2/27/09 A Brief Conversation with Amani:

Today is the start of free agency.  Other than Corey Webster and Brandon Jacobs there have been no recent re-signings.  Do you think maybe the Giants wanted to get those deals done first to determine how much money under the cap they would have? 

Amani:  Yes, I imagine that the team wanted to get deals done with Corey and Brandon first.  That clearly was the priority


Are you currently in negotiations with the Giants?

Amani:  I need to talk with my agent again but as far as I know there are no negotiations with the Giants and I don’t expect to be back.  I don’t think I figure in the Giants plans. 


Have you any visits to other teams already planned?

Amani:  No, nothing yet.


Do you think the fact that you’re over 30 will work against your getting a good contract?

Amani:  It sure isn’t going to help.  How much it will affect me, I don’t know right now.


Have you any idea how much longer you want to play?

Amani:  Yeah, I think I’d like to play another two or three years.  Then I think I’ll be ready to retire.

1/28/09 Interview with Amani:

There’s a firestorm of media coverage about you in today’s news and some of it is conflicting. Did you intend to criticize the coaching staff’s game plans?

Amani:  No, I absolutely did not intend to criticize nor did I criticize the coaching staff’s game plans.  What I did say was that I thought the team as a whole had less focus this year than they did last year and that I almost could see this loss coming.  That has nothing to do with the coaches.

I do however feel that I was underutilized in the last few games and as I told you earlier in an interview, I thought it was probably to try and develop the younger players.  But it is true that I believe I could have made a greater contribution than I did.  So, I think some of what got reported was inaccurate.


There were reports that your agent has had some preliminary talks with the Giants and that they do have some interest in resigning you. Is this true or not?

Amani:  I believe that there have been some preliminary talks but how far they’ve gone I don’t really know yet.  I also don’t really know how much interest the Giants have or how they view my role so I’ll have to wait and see if their ideas and my own can mesh.  If I am to come back, I want to have a chance to compete.  I don’t want to just come back and have no role in the offense.


There are conflicting statements, both supposedly made by you, saying that you both do and do not want to return the Giants.  Are you in fact conflicted and were the differing reports both accurate?

Amani:  I’ve been a Giant all of my career and I think it’s a great organization so naturally I want to end my career as a Giant. I also love the Giants fans. They’ve always been great to me and I really enjoy playing for them.   But I don’t want to end my career now so if the Giants don’t have any interest in my continued participation in the organization, I’ll look for other opportunities.

Based on how my role declined near the end of the season, I just don’t know how the Giants view my role or even if they really want me back at all. If I were to come back and not really have a chance to compete, then I’d rather go someplace else where I would have a chance to compete.  So, I guess it’s fair to say I am conflicted.


There were also reports that you said your agent has had some discussions with other teams.  Did you actually say that? 

Amani:  No, I did not say that.

Not This Year

By Gail Bahr

The magic of the 2007 post-season is not to be repeated and the team that many pundits believed would once again stand tall at the Super Bowl is instead one-and-done.

They didn’t begin the season as perceived shoo-ins to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.  With the retirement of Michael Strahan and the loss of Osi Umenyiora before the season even began, analysts shrugged off the Giants as a one-year wonder.  Indeed, it was the Cowboys, who didn’t even make the playoffs, who were generally perceived to be the best team in the NFC.

But once the season was underway the Giants won and won again and then continued to win.  By mid-season it was apparent that the Giants would be a contender and, by the end of the regular season, the Giants had secured the best record in the NFC, a first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. 

But none of that mattered when the Giants lost in their first round of playoffs to division rival, Philadelphia.

As expected the game was a battle of two strong defenses and neither team’s defense disappointed.  Justin Tuck, virtually playing on one leg, played a heroic, inspiring game with the rest of the Giants’ defense matching his intensity.

The answer to this loss rests with the offense though as they have all season the offensive line did their usual excellent job. Manning was never sacked and seldom even pressured despite an unremitting pass rush augmented by frequent blitzes from the Eagles’ defense.

Though neither quarterback finished the game with a high passer rating, when the clock ran down to 0:00, it was the Eagles who had more points on the board.

So, the players go home, many of them free agents, wondering if they’ll be back with the team next season.

And none of these free agents has meant more to the franchise than Amani Toomer, holder of nearly all the Giants’ franchise records for wide receivers.

With the status of Plaxico Burress still unclear and a host of talented but unproven receivers on the roster, the need to resign Toomer seems apparent, yet as of this writing there have been no negotiations to extend his contract.

Does that mean much of anything at this point?  Perhaps not. 

On the Monday following the playoff loss, General Manager Jerry Reese told the assembled media, “We’re evaluating everybody right now, so we’re not finished with the process yet so it’s not fair to say who is going to stay and who’s going to go.”

And other free agents report that there have been no negotiations to extend their contacts either. 

Though Amani said he feels uncomfortable talking about his free agent status, he has also said that he hopes to retire as a Giant, adding, “It’s a business.  I understand that.  We’ll have to wait and see how this turns out but I’m certainly as anxious as anyone else to figure it out and find out where I’ll be next year…I’ll do what I can do.”

Like Amani, his fans must wait and hope to see him next season once again wearing his familiar No. 81 Giants’ jersey.

1/07/09 Group Interview with Amani:

How much more confident is Eli this year?

Amani:  I think he is definitely more confident. Just knowing the fact that he went through last year and he had a lot of success just lets you know that he can do it and I am pretty sure he is really confident.


How does facing a division rival add to the intensity of this playoff game?

Amani:  It definitely makes it a lot more personal, I think, when you play a team in your division.  It is a different thing when you play against another team.  We are very familiar with them.  There is nothing that we can hide, there is nothing that they can really hide that they are doing to do, and I just think it is going to be a really physical game and probably will be a real fun game to watch.


Can you talk about the balance of having Eli as a calming influence on the offense and having Brandon Jacobs as a guy who gets more fired-up?

Amani:  You definitely want your quarterback to be one of the calmer guys on the team, no question.  I know Brandon definitely brings a lot of energy, but there are a lot of guys on our team with a lot of energy.  I don’t really know how to answer that question.


Do you think the bye week really helped the team mentally and physically?

Amani:  I think so.  I think a lot of guys are surprised with how good they feel having all that extra time off.  I think the way the schedule was handled everybody was pretty happy with that.  We are ready just to go in and see what we can do this weekend.


Do you feel like you have more energy after the bye?

Amani:  I definitely feel good.  I have been feeling good the last couple of weeks though so I don’t know, I am ready to go.


Is it hard not to think about your future while you are in the middle of the playoffs and this could be your final game with the Giants?

Amani:  You think about that, but there have been three or four years that I went through the same thought process in my head so it is not something I am not used to.  If you play in this league long enough, you are going to have to kind of get used to that feeling.


Can you talk about how Domenik Hixon has developed over the year?

Amani:  I think he has come in and done a great job.  I think he has been really consistent and has opened a lot of people’s eyes with his ability.


Has he opened your eyes?

Amani:  I always thought he was pretty good so it doesn’t really surprise me with what he has done.


How has the Burress situation affected the receivers?

Amani:  I think we have more than just one game-breaking receiver, so I think that he was definitely a loss, but I think that there are a lot of guys in our room that can do some of the things that were done before.

1/05/09 Interview with Amani:

The Giants have had a lot of injuries recently.  Did that make having the bye on Sunday especially critical?

Amani:  I certainly think it couldn’t have hurt.  The only thing I’m concerned about now is the timing factor, getting everything together and building up steam.


Under these circumstances was the bye more relevant than home field advantage?

Amani:  I don’t really know.  I certainly think it’s a good thing to have home field advantage.  This year, unlike last year, we actually play better at home than on the road so it’s a good thing to have.


What was your reaction when you learned that you would play the Eagles for the third time?

Amani:  I think everybody kind of expected it so it really wasn’t a big surprise to us.


The Giants lost to the Eagles the last time they met and they seem to be surging now.  Does it concern you that the Eagles seem to have momentum while the Giants have lost three of their last four games?

Amani:  Yeah, it definitely does but I feel like if we go out and execute, we won’t have a problem.  I think one of the problems with our last game was that we didn’t execute that well and they put us in positions where we weren’t successful at things we ordinarily do.  I think we played one of our worst games against the Eagles and we were still in the game at the end.  So, I felt it was definitely a wakeup call for us.  And I thought in the last couple of games we just weren’t attacking as much as we did earlier and I don’t know what that’s about.


In recent weeks the passing game has been de-emphasized, limiting your role.  How disturbing is that to you?

Amani:  I mean, everybody always wants to compete and when you don’t get a chance to compete, it’s frustrating of course.   We’ll have to see what happens when the playoffs begin. 


Are there currently any negotiations with the Giants to extend your contract?

Amani:  Not that I know of.


Is it your wish to retire as a Giant?

Amani:  Oh definitely, but you can only do what you can do.  And it’s a business; I understand that.  We’ll have to wait and see how this turns out but I’m certainly as anxious as anybody else to figure it out and find out where I’ll be next year.  I figure the playoffs will have a lot to do with it so I’ll do what I can do.  I don’t think my limited role is by accident.  I think maybe it’s to try and develop the other receivers but I don’t know that.


Given that you own most of the Giants’ franchise records for receivers, can you foresee your number being retired down the road?

Amani:  You know I haven’t thought about that.  It would be an honor but I’m still playing.  It would be great but you just never know.

12/21/08 Postgame Group Interview with Amani:

Was this one of the best games you’ve played in for your career?

Amani: Oh definitely, no doubt, playing these types of games – these will be the ones you remember. Blowouts and the losses you don’t even remember. But you remember games like this because it gave us home field advantage and we have an opportunity to have two playoff games here and I think our whole team is excited about the way we came out and played. I think regardless of whether we win or lose, the fact that we came out and competed the way we did – I was really happy with our team. I was really happy with how our defense hung in there and gave us the opportunity to win.


