Ways and Means Chairman to present Congressional Record to team members Amani Toomer & Justin Tuck

WHEN: Wednesday, February 20, 2008

WHERE: Harlem River Park Ball Field (E. 128th & Third Ave.)
WHO: Rep. Charles Rangel, New York Giant players Amani Toomer, Justin Tuck.

Congressman Charles B. Rangel, local elected leaders and local school athletes will honor World Champion New York Giants tomorrow, Wednesday February 20 at 11 a.m. at Harlem River Ball Field (E. 128th St. and Third Ave.) 

“Ever since their magnificent days at the Polo Grounds on 155th & Eighth Avenue, the New York Giants have given this city a mountain of memories, perhaps no greater than this year’s Super Bowl,” said Congressman Rangel. “What better role models to remind our youth about the importance of teamwork, perseverance than these great local champions.

Giants players attending include wide receiver Amani Toomer, defensive end Justin Tuck. Invited elected officials include Assemblyman Keith Wright and City Councilmember Melissa Mark Viverito.

2/14/08 Interview with Amani:

Congratulations, Amani.  In one of the most riveting Super Bowls ever played, you were the Giants’ leading receiver in receptions and yards.

Amani:  Yeah, I was aware of that just because I took a quick look at the stats on the way back to the hotel on the bus.  I just wanted to see how it all shook out.


After 12 years of waiting was the victory as sweet as you hoped?

Amani:  It really was.   It’s almost weird but it’s all just sinking in now.  When you’re playing the game, you realize that there are people watching but the feeling is like it’s just you and the other team out there.  And then later there’s the confetti and the parade and it almost seems amazing that so many people areinterested.  So it’s a strange feeling because during the game you kind of feel like you’re just in the backyard playing with somebody.  And then it sinks in just how many people were really watching.  After the game with the confetti and my family on the field and the interviews, it all sank in then.  I remember coming out from the interview room and seeing the Patriots all fully dressed and heading for their buses.  And I remember that feeling (of watching the victors) and am just glad it wasn’t me this time.


Was the victory made sweeter because you beat a team that had gone 18 games without a loss and was considered unbeatable by the Giants?

Amani: Yes, I kind of felt that they overlooked us a little bit and that they didn’t really respect us.  They were shocked that we came out and played them hard when we also played them very hard the first time.  So I found that kind of shocking.  I don’t think they were really paying much attention to us because I don’t think they really expected to get beat.  Looking back on it now, there were things that team did that bothered me, like blowing up teams by 50 points.  Usually people are gracious in victory.


I understand you were the recipient of a lot of chatter on the part of some of the Patriots.

Amani:  Yeah, they said quite a few things, especially on that last drive.  When Richard Seymour said we were going home, that’s the moment I knew we were going to win.


How long did it take you to calm down after the win?  Or have you?

Amani:  Actually, it’s taken me a long time because it’s one of those things that have never happened to me before.  It’s kind of strange because I find myself sad that the season is over and usually by the end of the season I’m ready to go.  Right now, I’m thinking, “Wow, this is the greatest fun” and that’s what the NFL is supposed to be about.  I’m enjoying the whole thing, my teammates, the way the season went, everything, you know.


I was going to ask if you’d be ready to begin the off-season strength and conditioning program next month after such a short break but you seem to have answered my question.

Amani:  I’m absolutely ready to go now.  After the game, I was thinking that this is what it’s all about.  You always work hard but sometimes you don’t see the fruits of your labor.  Now we see the fruits and I’m ready to go again.  I didn’t want it to end because it was so worthwhile.  So, now I want to get back to work, work hard and get back to the Super Bowl again.


Can you describe your feelings on the float as you rode through the streets of New York?

Amani:  I was just so happy to be out there and see all the people there. It’s amazing and it was really special.  Some of the fans were taking pictures of us with their camcorders and I was taking pictures of them with my camcorder.  I even got a new camcorder for the event.


Was your Hawaii trip after the parade a scheduled appearance or a short vacation?

Amani:  A little of both but it was good to get away for a little while.  I’d like to do a little more traveling before the off-season strength and conditioning program but I’ll have to see how it fits into the schedule.


Michael Strahan said recently that you make a lot of gap-toothed jokes of which he’s the butt and that he thinks you have a very big nose. He said he refers to you as Gonzo.  Would you like to say a few words in defense of your nose?

Amani:  I have a normal nose.  He’s just looking for any flaw that he can find.  You know what it was; there was a guy on the team along time ago, a linebacker who blew out his knee, I can’t remember his name, and he said I had a big nose.  He said I had a nose like Gonzo so Strahan is trying to force the issue by trying to make it stick.  He’s just looking for anything to say.

Amani Gets his Ring!

by Gail Bahr

It took 12 years and one thoroughly miserable experience at Super Bowl XXXV but now, finally, Amani has the ring he chased for all those years.

Underdogs going into the game, with virtually no one even considering the possiblity of victory for the Giants, in a stunning, hard-fought battle, the New York Giants outscored the New England Patriots with a brilliant 60-minutes of football and came away victorious. They humbled the vaunted 18-0 Patriots and in so doing destroyed their perfect season. 

Before the game, New England was touted as the best team of all-time and commentators sympathized with any team required to play them.  Stopping the Patriots was compared to stopping a runaway freight train and certainly the Giants, with their up-and-down season, didn’t have a chance.

But remember David?

With nothing but a slingshot, he toppled Goliah.

But the Giants had more weapons than David, a lot more as it turned out. Playing with great intensity and the heart of a champion, each Giant made his contribution that afternoon. 

Though he had no touchdowns, as usual Amani was a key contibutor to the team’s third down offense, with four of his six receptions gaining critical first-down yardage.  Additionally, Toomer was the team’s leading receiver, both in yardage and receptions.

And with brilliant defensive play and a solid offensive effort, little David won again in what will be remembered as one of the greatest Super Bowls ever played.

Days before Super Bowl XLII Amani remembered his first Super Bowl experience.

"I was just giddy to be there,” Toomer said. “My first experience wasn’t great, to b sure.  This time I’m really focused on the game and that is going to make the experience a lot better this time.”

Prophetic words as it turned out.

The first time around, Amani admits to being terribly upset on the long, long plane ride home. 

“You remember all the confetti going off and everyone celebrating, and it’s not for you,” Toomer said. “It’s the worst feeling in the world and it took me a long time to get over it. That plane ride home was the longest of my life.”

This time, as the jubilant Giants celebrated on the field, Amani didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

So, like most of his teammates, he did both.

Still in his uniform, still looking a little dazed and seemingly oblivious to the pain in his injured hand, Amani said, “We knew we could do it and we did it.  We’re the world champions!  We knew we could do some good things against this (Patriot) defense because we weren’t intimidated by them.  We’ve played other physical defenses. It got a little weird near the end though with Patriots’ players inviting us to their Super Bowl celebrations.  On that last drive, Richard Seymour told me, ’Get ready to go home.’  You just can’t tempt fate that way.”

A few minutes later, perhaps still not quite believing they had won, an excited Toomer pointed to the scoreboard, saying, “Look at it!  We did it when nobody thought we could do it.  But we believed in ourselves and each other and now look at that scoreboard.  We played great and we beat them and we’re the world champions!”

The plane ride home will be a lot different this time.

And this time Toomer has an additional plane ride to anticipate.  Soon he and his teammates will board a plane for Washington D.C. and a reception with the president in the Rose Garden of the White House.

1/28/08 Excerpt from Giants Super Bowl Notebook, by Michael Eisen:

Playing in the Super Bowl is the goal of every NFL player, but to Amani Toomer it was one of the most miserable experiences of his career.

On Jan. 28, 2001, Toomer caught just two passes for 24 yards in Super Bowl XXXV. Far worse than his meager production was the game’s outcome – the Giants were routed by the Baltimore Ravens, 34-7.

“My worst memory was right after the game, when all the confetti is going off and everyone is celebrating, and you know it is not for you,” Toomer said today. “That is the worst feeling you can have.”

Seven years later, Toomer and the Giants are back in the Super Bowl. They arrived here today for Sunday’s Super Bowl XLII meeting with the undefeated New England Patriots in University of Phoenix Stadium.

It’s safe to say that Toomer’s attitude has changed since his unpleasant first Super Bowl experience.

“My first Super Bowl I was real giddy,” Toomer said at a news conference at the Giants’ hotel here. “I’ll be honest with you, I was just happy to be around. Now just to get off the plane and see all of the cameras, I’m just focused on the game and what we have to do in order to beat the Patriots.”

Many of the Giants had that first-time Super Bowl giddiness on the long flight out here. But Toomer was blunt when asked if he enjoyed seeing the reaction of the first-time Super Bowlers.

“Not really,” he said. “I just hope that everything stays focused on the game. There are going to be a lot of distractions, but the most important part is the game. I have experience playing in a Super Bowl, but the experience wasn’t great, to be honest with you. I’m really trying to focus on the fact that the game is what is going to make my experience a lot better this time.”

Toomer, a 12-year veteran, and Michael Strahan, finishing his 15th season, are the only Giants remaining from the Super Bowl XXXV team. They have stressed to their teammates that it’s no fun to participate in football’s greatest showcase if you don’t win the game.

The most prolific receiver in franchise history, Toomer endured his share of frustration during his quest to return to the Super Bowl. The following season, the Giants finished 7-9. The year after that, the Giants wasted a 24-point lead in the loss to San Francisco in the Wild Card round. The Giants had losing records the next two years and went one-and-out in the 2005 playoffs. Last season, Toomer missed the second half of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL.

It’s enough to make a man wonder if he’s ever going to get another shot at winning a ring.

 “Every year when you get eliminated, there is a time where you know, your season is over,” Toomer said. “Every time you do that you think about whether you will ever get another shot. You also watch the playoffs, the Super Bowl, and you think, ‘Man, I could be there. If we would have just done this and that.’ There are probably a ton of teams thinking that right now, but this year was our turn and we deserve to be here. We beat a lot of great teams to get here and we’re happy that we can represent the NFC.”

Playing in the Super Bowl is not the only second chance Toomer is getting. He and his teammates get another shot at the Patriots, who concluded their unblemished regular season with a 38-35 victory in Giants Stadium on Dec. 29. In their last two playoff games, the Giants’ avenged regular season defeats with victories over Dallas and Green Bay, the latter a 23-20 overtime thriller in the NFC Championship Game.

“It is weird because early in the year we lost to the Cowboys and we got another chance at them,” Toomer said. “Same with the Packers - we had another chance at them. It’s good. Usually it never happens. Usually, you don’t get to play a team that beat you early in the season. You always say you wish you had another chance at them and it usually never happens. For us to have three times, the opportunity to play a team that beat us earlier in the year, that is special. That is a special year in and of itself.”

When the last Giants-Patriots game concluded, the pro football public expected New England to play in the Super Bowl. But it’s safe to say the Giants, who were 10-6 in the regular season, are a surprise entrant to fans and the media. But not to the Giants. To them a rematch with the Patriots is not unexpected.

“I think one of the things that made this team compete the way in which we did is that we had a belief that we are a good team,” Toomer said. “You never know until you put yourself on the line and we’ve been tested really hard. We’ve won three road games (in the postseason and 10 in a row overall). We beat a one seed, a two seed and the four seed in the NFC, and I think we’re ready to play a number one seed.”

And they are ready to do it in the Super Bowl. Toomer is grateful for the opportunity, but insists he doesn’t appreciate this chance more than the first one.

“I think everybody appreciates it the same,” he said. “I don’t think you can go to the Super Bowl and take it for granted.”

Sunday night, Toomer hopes to say that about a Super Bowl victory.

 
1/16/08 Excerpt from interview with Michael Strahan:

Amani and I have a funny relationship.  I love Amani.  He is one of my best friends on the team but every day he just has gap toothed jokes and I talk about how big his nose is.  I mean really that is it.  He looks like Gonzo from Sesame Street.  Amani and I have fun.  I think we probably have more in common away from the field.  We talk about cars and everything in between, but it is great to see him having success.  I call him the G.O.A.T.  On game day I call him the G.O.A.T., the greatest of all time, because the stuff that he has done here is amazing.  He continues to do it and especially in this day and age where they always want somebody younger, faster, and stronger and he continues to produce.  Last year I think we saw how important he was when he got hurt and our offense just sputtered and pretty much died without him.  We all realize how important he is and how he carries our team.

