Eli Apple

Eli Manning not keen on ‘mentoring’ anybody:

The New York Giants have gone back and forth in their quest to take the best possible player at no. 2 in the 2018 NFL draft, and it may just end up being Eli Manning’s replacement.

Manning made it clear to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan that he doesn’t want to be in a ‘mentor’ role for a young player:

"It’s not your job to mentor somebody, but I wouldn’t look at it as that role. I would look at it as it’s my job to prepare and compete and be ready to play each and every game. In that process, you’re always talking football, helping out the other guys in the room, whether it’s Davis Webb this year or Geno [Smith] or guys over the years. You always have back and forth. You’re always helping them out. Nothing changes."

While being a good teammate may coincide with being a mentor, it’s far from the same. Manning wants to compete, and he’s not about to let his competition get the better of him, but he’s also not going to ignore them when they ask questions. Davis Webb may be the only player to truly get a piece of Manning’s wisdom, but at this point in his career, he’s ready to take down any player that vies for his starting role on the offense.

New general manager Dave Gettleman made it clear that Manning would remain the starter in 2018, despite rumors of a quarterback being selected with the second-overall pick int he draft.

Next season will be Manning’s 15th in the league, and he will have a new head coach and offensive line to work with.

Manning did say:

“I’m not going to be giving the cold shoulder to anybody. Hey, whatever they draft, I’m fine with. It’s about me doing my job and that’s playing quarterback.”

Giants are closing in on a solid option at offensive coordinator:

The New York Giants are on the prowl for their next offensive coordinator, and Pat Shurmur has his eyes set one man specifically — a man that he has ties with and has excelled in the NFL.

Philadelphia Eagles’ running back coach Duce Staley has propelled his group of backs into one of the leagues most feared. He has maintained and helped LeGarrette Blount and Jay Ajayi become two of the most dominant backs in the NFL. He’s also turned rookie RB Corey Clement into a potential star. Clement managed 321-yards rushing (4.3 average-per-carry) and 123-yards receiving with six overall scores. Remember, Clement is the third running back on the roster.

Staley has heard the rumors linking him to the Giants under Shurmur, and despite shaking off the questions, he made it apparent that he’s prepared to take on the job of offensive coordinator in the NFL.

According to the NY Post, here’s what Staley said:

“I am,” Staley said when asked if he’s ready to be an offensive coordinator. I know I am.”

“You hear about rumors, you hear about this, you hear about that, during this time rumors are definitely out there, being spread around,” Staley stated during the Eagles media opening. “Hey, me as an individual, of course I don’t want to stay still in this business, but my focus right now is on the Philadelphia Eagles and this Super Bowl, all that will come afterwards. If I’m blessed one day to move up the ladder and become one, I’ll thank God and move on, but right now it’s all about the Philadelphia Eagles and this Super Bowl."

Being that the Giants have yet to secure an offensive coordinator, it’s safe to assume their potential targets may still be vying for a Super Bowl. After the big game on Sunday, we can expect the Giants to make their move.

Shurmur and his staff are also looking cloesly at Eagles’ John DeFilippo, who helped develop Carson Wentz into the league’s next top quarterback.

It seems as if the Giants are about to steal all of the key pieces on the Eagles’ coaching staff right our from under them.

The Mets have had a quiet offseason and with a need or two to fill, will they make a final move before Spring Training?

Quiet is a way to describe the offseason but not weak when General Manager Sandy Alderson stated yesterday the Mets have “probably done more than 80 percent” of the teams in baseball this offseason. The team has already brought in Jay Bruce and Anthony Swarzak along with veterans Adrian Gonzalez and Jose Reyes. The Mets also avoided arbitration with eight players with Zack Wheeler being the lone player to head to the hearings.

The most likely move the team is willing to make is to sign third baseman Todd Frazier. Mike Moustakas is another option for the team but Alderson all but ruled it out yesterday, “I don’t know. There are a couple of things involved there. One is draft- choice compensation and loss of international pool money. Both of which are key to us improving what is now a less robust farm system, so we’ve got to be careful there.”

Other options to fill the infield have been Eduardo Nunez and former Met Neil Walker. Nunez would fill the need for a leadoff hitter but it not known for his ability with the glove. Asdrubal Cabrera also said he would prefer to stay at second base instead of moving to third base and the Mets seem content keeping him there as well.

Lance Lynn has been rumored as an option for the Mets starting rotation but with a large log jam already there it is unlikely Alderson pulls the trigger on Lynn.

Jonathan Lucroy is a dark horse sign for the Mets but just like Asdrubal Cabrera the Mets are happy with Travis d’Arnaud being the Mets everyday catcher. The price tag for Lucroy may also be more than the Mets are willing to dish out for the two-time all-star.

If anything else, the Mets are likely to sign Frazier but that should be the end for the Mets this offseason unless a free agent’s price drops low enough for the Mets to gain interest in them.

Credits: Jay Biggerstaff

Here’s an interesting option at running back:

If the New York Giants are looking to harness the biggest bang for their buck, they should probably ring the phone of free agent Darren Sproles.