So late in the season it must have been important to start feeling good about yourselves and boost your confidence. Is that what this game has done?

Amani:  I think so. We needed to get a little more confidence and somewhat hot. These last two games weren’t really representative of our season so we wanted to get on the right track and try to figure out the way to win the game and secure home field advantage.


A lot of guys have said the bye is more important than the home field advantage. Does the number one seed and home field advantage mean anything to you?

Amani:  Not really. I think it just gives you an opportunity. It didn’t really help the Cowboys much last year so that’s kind of how I look at it. They aren’t going to give us an extra seven points when we start our first playoff game so it just gives us an opportunity.


Does a windy situation play into you guys’ hands or is it the same for both sides?

Amani:  It’s definitely the same for both sides. I don’t think there was much we couldn’t do against them. I think our running game really dominated towards the end of the game. It took over and whatever was working is how our team goes in terms of trying to win games.


How good was it to see that running game back on track like it was earlier in the year?

Amani:  It was definitely good. I think we are getting back to some of the stuff that we have done. It gives us what we had in the beginning of the year so I think everybody is pretty happy about that. Like I said it only gives us an opportunity. It doesn’t really do that much for us.

12/18/08 Interview with Amani:

I know you didn’t want to win the NFC East title the way you did but do you and the team still take pride in the accomplishment?

Amani:  Yeah, I think we do but I think it’s more about setting ourselves up for the playoffs rather than worrying about how we won the division.  Last year we didn’t win the division but we went to the Super Bowl and won it.  So, I don’t think we’re focused on that as much as we are on playing better.


Have you any idea why the offense struggled so much against Philadelphia and Dallas?

Amani:  I don’t really but it’s been a little frustrating for me.  Ever since the Redskins game, I don’t feel like I had the chance to make much of a contribution but it’s hard to really put a finger on why we’ve struggled.  It seems like ever since we scored at Washington, our whole offense has been unrecognizable.


Teams seem determined to stop the rushing attack and let the Giants beat them through the air.  Now with Plax gone, is that putting too much pressure on a pretty young, inexperienced group of receivers?

Amani:  I don’t know, I don’t know why we’re not attacking defenses the way we can.  The whole thing is kind of frustrating.


There have been a lot of dropped balls in the last two weeks.  Could that be attributable to having so many young players under increased pressure?

Amani:  That’s a tough question but I really don’t know what’s going on.


Even the offensive line struggled last week.

Amani:  Yeah, which is definitely not a normal thing.


Hixon is injured and now Moss is hurt as well.  The Giants are getting thin at receiver.

Amani:  Well, Hixon has been able to play.  I don’t think it’s the injuries.  I think it’s just a problem of needing to play better and getting back to doing the things we know we can do.


Aside from his on-field play is the loss of Burress significant because opponents tended to roll additional safety coverage over to Plax?

Amani:  No, I don’t think that’s a factor.  It’s just that we’re not playing as well as we should be and we need to get back to the way we played most of the season.


Would you consider this Sunday’s game a must win as it’s likely for the bye and home field advantage?

Amani:  It’s not a must win but it’s pretty close.  We still won the Super Bowl last year without a bye or home field advantage.  What’s important is that we use these last two games to play the way we know we can.


Both teams have excellent running games but in the Giants’ case Jacobs and Ward are injured.  Do you think this game will be essentially won on the ground?

Amani:  That’s hard to say.  Games have a way of taking on a life of their own, no matter how you think it will play out before the game. The weather is supposed to be bad but I don’t know yet what kind of winds we’re supposed to have.

12/03/08 Excerpt from Group Interview with Brandon Jacobs:

They are going to try and load the box now. Are you comfortable the receivers will be able to take advantage of that with Plaxico gone?

Brandon:  Yeah, they loaded the box on Sunday. The receivers were great. Tooms had a great game. Tooms is the man by the way. So all of you know that, Tooms is definitely the man, he is a great receiver and I would love to play with Toomer the rest of my career. Tooms played very, very, very well on Sunday and Tooms is always going to come through.

12/03/08 Group Interview with Amani:

Did you have a chance to talk to Steve Smith about what happened with him being robbed?

Amani:  Not really.  There is not really much to be said.  He just basically described the situation and that is pretty much all that he talked about.


Was everyone relieved to get back to practice today and put the Plaxico Burress situation behind them?

Amani: I think that we all realize that we still have a job to do and things happen off the field, but that doesn’t take any of the focus away from the opponent that we have coming in this week in the Eagles.


As a veteran what kind of advice do you give to the younger players?

Amani:  I think that when they come here they are pretty much grown up and they understand the rules.  There is not really much that I can tell them that is going to effect them.   Most guys here follow the rules and there are no problems.


Do you find yourself coaching the younger players?  Instructing other guys in route running and other things?

Amani:  I don’t really do that much.  I do what I do and I kind of set an example.  I don’t really have much to really say in terms of how they run them because everybody has their own style and there are a lot of ways to be successful as a receiver.  I realize that so I am not going to go up to somebody and tell them how to run something.  Maybe if they are doing something that I feel like I can give them a pointer or two I will say something, but most of the time I wait for the people to come to me because I know how unreceptive I was when I was a younger player.  When somebody would tell me something I would be like, ‘yeah, yeah, right, right,’ but when they come to me that is when I really feel like I can get through to them.


How does the receiving corps step up when you take a physical presence like Plaxico Burress out of it?

Amani: I don’t know.  I don’t think you really replace somebody like Plaxico.  I think everybody has to step up their game and pick up the slack a lot like what happened when Shockey went down.  It is kind of the same situation and hopefully we can overcome that and have a successful season like we did last year.  You just have to be more on your toes in terms of making the right reads, catching the ball, getting open, and the sense of urgency has to rise and realize that there is going to be a void in our offense and somebody is going to have to fill it.


When Plaxico was first suspended earlier in the year you said you would be interested to see how it would play out when he returned, now that it has come to this what are your thoughts on the whole situation start to finish?

Amani:  It is just an unfortunate situation.  I think a lot of people don’t realize what type of person he really is.  He spends his time off going down to give away turkeys down in Virginia and doesn’t really get much publicity for that type of stuff, but he does a lot in his hometown.  Knowing him personally of course I am a little biased, but I think that he is a really good dude and I think that a lot of people misunderstand him just because of the fact that he is a quiet person.  It is just the way it is.


How much of the focus this week is wrapping up the division?

Amani:  I think it is at the top of the list.  We have been working all year to get an opportunity to go to the playoffs and win the division, something that none of you guys really thought we were going to do at the beginning of the year, so it is a good opportunity to prove the experts wrong.  I think the foremost thing on everybody’s mind is winning the division.


Has that been a theme for this team, proving the doubters wrong?

Amani:  We didn’t get a lot of the fanfare going into the season that a lot of Super Bowl teams get and so we felt like it was kind of business as usual.  We enjoy the process, which are the practices and the preparation for the game, and I think that is where we kind of rest our head on and that is where we kind of build our foundation for the season on and I think it has been a real smooth transition from last year to this year.


You had some emotional reactions on the field last week and that is a little unlike you, were any special emotions effecting you?

Amani:  No, whenever somebody gets a free shot at you and takes it you have to let them know that it didn’t really hurt.  You have to let him know that it is a part of the mental game and I pride myself on not getting bullied out there and I didn’t want to let him get an inch.


Do you think you feel that you should be the number one receiver now with Plaxico gone?

Amani:  I really don’t even want to get caught up in that.  I feel like my job is not going to change regardless of who is out there.  I am going to go out there and try to perform and help the team as much as I can.  I am not worried about who is number one, who is number two, or who is number three.  I think we all catch the ball the same, we all get the same amount of yards, so it doesn’t really matter to me and that has never been my focus.


Do you get a certain satisfaction of being in the league so long and still have success?

Amani:  It feels good.  I like my job and I enjoy it and I am going to keep doing it.  I enjoy coming to work in the morning, I enjoy the practices, I enjoy a lot about hanging around the guys, and I love first and foremost competing against everybody, both in the locker room and on the field. 

12/01/08 Excerpt from Inside Football:

Amani Toomer: We thought the Giants would need receivers that could put pressure on defenders down the field.  Enter the veteran Toomer.  He was man-to-man with Fred Smoot on the first offensive possession of the game.  Toomer started out slow, then changed gears, suddenly leaving Smoot in the dust as he raced toward the pylon for a 40-yard touchdown.

As we have said before, the change of speeds on a deep route is more important than the speed itself, and this is something Toomer does to perfection.

On the next possession, he caught an in route against DeAngelo Hall.  What was impressive was the tackles he broke as he made his move down the field, as he was able to pick up 15 yards on the play.

12/01/08 Excerpt from Coach Coughlin's Conference Call:

Amani Toomer has been valuable.  Is he more valuable now than ever?

Coach Coughlin:  He has been extremely valuable ever since I have been here.  He obviously played very well yesterday.  He really made a great play there to start the game off – he and Eli.  The protection was outstanding.  And it was certainly a great way to start that game with a drive under those conditions and to make a play like that.  Thank you for asking.

12/01/08 Conference Call (Group Interview with Amani):

Do you feel you are more valuable to the team now than ever?

Amani:  I don’t really know if I am more valuable.  I just try to go out and do my job.  That is really not a decision that is up to me. I just do my job and figure out where I kind of fit in.


Have you had any talks with the Giants about renewing your contract or getting a new one?

Amani:  No, I haven’t. I haven’t spoken to my agent in a couple of weeks.  Maybe they have had some talks, but I don’t know.  This time of year I just want to focus on playing and with everything else, let the chips fall where they may, so to speak.


