Sunday Reading

Giants

Duggan NJ.com: Could Jets WR Brandon Marshall be a fit with the Giants? | Mailbag
http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2017/02/could_jets_wr_brandon_marshall_be_a_fit_with_the_g.html

LT

Kratch NJ.com: How realistic (and expensive) would Giants trade for star left tackle be?
http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2017/02/which_potential_giants_left_tackle_trade_target_is.html

CB

Eisen Giants.com: Janoris Jenkins discusses his small-town beginnings in Pahokee, Florida and his journey to the Giants
http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/LifeFitnessFeatured/article-1/Janoris-Jenkins-Down-the-Rabbit-Hole/cac6af2f-3d50-4bdc-b063-5f2c3db72916

NFL

Volin Boston Globe: Sunday Football Notes: The case for and against trading Patriots QB Jimmy Garoppolo.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/patriots/2017/02/18/patriots-have-decision-make-jimmy-garoppolo/raU8vft3WJv5idnGiK4W7N/story.html

Geoff Schwartz: I start my new video series, Schemin’ with Schwartz, with inside zone. How does the front side block a 4-3?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9hrEIm2Wog& t=1s

ARIZONA
Weinfuss ESPN AZ: GM Steve Keim: Cardinals' dialogue with Chandler Jones has been positive
http://www.espn.com/blog/arizona-cardinals/post/_/id/24587/gm-steve-keim-cardinals-dialogue-with-chandler-jones-has-been-positive

Matt Miller@nfldraftscout
I'm told Tony Jefferson will hit the free agent market. Expectation from league sources is $7M+ per season

ATLANTA
Ledbetter AJC: Report: Falcons to meet with Earl Mitchell
http://www.ajc.com/sports/football/report-falcons-meet-with-earl-mitchell/KMXaZoYcXLukDFGYG4V4dL/

BUFFALO
Skurski Buffalo News: Free agency focus: What to do with WR Brandon Tate
https://buffalonews.com/2017/02/18/free-agency-focus-wr-brandon-tate/

MIAMI
Beasley Miami Herald: Cameron Wake signs two-year, $19 million contract extension
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article133616539.html

NEW ENGLAND
Reiss ESPN Boston: Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL: From parade to Club 15, Bill Belichick's 'no days off' chant catches on
http://www.espn.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4801245/from-parade-to-club-15-bill-belichicks-no-days-off-chant-is-catching-on?utm_source=dlvr.it& utm_medium=twitter

Gasper Boston Globe: Unlike the Patriots, Seahawks got off scot-free
https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/patriots/2017/02/18/unlike-patriots-seahawks-got-off-scot-free/raqzdJYlraR0C4v49pxLPL/story.html

Guregian Boston Herald: Super Bowl win not withstanding, Patriots better not to believe they can do without Rob Gronkowski
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/patriots/2017/02/guregian_super_bowl_win_not_withstanding_patriots_better_not_to_believe_they

Reiss ESPN Boston: Cyrus Jones: 'I reached a point where I didn't even want to play'
http://www.espn.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4801238/cyrus-jones-i-reached-a-point-where-i-didnt-even-want-to-play

NEW YORK JETS
Mehta NYDN: Jets, who should take page out of Darrelle Revis playbook, doing their homework on how to recoup $6M if they cut the cornerback
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-page-revis-playbook-finalize-divorce-article-1.2975449

OAKLAND
Gafford Alexandria Town Talk: Making a first impression: Richard relives rookie season
http://www.thetowntalk.com/story/sports/high-school/football/legends/2017/02/18/making-first-impression-richard-relives-rookie-season/97762724/

PITTSBURGH
Dulac Pitt Post Gazette: Steelers position analysis: wide receivers
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2017/02/18/Steelers-wide-receivers-antonio-brown-martavis-bryant-markus-wheaton/stories/201702180135

Rutter Pitt Tribune Review: Golson an unknown commodity in secondary as Steelers prep for draft
http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/11960383-74/golson-steelers-cornerback

SAN FRANCISCO
Branch SF Chronicle: Kid coordinators: 49ers’ staff features youthful leaders
http://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/Kid-coordinators-49ers-staff-features-10941747.php?cmpid=twitter-desktop

Frenette Fla Times Union: A Jaguars coach’s journey from unemployment line to California
http://jacksonville.com/sports/2017-02-18/gene-frenette-jaguars-coach-s-journey-unemployment-line-california

