News broke Friday that the New York Jets will hold their 2011 training camp in New Jersey, rather than at SUNY Cortland where they have held camp the past two summers. The Jets decided the logistics of getting set up in upstate New York were just too difficult with the NFL Lockout still in place and time growing short to make a decision.
The New York Giants face a similar decision about whether to train at the UAlbany, as they have for the past 15 summers, or stay at the Timex Performance Center in East Rutherford. About a month ago UAlbany Athletic Director Lee McElroy told me the university had "no deadlline" for when it needed a decision from the Giants.
That may be the case from the perspective of the university, which quite obviously would like to have the Giants on campus for the 16th straight year. The Giants, though, might simply run out of time to make a move to Albany for training camp feasible, even if the NFL Lockout is resolved in time for camps to open at the end of July.
“There is no firm date, but we all realize right around the first of July, give or take several days, that we may have to start making some decisions,” said Pat Hanlon, a spokesman for the Giants, told the Albany Business Journal. “We’re still playing it by ear.”
Selfishly, of course, I want training camp in Albany so that I can attend every day. In reality, as long as there is an on-time training camp somewhere I think everybody should be happy.
NFL.com Blogs » Blog Archive Sapp, Strahan question Tiki Barber as teammate «
I hate to keep beating up Tiki Barber, but this was a rather fun exchange between Warren Sapp and Michael Strah.
“I didn’t think much of him when he did play,” Sapp said. ”I mean that’s the whole point. He was a fumbler all the way through his life, and then all of a sudden, somebody taught him how to hold the ball up high and then he (left the Giants) and said, Eli (Manning) can’t lead them and they’ll never win a championship.
“That kind of lends to who I’m talking about. This is the same guy. This is all encompassed into the same thing. There’s no way you turn your back on your teammates that block for you, that gave you the ball on short fields and did whatever they did. … There’s still no reason for you to attack your teammates.”
Strahan didn’t disagree with that assessment.
“Sapp is 100 percent right,” he said. “Only thing is, if it comes to playing football, he can play.”
Barber presents a tough decision for teams, given that he would take up a roster spot as a backup but likely wouldn’t play special teams. Strahan maintains a belief that Barber can be productive, but he admits he’s not sure how his ex-mate would impact a team’s chemistry.
“I think it plays into the minds of some of the teams that will probably go, ‘Well, he can come in, he can be productive. We think he can. But how does that play into the chemistry of our team?’” Strahan said. “So I think that’s important if you’re a GM. That’s what you’re going to look at if you’re a head coach. Now, if you want guys that are going to give you production, that’s going to work hard, is going to bust his butt, you’re going to get all of that.”
“But the other part, I’m not sure myself.”
Giants outlook: After falling short in '10, New York should reach playoffs - NFL - Sporting News
(An anonymous opponent breaks down the Giants)
“I think they’re pretty good, but they certainly have to improve in certain areas. The offense is good if they can cut down the turnovers. The defense is solid, and they have some guys that might turn out to be playmakers. So I don’t think they’re that far away from being an excellent team. I don’t think this is a team that’s going down.
This is, I think, right on target.
Some cold water on the Kolb-for-Rodgers-Cromartie trade talk | ProFootballTalk
We’ve seen a number of NFL news sources speculating that the Cardinals could trade cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to the Eagles for quarterback Kevin Kolb when the lockout ends. But one source close to the Cardinals doesn’t see it happening.
That source would be the Cardinals’ official web site, where Darren Urban writes that if anything, the Cardinals want to solidify the cornerback position and make sure they have three guys who can play corner. At the moment, the Cardinals have Rodgers-Cromartie and rookie Patrick Peterson penciled in as the starters, with Greg Toler at No. 3. Arizona likely doesn’t feel comfortable enough at cornerback to get rid of Rodgers-Cromartie.