Would you like to remain a New York Giant for your entire career?

Amani: I would, I know it would be great and I really love it in New York but it is a business and I just hope it all works out and makes sense for both parties.


Does your role in the offense change at all when Plaxico Burress is not on the field?

Amani: No, because I play the opposite side so it does not really affect me as much.  I don’t play the position he plays.


Is it as simple as you guys run the plays the same and Domenik Hixon steps in for Burress or is there more of an emphasis of throwing the ball to a different direction?

Amani:  Not to us.  Every weekend, every week, the game plan is different.


Do you see it as a coincidence that the two weeks you didn’t have Burress out there as much, the opposing teams were stacking up against the run game?

Amani: Honestly I don’t think it has much to do with Plaxico; I think it has a lot to do that for the three weeks in a row we ran for 300 yards.  It is pretty hard to come back when you are trying to game plan a team and they are running for 300 yards three or four weeks in a row, that is something you have to stop because when you run the ball you control the clock, you control the game, you set the tempo, and you wear down the defense and it is hard to win when you get out-rushed.


If this thing with Burress lingers for weeks could it become a hindrance to the team?

Amani:  I don’t think it would be a hindrance.  I think our team is a very resilient bunch.  We have a lot of competitive guys that really want to win and I think it is showing every Sunday when it doesn’t matter what happens when we get on the field on Sunday that is kind of our chance to really prove to everybody the type of team that we really are.


If it was left up to the players themselves, do you think you guys would want Plaxico back with you?

Amani:  That is not a decision that any of us could make.  I really don’t want to get into speculation.  I haven’t polled the locker room so I couldn’t even begin to give you a responsible answer.


Have you or any of your teammates had a chance to talk to Plaxico?

Amani:  I haven’t talked to him.  I haven’t had a chance to speak to him.  I know some people have, I haven’t, I didn’t really ask if they talked to him, but they kind of talked about just general types of things.


Have you or any of the other team leaders addressed the team as a whole or talked to the players about how to deal with off the field problems, how to go forward, or just talk overall about what players are talking to each other about?

Amani:  Honestly mostly we are talking about our situation, our playoff situation.  We are trying to secure a playoff spot and trying to get homefield advantage throughout and that is the only thing that is really on our minds.  Everything else is just that, it is a distraction.  Things have happened this season, but we still have to go out there and perform.  It is what we are paid to do and we enjoy it.


How have your skills changed?  Do you still feel you are the deep threat that you were in your youth?

Amani:  Yeah.  I think I can do everything that I did when I was younger.  I think doing yoga and a lot of the stuff that I do in the offseason has definitely helped me out a lot.  There were a couple of years where my flexibility wasn’t as good as it is now and I felt it on the field so I think as I go through my routine, so to speak, it has enabled me to do a lot of the same things that I have done.  I think the experience actually helps me as well because I think I am doing pretty well.


If you do have to go without Plaxico the rest of the way are you confident in being able to do that?

Amani: I think that we have played really well this year as a unit and I think there are a lot of people on our team that are playing really well and I don’t think that will change regardless of who is in there.


Is there any sense of disappointment in the locker room?

Amani: No.  I think there are a lot of people thinking the whole situation is unfortunate, just because he is a guy that everybody on the team likes and everybody wants him around, stuff like that, but it is just an unfortunate situation with people making mistakes and we can’t really do too much about it.


What exactly does the NFL do in the off-season programs or training camp in regard to giving you presentations on safety?

Amani: They give us probably about an hour or hour and a half lecture and they give us phone numbers if we need any help and things of that type of nature.  I think it is pretty helpful.  I don’t know many people that have run into too many problems.  They are trying to be proactive and handle the situation as best they can.


Is there any trade secret of keeping yourself out of trouble off the field?  Why have you been so successful at doing that and do you have any advice for your teammates that have not?

Amani: I don’t really have any advice.  I couldn’t answer that.  Why have I not gotten in trouble?  I didn’t think it was that hard not to get in trouble.


Have you taken any conscious steps in order to avoid situations that could be troublesome?

Amani: I don’t really go out that much.  I don’t really hang out that much at night in the city as much as I did when I was younger and even when I was younger I really didn’t enjoy that type of thing as much, so I guess that is it.


Do you want to play next year?

Amani: I definitely want to play next year.  No question. 

The Quiet Receiver

By Gail Bahr

In a league known for its divas, it’s both rare and refreshing to see a wide receiver who doesn’t skip practices, fall asleep at meetings, complain about how many balls he doesn’t get or try to draw attention to himself with goofy on-field celebrations.

Instead, Amani Toomer is a model citizen who just does his job quietly and without fanfare saying, “I prefer to approach the game like a surgeon, coolly and under control.  I just think that’s how I play my best game.”

But perhaps this cool control is the double-edged sword that has prevented his getting the recognition he so richly deserves.  Though he holds most of the Giants’ franchise records for wide receivers and several others as a punt returner, Toomer is generally overlooked when the top receivers in the league come up for discussion.

Asked if he thinks his refusal to draw attention to himself for anything other than his on-field play is why he’s generally overlooked, he disagrees.  Quietly, of course.

“I don’t think I’ve been overlooked by the Giants’ fans at all.  They’ve always let me know on the field or with e-mails to my web site or even when we meet someplace that they recognize and appreciate my efforts.  And I also think the Giants’ media has always treated me fairly.”

How about the national media?

“Well, there maybe I have been overlooked a little.  I guess I still have something more to prove; I would still like to go to a Pro Bowl and another Super Bowl before my career is over,” Toomer concludes somewhat wistfully.

Now in his 13th year in the league, Amani has taken a lot of big hits though he’s had relatively few serious injuries to show for it.

“I think I’ve stayed pretty healthy because I always try to stay in top condition.  Even in the off-season I work out and when I go on vacation, at least I try to find someplace to run.”

Amani acknowledges that at some point his career will end but denies that the time is at hand.

“Like I said before there are still some goals I want to achieve and I still have the desire to go out and compete.  I believe I would hang it up if I felt I could no longer contribute effectively but I don’t believe that time is here.”

Still Toomer recognizes that the NFL is a fickle league and productive players have been cut by teams in the past. 

“I try not to think about things I can’t control but I also think the best way to prevent being cut is to go out there every week and show that I can still perform at a high level.”

And he still does.

11/17/08 Excerpt from Inside Football:

Amani Toomer: There are only so many balls to go around so the fact that Toomer only had one catch does not mean that he was blanketed and not open throughout the game. We also watched Toomer on the blocking end where he fared well.  As we have often stated, the ability to get 8 to 10 yards involves good blocking by the offensive line.  The ability to break one deep has to involve the blocking of the wide receivers.  When the Giants running backs bounced the ball outside this week it was Toomer and company who blocked the corner and help spring the big play.

11/12/08 Interview with Amani:

You called the Eagles game perfectly in our interview last week.  How do you see the upcoming Ravens’ game?

Amani:  I don’t know because they’re a team that we don’t play very much.  I do think they’re a team that tries to trick you and trip up the offensive line.  And I think they do that very well in terms of disguising up their defense and that’s what we’re going to have to try and overcome.  But I think we match up very well against them though I also think they’re the best defense we’ve played against yet this season.


At the very worst, now the Giants can only split with their division rivals though I’m sure you want to sweep them.  Still, does that provide something of a “security blanket” for the team?

Amani:  I’m not really sure.  I do know we want to sweep the division teams and win the division outright.


You had five catches in the first quarter and none later in the game.  This is something that has occurred in other games, not necessarily involving you but other receivers.  Why does that happen do you know?  Does the opponent roll additional coverage over to that receiver?

Amani:  No, I just think that’s just the way games play out sometimes.  I don’t think anyone is getting any less open.  I think it’s just something that happens in the course of games.


Since the Ravens have the #1 rush defense while the Giants have the #1 ground game, do you expect the Giants to have difficulty running? 

Amani:  You never know in advance how something like that will work out but if the running game struggles there will be more opportunities for the receivers and I think the Giants have very good receivers too.


There are now numerous injuries to guys that have played extremely well in the Giants’ defensive backfield.  Do you think this could cost the team defensive points this week?

Amani:  I think so but I also think we have a lot of guys who can step right in so the defense doesn’t miss a beat.  There’s Sam Madison for example; he can step right in and the defense won’t miss a beat.  There’s R. W. and maybe we’ll even get some guys back this week, who knows?


Do you subscribe to the belief that there’s a psychological advantage to the team that scores first?  Do you think the advantage is greater if the opponent is perceived to be weak?

Amani:  Yeah, there’s a definite psychological advantage and I think weak teams might give up more quickly if their opponent scores first.  But we’ve won both ways.  We’ve even come back in the second half and won the game but in general I do think it’s an advantage to score first.


Putting the politics aside, how important is it to you to be able to tell your future children that they can grow up to be anything they wish, even President of the United States?

Amani:  It’s important to me but I think it’s much more than just for any kids I may have.  I think it’s very important to how we’re perceived in the world.  They said it was something we couldn’t do and we’ve done it

11/03/08 Interview with Amani:

Can you talk a little about your big touchdown play in the second quarter?

Amani:  There really wasn’t much to it; it happened so quickly.  It was a curl pattern; I ran it, came back and the ball was in the air.  Honestly I don’t really remember it that well because it happened so quickly.  It’s just an instinctive reaction; I saw it and I just grabbed it. 


It didn’t look like a very easy catch.

Amani:  No, no it wasn’t but like I said you just react.  You don’t have time to think about it.


In some games the offense has struggled in the red zone but that wasn’t the case yesterday.  Why do you think the Giants were so successful yesterday?