Branch SF Chronicle: Report: Free-agent DT Mitchell will visit 49ers
http://www.sfgate.com/49ers/article/Report-Free-agent-DT-Mitchell-will-visit-49ers-10942756.php

SEATTLE
Condotta Seattle Times: Seahawks expected to get a visit next week from free agent defensive tackle Earl Mitchell
http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/seahawks/report-seahawks-to-get-visit-from-free-agent-de-earl-mitchell/

TENNESSEE
Kuharsky ESPN Nash: Would Titans spend big money or draft capital on inside linebacker?
http://www.espn.com/blog/tennessee-titans/post/_/id/21790/would-the-titans-spend-big-money-or-draft-capital-on-an-inside-linebacker

WASHINGTON
Keim ESPN Wash: Dalvin Cook would bring big plays, red flags to Redskins
http://www.espn.com/blog/washington-redskins/post/_/id/30227/dalvin-cook-would-bring-big-plays-red-flags-to-redskins

Draft

Pauline Draft Analyst: Michigan S Delano Hill has been turning heads in his training. See what scouts are thinking in the DA Draft Buzz
http://draftanalyst.com/da-draft-buzz-february-17th

WR
Person Charlotte Observer: After a year out of football, Clemson WR Germone Hopper hopes lessons lead to draft spot
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/nfl/carolina-panthers/article133469669.html

LB
PFF: PFF SCOUTING REPORT: REUBEN FOSTER, LB, ALABAMA
https://www.profootballfocus.com/pro-pff-scouting-report-reuben-foster-lb-alabama/?utm_content=bufferf09f8& utm_medium=social& utm_source=twitter.com& utm_campaign=nfl


Former Giants News

Phipps-Smith Footbalmatters: Hall Of Famer Thom Gatewood Played At Notre Dame To Inspire Others

Code:

In high school, he was coached by George Young — who would go on to coach the Baltimore Colts and spend 33 years in the NFL. Gatewood said he grew up idolizing sports heroes living in many of the communities he saw around him. “There were football role models still living in many of the disadvantaged neighborhoods across the country. It wasn’t the star system that we have now that makes it difficult to reach them,” he said. “If you lived in their neighborhoods, it didn’t take much for young, black kids in Baltimore to see the likes of Frank Robinson, Lenny Moore or John Mackey. I wanted to be like them and pull people along like me to get them out of disadvantaged neighborhoods.”

http://footballmatters.org/hall-of-famer-thom-gatewood-played-at-notre-dame-to-inspire-others/?utm_source=email& utm_campaign=2_17_17& utm_medium=social

History

Staurt Football Perspective: Terrell Owens, and Career Receiving Leaders and the HOF
http://www.footballperspective.com/terrell-owens-and-career-receiving-leaders-and-the-hof/


Giants Birthdays 12-19

Jim Crocicchia QB UDFA-Penn 1987 NYG 1987 12-19-1964

Code:

"He [Crocicchia] did not have NFL aspirations when his college career ended in 1986. He was an Ivy League quarterback with a degree in economics and a map to Wall Street. He certainly never dreamed that in 1987, mere months after the New York Giants won a Super Bowl, coach Bill Parcells' team would come calling. The Giants had a glut of receivers that spring and didn't want to wear down the arm of Phil Simms. So an old coach recommended Crocicchia to the Giants, and he threw a few footballs and thought that was it. He made it to the preseason and was one of the final cuts. A month later, he was called back during the strike. Some teams took the replacement games very seriously and plotted their fallback rosters in advance of the strike. The Giants wanted to be respectful of their players and weren't nearly as aggressive. Crocicchia estimated that, at the age of 23 and with just a few preseason games under his belt, he was one of the most experienced players on the replacement team. "One reporter asked me after the first game, 'What was the game plan? How were you feeling?'" Crocicchia said. "Well, I looked around the huddle at my offensive linemen, and our strategy became to stay in the huddle for as long as we possibly could because they could not catch their breath. "I mean, it was one of those things where they were just not in game shape. We had a number of mental mistakes that were going to happen." Crocicchia's NFL debut came on Oct. 5, 1987, a "Monday Night Football" game against the San Francisco 49ers. He knew what the guys in the booth would say, how it wasn't pro football, how some of Crocicchia's teammates came from semipro teams that were the equivalent of beer-league softball. But when they ran out of the tunnel that night, it was for real, and the team was stoked. The football was, at the very least, entertaining. Bill Walsh broke out the wishbone and shrugged at a smiling Parcells. Crocicchia uncorked an underthrown pass to Lewis Bennett, who made a circus catch in the end zone. The 46-yard touchdown is still considered one of the best catches in the history of "Monday Night Football." The New York Times wrote about a sign that hung in the stadium. "Stay on Strike. We Get Better Seats." The touchdown ended up being Crocicchia's last. He hurt his elbow in the fourth quarter, giving way to Mike Busch. Busch reportedly was bagging groceries for $4 an hour before joining the Giants."