The Philadelphia Eagles running back tore his ACL and broke his arm this season, which is usually not a good sign for a 34 year-old player, but with Sproles, anything is possible.

Standing at 5’6", Sproles has been one of the leagues most polarizing players since his drafting in 2005. Going on his 13th season in the league, Sproles has amassed 3,366 rushing-yards and 4656 receiving-yards. In 2016, he recorded 438 rushing-yards, 427 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

Coming back from a devastating injury is always something to be concerned about, but the veteran back has made it apparent that he wants to continue moving forward in his career.

For the Giants, taking a flier on Sproles would be a financial blessing, as coming back from an injury he will likely only get a fraction of his worth on the open market.

We could expect to get him for $1.5-2 million on a one-year deal. Sproles is also extremely dangerous in the return game, which would benefit the 32nd ranked special teams for New York greatly.

There’s one huge comparison between Coughlin and Shurmur:

In 2017, the New York Giants saw their pride crumble to a mere fraction of what it used to be under former head coach Tom Coughlin. The now vice president and general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars has brought his success and wisdom to the AFC, taking his new team to the AFC Championship game in one season. The Jaguars were 3-13 in 2016.

For the Giants, they were left with Ben McAdoo, the man who destroyed the image of the franchise, and botched the benching of Eli Manning. McAdoo was fired before the end of the season, and Jerry Reese followed close behind as they both were kicked to the curb for turning the Giants into the laughing stock of the NFL.

These dismissals brought forth the reign of Dave Gettleman and Pat Shurmur, who both share one glaring comparison to Coughlin.

Why was Coughlin successful with the Giants?

The two-time Super Bowl winning coach brought a sense of discipline and adulthood to the organization — setting standards for his players and his coaching staff. Under McAdoo, the Giants saw players suspended weekly and the degradation of several first-round picks (Eli Apple and Ereck Flowers).

In the words of Gettleman, we now have an adult in the room. Shurmur expresses a keen sense of discipline just as Coughlin, and bleeds football. The NFL’s assistant coach of the year has already had experience as a head coach, as he led the Cleveland Browns to nine wins over the course of two seasons, which is far more than any other coach has accomplished.

In addition to his structured ways, Shurmur is known as the "quarterback whisperer." He’s helped even third-string quarterback Case Keenum reach his full potential; but how? Shurmur plays to his players’ strengths, and allows his quarterback to control the game. This should bode well for Manning, should it not?

Manning is known as one of the league’s best quarterbacks at the line of scrimmage, and just as his brother Peyton, he acts as a commander of the game. Manning loves to audible out of plays and confuse the defense, something McAdoo disabled when he became head coach.

The discipline and respect Shurmur brings to the Giants is reminiscent of Coughlin, but can he create a culture of winning is the big question.

As the calendar quickly flips from January to February, many big free agents are left and one of those is third baseman Mike Moustakas.

The former Kansas City Royal, was originally thought to draw interest from many teams but has fallen victim to the very slow free agent market. Players may not show it, but going into February without an idea of where they are going to play can be extremely stressful. This leads players to accept deals below their original asking price and teams like the Mets are able to steal guys like this off the market.

The Mets have shied away from Moustakas because of his original asking price. Todd Frazier has emerged as the candidate to round out the Mets infield but the Mets can still do better. The signing of Jose Reyes to join third base and middle infield candidates Asdrubal Cabrera, Amed Rosario, Wilmer Flores and maybe David Wright does not show confidence to sign Frazier or confidence in having Frazier replace Wright.

In comparison over their last three seasons, Frazier has the lead in Homer Runs and RBIs but that is where it ends. Including his injury shortened 2016 season, Moustakas has a higher OBP, SLG% and a better batting average. Defensively the two are about the same and they both are above average defenders.

The upside on Moustakas is he is heading into his age-29 season and Frazier is heading into his age-32 season. Fans also rave about Frazier’s leadership but Moustakas is a leader in his own way as well. The 2015 World Series provided a perfect example when yelled profanities at Noah Syndergaard after he started Game 3 with a brush back pitch to Alcides Escobar.

Todd Frazier would not be the worst player the team can sign but the Mets should not have to downgrade in the free agent market if they do not have to. Moustakas would be a terrific fit for a Mets team who needs a healthy and younger third baseman. Unfortunately, every decision depends on the Mets ownership and they usually kill the team’s chances to bring in a player like Moustakas.

Odell Beckham Jr. will love Pat Shurmur:

The NFL’s assistant coach of the year is preparing his coaching staff and player personnel for the New York Giants, and one player currently in the Super Bowl thinks Odell Beckham Jr. is going to benefit significantly from him.

New head coach for the Giants, Pat Shurmur, has a way with players, and creates bonds with them in a way that brings out their potential on the football field.

Danny Amendola experienced this first hand:

“I feel like he relates well to the players,” Amendola said via the New York Post. “He has kids himself [Vanderbilt quarterback Kyle Shurmur] that are football players. I remember Coach Shurmur had me over for dinner one afternoon with another couple of our players, and just real personable, family-oriented, and he’s a great guy. And I tell him that every time I see him.”