Amani:  Well, we knew we needed to improve over what happened last week so it was just something that we stressed all week in practice.  We knew we had to do better and we did.


Did you notice anything different in the red zone play other than the result?

Amani:   I think it was just a case of better execution.


There were some breakdowns on offense.  Do you think it was the play of the defense that kept you in the game giving the offense time to right itself?

Amani:  Yeah, we went through a little low period there and I think we still need to figure out how to put it together so we’re more consistent on offense.  But to answer your question, certainly the defense helped us out by playing a great game and we need to take our hats off to them.


In the last two weeks James Butler made a pair of interceptions that would be good catches for a receiver.

Amani:  Absolutely.  The one where he stretched out for it last week was really good.  He’s a very talented guy.


This was an important win against a division opponent with another coming up Sunday.  The Eagles have fewer injuries than Dallas.  Are you expecting the Eagles game to be a struggle?

Amani:  Yeah, definitely this game will be a struggle and could go down to the wire.  They’re playing really well now and I think Brian Westbrook is by far one of the best backs in the league.  I think he’s always been underrated.  But hopefully, we can put together a good game against them.


Your foundation is actively involved in building parks and playgrounds for children.  Does the winter weather cause you to put your plans on hold each year?

Amani:  Yeah, we usually try to finish all the construction before the winter weather sets in.

10/29/08 Interview with Amani:

For the third consecutive week, the Giants were inconsistent on offense even though they finished strong and won two of the last three games.  Even the run game has been less productive.  After reviewing the game film, have you any ideas about what may have changed in recent weeks?

Amani:   You know I really don’t know.  I have looked at a lot of film but can’t see anything specific.   I really couldn’t come to any conclusions so I can’t give you a good answer to that question.  But I’ve been thinking about it too.


Your 30-yard reception in the 4th quarter was huge in allowing the Giants to get into position to win.  Both Coach Coughlin and Eli Manning spoke about it in today’s press conference.

Amani:  Thank you and I wasn’t aware of any comments so it’s nice to hear.  Everyone likes to be appreciated.


You made a rare statement on the sideline after the game when you said that the Plaxico situation is unfortunate and hurting the team right now.  What led you to speak out since you usually choose to lead by example?

Amani:  Actually what I said was that it was hurting the team by his not being out there so it’s just not a good situation.  Hopefully, time will resolve the situation and we won’t need to lose his services again.


The Giants are now in the difficult stretch of their schedule.  Do you think that maybe having to settle down and play better will in itself improve the offense?  Had it maybe been too easy leading up to the Pittsburgh game?

Amani:  I don’t think it’s ever easy.  It’s never easy.  I don’t think there’s any concrete reason for what has been going on.  We’re doing the same things but it’s just not clicking right now and I don’t know why.  I just don’t know; I can’t explain it.


The penalties have returned in recent weeks.  Do you consider them primarily a lack of focus?

Amani:  No, I think a couple of the personal fouls were just people playing really hard and maybe there were some questionable calls but we have to live with that and just move on.


Are you expecting it to be as noisy at Giants Stadium this week as it was in Pittsburgh?  Dallas was widely expected to win the division at the start of the season.

Amani:  No, I don’t think our stadium is one of the noisiest stadiums in the league though it is a division rivalry and the fans will be up for this game.


Within the five-yard area is the WR allowed the same degree of contact as the defensive back?

Amani:  No, our job is to avoid the contact.  A receiver can get flagged for the same contact a DB is allowed within the five-yard range.


Last week you were scheduled to begin work on Titus Park in Paterson, N.J.  Has work actually begun and if so when do you expect to complete the project?

Amani: It's finished; we finished last week.   We were able to complete the whole project in one day because there were a whole bunch of volunteers along with a lot of people from Home Depot.   I think we completed the entire project in about nine hours.  They came with all the tools we needed, which made everything move along efficiently, and it actually looks pretty nice.

10/29/08 Excerpt from Coach Tom Coughlin's Press Conference:

Q:  Amani Toomer had the great fourth down catch last week. What comfort level does he give you?

Coach:  He is so reliable.  That is the key as far as I am concerned.  He gets his hands on it, he is going to catch the ball.  Obviously Eli has tremendous confidence in him as well, and that was quite a play.

Q:  Is he a part of your leadership council?

Coach:  Do you see him go out there before the game?  He is a captain.  He is an elected captain.  He is one of the members of the leadership council and he is also a captain.

10/28/08 Excerpt from Inside Football:

Amani Toomer: After an odd delay of game penalty which came after a time-out, all looked lost for the Giants on this fourth quarter drive. Not so, as Toomer went deep down the left sideline to make a perfect over-the-shoulder grab.  Toomer has that uncanny knack of getting open deep and stretching his body out to make the tough catch look easy.

Amani to Visit George G. White Middle School, Hillsdale, N.J. on Tuesday, 10/28

Toomer among 34 players participating in “NFL Take a Player to School” presented by JCPenney Afterschool

WHO:      New York Giants WR Amani Toomer, Students from George G. White Middle School

WHAT:   Toomer will pick up 6th grade student Chase Strynkowski in a limo from his house, take him to George G. White Middle School, visit the Principal’s office, and speak to students about the importance of good health. During the visit, Toomer will lead kids in fitness activities, as part of NFL’s PLAY 60 campaign, helping youth get 60 minutes of exercise a day.

 WHERE:  George G. White Middle School/120 Magnolia Ave/Hillsdale, NJ.

WHEN:   Tuesday, October 28  8:40 am (Chase’s arrival time at school with Toomer)

NEW YORK GIANTS’ AMANI TOOMER JOINS VOLUNTEERS FROM THE HOME DEPOT AND KABOOM! TO BUILD A PLAYGROUND FOR TITUS PARK IN PATERSON, N.J.

-- National Neighborhood MVP Program Honors Toomer for Giving Back to the Community --

WHAT:   Amani Toomer, wide receiver for the New York Giants, along with volunteers from The Home Depot, organizers from the nonprofit KaBOOM! and members of the City of Paterson are joining forces to build an entire playground for Titus Park in just one day. This community playground project will provide a safe and fun place for students to play while promoting positive and healthy lifestyles. The project will also provide a valuable opportunity for the community to work together to improve the lives of the more than 3,000 children who live in the area and attend neighboring elementary schools.

The playground build is part of The Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP program that recognizes and celebrates NFL players for their commitment to giving back to their local communities. Toomer was one of 17 players selected league-wide for his work in founding the Amani Toomer Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing the awareness of and providing resources to after-school recreation programs in the New York and New Jersey areas.

The Home Depot developed the NFL Neighborhood MVP program as part of its ongoing commitment to give back to the communities its associates live and work in.

WHO:    Amani Toomer, wide receiver, New York Giants, 160 The Home Depot associate volunteers, 50 Paterson-area volunteers

WHERE:  Titus Park, 81-95 Clinton St., Paterson, NJ 07522

WHEN:   Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008  8:30 a.m. to 3 PM-Volunteers build playground, 12:30 to 2:30 PM-Interview opportunity with Amani Toomer, 2 PM-Board-cutting ceremony to open the new playground

10/16/08 Interview with Amani:

The loss to Cleveland looked like a major letdown in all facets of the game.  Can you talk about what worked and what didn’t work on offense?

Amani:  Honestly, there was a lot of stuff that didn’t work and I really expected us to compete better.  We had a chance to be up by two games.  I don’t think we came out flat as is often alleged but maybe they wanted the game more than we did.  It’s really as puzzling to me as it probably is to other people.


What was more disappointing to you, not getting a catch or losing the game?

Amani:  Losing the game is always more important but both were right up there.


Does this loss in Cleveland make the game vs. San Francisco seem more of a challenge or more critical than it would have a week earlier?

Amani:  No, it doesn’t make it seem more of a challenge.  But San Francisco is a team in the conference and they’re always a tough team to play.  Just the fact that it’s in the conference makes it more important for us to beat them.


According to national media this season the Giants’ expectations went from a team with virtually no chance to repeat to the toast of the town.  Now the pendulum is probably swinging again.  Do you pay any attention to this sort of thing?

Amani:  No, not really because if we did pay any attention we would never have had a chance last year.  Everyone is an expert even if they have no track record.


In a blowout like the Seattle game a week ago, would you rather be on the field contributing late in the game or do you think it’s better for you to come out and save yourself for the long haul?

Amani:  I’d always rather compete so I’d rather be in there playing and contributing.


On more than one of your receptions this season, you have had to split two defenders to make the catch.  What characteristic enables a receiver to be able to make this catch?

Amani:  Well, of course receivers are better at catching the ball and that’s why they’re defenders rather than wide receivers.  So you always feel you have that advantage over a defensive player and that you can get the ball and they can’t. You never give up on the ball because the advantage should be yours.  When it’s two defenders, I guess I’d say I concentrate on one of them and work on him.

There is a perception in the league that a receiver needs extraordinary speed to go long but neither Jerry Rice nor Anquan Boldin were/are at all fast and yet they have been very successful.  What do you consider essential in your or any receiver’s ability to run the deep routes?

Amani:  There’s no simple answer because so much goes into that.  A lot of it is in the release.  If you have either quick hands or quick feet to get a quick release off the line of scrimmage, that’s a factor. You need to have one or the other.   Also, some teams just don’t go long that often so, of course, that would affect the perception of whether the receiver can go long.  Then you have to have a quarterback that can throw the ball accurately deep and of course the offensive line makes a difference.  There are a lot of factors that need to go into it before a receiver can be considered a deep threat.


Have you started work on your new park in Paterson, N. J. yet?

Amani:  No, we haven’t but we’re starting work next week.

10/06/08 Excerpt from Inside Football:

Amani Toomer: While not posting gaudy numbers, the Giants’ offensive captain had a very good game. Their second touchdown of the game was set up by a deep pass to Toomer,
who easily got deep between both safeties to make the catch, almost getting into the end zone.