http://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=6642330

The Giants second round draft selection in 2017 is #55 overall:

What does the #55 overall draft selection get you, in recent years there has been some quality...here is a list of the selctions at 55 since
the common draft as well as NFL games played...also some pre-1967 names of note:

Code:

2016 CIN Tyler Boyd WR 16 2015 BAL Maxx Williams TE 18 2014 CIN Jeremy Hill RB 47 2013 SFO Vance McDonald TE 48 2012 ATL Peter Konz C 39 2011 KCY Rodney Hudson C 80 2010 DAL Sean Lee MLB 75 2009 ATL William Moore S 76 2008 BAL Ray Rice RB 92 2007 SEA Josh Wilson CB 126 2006 CIN Andrew Whitworth LT 168 2005 BUF Roscoe Parrish WR 90 2004 JAX Greg Jones RB 131 2003 ATL Bryan Scott S 143 2002 OAK Doug Jolley TE 74 2001 PHI Quinton Caver OLB 53 2000 MIN Fred Robbins DT 180 1999 DAL Solomon Page G 67 1998 NYG Joe Jurevicius WR 133 1997 SFO Marc Edwards FB 132 1996 BAL DeRon Jenkins CB 93 1995 MIN Corey Fuller CB 152 1994 MIN Fernando Smith DE 80 1993 BUF John Parrella NT 172 1992 BUF James Patten NT 13 1991 NYG Kanavis McGhee OLB/DE 50 1990 ATL Oliver Barnett DE 85 1989 CIN Freddie Childress G 31 1988 WAS Chip Lohmiller PK 135 1987 NYG Adrian White S 70 1986 CHI Vestee Jackson CB 119 1985 SDO Jeffery Dale S 42 1984 WAS Steve Hamilton DE 46 1983 MIA Mike Charles NT 101 1982 NWE Darryl Haley T 79 1981 PHI Dean Miraldi T 50 1980 WAS Matt Mendenhall DE 23 1979 DAL Aaron Mitchell CB 44 1978 DEN William Gay DE 151 1977 MIN Dennis Swilley C 139 1976 DAL Jim Edison G 9 1975 CIN Gary Burley DE 117 1974 NYG Rick Dvorak DT 47 1973 PHI Randy Logan SS 159 1972 NYG John Mendenhall DT 116 1971 SFO Sam Dickerson WR 0 1970 MIA Tim Foley CB/S 134 1969 CLE Al Jenkins G 40 1968 CIN Tommie Smiley RB 29 1967 CLE Don Cockroft PK/P 188 1966 DET Doug Van Horn G/T 172 1960 PIT Abner Haynes HB 112 1958 LAR Frank Ryan QB 126 1949 NYG Abe Gibron G 125 1946 NYG Jim Plyler T 0 (Never played a game for the Giants but his name is on a notable Supreme Court case...He served as the Superintendent of Schools in the Tyler, Texas school district from 1969 to 1979. During those years, Tyler schools were integrated, and a landmark Supreme Court Ruling was issued which guaranteed a free public education for all immigrant children in the U.S.

Ten for Today: Jack Gregory RDE 1972-1978

1. Was listed as number 70 on the All-time Cleveland Browns list as published by the Cleveland Plain Dealer in 2012.
"Gregory played a valuable role in his 1967 rookie season, backing up the Browns' star defensive ends, Paul Wiggin and Bill Glass. Wiggin retired after the season and Glass was hurt during much of the 1968 campaign, his last before retiring. Gregory helped pick up the slack, starting at both end positions before settling in on the right side in 1969. Listed at 6-5, 250, Gregory had exceptional speed for his position. And, he could overpower opponents. The combination would make him one of the NFL's premier pass rushers for a decade. He also played tough against the run."

