Anything on Cruz?

in the NFL, even though it was so short lived. I'd like to see the guys that were on his ass when he was looking for a new deal, calling him selfish for not giving the team a hometown discount, chime in here.

except insert "stupid" instead of "dogging it".

I don't want Cruz the player back, but I never for a second thought he wasn't giving it his all. I was one of his biggest supporters during his most recent comeback and while I was wrong on what he had left in the tank, I wasn't wrong about his work ethic and character.

lazy and dumb, that type of criticism feels like it plays off of the worst parts of black stereotypes, and it was hammered home to me when someone who actually posted semi-regularly called Flowers a 'groid'.

In comment 13410776 David in LA said:

Quote:

lazy and dumb, that type of criticism feels like it plays off of the worst parts of black stereotypes, and it was hammered home to me when someone who actually posted semi-regularly called Flowers a 'groid'.

Jeez, I missed that one but I'm not surprised. Even taking stereotypes out of it I have no idea how anyone who isn't involved intimately with this organization or professional sports to any capacity can make those claims on a player.

At 33 did not have the injury Cruz at 30 had. I would not make it about age though, 30 is certainly not too old, if you are healthy, and that is the biggest thing about age, the older you get, and the more you play, the odds of injury go up significantly, those who think people hit a certain age and lose their talent are young and clueless, it is other factors, like health that cause the player to lose something, a healthy 30 year old who is healthy enough to work on his game is possibly a better candidate then a 24 year old in the same situation. But if you have to put all your efforts to rehab an injury rather then work on your game, what do you think is going to happen?

I re watched the 2011 Champioship game. All of his plays were from his quickness whether inside or outside. The knee injury took that away from him. He played outside last year because Shepard was the better slot option- and he was not great there. If Cruz is smart he will retire.

and avoiding contact, that's a fact.

His eroded athletic ability and Eli losing confidence in him also played a part, it was a combination of factors. Not either or ...

Thanks.

I don't think I'm completely convinced.

You know how hard it is for a player to get back into playing condition after a serious knee injury. Hard work, tedium, pain and uncertainty if it will all be for nothing.

Then he gets back on the field and things seem to be OK but in the back of his mind is always that fear that he'll plant the leg and pivot and the knee will fail again.

I think that it may be that fear that holds the player back from giving it his absolute all.

But by the second year back if all has gone well then the fear is forgotten. Hell, sometimes the extra year isn't needed. Adrian Peterson in 2011 had a torn ACL and came back in 2012 to gain over 2000 yards at 6 yards/carry.

I don't think that the Giants gave Cruz enough of a chance to prove if he was still any good. They should have given him back his familiar slot position for some snaps, and thrown the ball to him more often instead of trying to force the ball to a double covered Beckham.

If Cruz wants to go to training camp next season, invite him. It may not be that hard to out-produce Shepard in the slot. Seriously, I doubt that Cruz could make the team from training camp, but it would be a fair thing to give him the chance if he wanted it.

In comment 13411227 JonC said:

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and avoiding contact, that's a fact.

Link?

Even if true, TC had a bit of a reputation for overreacting and letting his emotions get the best of him.

An accusation like that couldn't have remained private.

Quote:

Nicks dropped a series of first-half passes, which led coach Tom Coughlin to the conclusion that "there's a couple of those balls he should have caught." Coughlin went a step further Thursday, suggesting that the Giants haven't been able to count on Nicks this season. "He's gotta get better," Coughlin said, via The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.). "He's gotta get to the point where the reliability factor is there as strongly as it always has been. Has it been there up to this point? No. But we're saying 'let's work, let's get back to work and get this done.' We count on this guy.

Link - ( New Window )

of downplaying things that weren't for public consumption.

recall the play where he pulled up and a pass was intercepted costing a game. It happened a number of times that season, and TC finally sat him down. It was no mystery if you recognize he wasn't finishing routes or other responsibilities, many because he simply stopped.