This was a case where Seattle was in a two deep zone and Toomer was able to split the defenders. The Seahawks were called for pass interference, but it did not matter as Toomer was able to come down with the ball.

9/29/08 Interview with Amani:

Do you feel that Burress’ suspension and appeal could be a distraction going into the game against Seattle?

Amani:  It’s a tough thing to even talk about because it’s so sensitive.  Let me say just that it’s horrible for both parties.


You set another benchmark with your first catch against Cincinnati, becoming only the ninth active player and the 39th in league history to achieve more than 9,000 yards receiving.  Were you aware of it?

Amani:  Did I really?  Wow!  No, I didn’t know that.  That’s great.  I knew that I was getting near the benchmark but didn’t realize I had actually achieved it.


You gave another textbook presentation of your trademark toe tap at the end of the Bengals’ game without which the Giants would likely have lost the game.  How sure were you at the time that both toes were in bounds?

Amani:  Actually, I wasn’t that sure at the time and I was afraid that maybe I didn’t drag my feet enough.  That’s why I was checking the Jumbotron.


Immediately following the game, referring to the overtime reception, you said, “I needed it.”  What did you mean by that?

Amani:  Well, I didn’t start that game; I came in off the bench and I felt like when I did get in there I needed to really make some plays and contribute.


Do you know why you didn’t start?

Amani:  No, I don’t.


Overall, how satisfied were you with the offensive performance?

Amani:   I don’t know.  I thought Cincinnati made it a lot tougher for us by doing none of the things that they’ve done so far in the season.  It’s a tough thing to prepare for and go into the game because they’re doing things they don’t ordinarily do.  I thought we did a good job of adjusting to what we saw.


Despite the Giants also starting 0-2 last year, do you feel the offense came out flat?

Amani:  No, I don’t think so.  I just think we were set aback by some of the things they were doing.  We made the adjustments but it was kind of done on the fly because they didn’t do a lot of the things they usually do.  And, too, they’re a good team so that’s another factor.  This week is similar.  We face another good team in Seattle and they’ll be getting their receivers back for our game.  So again, they will be able to do some things differently than they’ve done so far this season.


In general, having the bye after only three games is awfully early.  In this case, however, do you think it might be beneficial because you gives you an extra week to work out some of the problems that have surfaced?

Amani:  I think so.  We may be micro-managing right now because we’re looking at only three games all of which we’ve won, with only one really being competitive. 


Did you take advantage of having a few days off during the bye to go away?

Amani:  Yes, my girlfriend and I went down to Miami for a couple of days to just hang out.


Do you still play any golf?

Amani:  No, I’m not a golfer.  I tried it for a while but I’m not really into that whole thing.  There’s so much else I’d rather do.


The Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP program was going to have a vote on the final eight representatives who would then build a park.  Has that vote occurred yet and if so were you voted on or off the island?

Amani:  I don’t know if it’s been voted on yet but of course we’ll go ahead and build the park in Paterson, N. J. regardless.  I’m definitely going to help rebuild that park, that’s definite.  We’ll begin within a month.

9/24/08 Excerpt from Big Blue Interactive:

Amani made the plays he had to make in crunch time.  Toomer finished with a solid 5 grabs for 64 yards, none more important or impressive than his tip toe job on a 31 yard pass on 3rd and 10 in overtime that put the Giants in position for the win.

9/22/08 Excerpt from Inside Football.com:

"When the Giants needed a big play on the sideline late in the game, that’s when this veteran stepped up. 

All game long, the Bengals were playing the Giants’ receivers tight to the line of scrimmage, and in regulation, the Giants did not test the Bengals deep down the field. In overtime, this changed and the Giants managed to get good results.

Toomer got off the line, made a quick stutter step, and then burst deep down the sideline.  As he always does, he left enough room on the sideline for Manning to get him the ball. As he always does, Toomer got both feet in bounds."

9/15/08 Interview with Amani:

You were prophetic last week when you said you thought the Giants should spread the ball around more because it was so successful in last year’s playoff run.  It was certainly successful against the Rams.

Amani:  Well, I think we were successful in part because we did spread the ball around and in part because we had a balanced attack.  We had a good game plan and it was very successful.


Would you keep more long passes in the game plan if it were up to you?

Amani:  Oh, definitely because I think we have the people to do it.  I think last week we could have connected on a few more.  I obviously don’t think it would have affected the game but you still want to come out and play the game the very best you can.


Eli went long, often to you, a lot last Sunday.  Do you prefer going deep to running some of the shorter routes?

Amani:  I do; I definitely do because those are all the potentially game changing plays.  So anytime you can catch one of those long ones, you put a little bit of a dagger in your opponents’ defense.  So, I like having that opportunity.


Many receivers dislike going over the middle because of the possibility of getting clobbered.  How do you feel about it?

Amani:  I don’t mind it at all.  I think there are ways of doing it to minimize the risks to your body and I feel very comfortable doing it.  The risks are minimal if you go about it correctly and I think I know how to do that.


In the same way that you’re known for your toe-tap in the end zone or on the sideline, do you feel that one or even a few routes are your specialty?

Amani:  No, there are none that are my specialty though there are definitely some that I prefer-such as we just talked about.  But I practice them all equally and try to be equally good on all of them so that I can feel I’m good on any of the routes.


Do you have a preference whether the Giants go two, three or four wide?

Amani:  No, that really doesn’t matter to me at all.


The Bengals are in the same position now as the Giants were in last year.  Does that make you uneasy about this game?

Amani:  Oh, it definitely does.  I mean, you never want to play a team with their back against the wall like Cincinnati.  We know exactly what it’s like to have your back to the wall like we did last year and in years past, so I think we all believe they will come out swinging with everything they have.  You have to be wary of that.

9/09/08 Interview with Amani:

Aside from being a team captain, now you’re also on the leadership council.  Could you explain your role as a council member?

Amani:  Yeah, I’m moving on up.  The leadership council exists because sometimes the coach wants to get the players’ perspective on things so there are several of us on the council who he feels represent the team.  He asks us what we think about different things and explains some of his decisions to let us have a better idea where he’s coming from in different situations.  I think that collectively we may have some influence on decisions. 

It’s not like he’s asking us what time we should come in to work or anything like that but sometimes he may ask us something like, “Which would you rather have, this or that?”


What happened on the play where you were in the end zone?  From your body language it looked like you were expecting the ball to go somewhere other than where it went.

Amani:  That was a miscommunication.  I wasn’t aware that Eli had changed the play and we just weren’t on the same page.  Actually, I wasn’t even running a route; I was just trying to block guys and when the ball shot by me, I was surprised.


Have you any idea why the offense began to sputter after such an excellent start?

Amani:  I have no idea other than that we’re not as far along as we thought we were.  We have a lot of work to do and fortunately we have a little extra time this week.  So I think this week we’ll be determined to get things going.


Aside from the red zone offense, what areas jumped out at you as needing improvement?

Amani:  I think our passing game as a whole needs to get better; I think it needs to improve dramatically. And I’m talking about all of us, everybody.


The ball wasn’t spread around much.  Do you think that might have made the offense more productive?

Amani:  I don’t know but I think so because that’s more what we did in the playoffs when we were so successful.  So, I think maybe we need to do what we were successful at before but of course I’m a receiver and always want to get the ball more.


The Rams are a team that has struggled both in their first game and all of last year.  Does this present a good opportunity to get the offense on track?

Amani:  You never know.  You know the whole thing about “any given Sunday.”  Any team can beat any other team so I don’t think we as a group are taking them lightly.  I know I’m not taking them lightly.  We need to learn from the mistakes we’ve made in the past and this game is a perfect test for us to see if we can play well against a team that has faced adversity.


You were interviewed this morning on ESPN in conjunction with Home Depot and the NFL   Tell me about that.

Amani:  Yes, that’s the Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP Program.  Seventeen guys around the league have been selected and I was chosen to be the representative for New York.  In a couple of weeks there will be a fan vote to select those players in the top eight and the top eight will build a park in different areas.  We’re in Titus Park in Paterson N.J. and will break ground for the new park on October 21.

9/01/08 Interview with Amani:

You were named a team captain following what seemed like a campaign on the part of the offensive linemen on your behalf.  (Just before training camp ended at Albany some of the offensive linemen were wearing tee shirts that said, “Time for change: Toomer in ‘08”).

Amani:  Yeah, and I’m really excited about it.  I haven’t been a team captain for a long time so it’s pretty exciting for me.


Do you think this new power will go to your head?

Amani:  Of course.   Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.


Though it wasn’t relevant last year, do you see it as a problem going into the regular season with only two wins in preseason? 

Amani:  I don’t and actually I don’t even remember what our win-loss record was in preseason last year.  No, I’m not worried about that.  I think when the time comes the guys will be ready and I’m very optimistic about this season.


On that same subject do you consider play in exhibition games to generally have any relevance to how teams perform in the regular season?

Amani:  No, I don’t because some teams who aren’t very good do everything they can to win in the preseason for their fans.  And there are some teams that just don’t see the relevance in wins in the preseason.  The Patriots don’t usually play starters in the last preseason game though they did this year.  But that was probably because they don’t have division games coming up early in the schedule.  I don’t know that but it’s a guess.


Brandon London had a good camp.  Were you surprised to see him not make the roster or do you believe he just got caught in a numbers crunch?

Amani:  I do think it was just the numbers crunch.  He’s a good player and he’ll be playing in this league for a while.  He hooked up right away with Miami so I think that speaks to how good a camp he had.  I really hope he can fulfill his dream and become the player he wants to become.  I think he’ll have a good opportunity in Miami.