In a 1969 game against the Giants his rush and hit on Fran Tarkenton on a much maligned play call of a pass on a second and goal from the Browns' one yard line, caused a interception in the endzone that sealed the Browns victory.
It also led to a post game dispute between Giants Head Coach Alex Webster "geeze our running game was going good," and his quarterback Tarkenton, who while taking
responsibility, thought the play would counter the Browns' defense over-reacting to the run.

While with the Browns Gregory participated in the First MNF football game ever, and had a sack of the Jets Joe Namath. Later while with the Giants Namath and Gregory would
become friends, "we hang out at the same places" said Gregory.

During Gregory's two stays with the Browns (1967-71, 1979), he played in all 86 regular season and six playoff games. He had 14 quarterback sacks in 1970." He made All-Pro once.
http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/index.ssf/2012/10/cleveland_browns_100_best_all-_31.html

2. Gregory's father also named Jack, played in the NFL for one year for the Cleveland Rams in 1941. He was was a cattleman, and a farmer, and he worked at the Gulf Ordinance Plant during World War II. He played football at the University of Alabama and for the University of Chattanooga where he was named as an All American defensive lineman in 1939.

3. Gregory, who began his college football career at Tennessee Chattanooga, transferred to Delta State where he was a TE/DE. He would set the then school single season record for receiving yards in a season.

4. After the Giants traded away the unhappy DE Fred Dryer to the Patriots in 1972, the Giants acquired Gregory for essentially the same price as they extracted for Dryer...first and second round picks. Gregory had played out his option in Cleveland during the 1971 season. Playing out an option did not mean total free agency at the time, all it did was allow a player to market himself to various teams, with his old team having the right to negotiate a trade package. As many as eight teams pursued the Browns DE. In the end it came down to the St.Louis Cardinals and the Giants.

The Giants sent assistant coach Jim Garrett to Gregory's Mississippi ranch to make their pitch. Garrett before his trip studied Gregory's film of the prior two seasons. He pitched to Gregory the concept of playing what Garrett called "the rover" something experimented with in both Kansas City and Oakland, but not fully adopted. “I was most impressed by Jim Garrett,” admitted Gregory, “We talked for four hours and he explained all his concepts on defense. He plans to create the role of ‘rover,’ a new wrinkle that might place me in any one of five positions. I'm fascinated by the idea.” Before he left Garrett gave Gregory a 176 page Giants playbook with "Jack Gregory, Rover" printed on the hard outside cover. Gregory later chose the Giants.

The 1972 trades:

Dryer to NE for a 1972 first round draft selection (NYG selected Eldridge Small CB) and a 1973 second round draft selection (sent to Cleveland and the Browns selected Greg Pruitt RB) and a 1972 sixth round selection (sent to Atlanta for Dick Enderle G, the Falcons selected Mike Perfetti).

A 1973 first round draft selection to Cleveland (Browns selected Steve Holden WR) and a 1973 second round selection to Cleveland (Browns selected Greg Pruitt RB) for Jack Gregory and Freddie Summers. Summers was a DB that the Giants waived in training camp.

5. In 1972 sacks were not an official stat, but historians have claimed he was the NFL sack leader with 21 in 1972. It was as many as the whole team had the season before. That season with the Giants he was runner-up as NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

With the Giants Gregory was installed by defensive coach Jim Garrett as the"rover." While he was listed as a RDE, he would lineup where the tight end was,meaning he would frequently be at the left or weak side of the defense behind LDE Henry Reed. He could also line up inside as well, all designed to confuse quarterbacks and give Gregory favorable matchups.

Intially it just caused confusion for the Giants defense, but by the final exhibition game against the Browns,
Gregory and fellow newcomer John Mendenhall were generating tremendous pressure leading to bruises for the Cleveland QB's and interceptions for the Giants DB's. Prior to coming to NY, Garrett had no experience coaching a NFL defense. He was a small college coach and a talent scout for the Cowboys. He came to the Giants as a special teams coach in 1970 and coached the running backs in 1971. He was dedicated, detailed, and persuasive. His rover concept
gave the Giants defenders something to believe in and with Gregory in 1972 it worked.

