“You should know I BLEED BLUE, but I ain’t a crip though” – Jay-Z

Submitted by Ryan.

I think the above Jay-Z lyric describes me the best. I bleed blue. It’s that simple. I represent for the New York Football Giants 12 months a year, not just during the season! Your NBA, NHL, and MLB seasons just do NOT compare to the football season. There’s no great story behind why I love them, it’s part of my DNA. Born into a household with 3 brothers and a Mother and Father that all bleed blue along with an entire family that does also. We are from Newwww Yaaaawwwk and now reside in New Jersey; we carried the love for the GMEN across the Verrazano and down the Turnpike! I was easily a tomboy but I was forced into the Big Blue circle of trust on Sundays, I never willingly watched football, I had to. So at this juncture 20 years after getting taught up on the ins and outs of football I guess I just suffer from Stockholm syndrome because I love my captors and I’m emotionally attached to them! I will ride for my team through the ups and the downs, just the same as I do for my family. My dedication is unwavering, and I am out here in Eagle country! I put on for my city everyday and it’s a battle around these parts!! My love for the game grows every Sunday I’m with my family watching the games or going to the games, and my daughters take an interest in the game, so it gets NO BETTER!

So here it is the 2009 season is upon us! It’s like Christmas, New Years and the day before school lets out for the summer all rolled into one! The excitement is all up in the air. But if you’re a Giants fan you may still have one helluva sour taste in your mouth from last season’s end. I agree we have the right to have some concern but hey now; “New York New York big city of dreams, But everything in New York ain't always what it seems”! So aside from the dead horse that’s been beat to death a million different ways in regards to Plaxico, we need to focus on some other things….

1. We’ve got a new Defensive Coordinator! Steve Spagnuolo leaves some big shoes to fill but Bill Sheridan should do just fine, he’s got entirely too many weapons at his disposal to blow up on the launch pad now! Please do not mention the little disagreement between him and Osi as grounds that we are imploding! It’s a year of transition, let’s grow together people!

2. You’re probably worried about how the GMEN are going to move the ball missing two WR’s from last year. That’s perfectly normal. Even I wondered why Jerry Reese wasn’t on the horn trying to get Braylon Edwards, Marvin Harrison and God Forbid but um…Brandon Marshall. *blush* However, JR and TC seem to have a lot of faith in our receivers and so should we. If we could just block our thoughts of the “shoulda coulda woulda” pass that Domenik Hixon dropped against the Eagles you’d realize that this kid is a rising star. Along with Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Sinorice Moss and the rookies Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden you are bound to see someone step up and be the target that Eli needs.

3. Okay, so we are also missing a RB from last year too. We lost a very talented Derrick Ward to free agency. But, Giants fans should all be confident in the abilities of Brandon Jacobs remaining the No. 1 running back as he was last year , with Ahmad Bradshaw as the No. 2 running back and Danny Ware as the No. 3. I believe that if Jacobs can stay healthy, between him and AB we will once again have a pair of 1000 yard rushers on the team!

4. Worried about Eli? OOOOOWEEE homey got a huge contract. I think he deserves it. But he does have a lot of pressure on him, he pretty much has a lot of unproven WR’s to throw to, however Eli handles this pressure very well and seems to have all the trust in the world with the WR’s he has. My problem is that Eli can sometimes be very inaccurate and unpredictable. There wasn’t so much pressure on accuracy and consistency when you had Plaxico jumping up in the air to grab the passes he throws too high or Amani Toomer’s knack for grabbing the ball and dragging them toes to stay in bounds. He doesn’t quite have that margin for error with the receivers he has right now, at least from what I have seen. I have faith one of the receivers will be stepping up to be the go-to guy for Eli on a consistent basis and let’s not forget that Eli also has Kevin Boss as a great target at tight end as well.

Okay so I think I may have covered most of what has been keeping the GMEN fans up at night! But I have all the confidence in the world that this year is the year we will be in rare form and ready to make another run at that Lombardi. So I am gonna call our season at being 10-6. Yes I said it. J The NFC East is as tough as it’s ever gonna be and everyone is doubting us, but that’s what the GMEN feed off of. We do our best when we have something to prove to the naysayers, we thrive as underdogs! We’ve beefed up defensively, we have Osi back, we have Kenny Phillips at starting safety, I mean what is there not to be excited about!???!!!

So everybody get your head phones on and listen to Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z and getcha popcorn ready!!! Lol

“New York!!!!
I think I’m from where dreams are made of,
There's nothing you can’t do,
Out of New York!!!
These streets will make you feel brand new,
the lights will inspire you,
Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York”

Football is back! Praise the Lord and scream Hallerlooyer out your windows on the turnpike!

Asta La Pasta,

Ryan