Do you find it difficult every year to see guys you’ve befriended fail to make the final cut?

Amani:   Yeah, it’s always hard.  A lot of the time you don’t expect it and you’ve worked and played with these guys for at least the summer so it’s definitely an uncomfortable feeling.  But that’s the business part of the game. 


You’ve talked before about how the loss of Strahan will affect the team.  Do you feel the additional loss of Osi at the same position will be difficult to overcome?

Amani:  Yes, I don’t think it’s going to be easy at all.  Osi is a top caliber player and it’s difficult to replace players like that.  And of course the depth will be hurt.  But other guys will step up, they always do and I think Kiwanuka is going to be a great player.  But there’s no getting around the fact that it’s a loss.

8/12/08 Excerpt from Giants. com by Michael Eisen:

Amani Toomer is confident the Giants will avoid a post-Super Bowl letdown when the 2008 NFL season opens next month.

Like everyone associated with the team, Toomer is well aware that every time the Giants have played in the Super Bowl, the celebrations have been wonderful, but the hangovers have been brutal. The Giants not only failed to make the playoffs in each of their three previous seasons following a Super Bowl appearance, they didn’t have a winning record. In 1987, the year after their Super Bowl XXI triumph, the Giants were 6-9, though that season was interrupted for a month by a players strike. Four years later, after winning Super Bowl XXV, the Giants were 8-8. In 2001, the season after playing in Super Bowl XXXV, the Giants slipped to 7-9.

Toomer is the only player on the current roster who played in that Super Bowl and was here for the aftermath. He remembers the team’s attitude during the offseason and in training camp, as well as the high expectations from fans and the media. Toomer believes the atmosphere inside and outside the team is significantly better this time around.

“In 2001 we were just going through the motions and the sense of urgency wasn’t there,” the 13-year veteran said during a lunchtime break at the University at Albany. “We went into that year and our training camp was so much easier and we thought we were a lot better than we were.

“It’s different this year. Every time I’ve been on a team that has won there has been a sense of urgency and I feel the sense of urgency here. When I’ve been on a team that thinks we’re really good, we end up doing really bad. I think every team that has been successful has had something to prove and we do. Hopefully, we can keep that edge. We have a lot of people doubting us already. That’s good in a sense, because it’s going to help keep us down to earth.”

Toomer likes the way the Giants have taken care of business in camp. With coach Tom Coughlin constantly prodding them, the players have worked as if they’re trying to make the playoffs for the first time. Though the vast majority of this squad received Super Bowl rings less than three months ago, no one has even hinted at complacency…

 “I think that everyone is competing hard and I think we have a lot of ways to go,” Toomer said. “I don’t think anybody was really happy with the way we played against Detroit (a 13-10 loss), so hopefully we will come out and have a lot better week than we did last week.”

Toomer is excited about the upcoming season, because of the Giants’ work ethic and potential. Not every player would be enthused spending a 13th consecutive August running drills in training camp, but Toomer is just as enthused as the younger receivers he helps tutor. For Toomer, the job remains an adventure.

“It’s always fun because you’re always with a new team, you have to get to know your teammates and stuff like that, so it’s always new,” Toomer said. “You still catch the ball after practice and sit in the ice tub, which is something I don’t really enjoy, but it’s something in camp that you have get used to.” 

8/06/08 Interview with Amani:

Last year Michael Strahan was supposed to be your roommate but he wasn't at camp.  Do you have a roommate this year?

Amani:  Yes, David Tyree is my roommate and I really prefer having a roommate because I like having someone to talk to once in a while.


What personal items did you bring to camp?  We've seen everything from refrigerators to stuffed animals on player arrival day.

Amani:  I brought my computer, several books and that's about it.


Every year you begin camp looking like you're already in mid-season form.  How do you manage that?

Amani:  Well, I always try to stay in good shape but I think it's because I'm always so excited to get back the first  few days of camp.  And I always seem to get a lot of balls early in camp so I can show right from the beginning that I've still got it early on in camp.


You had the first touchdown reception in camp this year and last year.  Are you going to make that a habit?

Amani:  No, I think that just happens.  I don't even think about it.  I think the thing is that I'm good at positioning my body on the deep routes and for some reason early in camp I get a lot of deep balls.  So, that may be the reason but beyond that I don't know.


You look like you're even faster out of your breaks this year.  Is that something you're working on or even aware of?

Amani:  I'm not aware of it but it's something that you're always working on and it has a lot to do with field conditions.  Beyond that I don't really know.


Do you feel fatigued early in camp or is fatigue more of a cumulative effect as the season progresses?

Amani:  I think I'm always fatigued the first few days of camp.  After our first practice, I felt fatigued, especially because the humidity really skyrocketed up then.  I think those very humid days early in camp are the days I find the most fatiguing.  After the first few days though I feel fine and it doesn't matter how humid it gets. 

I think most of us feel the same way the first few days and maybe I get over it more quickly than most because I do a lot of cardio, a lot of cardio.  I try to overtrain for the situation and I really work at my wind.


Despite winning the Super Bowl most of  the national media is overlooking the Giants again this year.  The Cowboys seem to be already annointed despite not winning a playoff game yet with Romo.  Why do you think the Giants get so little recognition?

Amani:  Well, I don't really know but it might have something to do with not being as sexy a team in terms of the different personalities. There's less to write about us than there is with the Cowboys.  Eli doesn't date Jessica, Plax doesn't cry after games and our DBs aren't in the news.


Which team in the NFC East do you think will be the Giants' toughest competition?

Amani:  I don't know.  You know it's funny, a lot of people think because you had a good season the year before, you'll have a good season this year.  That's not really the case.  Every year is different, every little change makes drastic changes on the field so just because a team is the # 1 seed last year it doesn't mean that they'll be the #  1 seed this year.  The Cowboys won one in 1996 and that's it.  If I had to make a prediction, I'd say the Giants.


You mentioned every change having an effect on the field.  That being the case, how significant is the loss of Shockey?

Amani:  I think it's definitely a factor but we've already proven that we can win when he's hurt so I think that makes it less of a big deal than people may think.  I think his being gone just spreads out our attack and when that happens I think our team is just a lot more effective.


A chat room poll recently discussed the Giants most underappreciated players and your name was mentioned.  Do you feel underappreciated?

Amani:  (Laugh).  No, I don't feel underappreciated at all.  I've certainly been well treated by the Giants.   I may have been a little overlooked by the national media and I suppose that does bother me a little bit.  But I try to control the things I can in my life and that's not one of them so I just don't worry about it.

The Fans Speak: 

Question: Amani was excellent in the playoff run last year.  Do you think he will pick up where he left off last season?


Yes, definitely.  He always comes up big in big games.  Amani is the type of player who runs good routes and is always where he’s supposed to be.  I think he’ll have just as big a season as he had last year.  S. H.

Absolutely.  He’ll be better than ever.  He’s like a fine wine; with age it keeps getting better and better and he keeps improving too.  I have supreme confidence that he’ll do well.  F. M.

I think he’ll be better than ever this year.  The Giants have momentum on their side and have proven that they can beat the better teams and they’ll be good to go.  S.P.

I think Amani will stay in the league for 3-4 years and he’ll continue to be productive for another couple of years.  He’ll be just as productive this year.  J. L.

I think he’s in good shape and I don’t see any reason why he can’t keep going.  He’s a veteran savvy guy and you can’t put a price on veteran leadership.  There’s no reason why such an intelligent guy in such good shape can’t play as long as his body holds up.  L. G.

I absolutely do.    He’s one of those guys who proves that professionalism and experience can overcome maybe slowing down a little over the years, though I haven’t seen him slowing down any.  He out ran Dallas pretty good last year.  I have every confidence in Amani.  I love it that he’s come back and you don’t hear about him retiring.  I don’t want to find his replacement so I’m thrilled that he’s back.  R. B.

I think he can because he’s got the heart.  He plays with as much heart as anybody on the team and that’s why I think he’s as good as he is. D. W. E.

No doubt in my mind.  He brings to the table a lot of experience.  He’s a go-to guy and you have to have him on the team.  There’s no doubt in my mind and I go back to the 50’s.  W. L.

I’m glad he didn’t retire like Strahan.  Manning loves throwing to him and he’ll continue to be a great player.  J. L.

Yes, Eli is still here so obviously that hasn’t changed and I don’t think anything will change.  M. F.

Yes, so long as he’s stayed in condition during the off-season and it looks like he has.  Yeah, I think he’ll have another good year.  He spent a portion of year before last out (with an acl injury) and I think that buys you more time.  Even though you’re injured, I think you buy more time further down the road because you’re not taking the pounding consistently.  You’ve had a bit of a breather.  A. F.

Amani Toomer is a consummate professional.  He’s a receiver’s receiver.  He will pick up absolutely where he left off last year.  I’ve watched him in camp and he’s just phenomenal looking.  One year won’t make a difference to that man.

He’s done great; he’s a great pro; he’s always been a great pro.  He’s done a great job for the Giants and I think he has another four or five good years in him.  He’s my favorite player.  G.E.A.

Yes, I do.  He’s still a very good player.  I expect to see a lot out of him this year.  G.C.

He’s older; he’s smarter and he’s in good shape.  He should be able to pick up where he left off last year.  J. C.

I certainly think he’ll pick up where he left off.  He’s got some years left and he proved that against Dallas when he scored a touchdown on the first play of the game.  He showed everybody that he’s still got it. A. M.

Absolutely, Amani Toomer can pick up where he left off.  Not a problem.  He’s great; he loves the game; Eli’s really good with him.  It’s going to be a great year. C.D.

7/29/08 Group Interview with Amani:

Your camp got off to an excellent start.

Amani: It's the only way to do it.  Just get in there and show you can do it from the get-go.


How about that deep ball?