In comment 13411309 David in LA said:

Quote:

Quote: Nicks dropped a series of first-half passes, which led coach Tom Coughlin to the conclusion that "there's a couple of those balls he should have caught." Coughlin went a step further Thursday, suggesting that the Giants haven't been able to count on Nicks this season. "He's gotta get better," Coughlin said, via The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.). "He's gotta get to the point where the reliability factor is there as strongly as it always has been. Has it been there up to this point? No. But we're saying 'let's work, let's get back to work and get this done.' We count on this guy. Link - ( New Window )

I remember this being true at the time. Hadn't Nicks just signed a contract, or was he in the contract year? I forget now.

12:06 post is extraordinary in how much insight he seems to have into the mind of a pro athlete. Good job, Mike.

This past season.

I mean game after game there were runs where if he just got in the way more yards would have been had. Near the end of the season it was ridiculous to watch, he was an actual liability because of it

He shouldve signed up for it

The quarterback throws the ball right to the defensive back, then stomps his foot or makes some hand gesture showing frustration, and the commentator bites and says, "Well, it looks like the receiver wasn't supposed to have stopped."

Not having played football, except for touch, I don't know if that accusation makes any sense. I suppose Nicks could have done something like that on one given Sunday when he was really frustrated, but as a policy that he continued repeatedly over the course of the season it is nonsense.

I don't know if that makes any sense. but Eli had a league leading 27 interceptions in 2013, 5 more than the QBs who finished second, so I wouldn't blame him for trying to put the responsibility on someone else.

All water under the bridge. It's just about winning now with Eli and being respected as an elite team so I can start wearing my Giants throwback T-Shirt again.


But I don't have any interest in refighting the Nicks battle. In 2013 almost half the people here thought Nicks was a lowlife who was sabotaging his own team and two years later there's a thread about all the injuries to wide receivers and Nicks has been rehabilitated. Everyone agrees that he was unlucky to have an injury ruin his career, but I don't even know where or what injury that they're talking about.

In comment 13411309 David in LA said:

Quote:

Quote: Nicks dropped a series of first-half passes, which led coach Tom Coughlin to the conclusion that "there's a couple of those balls he should have caught." Coughlin went a step further Thursday, suggesting that the Giants haven't been able to count on Nicks this season. "He's gotta get better," Coughlin said, via The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.). "He's gotta get to the point where the reliability factor is there as strongly as it always has been. Has it been there up to this point? No. But we're saying 'let's work, let's get back to work and get this done.' We count on this guy. Link - ( New Window )

Well, it was Eli who threw the league leading 27 interceptions that year, so maybe he "gotta get better" more than Nicks. It least that little article told me where and when Nicks was hurt.

"But I don't have any interest in refighting the Nicks battle. In 2013 almost half the people here thought Nicks was a lowlife who was sabotaging his own team and two years later there's a thread about all the injuries to wide receivers and Nicks has been rehabilitated. Everyone agrees that he was unlucky to have an injury ruin his career, but I don't even know where or what injury that they're talking about."

You should ignore that crowd. My position in the convo was otherwise.

you don't know about Nicks's career changing lower leg injury? That's pretty much on the same level as not knowing about Cruz's career changing leg injury.

As another slot option. He should not have been lined up outside running go routes and deep posts/corners. he wont be what he was but i still think he'll be productive in the right role.

In comment 13411398 PatersonPlank said:

Quote:

In comment 13411309 David in LA said: Quote: Quote: Nicks dropped a series of first-half passes, which led coach Tom Coughlin to the conclusion that "there's a couple of those balls he should have caught." Coughlin went a step further Thursday, suggesting that the Giants haven't been able to count on Nicks this season. "He's gotta get better," Coughlin said, via The Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.). "He's gotta get to the point where the reliability factor is there as strongly as it always has been. Has it been there up to this point? No. But we're saying 'let's work, let's get back to work and get this done.' We count on this guy. Link - ( New Window ) I remember this being true at the time. Hadn't Nicks just signed a contract, or was he in the contract year? I forget now.

He was in a contract year.

is the better option at this point. it's been real Victor, thanks for everything.