As the season progressed it was Gregory's hit late in the fourth quarter that drove 49er QB John Brodie from the game in a 23-17 Giants win. The next week in a upset win over the Cards, with the Giants leading 27 to 21, a fumble by the Giants Charlie Evans gave St. Louis the ball on the Cards' 48 with 55 seconds left. Gregory then sacked St. Louis QB Jim Hart for a 10 yard loss, and forced a incompletion with his rush to seal the resurgent Giants (now 4-2) win. By the Giants count they had after the Cards game 18 sacks for the season in six games, Gregory responsible for or assisting in 13 of them.

As the Giants moved down the stretch, a return to Ohio to face the Bengals gave Gregory time to reflect. He was credited with 18 sacks with still three games left for the 7-4 Giants. The "rover" had given him flexibility to succeed despite playing on a line with two rookies (Mendenhall and Larry Jacobson and one second year man (Henry Reed). Gregory said, “I like our system because it gives me a better chance not to be double teamed," “Here, you play your game and they leave you alone. They treat you like grown ups. Over there [Cleveland], you're a puppet. You have to be a yes man. I didn't go for that at all.”
http://www.nytimes.com/1972/11/30/archives/gregory-makes-a-living-collecting-quarterbacks.html?_r=0

6. In 1973 and 1974 Gregory's attention span was divided between a critical illness for his infant child at home at his ranch in Mississippi and his NFL career. He still managed unofficially to have nine and eleven sacks those two seasons.

Without Gregory's spirit the rover concept began to fall apart. It didn't help that the young talent on the Giants defense outside of Mendenhall also failed to replicate its 1972 promise. Jacobson and Reed suffered injuries and their development stalled, Rich Glover drafted to allow Reed to move to OLB, could not match the Outland sized promise of his Nebraska career. Other defensive parts such as Carter Campbell, Dave Tipton Dan Goich, and Richmond Flowers became targets of new WFL. Newcomer Brad Van Pelt, making the transition to NFL OLB, simply wasn't ready.

When Bill Arnsparger succeeded Webster in 1973 the rover was out and the famous Dolphins '53' defense was in. Gregory became strictly a RDE as a parade of players tried to fill new roles. To compete at RDE, Gregory still distracted by the critical events in Mississippi, added weight. His attention span was not there and his quickness was affected on the field.

7. In 1975 Gregory's child's condition improved and he reported to training camp leaner and ready to become a force. In 1975 he was voted Giants MVP and defensive player of the year. Unofficially he was credited with 15 sacks.
While the Giants would be mired in a dismal period, Gregory and Mendenhall would be joined by a group of young players who made the Giants defense a unit to reckon with, if only the offense could get out of the way. A Gregory injury in a preseason game in 1975 gave a young late round pick out of Oregon named George Martin a chance to play and he made the
roster. First round picks Troy Archer of Colorado and Gary Jeter of USC would give the Giants two additional talented defensive lineman. At linebacker Van Pelt found a home and with reliable performers like Pat Hughes and Brian Kelley around him the Giants front seven was no joke.

8. In 1977 he was credited with 9 sacks unofficially. He also was part of a bar room brawl with the late Giants offensive lineman John Hicks that both players
later shrugged off...LB Brian Kelley reportedly had to break up two fights between the two that evening. “John Hicks and I live together, we ride to work together and we're friends,” said Gregory. “Jack is like a big brother to me,” said Hicks. Hicks, who admitted that it was his “smart offing” that began the ruckus in the men's room, said the two men later ate Reuben sandwiches and had a couple of beers together at home. Gregory denied that there were any punches thrown. Hicks said there were three. “Jack hit me, I hit him back and we had offsetting punches,” he said. Did Gregory then throw the first punch? “We hit each other first,” said Hicks. While the two combatants made great show of friendliness in the locker room today. Kelley indicated the fight must have had more action than most of Muhammed All's recent 15 rounders. “It wasn't a joke when they were fighting,” said Kelley, who lived in the Piermont house with Gregory, Mullen and Larry Csonka last season. “Bût don't think I could have broken it up if they wanted to fight that bad.”
http://www.nytimes.com/1977/12/08/archives/giants-playing-down-hicksgregory-brawl.html

9. The Giants traded Gregory back to the Browns before the 1979 season for a seventh round draft selection in 1980. The Giants selected DE Chris Linnin with that pick. Gregory started at RDE for the Browns in 1979 and retired after the season.

10. Gregory is in the Mississippi Sports HOF.
http://msfame.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/earl-jackson-gregory/