Amani: Eli made a nice throw.  It was up to me to make a play and I made one.


Can you repeat at the Super Bowl?

Amani:  I'm not really thinking abou that.  I'm just thinking about getting my body in shape and ready to go.  Hopefully our team will come together and we'll keep the momentum going.  We'll focus on what we have to do to get the team together.


You've been coming here a lot of years and a lot of familiar faces are gone.

Amani:  It's sad to see people go but it's part of the business.  I've been around for a while and people have come and gone.  Luckily I've been able to stay around. And I hope to stay around a while longer, not  only to repeat but also to meet new people.


What are you most curious about this camp with this group?

Amani:  I guess whether we can harness what we did in the playoffs and Super Bowl and extend it through this whole season.  That's the challenge for us; we know we have the players in place.  We realize we're missing a few pieces but the majority are still here.  I think if we get our mojo back, we have the team, the teamwork and the emphasis to make another run.  We've seen what we can do and now we have to see if we can do it again.


What do you expect from yourself?

Amani:  What can I say?  I'm doing what I enjoy and want to do it to the best of my ability.  I'm happy doing this and want to continue to enjoy it.


How long will you play?

Amani:  As long as I can play at a high level.


Do you think Eli will be able to avoid the ups and downs in the future?

Amani:  Ups and downs are part of the game but ever since he's been here I've been impressed with him.  He's a really good quarterback.  People want to focus on the negatives even though he took the team to the playoffs three years in a row.  He's handled everything on an even keel

7/25/08 Group Interview with Amani:

Your first few years in the league were similar to Sinorice Moss’. Do you ever talk to him about the light at the end of the tunnel”?

Amani: Yeah…he got hurt early on, just like I did, and missed a lot playing time his rookie year because of it…it’s a very similar story. I think that he has a lot of potential, and I think that he’s working real hard. Personally, I think that he is going to pan out.


I would imagine that a lot more goes into a being receiver than people think…it’s not just run ten yards, take a left, and catch the ball. Is that why it’s hard to pick up the offense sometimes?

Amani: Well, yeah, there are a lot of different reads you have to do. A lot of it is just the quarterback starting to feel comfortable with you…knowing that you’re going to be in the right spot at the right time, and when you are in the right spot, that you’re going to come down with the ball.


It looks like he’s buried on the depth chart, is his head still in it?

Amani: Yeah, I don’t really think he is discouraged at all. I think he knows what he was brought here to do as a player. He knows all that he is capable of doing...his overall ability.


Mario Manningham said that he was seeking out advice from you. What do you see in the kid? What have you told him?

Amani: He has some real quickness and a lot of ability. It’s going to take time for him to get the pro game, coming from the Michigan offense. I know from experience that it’s not always up to date...learning the pro game is a little difficult coming from that kind of situation. Hopefully, he’ll pick it up pretty quickly.


What specifically have you told him so far?

Amani: Just little tips about releasing and stuff like that, because he has a lot of natural quickness.


There were a lot of questions coming in about his mental makeup. What do you see from him about his personality?

Amani: He’s a quiet guy, just gets his work done… doesn’t say too much. I really don’t have a read on him just yet, it’s only been a couple of days.

Are you ready for it all to begin again or does it seem like last season just ended?

Amani:  I’m ready to begin again.  I just need to get in a little better shape and I’ll be fine.  When we were on vacation, it wasn’t possible for me to run every day; there just wasn’t an area in which to run.  So, though I wanted to run more, I probably only averaged every other day.


Are you bringing your Super Bowl ring to Albany?

Amani:  No, there’s no safe in our dorm rooms so I wouldn’t want to risk losing it but I imagine some guys will have it with them.


How much do you think the loss of Michael Strahan will negatively affect the Giants?

Amani:  I don’t know exactly but he did a lot for the team.  I don’t think people realize how much he did.  Some of it was little stuff, like keeping teammates up while we were on the road.  Besides holding the record for single-season sacks, I definitely think he was still the best run stopping end in the business.  It’s going to be tough.


Dissention and holdouts for more money seem to be a given following a Super Bowl victory.  Do you feel this is a factor in so many teams failing to repeat? 

Amani:  Yeah, I think so. Originally it’s a team thing and later everyone gets to thinking, “I was the reason we won.”  So players get to expect more money especially since in the past teams have awarded more money after a successful Super Bowl.  I think it just about always happens.  The whole business is weird in one sense.  It’s a team game but some individuals make more than other individuals.


How would you feel about limiting veterans with more than ten years in the league to one-a-day practices at camp?  Does that seem like a good or bad idea and how would you personally feel about it?

Amani:  I don’t think it would be bad.  In fact, I think long-term it might be a good idea. For others I suppose doing it for so many years, it might get kind of boring but for myself, I want to do what I can. I hope that I can practice twice a day but I also realize that way I’m taking reps away from the younger guys.


We’ve already talked a little about the “no force out” rule but you’re known for your toe tap ability on the sideline and back of the end zone.  How much do you think your ability to toe-tap and remain in bounds will be impacted by this new rule?

Amani: I think it will be impacted.  I think the no force out rule is a little unsafe because I think receivers are possibly going to get thrown out of bounds or thrown on the ground.  It’s going to be pretty hairy out there, I think.


The game has had a lot of rule changes in recent years.  Are there some that stand out in your mind as either particularly aiding or making the receiver position more difficult?

Amani:  I think the definition of a catch using the instant replay has made making a catch a lot harder.  I mean, you can have the ball in your possession and if you fall down and the ball gets away from you, it’s a drop.  Then there’s the football move and these rules are left up to personal interpretation.  That’s what I think makes it kind of difficult.  But you know what I think is the worst?  That’s not enforcing the cutoff rule.  You know when I first came into the league, you couldn’t touch a receiver beyond the five-yard limit or you’d get a flag.  That enabled the receivers to do a lot more but now they don’t really enforce the five-yard rule.  I don’t know why that has happened but they just stopped calling it.


The owner’s unanimously opted out of the collective bargaining agreement and Kevin Mahwe on behalf of the NFLPA said that the rookie salary paid to quarterback Matt Ryan was “distressing.”  Do you feel that the money expended on rookie contracts should be curtailed in order to have more funds available for the established veterans?

Amani:  Theoretically that would make sense but that’s just the game.  The game is what it is.  The older guys who played years ago not getting enough is bad but the money always goes up.  I mean when I came into the league, I made a lot more money than the guys that came before me and the veterans were upset about that.  But maybe it has gotten a little out of whack.  I think the first round rookie money has gotten kind of crazy but no one says you have to pay this much to a rookie. They really haven’t proven anything yet on the field but I also remember that I got a lot of money before I proved anything on the field. So really I don’t know what to say about it because it doesn’t bother me either way though I will add that a rookie shouldn’t come in and be the highest paid player in the league.

Training camp 2008

As always, I want to invite you to join us in Albany for the Giants’ 2008 training camp as we embark on our quest to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

Practice begins on 7/25 and we’ll break camp at Albany on 8/17.  After that we’ll return to Giants’ stadium for practices.

For those of you who have never attended a practice in Albany, I think you’ll find it a pleasant experience. 

There’s plenty of opportunity for fans to collect autographs along “autograph alley” immediately following each practice and benches under shade trees to protect you from the hot sun during practices.

Many fans that I’ve talked to plan to come only once but have such a good time that they return for a day or even longer every year.

There are a number of reasonably priced accommodations and restaurants near the practice field.

So, please come join us and root us on just as you’ve always done and hopefully your continued support will help to put us over the top again this year.

Amani

4/30/08 Excerpts from The Giants Visit the White House by Michael Eisen:

WASHINGTON – President Bush lauded the NFL champion Giants today, calling their Super Bowl XLII triumph over the New England Patriots, “one of the great, legendary games in our country’s history.”

Bush made his remarks at a 30-minute ceremony to honor the 2007 Giants on the South Lawn of the White House that capped an incredible day for the organization. Approximately 40 players, the coaching staff and members of the front office visited with wounded soldiers and Marines at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The group received a private tour of the White House, then a standing ovation at the ceremony, which was also attended by Vice President Cheney, members of New Jersey and New York’s congressional delegation, and approximately 1,000 Giants fans, who cheered wildly as the champions took their positions for the ceremony and were feted by the president.

Prior to the ceremony, Bush met privately in the Rose Garden with Ann Mara, Wellington Mara’s widow; Giants president John Mara; Joan Tisch, the widow of Bob Tisch; Giants chairman Steve Tisch; general manager Jerry Reese; head coach Tom Coughlin; quarterback Eli Manning; wide receiver Amani Toomer – the senior player on the trip; and Greg Gadson, the U.S. Army lieutenant colonel who lost both legs in Iraq and became an inspirational figure for the champion Giants…

“I was in a place I never thought I’d be my whole entire life,” Toomer said. “You see it on T.V. and it’s weird to be there. The history of the White House and the different rooms we were in, I thought that was pretty cool…”

After the ceremony concluded, Toomer then presented our 43rd president with a white Giants No. 43 jersey. Manning then stepped forward to give him a Super Bowl football signed by the entire team.

“When you place this ball in your trophy case and you pass by this ball, we would ask hopefully that you would reflect on the accomplishments on this great group of young men,” Coughlin said, “a group of men who believed in themselves, who refused to be beaten and brought greater honor and glory to the great game of professional football…”

For all the Giants, it was a remarkable day they will never forget. Coughlin summarized it best when he said, “I hope it’s not a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

4/19/08 E-mails to Amani

We have just discovered that, due to a system malfunction, we lost a number of fan e-mails to Amani's site.  We're in the process of trying to retrieve as many as possible.  Please accept our apologies and bear with us a little longer.

Your e-mails are very important to Amani.