1/16/08 Group Interview with Amani:

Everybody says you are all wired and pumped up. Is that the way you feel?

Amani:  You don’t really get this deep in the playoffs this often, this is my second time, and I definitely want to get everybody going to get everybody to realize the importance of where we are and just to realize that this is an opportunity where you can make all the dreams that you have ever had as a little kid come true with a couple of wins.


What do you remember about that first championship game?

Amani:  I remember coming out in Giants Stadium and everybody had the little towels swinging around and then I remember all the old Giants lined-up when they had L.T. and all of them getting us ready for the game.  I just remember walking out I knew we were going to win that game just because we were so excited.  It was fun.  It was an experience that I will never forget.


Is that why you are trying to create the excitement again?

Amani:  Sometimes I just feel like we need a little pick me up because we get in these lulls for a little while and I think that people are kind of looking around so I just figured I’d give them a little boost.  Hopefully it will get guys going.  Hopefully it will carry us through.


Do you think you are enjoying this more than in 2000?

Amani:  I think so.  Just because of all the years of failing.  From trying to go this far, trying to get here, all the speeches you heard, everything we talk about for years and years and not getting this far, and now we are finally here.  It is where the rubber meets the road.  We are here, we have our opportunity to do whatever we want to do, and we have to cherish it.  I have been in the league, this is my 12th year, and this is my second time in a championship game and it is special.  Who knows the next time I will be in a championship game.


Do you remember what your approach was in that Minnesota game?

Amani:  Yeah, I remember I had an ankle injury, so I was just trying to get healthy.  I wasn’t really thinking about the game as much because I was just trying to get onto the field.  That is all I really remember about it.


Are you confident that your offense can play at a high level in the forecasted conditions?

Amani:  I am confident.  We have played in some tough weather games this year and we won pretty much all of them.  I don’t think anyone in our locker is concerned about it.


Classify your relationship with Michael Strahan and are you tighter with him than you have been in the past with what you have been through this season?

Amani:  We have always been kind of tight.  Our lockers are by each other.  It is kind of like an older brother type thing.  I can always mess with him and we always have fun in the locker room together talking back and forth to each other.  We have always kind of been close.  I think after we get done playing, we will probably be closer than we are now.


What about your ride home from Dallas and talking with him?

Amani:  Yeah, I think we have been through a lot, a lot of near-misses, and we were just talking about the last couple minutes of the game.  He was talking about how when R.W. intercepted the ball he said he turned to the sideline and everything was in the air:  helmets and bottles and everything were in the air.  That was one of the things that we talked about.  Then we were just talking about how the Cowboys kind of reacted to the loss and things like that.


 Is it strange to you to think that most of the guys that were on the team the last time you were in the championship game are gone or retired?

Amani:  Honestly, I had not thought about it until you just asked me that question.  What do I think about it?  I don’t know.  I am just glad to have another shot.  I know a lot of those guys wish they had an opportunity to play in another championship game.  I am sure a lot of guys are still upset about how we performed in the Super Bowl, so we could get back there and give them a little get-back for them.


Does Steve Smith remind you of you at all?

Amani:  Does he remind me of me?  He is a lot better than I was when I was that young.  He is playing a lot more than I played, so he is doing pretty well.  I can definitely see the similarities in the way we approach things.  Because he is very easy going but then when you get him on the field he is very intense and a lot of people you don’t understand the mentality and see them as a goof-off or aloof or something like that, but when he gets in the game he doesn’t make any mistakes and always catches the ball.


Have you seen the difference in Eli lately?

Amani:  The difference in the quarterback?  No, I don’t think he is that much different.  I think the offense is kind of helping him out a little bit more in terms of not as many blown plays where he has to kind of take the blame for everything.  I just think he is a real competitive guy, I don’t think a lot of people really understand that.  I think that sometimes in a competitive situation it brings out the competitor in everybody and I think that is why he is probably playing a little bit better than most people would expect, except for people in our locker room.

1/14/08 Excerpt from Inside Football:

Amani Toomer: The first touchdown was a big one by Toomer, and once again, it was all about the route running. The nuances of a route are what separate a good route runner from a very good one, and Toomer in his 12th season, has it down to a science.

He ran about 12 yards down the field then made a quick in move with his right foot. He also moved his head in a way that appeared that he was heading to the post, but in fact, that wasn't his plan.

Cornerback Anthony Henry bought the fake and Toomer managed to leave a trail of dust for Henry to suck as he instead ran a curl route, made the catch and came up with the touchdown.

On the second possession, again Toomer burned Henry with another curl, this time in front of the defender who bit and gave up the score right before the end of the first half on a play where he ran an in route at the goal line. The thing Toomer did well here was run the route in the end zone.

Many receivers in this case run the pattern before the goal line make the catch but then fall short of the end zone.

Toomer has really stepped up to the plate down the stretch and in a  post season that so far is filled with any number of MVPs, he's certainly one of them.

1/09/08 Group Interview with Amani:

Have you learned even more about your quarterback and his abilities after that last game?

Amani:  Not really.  A lot of people were down on him and I never really thought he got a fair shake.  He has played in some extraordinary circumstances with the weather, and I always knew he was a competitor, I always knew he was tough, and I always he knew that he had it in him to be the quarterback that he was on Sunday.


What does it mean to you to be in the second round of the playoffs?

Amani:  It is pretty big.  I think I have been in the league 12 years, played in the playoffs six times, and this will be my third game winning, so it is pretty big to move on out of the first round into the real playoffs.


What is it going to be like playing against Dallas in the playoffs?

Amani:  That is something I haven’t done before, but it is going to be good.  I think just the fact that we know each other so well and they know what we are going to do, I think is going to make the game a lot better, a lot cleaner.  I think both teams are going to execute at a really high level and it is going to come down to one-on-one matchups, which is what everybody probably wants to see.  You matchup against somebody else and he knows your little variations of what you do and you kind of know how they are trying to take you away and I think it is going to be a pretty exciting game I think.


What is the mindset of being an underdog in the playoffs?  Do you relish that role a little bit?

Amani: You know I don’t even understand the lines and stuff like that.  I don’t really get into how that works.  I think the experts are wrong a lot and hopefully they will be wrong again this week.


Is the pressure put on Eli fair and have you ever seen it get to him?

Amani:  No, I never saw him crack, if that is what you are trying to ask me.  I never saw him crack under the pressure.  He is a stand-up guy.  If something goes wrong, he is going to admit to it, and he is going to come back and try harder the next week.  You are never going to see him hanging his head; you are never going to see him giving up.  I think a lot of people in his situation with all the things and all the pressure that has been put on him ever since he could throw a football, I think he has handled it really well.  I think coming to New York and he has handled that well as well.  I am pretty impressed with the way that he handles everything.


How has his leadership evolved?

Amani:  I think people have their personalities before they put on a uniform and I think his personality was formulated way before he started playing football.  There are a lot of ways to lead a football team to victory and I think that the way he does it is just as good as any other way.  There are some guys that would get in your face and yell and all that stuff and he is just not that type of guy, but that does not mean that he is not going to be any more successful than the next guy.  There are a lot of methods of leadership and he is just giving the one that he knows best and it is true.  It is true that it is his personality, it is his character, and those things don’t change.

1/08/08 Interview with Amani:

Congratulations.  You were a key factor in the Giants’ win at Tampa Bay 

Amani: Thank you but I think there were more plays I could have made, maybe gotten more yardage on some of them.


You’re very critical of yourself.  Have you ever felt you had a terrific game?

Amani:  Yeah, I remember one against the Jets a long time ago, maybe in 1998 or 99.  And I remember the Eagles game last year.


Even though it was a loss, do you feel that playing the Patriots so tough gave the Giants both momentum and confidence going into the post season?

Amani:  Yes, I think it might have. The team you saw play the last two weeks is playing the way our team is capable of playing and maybe we have underachieved a little in the past.  Now we’ve gotten it all together and are playing the way I knew we could.


Going on the road seems to agree with the Giants. It’s something everyone has speculated on with no conclusions.  Have you any idea why that should be so?

Amani:  I’ve wondered about it too and still have no idea.


After playing in some really wretched rainy, sloppy weather this season, you faced very high humidity in Tampa Bay.  Did you have any problems with dehydration or cramping?

Amani:  No, I didn’t but I came well prepared.  I was really hydrated and had my inhaler with me.  Asthma is affected by humidity so I thought I would need it in Tampa Bay.  But I was OK.  I’ve only had cramping once and that was in the Eagles’ game last year.  And once in Arizona I had heat exhaustion and didn’t know it.  I was trying to refuse the IV and I got combative.  It’s a little frightening to look back on because you like to believe that you’re always in control.


How relevant do you consider the fact that the Giants have already lost twice to Dallas this season?

Amani:  I don’t really know how relevant it is.  Each game is a different situation and the teams have different injuries now.  Newman is back for this game.  I don’t think you can go by statistics because I don’t think they’re really relevant in football like they are in some other games.  In basketball, if a player has good statistics, you know he’s a pretty good player but in football the same statistics don’t mean as much.


How well do you think the Giants' offense matches up against Dallas’ defense?

Amani:  I think we match up well against them.  We know them well and they know us.  We know who they like to go to and pretty much what plays they like to run.  Of course, they know the same about us.


Dallas is a good pass rushing team with 46 sacks, half of them coming from the linebackers Ware and Ellis.  Is that a significant concern?

Amani:  It’s always a concern because you have to protect the quarterback.  But beyond that our line is very good so I’m not overly concerned.  The line has done a great job all year.


Each team has injuries at key positions but the Giants’ reserves played very well last week.  Based on the injuries we currently know about, which team do you think will be more impacted by injuries?

Amani:  That’s a tough question because I don’t know enough about Dallas’ injuries. other than Terrell Owens, to really answer that.  I do know the guys who came in for our injured starters played well last week so I think we’re in good shape from that standpoint.


Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr resigned. He’s had a good career at Michigan. Did you think it was time for him to step down?

Amani:  Yeah, maybe it was.  That seemed to be the sentiment in Michigan anyway.


Did you watch the BCS Championship game?  You’re no fan of Ohio State, are you?

Amani:  You’re right, I’m no fan of Ohio State but it still was a disappointing game.  I thought Ohio State would play better.  They came out to prove something and they proved it all right. I was impressed with how much talent LSU has.


Did you watch Glenn Dorsey, LSU’s defensive tackle?

Amani:  Yeah, he looked really, really good.  I was impressed.

1/02/08 Group Interview with Amani:

What is the difference with now preparing for a playoff game as opposed to a regular season game?

Amani: I think we try to keep it normal, keep it the same, same schedule that we have had all year, but we just know that there is a little bit more incentive in terms of if we don’t win, we are not going to have anything next week.


With the intensity of last week’s game how do you prepare for the playoffs now?

Amani:  I don’t know.  I think it is definitely best for us to put that game behind us.  It was a disappointment for me.  I feel like we should have won that game.  I don’t believe in moral victories so that is where I stand on that.


Do you think about the last few years and your team’s performance in the playoffs going into them this year?

Amani: No, not really.  I don’t think about it at all.  This year is this year, we have a whole different team, and that is how I look at it.


Which identity do you think the Giants embrace the most, the run or the pass?

Amani:  I just think that we are balanced.  The fact that we can do both is kind of what our team is built on.


How does it help you that you are going on the road where you are 7-1 in the playoffs?

Amani: I think we are excited about going on the road.  We feel that, I don’t know for what reason, that we are better on the road than at home.  I am glad we are getting a chance to play in some warm weather for a change.


What about playing one of the toughest defenses in the league?

Amani:  We will do what we can.  We would like to think that our offense is one of the best offenses in the league and it will be a good challenge for us.


What about the maturation of Eli? Have you seen him starting to grow week to week and day to day?

Amani:  I always thought he did really well for us and my thoughts have not changed.


Did you sense the confidence growing this past week with him trusting his instincts more?

Amani:  I don’t know about all that. 


A four-touchdown performance against the Patriots is something you can hang your hat on?

Amani:  Yeah, four touchdowns are good, but we could have used five, five or six.


