practice squad.
- Finally, two non-Giants specific draft pieces from the NY Times Fifth Down blog. First, a Twitter guide to the draft. Second, a primer on how NFL teams use college game film when preparing for the draft.