It’s hard to imagine Beckham Jr. enjoying dinner with Shurmur and his family, but we can assume that it may be the case sooner rather than later. As a head coach, it’s essential to have good relationships with the players and create a rapport with them to grow respect. For players like OBJ, having a sense of trust and respect is essential, as his passion often boils over into the game. If he trusts his coach and respects him, you can expect that he will listen and respect the image of the organization.

Beckham Jr. has expressed his approval of Shurmur over social media, which should be a good sign moving forward.

Brady still holding onto bad memories:

As the New England Patriots and Tom Brady prepare to strive for their 6th Super Bowl, the only team standing in their path is the Philadelphia Eagles.

Even if Brady can accomplish yet another win on the biggest stage of football, he will still be haunted by sour memories from years past, and it may make New York Giants fans quite happy.

Tom vs. Time," Brady expresses his regret and pain for losing two Super Bowl’s to the Giants.Winning five Super Bowls is more than any other player can say for themselves, but Brady has the competitive nature of an alien and still hangs onto the games he failed to win. On the Facebook Watch documentary "

“Oh man, this is painful, just clicking on it, just – the 2007 Super Bowl. This one’s still painful,” Brady stated as he scrolled through his Super Bowl archive. “When you lose on the biggest stage, and you know everyone’s watching, and you’ve committed so much of your life to what you’re doing, you’re becoming a failure in front of everybody else, it’s a talent show that you did when you were a kid and you were the failure.”

Super Bowl XLII stung the most for Brady, as he remembers one specific play that still haunts him to this day. It was a third-and-20 with 19 seconds remaining in the game when he sent a hail-mary down the field to Randy Moss. As Moss went up to secure the pass, Giants’ cornerback Corey Webster leaped to make what Brady said was "the freakin’ play of his life."

“And that was all she wrote. . . [expletive]. I’ll never let go of those losses. That scar tissue is too deep, it’s too thick," Brady said.

Putting a dent in Brady’s rather perfect career is a big win for the Giants and their fans, even if we’ve held onto it for far too long… But then again, when you have something over Brady, you use it as ammunition for as long as possible!

What Victor Cruz did with his first pay-check is impressive:

When you think of a professional athlete, the first thing that likely pops into your head is fame, fortune and a boat-load of cash.

Spending money for them is like drinking water for normal people, but is that sustainable? And is it smart that they are splurging on things that may not be necessities?

According to Sports Illustrated, 78% of NFL players that have been retired for two-years are facing financial crisis’s. That’s 78 of 100 players that’re mismanaging their money to the extent of bankruptcy.

What Victor Cruz did with his first pay-check is a tad different, and really highlights how smart of a player and a person he really is.

Cruz signed a three-year, $1.215 million contract with the New York Giants early in his career as an undrafted free-agent (2010). When his initial contract expired, Cruz had helped the Giants reach the super Bowl and was rewarded with $43 million over five-years.

Cruz took his first multi-million pay-check and invested every single dime of it.

Here’s what Cruz told CNBC:

"That first check was probably the largest check I’ve ever seen with my own eyes at that time," he said. "So I saved it. I wanted to make sure that this isn’t the last check that I receive. I wanted to make sure every check from here on out I saved and multiplied."

Cruz was given valuable advice by then Giants staff-member Charles Way:

"He was like, ‘Man, make sure you understand what your money is doing and understand what’s happening with your money. Don’t just give it to some accountant and just let him do whatever he wants with it,’" said Cruz.

"It’s not about the right now. It’s about the longevity and making sure that your finances are taking care of you not just right now, but forever," he says. "And making that money last for yourself, for your family and for the people that you care about."

This isn’t just advice to Cruz, but it should be essential advice to everybody. Even if you aren’t bringing home a million-dollar check every year, you can still invest a little bit at a time.

The rewards are grand, so do your homework everybody!

Giants bringing back under-used tool on offense:

If there’s anything to love about New York Giants‘ new head coach Pat Shurmur, it’s his unique style of running an offense.

This past season, Shurmur was named the NFL’s assistant coach of the year, primarily for his un-predictable offensive scheme’s, something the Giants have lacked in recent years under Ben McAdoo.

Shurmur has promised to bring back one huge tool, and it promotes a balanced offensive attack that keeps the defense on their toes.

Utilizing the screen game opens up the middle of the field for receivers, especially under play-action. Shumur is known for his play-action, while McAdoo shy’d away from using Eli Manning’s strength. Luckily, Shurmur is keen on playing to players’ strengths and not stubbornly forcing them to carry out his plans.

If the Giants plan on taking a running back in the draft, we can expect it to be an all-around player — a guy that can be used as a work-horse on first and second down, as well as on third and in short-yardage situations. This closely describes Penn State’s Saquon Barkley, but there are other value picks in later rounds that can fill this role.

Nonetheless, adding diversity to the offense is essential moving forward, and with Shurmur’s discipline and creativity, we should see an entirely different unit in 2018.