Is there more urgency to win a playoff game to you or is it just trying to get this win?

Amani:  Just try to get the win.  You can’t really think about that kind of thing, stats and all that stuff.   I don’t think that football is really a game that was intended to have a lot of statistics in it.  It is not going to help us that we haven’t won, it is not going to help them that they haven’t won, one team is going to win and hopefully it is going to be us.


But you don’t want to let this opportunity slip away?

Amani:  Yeah, it is weird. I was thinking I have been in the league, this is my 12th year, and I have been in the playoffs six times.  That is half, so that is pretty good.

12/19/07 Interview with Amani:

How much do you feel the weather influenced the course of last Sunday’s game?

Amani:  I don’t know that you could say that the weather influenced the outcome of the game because the same weather conditions prevailed for both teams.   We’ve been winning ugly the last couple of weeks and Sunday we just didn’t get the job done at all.  The weather is just an excuse.


The ball wasn’t always delivered on a spiral to the receivers.  Does that account for the high number of drops?

Amani:  No, again I think the same conditions existed for both teams and that shouldn’t be an excuse for us.  We dropped balls that we normally catch so I think it was more a matter of our focus maybe not being as good as Washington’s.


On very cold days the ball is harder and heavier.  Does that make it more difficult to catch?

Amani:  Oh, yeah, it does.  But I played on a cold weather team in college so I have no excuse for dropping any balls.


Do you see this week’s game against Buffalo as a must win with the Patriots last on the agenda?

Amani:  I think they’re all must win games at this time of year.  Buffalo has had a lot of adversity, they were down and fought their way back up.  So I think they’ll play hard, just like they have all season.  I don’t think the fact that they’re out of the playoffs will affect their game at all.


You were involved in the play where Shockey was injured.  Did that subsequently affect your concentration in the same way that Taylor’s concentration was affected after he broke Joe Theisman’s leg?

Amani:  No, I wasn’t even aware that I was one of the guys who were involved until someone asked me about it after the game.


How significant do you consider the loss of Shockey to be?

Amani:  Oh, I think it’s very significant. Any time you lose a talent like Shockey, it’s going to be big.  But that’s the nature of the game and now someone else will have to step up.  I watch Kevin Boss and Michael Matthews every day and I think they’ll be fine.  I know Matthews has had some drops but he has good hands.  I think after you have had a couple of drops you start to think too much and say to yourself, “Oh, oh, here comes the ball.  I better catch it.”   It’s especially hard when you’re a rookie.  Kevin (Boss) has good hands and I didn’t know that he didn’t do a lot of blocking in college because he looks pretty good as a blocker to me.


What will you do for Christmas? 

Amani:  Practice.  We’re actually going to be practicing on Tuesday. 

Two excerpts from press conference, 12/13/07

Question:  (Could you comment on) The play of Amani Toomer the past couple weeks and what he is and what he brings?  

Tom Coughlin: He is guy that – to me he has been so reliable.  He will make a play like that in every game under very difficult and adverse circumstances.  And just to continue to build upon this idea that he is going to make a play when you need a play.

Question: Amani’s veteran leadership?

Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride:  I think what we have always had is a guy that is the ultimate professional.  He works as hard as anybody.  If he doesn’t catch the ball cleanly in practice, he goes right back, whether it is a drill or otherwise and puts himself in position where he has to do it again.  So I think what you do is you see a guy that is consistent, is dependable, is reliable, is courageous and is going to make the plays if you give him a chance to do so.  And that is the thing that he has.  And I think we have always felt that about him.  A lot of people disparage his speed, or his age, or whatever.   But the bottom line is that he shows up for work everyday; for practice.  And so he not only does great things for us in games; he is a great example for young players… If you look at him after a game, he is a competitor; he wants the ball like all receivers do, just like all runners want to run the ball.  But you look at him after a game; he probably is the happiest guy on our team when we win.  And he would always like to be a significant contributor to that, in terms of catches and everything else. But it is fun to watch him at his age with the excitement that he still feels and generates when we win as a team.  So it’s fun to see.

12/13/07 Interview with Amani:

Have you ever had disputed calls in consecutive weeks before?

Amani:  I don’t really remember. I don’t think so, though it’s possible because I have had a lot of touchdowns that were disputed.  A lot of them.


Were you certain that you were down before the ball came out?

Amani:  Yeah, I was initially but then because it happened so fast I just wasn’t sure any longer.  So that’s why I wanted everyone to hurry it up a little bit so we could get the next play off.


If the Giants win Sunday night they will secure a wild card berth. Would that be a big advantage particularly since some of the hobbled players could be rested until the playoffs?

Amani:  I don’t know what the coaches would do but I think we all want to secure that first playoff spot. 


The Giants have been hit with injuries at select positions in recent years and those losses have significantly impacted the season and post season.  Now Dahl has an ankle injury and Wilson and Butler are still hurt.  Are you concerned that the sudden dearth of safeties could be the Giants’ undoing this year?

Amani: I think it’s always a concern when guys get injured but I think the coaches will find a way to make it work in the starters absence. I think we have guys who will step up if necessary.


McQuarters has been getting reps at safety the last couple of weeks.

Amani:  Yeah, and of course it’s a lot easier for a corner to switch to safety than for a safety to switch to corner.  So, if they need to play him there, I think he’ll be fine.


Can you account for the fact that the Giants play better on the road?


Amani:  I have no idea, none at all.  We have great, very knowledgeable fans at home but they do hold us accountable.  I mean our own fans hold us to a high standard which is what they should do so I don't know if that's a factor.  I’ve wondered about the same thing but don’t really understand it.


Have you any idea what to expect from the Redskins this week after all they’ve gone through?

Amani:  Yeah, I know they’re going to come out and play hard.  They don’t like us and it’s a big game and it’s always going to be a tough game between the two teams regardless of the teams’ records.  I think everybody on both teams will be playing an emotional, focused game.


Are division games usually tougher games than playing non-division rivals?  If so, is it because you know each other so well?


Amani:  Well, I think it’s partly that we know each other so well and also because the whole thrust of the off-season is to prepare to beat the other division teams.  That’s the quickest and easiest way to get a playoff spot-by beating up on your division.  Everything we do is built around beating the other teams in the division, even the way teams draft.


On those occasions when the Giants are behind late in games and the opponents’ defense goes to a soft defense, do you as a receiver lick your chops seeing it as an easy opportunity for receptions?

Amani:  Well, I don’t see it as an easy opportunity but I do see it as a way to get back in the game.  Usually you can’t run the ball as much as you’d like to so the receivers are kind of the home run hitter then.  We’re the last defense so the receivers can be the heros in a hurry.

12/06/07 Interview with Amani:

Congratulations on achieving your latest milestone, your 50th touchdown reception against the Bears.

Amani:  Thank you.


You also led the team in receptions last Sunday for the first time in weeks.  That must have felt good too.

Amani:  Yeah, It did. Everything just seems to be clicking now.  I feel really good and as the season goes on, I feel stronger.  So, it was just very nice.


Your 50th touchdown was an excellent catch on a ball that was thrown too low. How sure were you that it was a good reception?  .

Amani:  I was really sure because I felt I had my hands under the ball so there was just no way it wasn’t good. I never bobbled it or anything so I knew there was no way I didn’t catch that ball.  And I was sure that the replay would show that I had caught it.  I didn’t think it was a problem; I didn’t even think it was close till I saw the replay.  But I knew that I was underneath the ball with my hands so I was confident.


There was another pass into the end zone where you and David Tyree were both in approximately the same place.  What happened there?

Amani:  I messed up.  What happened was that I was supposed to run across the middle but it was really clogged up there so I thought I could give myself a little more space.  But I forgot that he (Tyree) was coming in behind me so it was just all messed up.


Despite the fact that the no-huddle doesn’t use up a lot of clock time, since it seems to be a strength of Eli’s, do you think the offense might consider using it more frequently?

Amani:  I don’t really know.  I think our offense does very well in the traditional way but I think that it’s always in our bag of tools and may be used from time to time.


Did you watch the Patriots-Ravens game?

Amani:  I only saw the highlights but that was about it.


In that game the Ravens’ defense played with great emotion and nearly ruined New England’s perfect season.  Playing with great passion often seems to work well for defenses but do you think the same thing would work for an offense or do you think it would result in too many mistakes?

Amani:  No, no, I definitely think it works for an offense as well. Passion is football; you just have to find a way to play with passion while maintaining your focus.  You can see which teams are playing with passion just by their body language.


Presupposing the Giants get into the playoffs, there’s a possibility of them playing Tampa Bay or Seattle in the wild card game.  Everyone talks about the disruption and jet lag from flying cross-country.  Does that really make much difference?  Would you rather face Tampa Bay for that reason alone?

Amani:  Well, I don’t know.  I don’t really care who we play to be honest with you.  I think we have a really good team and we can beat whichever team we play so I don’t think it makes any difference at all. But I never have any problem with jet lag.


This is the time of year when the media begin to talk about meaningless games. As for as you’re concerned, is there such a thing as a meaningless game?

Amani:  Never.  I don’t think there’s ever a meaningless game to a player because we’re evaluated on how we play independent of the team’s record.  Plus, if you’re on a team that’s not winning or isn’t in the playoffs, you know that’s a team that is looking to make major changes and you don’t want to be one of those major changes.  You want the coaches to look at your position and say, ”We’re good with that,” and move on.  I’ve been in a couple of those games and that’s my approach.


Justin Tuck was just on TV saying he takes a lot of grief about Notre Dame’s record.  He said the guy opposite him, Amani Toomer by name, particularly likes to torture him.  Doesn’t that take a lot of moxie, given how Michigan has underachieved this season?

Amani:  Yeah I know, but Notre Dame has been a lot worse.


Does Justin ever mention Appalachian State?

Amani:  Yeah but that was a fluke!

11/29/07 Interview with Amani:

Did you know Sean Taylor other than to play opposite him twice a year?

Amani:  No, I only knew him to play opposite him twice a year, just as you said.  It’s really a tragedy; it’s terrible!  A person ought to be safe in his own home.  I hope they catch the guys who shot him.


Congratulations on your 600th career reception.

Amani: Thank you.


How much does setting another franchise record mean after a loss like the one Sunday?

Amani:  It doesn’t mean very much at all.  Maybe if we had won the game, I would have enjoyed it more.  But we didn’t and so it just didn’t mean much.


Watching the game last Sunday, there appeared to be a lot of miscommunication between the receivers and Manning.  Was that in fact the case?

Amani:   Yes, there was some.  We just didn’t play the game I know we’re capable of and that’s very disappointing.  This week we have to get back to playing the way I know we can and then I’m confident we’ll get the win.


There was a play late in the game where you were the intended receiver.  After the play you threw your arms up in the direction of the sideline. Did you believe you were interfered with?

Amani:  At the end of the Game?  Oh, yeah, I remember what you’re talking about.  I thought the play had been changed to an out but Eli threw to the place the ball was originally intended to go so it was a case of miscommunication, just as you referred to earlier.


All of a sudden, the injuries seem to be mounting again and this is what took the Giants down in past years.  Are you becoming concerned about this latest rash of injuries?

Amani:  Yeah, it does worry me a little.  We’re still not too bad off.  There are teams with a lot more injuries than we have and we’re starting to get some players back now.  So far we’re OK, I think.


Would you agree that the teams that generally go deep into the playoffs are those that remain relatively healthy?

Amani:  Yes, I do but we’re not too injured and there’s still time to get everyone back so that we’re peaking at the end of the season.


Looking ahead to the Bears game, what do you see as the unique challenges they offer, aside from Devon Hester, of course?

Amani:  Actually, I don’t worry about Devon Hester or anyone on the opponent’s team.  I believe if we come out and play the game we’re capable of, then we should be able to beat anyone.  So, I think more about our team performing well than I worry about the other team.


If it’s known in advance that the game will be on a sloppy field like the Steelers-Dolphins game was, are the pass routes adjusted to limit the number of cuts required?

Amani:  No, we have our routes and we stay with them.

Excerpt from Giants.com by Michael Eisen:

The Giants faced a third-and-11 on the third play of the third quarter Sunday in Giants Stadium when Amani Toomer picked up a first down on a 24-yard pass from Eli Manning.

