Here are some notes of interest for New York Giants fans. Really, seriously. It's not April Fool's Day. I honestly do have a few notes for you today.
For starters, it seems like there is a market shaping up for the services of Tiki Barber, who will be available to the highest (read most foolish) bidder once the Giants officially set him free. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots and New York Jets are the teams said to be possible destinations. Tampa Bay I understand because of Tiki's brother, Ronde, being there. Oakland I understand because it's Al Davis and, well, Al Davis is crazy. I don't understand New England or the Jets. Those locations make no sense to me.
Sometimes you can get a hint about players a team is interested in from what Pro Days they have scouts attend. That said, the Giants were one of only three NFL teams to scout the recent Washington State Pro Day, where offensive lineman Zack Williams and punter Reid Forrest were the featured attractions.
The NFL says it won't create a 'Calvin Johnson Rule.' Figures, why would the NFL Competition Committee do something that makes sense? Instead, let's just leave a rule in place that splits hairs and turns an obvious catch into a non-catch. That's OK, though. The committee will probably find some other nearly impossible to figure out rules to create or change.
ESPN recently broke down how the Giants will cope with the lockout, from the sides of both the players and team management.
The Daily News reported today that NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith is continuing to give NFL Alumni Association Director George Martin the cold shoulder. I have never understood, and still don't understand, the NFLPA's seeming refusal to work with Martin and the Alumni Association. The NFLPA talks a good game about player safety and improving long-term benefits. The unwillingness to give Martin an audience flies in the face of those words, however.