The play received no special notice at the time and was long forgotten after the Giants’ 41-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. But Toomer’s catch was historic, because it was the 600th of his 12-year career. He is the first Giants player in the 83-year history of the franchise with 600 catches.

It’s fitting that Toomer’s milestone didn’t register on the radar. In an era when many wide receivers go out of their way to draw attention to themselves...Toomer has been quietly efficient, reliable and productive throughout his career. Toomer has never made a Pro Bowl, but he’s been a dependable target and source of comfort for quarterbacks from Kent Graham to Kerry Collins to Eli Manning. It’s no coincidence that Manning’s numbers declined in the second half of the 2006 season after Toomer was sidelined with a knee injury.

Toomer is easily the most productive wide receiver in Giants history. He holds franchise records for receptions (602), yards (8,671, which is 3,237 more than runner-up Frank Gifford), touchdown catches (49) and 100-yard games, with 22.

11/20/07 Interview with Amani:

The Giants are currently the No. 1 seed for a wild card in the NFC, with a couple of apparently winnable games on the docket.  Are you pretty confident after Sunday’s win that the team can hold on to a wild card?

Amani:  I am. I think we’re pretty confident that we’re a good team though I don’t think we’re at the level where we can relax. We still have a lot of work to do before the playoffs. We’re not where we need to be for playoff time but I think we’re pretty good for right now.


Was a great relief to pull out a win Sunday to prevent history repeating itself?

Amani:  Yes, it was.  Nobody talked about it or made a point of it but I think it was in the back of our minds.  We just wanted to get past that point successfully.


Were you surprised that last Sunday’s game was low scoring?

Amani:  Yeah, definitely.  We had a lot of turnovers in the red area and we just didn’t finish drives.  It just seems that we can’t keep anything sustained going and we need to put more points on the board before the end of the year. If we don’t we’re just not going to be able to compete with teams that can put up the points. 


Like the Patriots?

Amani:  Yeah, exactly. 


Last Sunday, though no one got a lot of catches, Eli spread the ball around well, maybe better than he’s done before.  Is that just part of his maturation as a quarterback, do you think?

Amani:  I think so; I hope so.  I liked the way the ball was spread around but I still think there were so many plays that we left out on the field and that’s just not a good sign, especially this late in the season.  I think we’ve got our work cut out for us.  I think we’re not even close to where we need to be in order to make a real run at the playoffs.  I don’t know if every body feels the way I do but I do know everyone was unhappy with the way the game went, though everyone was also relieved that we got the win.  We just didn’t like the way it came about.  It was a win but we have to play a lot better than we did.  I thought we were a lot better team than the Lions.


First Minnesota said Adrian Peterson would be able to play against the Giants but are now backing off that statement.  Chester Taylor is a very good running back who had over 1200 yards rushing last year.  Can the Giants put up similar yards on the ground with Jacobs dinged up?

Amani:  Oh, I think so.  I don’t really know the extent of his injury but I think we can put up points rushing.  No question.


Have you had a chance to watch Bradshaw in practice and how does he look to you?

Amani:  He definitely looks good.  It’s just a matter of him understanding how to approach the game.  I don’t know how his pass blocking is.


The Vikings statistically have a very good run defense and a very poor pass defense and, with Brandon Jacobs injured, do you see this game as a golden opportunity for the receivers?

Amani:  Well, I thought the last game was a golden opportunity too and we didn’t do a lot on offense.  This game should be another golden opportunity and I certainly hope it is.


What are you doing on Thanksgiving?  Are you going to cook and have it at home?

Amani:  I’m watching the turkey thaw now.

11/13/07 Interview with Amani:

Having lost to Dallas, do you think the Detroit game is another must win game, especially since the Eagles closed the division gap a little last week?

Amani:  Yeah, I think it is and not just because we lost to Dallas and the Eagles have closed the gap but because of what happened here the last few years.  We don’t want to repeat history and don’t even want to entertain the thought of it happening again.


Do you perceive any sense of it being “déjà vu all over again” in the team’s attitude?

Amani:  No, I don’t at all but still I know it’s in the back of my mind so I think it’s in the back of everybody’s minds.


Then you aren’t concerned about the team coming out emotionally flat this week after the loss to Dallas?

Amani:  No, I don’t think so.  We know what we have to do especially after last week’s disappointing loss so I don’t think anyone will come out flat.  Like I said, we’re all determined not to let history repeat itself.


Dallas appears solidly in control of the NFC East with the Giants now fighting for a wild card. Do you see any other plausible scenario?

Amani:  Not really.  Dallas is in charge of the division; they haven’t lost any division games at all.  I think they’ve only played three so far but still they won the games they played.  Now it’s up to us to win the next two division games and stay in contention.


The Giants and Detroit are neck and neck as wild cards going into this game and Detroit’s defense has been very opportunistic creating turnovers.

Amani:  Yeah, that’s a concern.  We turned the ball over a lot last week and we have to stop doing that.


Were you given any reason for the few looks you had last Sunday?  It was only a week or two ago that Coach Gilbride said you needed to be more involved in the offense and added that he remembered the devastating effect your loss had on the offense last year.

Amani:  I don’t know.  Nothing was said but I think there were a couple more passes that were going to me that just didn’t get there for one reason or another. 

It’s discouraging because selfishly I wanted to do really well this year after the injury and the season started out really well from that standpoint.  I had a couple of big games and then it’s gotten tougher the last few games.


Plaxico’s ankle is apparently worsening.  If he has to sit out some games, do you think the young receivers, Smith, if he’s well enough to play, and Moss are ready to step up?

Amani:  Yeah, they practice all the time so they should be ready if needed.


Have you seen enough of Hixon to have an opinion on him?

Amani:  I’ve seen him in practice and he looks pretty good.  He’s been impressive.  He’s definitely a good receiver.


Do you have any idea what caused all the delay of game penalties against the Cowboys and more importantly what can be done to avoid them in the future?

Amani:  I think we need to hurry up and get to the line of scrimmage a little bit to give Eli a little more time.  We need to get in the huddle and out of the huddle quicker.  I think the problem is that when the play is over we don’t get back to the huddle quickly enough.


Eli is calling more audibles.  Is that causing a slow down when the team needs to reset?

Amani:  No, when the defense presents something we didn’t expect, I think there’s time enough to make the necessary changes.  I don’t see the problem as anybody’s fault; I think we all need to move a little more quickly to get to the line so that if there is a change, there will be time enough to make the change.

11/6/07 Interview with Amani:

Overall, how would you access the team’s offensive performance at London’s Wembley Stadium?

Amani:  The running game was good but it was a tough situation.  I think everybody out there was a little sleep deprived and the field was really terrible.  I saw the field the day before the game and I knew it would be terrible because it looked just like putting green grass.


So it was as bad as it appeared?

Amani:  Yeah, it was horrible.  It was a situation where you take a bunch of 300 pounders and put them on a putting green and then drench it with water.  It was terrible.  It was fun to play the game there but in terms of the performance and putting on a good spectacle, it was tough to do in those conditions.


There were a lot of drops at Wembley Stadium last Sunday.  I know the ball was slick but it seemed to be more than that.  Were the lights a problem there?

Amani:  No, I think it was just that the ball was really, really wet.  The lights were fine and I don’t think the drops were due to more than the weather conditions.  Everything was slippery, the ball, the ground, everything.


Getting the win is obviously the most important thing but do you personally feel much satisfaction after such a sloppy offensive performance?

Amani:  I think in the conditions we faced you just have to look at the overall situation.  We’re on a five game winning streak; we’re playing a team that hasn’t won a game; we’re playing them in London; we’re playing them on terrible turf and it’s raining.  For us to come out with a win was good in that situation.  I mean that was a trap game just waiting to happen.  And personally, I don’t think the game was as close as the score indicated.


How would you access the overall experience in terms of creating a fan base for an overseas’ market?

Amani:  It was great.  I enjoyed being over there and liked being an ambassador for the game.  I really liked that.  But I understand that the fans thought we stopped the game an awful lot.


They weren’t aware of the commercial breaks?

Amani:  No. They didn’t seem to be. You know soccer keeps going but there’s no action.  So it was like what do you want to see happen?  Do you want a bunch of guys running around with nothing happening or do you want to stop, grab some popcorn, talk to your friends and socialize a little and when the team is on the field have some action?


They understood kneeling on the ball because they booed lustily.

Amani:  They didn’t want it to end, I think.  They wanted more.  It’s like a good performer on the stage, you always want to see more.  I think when the NFL goes back to Europe, and I think they have to go back soon with a better field, then I think the overseas’ fans will get a better feel for it.


Last year after eight games, the Giants were also at 6-2 and then the season went into a tailspin. There were a lot of injuries that contributed, yours included, but is anyone talking about that and how to avoid replicating last season’s record?

Amani:   I think every one remembers it and I think everyone is worried about it.  We’re kind of in the same situation this week again.  Last year we played the best team in the conference and this week we’re playing the team with the best record and one a lot of people think is the best team in our division.  It’s the exact same situation.


Do you see the Dallas game as one that could define the Giants’ season?

Amani:  This is a big game.  It could very well determine which team wins the division and which one has to fight for the wild card.  It could define the season in that regard.


Did you watch Sunday’s game against the Eagles?

Amani:  Yeah, I watched it.  Dallas looked very good.  The Eagles looked bad but very good teams can make other good teams look bad.  I think Romo went 9 for 9 at one point which was pretty impressive; he looked very good. Maybe they’ll be feeling overconfident because they’re getting a lot of favorable publicity. I hope so because I think we’re very good too.

10/22/07 Interview with Amani:

You’ve had two consecutive record setting games.  In Atlanta your final catch was the 587th of your career which put you in first place in franchise records for receptions, and your touchdown catch was the 48th of your career, which tied you with Kyle Rote for first place on the franchise list.

Sunday against the 49ers you had your 49th career touchdown making you the Giants’ all-time leader in touchdown receptions.

You have so many of the Giants’ franchise records now, is it still exciting when you set another new record or has it become routine?

Amani:  It’s exciting when it happens but I don’t really think about records that much.  I recognize that it’s an honor and that makes me feel good, especially because I’ve been with the Giants’ organization a long time.  Maybe after I retire, then I’ll reflect on this kind of thing more.  But right now there’s so much more to worry about and think about in this season so that just doesn’t seem very important right now.


Maybe it’s something you’ll tell your grandchildren about someday?

Amani:  Yeah, maybe.


There now have been two games this season in which you’ve led the team in receptions (Dallas and Atlanta). Sunday’s game with the 49ers you were significantly involved in the offense. Those are also the three games in which the Giants’ offense has put up the most points.  It’s getting harder and harder to think this could be coincidence, Amani.

Amani:  Yeah, I hope it’s no coincidence; I don’t think it is.  I totally agree with you.


Have any of the coaches mentioned this to you?

Amani:  No, they haven’t but hopefully they do think I need to be involved in the offense.


Both teams seemed to be having problems with the surface of the field on Sunday.  It looked like there were a lot of loose bits of rubber coming up but that hasn’t been a problem in earlier weeks has it?

Amani:  No, I don’t think it’s been a problem.  I think our surface is about as good as it can be.  I don’t think it’s a great surface but I don’t think it’s the worst surface in the NFL either.  I don’t know, it’s just one of those things where you just have to keep playing the game and not think about it.  I’m not a huge fan of this surface but you can’t really complain about it.  And it is the surface we have.  I really didn’t even notice any problems.


The light and shadow patterns on the field seemed to be giving players problems the last couple of weeks.  Is it significantly more difficult to make a catch going out of the shadows into the sunlight or out of the sun into the shadows?

Amani:  It’s not a problem for me but that’s one of those things that I try not to think about.  Sometimes thinking about things like that can create the problem so I try not to get caught up in things I can’t control.  The hardest situation with the light for me was at Atlanta.  Those lights are positioned in funny areas and at bad angles because when you go up for a ball the light is right there in your eyes. You still have to catch the ball though I think that’s the toughest light situation that we’ve had.


Given the historic nature of next Sunday’s game at Wembley Field, do you expect the atmosphere leading up to the game to be reminiscent of Super Bowl week?

Amani:  You know, I’ve no idea what to expect.  I don’t know how the crowd will accept us or what it will be like.  It’s kind of like uncharted territory for all of us.


This is something you’ve wanted to see happen for a long time, isn’t it?

Amani:  Yes, it really is.  Definitely. The NBA is so much bigger than the NFL abroad and I don’t understand why football doesn’t translate better over there.  Two years ago there was an NFL game in Mexico City and I was expecting there would be one abroad last year so that surprised me when there was none.  It seemed odd.


London has a 26 ft. blow up version of the Dolphins’ defensive end Jason Taylor.  It’s said to be the biggest animated human figure ever made and I understand it will be moved around to different venues.

Amani: Really? Jason Taylor?  I haven’t heard anything about that.


Maybe they’re still inflating the 30 ft. Amani Toomer figure.

Amani:  Oh yeah, I’m sure the world is waiting for that.


All of a sudden the Cowboys are receiving some criticism while the Giants are getting a lot of love, a complete reversal of what was said earlier in the season.  Do you think these accolades and talk of Super Bowls are appropriate less than half way through the season?

Amani:  No, I really don’t.  We’ve been up and down too much in the last few years.  We have had a winning streak before and then we started losing.  One year, last year, we even went 8-8 so it’s much too early to start talking about that stuff.  You just can’t have too much confidence this early in the season how things will play out. As a player you just have to play hard and do your best every week.


With the Giants’ recent success, do you worry about complacency setting in or the team looking ahead past the bye to a tougher part of the schedule?

Amani:  No, I don’t worry about that at all.  We definitely remember what happened in other years so I don’t see that happening though I do think we’re a better team than we were in earlier years.  We’ve been through some bad losing streaks so I think we’re a lot more moderate and more cautious than we were in other years.  We know we have a big game in London and then we’ll come home, have the bye and go from there.

Excerpt from Eli Manning's post game press conference:

Q: Amani Toomer set the all-time touchdown receptions record today. Can you talk about that?

Manning:  If there is anyone that deserves it, it is Amani.  He has worked extremely hard.  I say it every week; he has done everything we ask him to.  He doesn’t complain and he just finds a way to make plays.  Today was another example.  He just ran a great route on probably my third read, but he is just where he is supposed to be and does a great job of keeping his feet inbounds and making the catch.  He blocks, he runs good routes, and he is just fun to be around.  He is fun to practice with because he competes every day and he is a guy you want on your team.

Excerpts from Giants.com by Michael Eisen:

It’s hard to keep a good man down, especially one who does his job as well as Amani Toomer...

On Monday night, the Giants stretched their winning streak to four games with a 31-10 domination of the Falcons in Atlanta. Toomer, as he has done so many times in his 12-year career, helped lead the way. He had a game-high seven catches for 89 yards and his first touchdown of the season…Toomer’s focus now is on helping the team pursue the only goal on his agenda, winning a Super Bowl. Or, as he puts it, “The main thing is to get a Super Bowl ring.”

He’s not making predictions, but it’s clear Toomer likes this team’s potential. He’s particularly excited about the passing attack…

“I felt real good about last week’s game,” Toomer said. “I think the ball was spread around well. Our offensive line was hitting real well. It was a fun game to play in.”

“That was the astute example of wherein all of the components can be put together,” Coach Tom Coughlin said. “Toomer, with the plays he made. Shockey, with the plays that he made. The way the running game was going, the big plays that Plaxico made. So I think you see all of the complements, but there isn’t any doubt of the steady, consistent, reliable play that Amani brings to our offense. And obviously it showed up the other night in two or three very, very – almost clinic-like, if you will -- plays that he was able to make…”

Toomer is especially gratified to play a major role after surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee forced him to miss the second half of the 2006 season. Despite his advanced (for an NFL receiver) age and the mileage his legs have logged, Toomer appears to be as strong as ever.  He does not have a timetable for how much longer he wants to remain in uniform, saying only that he will play as long as he can… 

Although he looks fine and plays well, Toomer, who was hurt last Nov. 5, said he is not yet 100 percent.

“It usually takes about a year to really get everything back,” Toomer said. “I think I am a couple of weeks away. I hope. I think I am getting better and progressing really well.  I think training camp helped me by not practicing twice. I think I am well on my way.”

Excerpts from Insidefootball.com:

Excerpt from game summary:

Offense. We’ll start with the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) – Amani Toomer, who this week broke Tiki Barber’s all time club reception record in the fourth quarter when he hauled in a 16-yard reception. Coming back from a devastating knee injury in your 30s is hard enough, but Toomer made it all look so easy as he continues to be a clutch receiver for this offense. Toomer led the Giants receivers this week with seven receptions for 89 yards and one touchdown, making it look so easy all along, making Falcons CB DeAngelo Hall look like just another corner on those occasions when they faced each other.

Excerpt from player-by-player analysis:

Amani Toomer: After no catches last week, Toomer came up with two on the first possession of the game. The second was his first touchdown of the season as he ran a skinny post route to get inside the cornerback and make the grab. On the second offensive possession, he made a brilliant grab on the one-yard line on the left sideline, running an out route in front of cornerback DeAngelo Hall and dragging both feet in to stay in bounds for the catch.

Early in the second half, Toomer made a downfield block on Hall. Against the Cover-2 zone, the corners play the run, so it is important to block the corners and keep them away from the point of attack so the running back can turn a five-yard run into a 15 yards. Not enough is said about Toomer’s downfield blocking, but he was quietly efficient in this area most of the evening.

He was really in a zone as he time and again made the tough catch in traffic. The other thing he continues to do is run very good timing routes. Manning and Toomer are working together at length in practice, and it shows in the timing between the two of them, which has been a thing of perfection.

Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride on Amani being shut out vs. the Jets:

Yeah, it was very much a fluke.  The very first pass of the game he was wide open, he makes a great cut.  And one of the linemen gets power driven right back.  He (Manning) is falling back and tries to throw it and doesn’t complete it.  Then the next one we ….. he is wide open and we don’t fan out and the nickel is coming through free.  So again, he (Manning) doesn’t take a sack.  It was a mistake and …. Definitely that’s a tragedy because he’s (Amani) always out there every day.  He has worked his butt off.  He is as a dependable a guy as you are going to get.  He is courageous.  So you feel horrible that he didn’t get a ball, but it was just one of those deals.  That’s just the way it happened.  It is not always easy for a player to understand.  But usually it balances out during the course of the season.  But it doesn’t make it anymore palatable for him.  I understand that but there is not much you can do about it. 

10/12/07 Interview with Amani:

The Giants have three consecutive wins now.  Do you feel that as a team you’ve righted the ship?

Amani:  I don’t think you can say that this early in the season.  There’s plenty of time for us to go in another direction.  We’ve had three good weeks and that’s it.  We dug ourselves out of the hole we put ourselves in, but there are still a lot of games to play and a lot of work we need to do yet.


What do you think the offense needs to do to consistently put up more points?

Amani:  I think that’s just it; we need to be more consistent.  We’ve had a lot of big plays but sometimes big plays can almost mask some of the problems that are going on, so consistency is the key.  We need to find ways to become more consistent and get more completions in the passing game.

In the running game I think we’re actually doing very well and our line is playing really well.


In the Dallas game, the game in which the Giants did put up a lot of points on offense, you led the team in receptions.  Do you view that as a coincidence?

Amani:  That’s something you can never know but, of course, I’d like to believe it has something to do with it.  I definitely think I play an important role on the team so when I am not getting the ball and we’re not scoring many points, yeah, I think there’s a correlation.

I don’t think it’s a matter of people not realizing that I need to get the ball; I just think it’s how the game plays out sometimes.  We’ll see this week.  I’ve been told a number of things about why I didn’t get the ball except for the one incompletion, but what happens Monday I just don’t know.  You’ll know as soon as I know.


In each game this season, either the offense put up big points and the defense struggled or the defense was strong and the offense put up pedestrian numbers.  Have you any idea why it hasn’t all come together yet?

Amani:  Well, the season’s still young so that may be part of it.  As far as the defense goes, I don’t really know but can make an educated guess.  And my guess would be that most of the early problems on defense came because it was a new system and something everybody had to get used to. But their learning curve was really quick and the defense has taken off now.


In his press conference after Sunday’s game, Eli said he felt badly that he failed to get any balls to you.  Did he speak to you about that?

Amani:  Yeah, he talked to me on the sideline but he hasn’t talked to me about it any since then.  You know, I understand he has a lot of things going on but it’s a frustrating situation. But that’s the game; it’s how the game plays out at times.


In his press conference, Coach Coughlin referred to you as a team player and said you were OK with the situation.

Amani:  I was OK with it.  It’s hard to be upset when you win but it was still tough not to be a part of it.  You want to be a part of it because you work so hard during the week so that you’ll be at your best on game day.  Plus, I worked so hard to come back from the injury that I want to be a contributor.  I didn’t work that hard just to be a guy wearing a jersey, you know.


In the next two weeks, just like last week, the Giants face teams desperate for a win.  Do you subscribe to the notion that a desperate team is a more dangerous team?

Amani:  In a sense I kind of do, but in another sense we’re not where we want to be either so we’re desperate and hungry as well.  We’re in no way, shape or form content with how our season’s gone so far.  Maybe if we were 5-0 it would be different but if we drop a game in Atlanta this Monday, we’ll be a .500 team and that’s not where we want to be.  We have high expectations for ourselves so we’re still hungry and still desperate for wins as well.

9/25/07 Interview with Amani:

The Giants managed to quiet Washington’s chatter about the playoffs.  Was that particularly satisfying or was it just a relief not to go 0-3?

Amani:   You know, it’s just how the business is these days, I guess.  Before they were like the best team out there but now that they’ve lost a game, they’re back to being just another team, even though you really have to wait and just see how things turn out at the end of the season.

It was a relief not to go 0-3 but it was also a little bit of both.  It’s definitely a hostile crowd down there so to quiet them wasn’t something that made me feel one bit bad.


The Eagles, after being able to do nothing the first two weeks, had a dominating performance on both sides of the ball against Detroit.  Even if they don’t play that well this week, do you expect this to be a difficult game for the Giants?

Amani:  Oh, definitely.  Any time you play the Eagles, it’s going to be a tough, hard fought game.  We’re the only two teams that have been able to win the division in the last few years so it will be tough.


The Giants put up 21 points last week but only 13 the week before.  Do you think the offense will have to crank up the points to prevail over the Eagles?


Amani:  I think so.  I don’t think we were consistent enough throughout the whole game and I think we’ll need to be this week against the Eagles.  The second half we did perform well but the first half didn’t live up to our expectations.


What do you see as the keys to this game for the Giants?

Amani:  I think we’re going to have to figure out how to be more consistent on offense.  I think our defense has been coming around pretty well and I expect that process to continue.  I think we need our special teams to come around as well.  I think we’re definitely on the right track but need to all keep improving to complete the process.


McNabb took his leg brace off in practice and in the game last week.  Do you think that in itself could account for such a dramatic improvement in his performance?

Amani:  It’s a psychological thing.  It’s all mental.  That’s why I never used that thing because I didn’t want to think about it or rely on it as a crutch.  I think he needed to take that thing off.  When you have that thing on, you’re always aware of it.  It’s naturally going to slow you down, plus you think about it a lot more.


The Eagles have injuries in their defensive backfield.  You watch film on both the usual starter and potential starter in that case, don’t you?

Amani:  Yeah, you try to be prepared for either situation.  Sometimes, a guy who isn’t expected to play has an amazing recovery and you need to be ready.


Remembering how Champ Bailey has never been able to cover you, does it matter much to you who does cover you?  Do some corners have a particular tendency or tendencies that are easy for you to exploit?

Amani:  No, some corners are definitely harder than others but it’s just one of those things where you might prefer one corner to another but it really doesn’t make that much difference.  I have to be able to play against any corner assigned to me.

9/21/07 Interview with Amani:

Wasn’t it your rookie year that the Giants last started 0-2?

Amani:  Yes, I believe it was.


Do you remember how they finished?

Amani:  Yeah, we were 6-10 for the season.


It seems a little absurd to talk about must win games after only the second week.  But having started 0-2 with one loss against a division opponent, would you agree that this game against Washington is critical for the Giants?

Amani:  I do; it’s definitely critical.  Washington is as must win as any third game of the season can be. Also, it’s important to get the team going in the right direction right away.  I think we’re a better team than we’ve shown so far.  We have to make it work and we don’t want to go 0-3.  But I believe that if we come out and play the game I know we’re capable of playing, then I believe we will win.


Eli is playing well.  What do you think the rest of the offense needs to do, especially in light of the struggles on the defensive side of the ball?

Amani:  I don’t know but we do need to put up more points on offense.  It doesn’t matter what the other side of the ball is doing, if we only put up 13 points we’re not going to win many games.  We need to step up our game.


Washington is 2-0 and local media are talking about the possibility of playoffs already.  With the way they’ve been playing can the Giants stop that talk on Sunday?

Amani:  They’re talking about playoffs already?


Yes, and the Washington media is referring to the Giants as the weak link in the NFC East.

Amani:  It’s only two games into the year so that kind of talk is strange but I hope they keep thinking that way, right up to the game.  But to answer the question, I think if we can play the game we’re capable of playing, I don’t think they’ll see us as the weak link anymore.


Last week on one play you were called for taunting after being mugged and held down by the defender.  Why was the call taunting since the pass was incomplete?

Amani:  I have no idea; I couldn’t really understand the call at all.  The two of us had some conversation but he did a lot more talking than I did, and he was holding me down.  I don’t know; I really didn’t understand the call.  But they called it so it’s what it is.


When you went to the sideline, it appeared that Coach Coughlin was trying to calm you down.  Was that the case?

Amani:  No, I was just trying to tell him that I wasn’t the offender and I didn’t do anything like that.  But it’s football and these things happen.  You just have to hope it doesn’t happen very often.


It’s been reported that you apologized to the team for losing your cool.  Is that true?

Amani:  Yeah, I did.  I apologized to the fans, the team and everybody else.  Even if I think something is wrong or I don’t understand it, the game is bigger than my emotions.  And it definitely didn’t help my team, so I felt it was necessary.


There have been several hearings in congress about the alleged inequity of payments to retired NFL players, particularly those injured or disabled on the job.  Have you an opinion on this?

Amani:  I have done some reading on it but don’t think I really know enough to comment on it.  But those older players paved the way for the modern players and made the game what it is today so I hope something can be worked out.  I’ve read the stories where some doctors say a player isn’t really disabled when in essence they are, so I certainly hope a just resolution can be arrived at.

Not Down for the Count Yet

By Gail Bahr

Amani Toomer, the New York Giants’ franchise wide receiver, isn’t ready to ride off into the sunset yet. There are still too many games to be played, too many goals yet to be attained.

Even after tearing his left ACL and requiring surgery, Amani never considered retiring, only how quickly he could get back on the field for his 12th season.

“There’s still a lot I want to do in football,”  Toomer said.  “I haven’t yet won a Super Bowl ring and I still want to go to Hawaii, you know.  I think I still have something to prove in this league so I see myself playing a lot yet.

I haven’t even thought about retiring. I’ve never seen myself not playing. I know it will come someday but that day isn’t here yet.”

Despite the accolades of recent years, nothing has ever been given to Amani. He has faced and overcome obstacles throughout his career and in each case has come back stronger.

Just as he did this year as he readied himself for training camp and the 2007 season.

There have been doubters aplenty. There always are.  But those doubters didn’t know Amani Toomer or his work ethic very well.

Amani understood the doubts though the naysayers didn’t bother him.  “After my ACL,” Amani said, “it’s not surprising, but it didn’t really matter because I have never doubted myself.”

Following his surgery Amani plunged into his rehabilitation program with the help of the Giants’ trainers and his own personal trainer and kung fu coach. He followed a rigorous program designed to get him back on the field by the start of training camp. 

Admittedly he has a tendency to push too hard, though he quickly added, “It worked out fine because I never had any setbacks.”

And his goal was achieved.

On the first day of training camp, Amani Toomer was back on the field looking like he’d never left it.

Rusty?  Not apparently, though Amani, ever the perfectionist, said, “There was indecision; I was impatient in my routes but I expected that.  I anticipate that improving with time; that’s just a matter of being rusty.”

Amani gives a lot of credit for his quick recovery to Karl Romain, his kung fu instructor, who visited him at camp one day.

“I did a lot of work with Mark, stretching and breathing exercises and then we did a lot of leg strengthening exercises.  Mark was right there, asking how everything felt.”

“Mark’s the best,” Toomer added.

Referring to the discipline of kung fu, Romain said that most people just consider the martial arts aspect but along with strength,  “it also teaches you to breathe properly and works to improve balance.  So, it’s something that can benefit anyone.”

Romain verified how hard Amani had worked to strengthen his leg and added that Amani was an excellent student, actually an ideal student. 

Refusing to take any credit for Amani’s successful return to the field, Romain said, “The teacher can open the door but the student must stride through it.”

By all indications, Amani broke the door down. 

9/12/07 Interview with Amani:

Despite the loss, Eli had a very good game Sunday following a solid pre-season.  Do you think he may have taken that step up everyone has been expecting?

Amani:  Yes, a lot has been made of his game and how he’s doing but I do think he’s taken a step forward.  I definitely think that.


Chemistry between the quarterback and receiver is much discussed.  If Eli cannot go on Sunday, how much do you expect the chemistry to be thrown off by a different starting quarterback?

Amani:   I don’t think the chemistry will be thrown off at all.  The quarterback will get some first team reps and I just don’t think it would be a problem.  We’re being coached by the same person and I think Lorenzen is a very capable quarterback.  I have a lot of confidence in him.


In the pre-season and training camp, Eli didn’t go long a lot but did so regularly against Dallas.  Is this something the Giants didn’t want to reveal until the season opener?

Amani:   No, we had some plays in pre-season that for some reason we just didn’t get to.  I don’t think there was any plan not to go deep.  Sometimes you want to go deep but something happens and the play is changed.


You had a good game on Sunday with a team high nine receptions but limited opportunities for yards after the catch.  Can you speculate on why that was the case?

Amani:  No, not really; it’s just the way it turned out, I think.


Was it maybe the nature of the balls and where you caught them?

Amani:   Yes, actually I think that’s it and sometimes things just happen that way.


There has been a lot of talk by the media about what a good game the offense played while the defense played poorly.  Did this generate any discussion between offense and defense after the game?

Amani:   No, because at the end of the day we should have played well enough on offense to win the game.  If we had played a little better on offense, it wouldn’t have mattered defensively.  We’re a team and if one team is kind of struggling a little bit, then the other team needs to pick it up.  Ultimately the goal is just to win football games and help each other out when it’s necessary.


Once again the Giants are getting hit hard with injuries.  Given your experience with the Giants, can you come up with any explanation or see a pattern to explain so many injuries year-after-year?

Amani:   I have no explanation; it’s just a strange phenomena and I can’t explain it.  I think other teams have injuries too but why we have so many is something I just can’t explain.


Do you know if the Giants have any emergency procedures in place for dealing with apparent spinal cord injury other than getting an ambulance as quickly as possible?  Apparently a major factor in Kevin Everett’s ability to move his limbs is due to his being packed in ice very quickly.

Amani:   I have no idea.  The people were prepared in his case and I’ve extremely glad that there is a better prognosis now.  It’s just amazing.  It’s also amazing that people had the foresight to do something like that and I hope that it opens the eyes of others.  Maybe some procedure could be put into place to help someone else.

Will Amani make it all the way back from his ACL injury? 
(asked of Jeremy Shockey and fans in attendance at training camp in Albany)

Jeremy Shockey:
I’ve never really doubted Amani.  He’s a guy that I’ve always looked up to since I’ve gotten here.  He’s a hard working guy and he really enjoys the game.  He really hasn’t been injured in the five now six seasons that I’ve been here, up until last year.  I knew that with his personality he was going to work out and do whatever it takes to get back and play.  That’s just his demeanor as a person.

Fans:
Absolutely, absolutely.   He’s been training all the off-season and he looks great.  He’s already at his playing weight.  He’s gonna do it!   H.J.

Predicting that type of thing is very difficult.  I’m sure everybody is hoping that he can because the Giants did so poorly after he got injured.  As far as I’ve seen when I’ve watched him a half dozen times in practices, he can run and he can cut and he’s catching the ball.  The danger is always that when you have an injury you can aggravate it if you try to come back too fast.  And there’s overcompensating, which causes you to have other injuries, so you never really know.   M.B.

I know he’s only practicing once a day but I absolutely think he’ll make it back.  J.M.

He looks fluid and is moving good.  He was playing with some confidence and not protecting himself.  He looked pretty good (in practice today).  He has a good shot; he’s a good guy and he’s doing good things here.  If anybody can do it, he can do it. P.B.

I think Amani will make it back and will have a good year.  I think he’ll have 800 yards receiving and seven touchdowns. F.C.

Amani Toomer is one of the classiest Giants and he’s a great player.  I’m looking for him to have a big season this year.   R.F.  

I think it was obvious how much we missed Amani when he was hurt last year and he was the only guy who could run a slant route.    V.F.

I think he’ll definitely make it back.  He’s still young enough and I have a good feeling about him.  A.C.  

Yes, he’s going to be excellent.  That’s it.  M.C.

Absolutely!  Everything I saw him do today, he looked good doing. He looked really good on his routes. J.P.

Yes, I think he can be what he was before.  J.W.

Yes, I do.  It’s just based on faith in Amani.  J.S.

I hope he does because he’s one of the most valuable players on the Giants and I’m sure with his background he will strive his hardest to come back.   W.K.

I believe Amani Toomer will come back.  His work ethic is very good.  He’s a great Giant and he loves to play football.  Hopefully, they’ll have a winning team this year and I believe that he’ll be back in good condition and ready to play when the season starts.  M.A.P.

I’ve been to every practice and he looks to be in exceptionally good shape.  I really believe that. G.C.

 I think Amani’s been a great player his whole career and he’s a smarter player than most receivers.  I believe he has the brains and the will to successfully come back from the acl.   S.B.

He’s been very dependable for the Giants, probably our #1 guy for the last 5-6 years.   He’s a guy you can always depend on to make third down.  I’ve seen him in practice today and he looks great.  He’s in great shape and I think he’s going to be back 100%.  G.B.

I believe that Amani Toomer will come back from his ACL injury and be as good as he was in the past. R.B.

I’ve been though ACL surgery and he will recover and come back.  C.A.

I hope that Amani makes it back because he’s the most underrated player that the Giants have.  He deserves to get the ball a lot more than he does.  If they got the ball to him more often, I think the Giants would be in a better position.   D.B.

8/8/07 Interview with Amani:

With this heat and humidity, are you still eager for two-a-days?

Amani:  This will in effect be my first two-a-day since we had the walk through in the morning.  I want to see how it goes but I don’t think it will be that bad.


You were fielding some punts in this morning’s practice.  Is that something that you really want to be doing?

Amani:  You know, I don’t really mind it.  In fact sometimes I think I miss it a little.  I think it helps me to judge the ball better when it comes to deep balls as a receiver.  So, I always want to keep on doing the things that I think help me as a receiver.

Would you do it in a game?

Amani: You never know; I’d love to.  Just one more time, just to let them know I can still do it.

The rookies and first year players have all told me that you have given them a lot of help. Do you see it as your role to mentor them?

Amani:  Well, if you see people struggling or needing help or not understanding the concepts, I let them know what they can do to correct it.  If you’re going to compete with someone, you want to compete with them at their best.


You’re taking some reps in the slot in three wide sets.  Do you know why you were you chosen to do that?

Amani:  No I think it’s just because I was successful last year in the slot so they’re doing it again at times.  I think it’s just something that I’m good at.  I can play the other positions but I think I’m even better inside and I really like playing inside.  I hope I can play it during the season because I really like it in there and feel very comfortable there.  It took me a long time to learn it but once I learned it I have felt very good in there.  It’s a lot easier working against linebackers and nickels than working on the outside, I think.

One of the Giants’ receivers who played in the slot in college said that the clutch guys, the guys who can be relied on to make a critical third down play, always play in the slot.  It’s true that many teams put their best receiver in the slot.  Jerry Rice played there for many years.

Amani:  Oh yeah, well that’s me.


While the coaches were lauding you in the early days of camp, you said you felt rusty.  How do you feel you’re doing now?

Amani:  I feel like I’m doing well now.  My knee is really coming around and I feel very comfortable out there playing.  I don’t think about moving; I don’t think about which way I’m cutting or anything like that.  I’m just going.


What challenges for this offense are presented by each of the other three teams in the NFC East?

Amani:  As far as our team goes, I think we have everything we need.  We have the players; we just need consistency.  We only need to go out there and be more consistent this year.  At times last year we were really high-powered and then we just tapered off.  

I think our defense is going to be so much better this year and the offense will have more opportunities.  We just have to turn the opportunity into a division winner instead of a wild card.  I think our playing against a Philly defense here in training camp will be a big advantage for us when we play them.  Philly does a lot of stuff that other teams don’t do.  When we go to play Philly, we have to change our whole offense for this one team.  So playing against them all the time with the new defensive scheme, we won’t have to change anything because we’re playing against them in camp.  I think that’s going to surprise them and make us more competitive.


Dallas is supposedly installing a more aggressive version of the 3-4.  Does that concern you?

Amani:  No, because I don’t think they’re going to be any more aggressive than our defense.  As far as the Redskins go, you never know but they haven’t traditionally been a team that gives us that much trouble.  That’s traditionally but that all changes every year.

8/2/07 Interview with Amani:

Who’s your roommate at camp this year?

Amani:  No one.  I think it was supposed to be Strahan so I have this big ol’ dorm all to myself.  It’s nice but going from a house to a dorm room….


You still probably don’t want to trade for my little hotel room, do you?

Amani:  Well, I might.  I’m willing to take a look.


Coach Coughlin said that he would be reevaluating the one-a-day people this week.  Are you expecting to remain limited or do you expect to go to two-a-days quickly?

Amani:  I think I’ll go to two-a-days pretty quickly.  I want to.  It would be good to get the conditioning in and get ready for the season.


Are you serious?  Most vets would give a month’s paycheck to avoid working out at camp.

Amani:  Yeah, I am.  There aren’t many two-a-days left.  After today I think there are only about five or six left and I think I need the practice to get back up to speed.


Do you want to do this to assure yourself that you’re back from the injury or to demonstrate to the coaches that you are?

Amani:  I want to get out there to see what I’ve got.  I need to see what I’ve got but I think it’s probably a little bit of both.  It was good to hear that Coach Coughlin thought I did well in the first practice (and the conditioning drills) but I felt rusty.  There was indecision; I was impatient in my routes but I expected that.  I anticipate that improving with time; that’s just a matter of being rusty.


With the drafting of Steve Smith, the Giants appear to have your potential replacement in place. And in the off-season, General Manager Jerry Reese said that the battle for number two and three receiver could be heated.  That, of course, was before anyone really knew how well you were doing.  Do you see this as a challenge?

Amani:  I don’t know.  I mean, I’m going to do what I can do.  I can’t worry about any of that stuff.  If that’s what they’re thinking, that’s what they’re thinking.  I can’t worry about it. I really have no clue.


There were also media reports that this could be your last year with the team and that you might go to another team after this season.

Amani:  People can speculate about anything they want but I’m not thinking about any of that. I have never thought about that, maybe when the time comes, I will.  I think it’s a mistake to think too far ahead because that’s when you lose focus.  All you can think about is right now and right here and this year and this team.

It’s funny but even rookies and players with one year or two years can only think about this year.  Just because you’re here this year, doesn’t mean you’ll be here next year.  Three years is a career so if I play another three years that’s really another career.

So, I look at it that way.  There’s really no way a player can sit there in the catbird seat and relax because you could be gone any minute.


There has also been speculation that following your injury and surgery, you could have trouble separating and cutting.

Amani:  I think at first I wasn’t very good cutting but my technique wasn’t very good at all.  Now I think my technique is better but I’m still going to be coming around and improving for the next couple of days.  But I feel confident that I’ll be able to get back up to speed.


Many viewers consider the distance or space between the receiver and corner as the only criteria involved in separating.  But there’s a lot more involved; for example, a corner can be in better position because of a poorly thrown ball or be off-balance or any number of things.  Could you amplify on that?

Amani:  Separation is really the area where the ball is supposed to be, to give the quarterback a chance to get the ball to you.  If the defensive back is right on top of you and the quarterback throws your way, then the defensive back has a chance to make a play on the ball.  But if you give the quarterback the opportunity to throw you the ball and the ball comes behind you and you have to give back the separation, then it’s up to the receiver.  It’s one of those things where receivers take a lot of heat for a lot of different things (that they can’t always control) so I don’t worry about separation.


The corner usually makes his move when you put your hands in the air.  Do you fake him out a lot that way?

Amani:  Yeah, you can do that.  Plus sometimes they look at your facial expressions.  They look to see if your eyes get big and once your eyes get big they turn around.  That’s a technique that the late Milt Jackson taught me

7/28/07 Group Interview with Amani:

Do you think you will see Strahan play again?

Amani:  I think so, but you never know.  I know he has a lot of offers and opportunities to do other things in life.  It might just be that one day he woke up and said that was it.  For me, selfishly thinking, I don’t think it is it.  I didn’t think Tiki was going to… well, I kinda knew Tiki was going to go.


Shaun O’Hara said that driving up the New York Thruway to get to camp everyone is thinking of retiring because of the rigors of training camp, do you think that is why Michael is contemplating retirement?

Amani:  I don’t know if it is that, but there are a lot of players that will quit after the first couple days of training camp.  They just say that they have had enough.  But yeah it is definitely a time.


How did you feel out there today?

Amani: I felt pretty good.  A little rusty.  No pain, no swelling or anything like that, so I feel pretty good. 


Tom Coughlin stated earlier that he was surprised at how well you performed this morning, would you agree with that?


Amani:  Yeah, well you know I am a little hard on myself.


Are you looking forward to the first exhibition game to really test the knee?

Amani:  I definitely want to do that.  I think I pushed myself pretty hard in the off-season but you can’t really simulate a real game situation. 


How was it practicing today since you had not attended OTAs?

Amani:  It felt good.  This was my target date to get back by and I felt that I hit my target. 


Were you looking forward to the first few weeks of training camp?

Amani:  I definitely was looking forward to it because I wanted to get back into the swing of things.  I wanted to get back to where I was in terms of conditioning and football condition.  Being able to get out there and move around.  I miss playing with the guys, so I think coming back is going to be fun, I am looking forward to the season.


Is it nice to know you surprised the coach today?

Amani: Yeah, I did not know I surprised him.  I think I moved around real well, but I definitely was a bit rusty.  I need some more practice to get back to practice speed.


He said you ran the conditioning test with style yesterday; what did he mean by that?

Amani: I think he meant that because I did not pass out or take an IV.


How does it make you feel to have your parents visit for the start of training camp?

Amani: Well they do it every year.  It is kind of like a thing where they get to come and check me out.  We don’t get a chance to see them that much with me living on the East coast and them living on the West coast.  I like seeing them all the time so you miss them.  Every time you see them it is a opportunity to spend some good time. 

Invitation to Training Camp

It’s just about time for another training camp to begin and even though it will be my 12th camp, I’m as excited about the upcoming season as any rookie.

As always, I hope you’ll find time to come out and watch us practice and cheer us on at the State University at Albany.  The accommodations for fans are excellent with some bleachers under big shade trees.  So you can sit in relative comfort while we’re out on the field practicing and sweating in the hot sun.

After practice there’s an opportunity for fans to obtain autographs along “autograph alley” as the team comes off the field. 

I hope I’ll see you there.

Amani

6/05/07 Interview with Amani:

Is your rehab continuing to go well?  Do you have any personal benchmarks for measuring your progress?

Amani:  No, I have no real benchmarks but I think I could be ready to play now if the season were starting.  I think I’m about 85-90% back to where I was.  I’ve had no setbacks and everything is going according to plan.


How satisfied have you been with your ability to participate in the OTAs?

Amani:  Well, I’m satisfied for now but of course I’m eager to get back into doing the full routine.  I’m still working by myself because the coaching staff is being cautious and that’s probably a good thing.  I know I try to do too much at times.


You’re running by yourself rather than against coverage aren’t you?

Amani:  Yes, I’m not even on the field yet.


Most of the rookies were at the recent OTAs.  Have you met any of them or had an opportunity to talk with them?

Amani:  I’ve met all of them and talked with them briefly but so far there hasn’t been much opportunity for more detailed conversation.


The league has mandated that all teams attend a conference on concussions in June.  Having had concussions yourself, what have you learned on your own? 

Amani:  Mostly that I don’t want to have any more.  The year following the Super Bowl I think it was, I got one in the last game against Green Bay.  I had headaches for two-three days.  We haven’t had our conference yet.


I recall that you shaved your head after one a few years ago.  Why?  Wouldn’t hair help to provide an additional cushion against a blow to the head?

Amani:  I don’t think that’s how it worked for me.  My first concussion, I didn’t think about the hair being a factor but after the second one, when I got hit my helmet was pushed up from the back and forward into my face.  I decided that the hair at the back of my neck was what caused that to happen and prevented the helmet wrapping around the back of my head properly.  That’s when I decided that having hair wasn’t worth it and I had it shaved off.


How would you feel about the proposal that’s being considered to add one game to the regular season and reduce the pre-season?

Amani:  I’m all for it!


There are also proposals to play more games outside the US.  Do you feel this is a fertile market yet to be explored?

Amani:  Absolutely.  I think our game in London sold 50,000 seats in just the first four hours.  Europe is a developing market for the NFL I think, and it’s also very popular in Mexico.  As far as South America goes, I don’t think they have anything there so there’s a big upside for the NFL if it can be introduced there.  I think there’s great growth potential for the NFL throughout the world.  In some places they know a little about it but in others it’s virtually untapped.  I think playing in some of these markets would be great for the game and for everyone involved in the NFL. 

The London game will be my first experience playing outside the U.S.  I think the last time the Giants played a game outside the states was in 1992 or 1993 and I was still in college then.  I’m looking forward to it.


Do you have any problems with jet lag?

Amani:  No, it’s not that big a problem for me.  I think there’s no problem at all if you get there at night and you can sleep when you get in.  It’s more of a problem if you arrive in the morning and then you sleep all day.  I think the only time I had a problem was when I went to Indonesia and there was something like a 12-hour time difference.

Toomer Eager to Rejoin Teammates on the Field

By Michael Eisen, Giants.com

Amani Toomer was in the Giants’ practice bubble today as the team had another OTA (organized team activity, or voluntary practice). But the veteran wide receiver was more spectator than participant. Toomer is pleased with the progress he’s made since undergoing surgery on his left knee seven months ago, but the Giants’ medical staff has not cleared him to participate in drills. So Toomer stood with the other receivers and watched the workout.

“Watching is not something I like to do,” Toomer said back in the locker room. “I miss getting out there and working out with the guys. It’s tough not being in the mix and not getting ready for the games and being in the meetings. But I’ve done it once before and I’ll come back from it again just like I did last time.”

That was 10 years ago, when Toomer returned to action after tearing his right ACL as a rookie the previous year. In the interim, he became the most prolific wide receiver in franchise history. Now he has an almost identical scar on his left knee and is trying to come back again. He has no doubt he will, despite the fact that he will turn 33 on Sept. 8, the day before the Giants open the 2007 season in Dallas.

“I’ll definitely be ready to go,” he said. “It’s a serious injury. But the way the medical field has (improved), they’ve done a good job in handling the ACLs. It’s become almost a routine surgery. It’s a major injury, but it’s one you come back from a hundred percent. I’m looking forward to getting back on the field.”

If there’s a silver lining to the injury, it’s the incentive it gave Toomer to work this offseason. He has always pushed himself to stay in top condition between seasons, but since his surgery he’s been positively maniacal.

“The last couple of years it’s been tough to start working out early in the offseason,” Toomer said. “But this year I’ve been doing it the whole time. I still have a little way to go to get back to game shape. I’ve been running consistently for a month, month-and-a-half. It feels good.”

Toomer expects to be limited to individual drills in next week’s full-squad mandatory mini-camp. And Coach Tom Coughlin said today that Toomer will likely be limited to one practice most days in training camp.

“That’s usually the way you work back from an ACL, with one practice a day,” Coughlin said. “Hopefully, that will be the case and he’ll be pushing to go more. But I would expect it to be one a day.”

Toomer puts in a full day even when he’s not participating in practice.

“He runs and he conditions and he works laterally and he is putting his surgically-repaired knee in all kinds of situations,” Coughlin said. “It’s all about strength right now. When you go one right after the other, it’s also about how it looks the next morning, to what extent he can push it two days in a row.”

Because he loathes watching, Toomer would practice fully every day if he could. But the coaches and trainers are going to apply the brakes to ensure that he doesn’t wear down too quickly.

“I feel like I can do everything, but they’re not letting me do a lot of things,” Toomer said. “That’s a good sign. Hopefully I won’t be limited in training camp. I’ll try not to be. They’ve been slowing me down, trying to get me ready for the long haul. I just want to get back playing every day, like I ordinarily do. I think it will help in terms of keeping me fresh. But hopefully it won’t affect me too much. I need to get back into the rhythm of the game. I think it will come quick.”

Toomer is also helping the team’s young receivers, notably Sinorice Moss and Steve Smith, the second-round choices in the last two drafts.

“They’re trying to tell me something,” Toomer said, smiling. “It’s good to see them. Anytime you can bring depth to the receiving corps it helps everybody. Hopefully, we can put a little more scare into people.”

Coughlin said, “When he’s in the meetings, he’s helpful to those young guys. That will be a real benefit once we get going in the fall.”

Toomer enters his 12th Giants season with 561 receptions for 8,157 yards and 47 touchdowns. He could easily have taken those numbers into retirement and no one would have questioned his sanity if he had pursued a less taxing line of work. But Toomer said last season’s injury never caused him to consider retirement.

“I feel like I still have a lot more to prove and a lot more to do in the game,” he said. “When the time is right, I’ll know. But right now, it doesn’t feel right.”

So Toomer watches and waits, looking forward to the day when he can return to the field as a full-time player.

4/20/07 Interview with Amani:

How is the rehab going now that you’re participating in the off-season strength and conditioning program?

Amani:  It’s really going well.   I’m running a couple of days a week and trying to do the distance I would ordinarily do, just to get the cardio back and do some cutting.  I haven't done a lot of that yet but next week  I'll do more cutting and at the same time try to build up the intensity of my workouts.  It's all going in the right direction.


Is there anything you’re still unable to do or is it just a matter of building up the intensity with everything now?

Amani:  It’s just a matter of building up the intensity now. 


Does that mean you’re ahead of schedule?

Amani:  I think I’m on the same schedule that I was the last time this happened (in 1996) and I’m really excited about the progress and how everything’s going.


With the draft coming up and fans focusing on it, I thought it would be interesting to talk about your draft day.  Did you watch the draft on TV or did you go to New York?

Amani:  I watched the draft on TV.  I was in my dorm room on campus at Michigan and I had a little draft party.  I had a whole bunch of my friends come over and we watched it together there.  My roommate was there and it was a fun day.  I went a little later than I was supposed to go but I still went 34th overall so it wasn’t that bad.  I was a little disappointed at the time though.


When did you expect to be drafted?

Amani:  I thought I would be anywhere around 20.  I thought I would be a late first-rounder.


Who was more nervous, you or your folks?

Amani:  Oh, I’m pretty sure they were more nervous than I was.  They didn’t come out (to Michigan) for the draft.  They were in California watching the selections with my agent.


Do you think it’s a coincidence that over the last 15 years the Giants’  franchise players at wide receiver, running back and defensive end have all been second round picks?

Amani:  Yeah, I don’t know why that is but I do think it’s tough for first rounders to come into New York and live up to the expectations.  If you’re a first round pick in New York, you’re pretty much expected to go to the Pro Bowl that first year.  That’s just how high expectations are in New York.


Did you find it nerve-wracking to hear names being called ahead of yours?

Amani:  Yeah, a little bit because once it’s done it’s done and you can’t ever get your draft position to change.  You can’t try to compete to change it or go a little bit higher.  It’s done and set in cement and there’s nothing you can do but just sit there and wait.


Do you remember how many wide receivers were drafted before the 34th pick?

Amani:  Yeah, six.  I was the seventh.  I thought I would go higher but the 34th pick wasn’t too bad.


Did you receive a phone call from the Giants before you heard your name called?

Amani:  I saw it first on TV and then about 15 minutes after that I got a call from Coach Reeves.  After that I received a whole bunch of conference calls from the New York press.  It seemed like I got about 200 calls but I know it can't really have been that many.


What was your reaction to being selected by the Giants?

Amani:  I was really happy to be going to New York even though I never expected to be going there. I was excited about the pick because I knew Tyrone (Wheatley) was there.  I remembered the Giants playing the 49ers a few years earlier so I knew they were a good team. 

And then just hearing about the reputation of the organization excited me.  Even going through the process leading up to the draft, other teams would talk about the Giants, like “We’re good but New York!”  Whenever the team was talked about, it was always that the organization was a step above.  At the time I thought that was pretty strange because I didn’t really know much about the team or even how teams were viewed in the NFL.


Had you any indication before your actual selection that the Giants were targeting you?

Amani:  No, I didn’t know at all.  The Giants had a top five pick and they took Cedric Jones in the first round and then when the first round ended, I had no idea where I’d go.  I thought Baltimore or Philadelphia were possibilities because I’d been back there for a second workout.  But when the Giants selected me, I was excited about going to New York and I’d say at that point, I was more excited about going to the Giants than I was disappointed at not going in the first round.  I always saw myself as a first round pick.

My folks, of course, hoped I’d go someplace closer to home.  We had thought about San Diego and then Philadelphia and Baltimore because of the workouts there.


I’m sure your dad hoped you’d go to the Raiders, didn’t he?

Amani:  Oh yeah, he did.  And at that time I was a really big 49er’s fan.


When did you leave for New York?

Amani:  The Giants had a rookie mini-camp the next weekend so I arrived in New York for the camp.  That was my first time in New York.  I had been to Boston, I think it was the year before, with my football team, but I’d never been to New York.  There were a lot of people from New York at Michigan so I’d heard about how big it was and I wanted to see it.  I remember thinking that I couldn’t believe how big it actually was despite everything I’d heard.  I expected a little downtown area.  I just couldn’t understand it; it was so big, I didn’t know which end was up.  But it was very exciting at the same time.


How big an adjustment was it to finally be in an NFL locker room and actually practicing with an NFL team?

Amani:  I remember being excited but I don’t remember being intimidated.  It was kind of a weird feeling because I’d spent so many years to get to this place that it was just kind of surreal.  But after the first couple of games, you get over that and start realizing how hard it is.  How hard it is on your body, how grueling it is and how long the season is and then you start looking at it differently.  The speed of the game is so much faster and it’s almost like playing a different game because the strategies are so complex and there’s so much more emphasis on being in exactly the right position.  In college it was enough to be a pretty good athlete but in the NFL guys can figure out ways to stop you no matter how good an athlete you are.

Top Michigan Players in the 2007 Draft
By Gail Bahr

As always the Wolverines will send a number of quality players to the NFL. The first two players shown below are certain first round picks and it wouldn't be a surprise to see either or both go in the top ten.

Cornerback: "Lockdown" Leon Hall, 5-10 _, 195, 4.39 combine
Often considered to be the best cornerback to play for the Wolverines since Charles Woodson. All-American and a finalist for the Jim Thorpe award in 2006. Finished with 12 INTs and 43 PBUs for his career. Experienced four-year starter who enrolled at Michigan, bought his books and started for the Wolverines. Productive and consistent, really came on last two years and had a terrific senior season. Offers good versatility as he has also played safety. Works to improve. Great speed and quickness coupled with exceptional explosiveness and top instincts. Reads and reacts quickly. Terrific body control and athleticism. Exceptional hip flip, can change direction on a dime and is very fluid out of his back pedal. Very quick feet and solid ball skills. Has nice hands and has made some difficult PICs. Excellent in press coverage and good in zone and is also physical and exceptional in run support. Gets a solid jam and can knock receivers off their routes. Is a top leaper who will fight for the ball in the air. Takes good angles putting himself in position to make a play on the ball and usually plays with exceptional technique. Good blitzer. Plays a physical, aggressive game. Solid tackler with good strength. Good return man. At the Senior Bowl he was clearly the best cornerback present and was exceptional in all of the positional drills. North Defensive Player of the Game.

Defensive tackle: Alan Branch, 6-5 3/4, 328, 5.10c Junior entry.
Second team All-American. Versatile, has played defensive end and both tackle positions. Very athletic for size with long arms. Agile, changes direction well and shows some explosiveness at the snap. Powerful and very strong and generally dominating in the run game. Immovable on the line, controls blockers and plugs up running lanes. Physical and takes on double teams effectively and routinely. Can penetrate into the backfield, shed or shred blockers and collapse the pocket. Generally plays with solid technique and has a terrific hand punch. Hits hard and is a wrap up tackler. Reads and reacts quickly. Has good strength for the position, which he demonstrated at the combine by bench-pressing 225 lbs. 33 times.

Inside linebacker: David Harris, 6-2 _, 243, 4.53c
Two-year starter. Finished his Wolverine career as the team's MVP on a defense that included Leon Hall and Alan Branch, both of whom will be high first round picks. Hard working and intelligent with a high-rev motor. Plays smart and generally takes good angles. Reads and reacts quickly and has good instincts. Quick and fast with a very quick first step and good closing speed. Very good run stopper who takes on blockers with solid strength, delivers a strong hand punch, hits like a pile driver and usually wraps up with very good form. Generally maintains leverage and stacks and sheds well. Has good range and makes a lot of plays, especially between the tackles.

Defensive end/linebacker: LaMarr Woodley, 6-2, 266, pro day: 4.74 and 4.84
Recruited as a linebacker, he has also played on offense for Michigan, moving to DE in 2006 where he put together a strong season, finishing with 12 sacks and the Lombardi Trophy. All-American. Plays on the line in some passing situations as a hybrid DE/LB. Team leader, plays flat-out with good instincts and an aggressive, physical style of play. Athletic and instinctive with very good quickness and agility. Top explosiveness and ability to accelerate smoothly and rapidly. Has sideline-to-sideline range. Effective defending the pass or the run. Has very good quickness as a pass rusher and a variety of moves along with solid strength at the POA. Stacks and sheds well. Has solid technique, particularly hand use. Big hitter and sure form tackler. Game changer. Some scouts think he could play either end or linebacker in the NFL. Injured his hamstring in a Senior Bowl practice and didn't work out at the combine. Said his hamstring was still tight on pro day and didn't participate in the three-cone drill.

Outside linebacker: Prescott Burgess, 6-3 7/8, 240, 4.9c, pro day: 4.77 and 4.85 Played safety in high school but was switched to linebacker at Michigan where he played inside and outside as well as at defensive end. His senior season was cut short by injury but he was still named First-Team All-State for the second consecutive year. Long-armed, well-built athlete. Top work ethic and high character guy. Intelligent and competitive. Instinctive, reads and reacts very quickly. Rarely takes a bad angle or gets caught out of position. Good agility with solid quickness, acceleration and range. Big hitter. Can drop into coverage and shows good fluidity in his drops.

Wide receiver: Steve Breaston, 6-1, 193, 4.41c
One of only two players in Big Ten history with 1000+ career yards receiving, returning kicks and returning punts. Top speed and explosion to stretch the field and tough enough to go over the middle. Plays hard. Has a smooth easy running gait and runs crisp routes. Very agile and elusive, makes quick adjustments. Has good hands and can make the difficult catches look easy. Can adjust and come back to the ball. Gets separation and yards after the catch. Excellent return man. Good blocker, as is generally the case with Michigan wide receivers since they are graded on blocking. Attended Shrine week/game and had good practices, demonstrating solid hands and the ability to run crisp routes.

Safety: Willis Barringer, 5-11, 207, 4.5c, didn't work out on pro day
Versatile, with experience at cornerback. Has solid speed with some quickness and good range. Fairly agile athlete with good fluidity to turn and run. Comes out of his back pedal with no wasted motion. Physical player with good strength for the position and will fight for the ball. Excellent special teams player. You recently restructured your contract.  For how long does it now run?