Web master

Top Michigan Players in the 2008 Draft

By Gail Bahr

As it does every year, Michigan is sending some of its best to the NFL.  Players who are expected to go high in the 2008 draft are:

Quarterback Chad Henne, 6-3, 230, c. 4.9
For his career, Henne has a 59.7 % completion rate with 87 TDs and 37 PICs.   In 2007 completion rate was 58.3% after throwing 17 TDs with nine PICs.    Holds the school record for career completions, attempts, passing yards and TDs.  Henne took Michigan to the Rose Bowl as a freshman.
Henne played below his previous level in 2007 largely because of a knee injury incurred in the opening game against Appalachian State. Excellent experience, four-year starter. Has a strong arm and makes all the throws. Gets good velocity on throws. Knows when to take something off the ball. Throws a catchable ball and generally leads receivers.   Reads defenses very well. Has a quick release and generally sound mechanics. Generally demonstrates good footwork. Will step into the blitz and deliver the ball under pressure and over the years has become poised under pressure. Accurate and can throw on the move. Good touch. Tough, will throw some nice blocks to assist his runners. Plays hurt and keeps battling.
Capital One Bowl: A now healthy Henne had his career day, passing for over 373 yards with three touchdowns and two turnovers, giving Lloyd Carr a nice sendoff. Very poised under pressure.
Senior Bowl: One of the players who helped himself the most in practices and finished the game with two touchdowns and the MVP award.  Showed he can throw the deep outs effortlessly and with good velocity. Didn’t try to force the ball and was the most accurate quarterback in attendance. On game day he was composed in the pocket and delivered the ball accurately.
Combine: Threw with good velocity, good touch, led receivers and was generally accurate. Overall a successful combine for Henne.

Offensive tackle Jake Long, 6-7, 313, c. 5. 17
Three-time All-American, All-PAC-10 for the third consecutive year in 07.  Semi-finalist for the 2007 Lombardi Award.
Has excellent experience at both RT and LT.  The next in a long line of solid Michigan tackles.  Works to improve and is a team captain.  Was expected to come out last year but opted to remain in school.  Intelligent with a strong work ethic.   Has long arms and big hands.  Gave up one sack with no penalties in 2007.  Great size and good mobility.  Has quick feet for left tackle and strength for the right side. Good athlete with top power, a strong hand pop and explosiveness at the snap. Sets up quickly and can get to the second level where he shows some quickness in space. Reads defenses quickly and blocks and adjusts quickly on the move with good range.   Has made a number of key blocks downfield and rarely fails to finish blocks.  Strong with very good leg drive and is able to move the pile and open holes in the run game. Sound in pass protection. Very good overall technique, bends knees effectively and can engulf defenders with a combination of technique and strength.  
Long is generally considered to be a top five pick and it’s thought that he may go to the Miami Dolphins with the first pick in the 2008 draft.
Capitol One Bowl: Put on a clinic demonstrating excellent technique.

Running back Mike Hart, 5-9, 206, c. 4.67, PD. DNR
Very productive and competitive. Against E. Michigan Hart ran for 215 yards and the Wolverine's franchise rushing record.  Against Purdue, in the first half, he set the school record with his seventh consecutive 100+ yard game.  Finished career with more than 5000 yards rushing and had 993 consecutive touches without a fumble.
More quick than fast but runs faster than he times and puts up consistent yards.  Workhorse, runs hard and can handle a lot of carries. Great balance and vision with good footwork. Exceptional ball security.  Patient, waits for blocks to develop and then hits the hole quickly.  Instinctive with ability to cut back with good quickness and acceleration after the cut.   Tough and strong between the tackles and can get to the outside quickly.  Maintains a good pad level and has a strong leg drive.  Keeps legs moving on contact and picks up extra yards. Can make defenders miss. Doesn’t break a lot of long runs but can turn short yardage into a first down.  Can catch and is a strong, good blocker for size. Good blitz pickup and seems to enjoy blocking.
Capital One Bowl:  Finished with 32 carries for 129 yards and two scores.

Wide receiver:  Mario Manningham, 5-11 ¾, 181, c. 4.59, 4.62, PD. 4. 38 and 4.44
Junior entry. Second team All-American.  Caught 72 passes for 1174 yards and 12 TDs in ‘07.  He also rushed 19 times for 119 yards and a score. Top athleticism, quickness and a very fluid burst.  Very fast, his pro day numbers are more reflective of his on-field speed than the combine times.   Playmaker who can be hard to stop.  Can get up for the ball and adjust in the air with some very agile body maneuvers. Can adjust to the poorly thrown ball or come back for the ball when he sees the quarterback is in trouble.  Effortlessly tracks the ball over his shoulder and catches without breaking stride.  Fluid and quick in and out of breaks.  Gets separation and yards after the catch. Showed very good body control in the toe-tap sideline drill at the combine. Consistent.

Outside linebacker Shawn Crable,  6-4, 245, C. 4.64
Butkus and Bednarik Award semifinalist and Bronco Nagurski Trophy candidate in ‘07. Led the Big Ten and was second nationally with a school record 28.5 tackles for loss.  Finished with 16 sacks, 7.5 of which were in ‘07.  He had two fumble recoveries and broke up nine passes for his career.
Got his first start vs. Vanderbilt in 2006. Productive and plays with a good motor. Athletic with long limbs.  Agile and quick with very good speed and explosiveness. Makes a lot of tackles behind the line of scrimmage using both power and speed. Has sideline-to-sideline range. Sufficient overall strength with great upper body strength. Gets into opponents’ backfield and blows up the running play.  Can drop into coverage. Plays hard, gives pursuit and had a very good 2007 season.  Good on special teams.
Capitol One Bowl:  Really stood out, very active throughout getting good pressure on Florida State QB Ted Tebow.

Safety Jamar Adams, 6-2, 212, C 4.56 Bednarik Award candidate, Jim Thorpe Award candidate, Lott Trophy candidate, led the team with a career-high 92 tackles and a career best 13 PBUs in 2007.  Finished with 6.5 TFL with two sacks, four INTs (three of which were in ‘07) and 22PBUs.Experienced starter who had his breakout season as a junior and continued to improve last year. Team leader and said to be a very hard worker and to understand the nuances of the game.   Long limbed athlete who has batted down a lot of balls. Explosive with good speed and quickness for the position. Agile with good body control and acceleration ability.  Very strong with good range.  Will fight for the ball in the air and can get terrific height on his jumps.  Makes plays sideline-to-sideline.  Aggressive and tough in run defense.  Drives on the ball quickly and gets through traffic well. Good hitter and generally a wrap up tackler. Senior Bowl: Injured in practice.

4/10/08 Excerpts from Giants.com by Michael Eisen:

He finally has his long-awaited championship, he holds almost every important Giants receiving record and he’s been hit who knows how many times in his career. But Amani Toomer is ready for more.

In 2007, Toomer came back from knee surgery the previous year to have another outstanding season. He caught 59 passes in the regular season and was the Giants’ leading receiver in their four-game postseason. After 620 catches, 8,917 yards and 50 touchdowns – plus franchise postseason records in each of those categories - no one would have questioned Toomer had he taken his championship ring and ran a fade pattern away from the Giants and the NFL.

“I never felt that way,” Toomer said. “I don’t know, I just haven’t felt that way. I don’t feel like I have had enough here. I know when I feel like I have had enough I will have had enough, but I don’t think I have had enough”…

“It seems like I came full circle,” he said. “When I first got here we weren’t very good and there was not much buzz about the Giants. Then we had some success my second year and it started to feel really, really good to be around here. We had a couple of slumping years and it has been up and down. Now to finally get to the top with a Super Bowl win – it is just good to see how excited the town really gets over this team.

“I think most people took the Super Bowl to such a personal level because we came from so far behind. We didn’t have the perfect season, but we came together at the end and that is how people who followed us kind of saw it. It became a more personal thing, because not everybody was on our bandwagon. Our people were very loyal and it paid off for them.” 

Toomer made a huge contribution to the cause with team-leading totals of 21 catches, 280 yards and three touchdowns in the Giants’ four-game postseason. He opened the playoffs with seven receptions for 71 yards and a score at Tampa Bay. The next week he scored a pair of touchdowns at Dallas. Toomer caught four passes in the NFC Championship Game in Green Bay and was the team’s leading receiver in the Super Bowl with six receptions for 84 yards, including two big catches on the game-winning drive.

“I just feel like that is type of player that I am - I am going to always find a way to do something,” Toomer said. “That is the only way I can have it. If I didn’t contribute as much as I did and lead the team in receiving in the playoffs, I wouldn’t have felt right. I feel like I am a guy that is always there and when the money is on the line I am going to be there to perform.”

4/08/08 Interview with Amani:

The strength and conditioning program has already started.  Did you feel like you had enough time off? Were you ready to start all over again after such a short break?

Amani:  It was a short time but I wanted to get started.  One other year I remember we started later, in April, and I didn’t think we were ready when the pre-season began.  I think we’re all anxious to get going because we want to prove that we can do it again.  And I think everyone is willing and excited to work toward that.


Did you have an opportunity to take a vacation before it all began again?

Amani:  Yes, we went with a group of doctors to Ghana.  They’re a group who perform eye surgery in countries where there are limited services.  It was great to be able to be a part of that.  I was basically just a gopher.  I went to the store to get supplies or do whatever else I could do.  I sure can’t perform eye surgery so I helped however I could. As a matter of fact, I had dinner with one of the doctors and his family last Friday evening.  He’s Jewish so it was the start of the Sabbath and we got to be a part of the Sabbath ceremony.  It was great to be able to participate.  I mean we didn’t know Hebrew of course so we couldn’t participate that way but it was wonderful to experience and learn something about a different tradition. After dinner I played ping-pong with the doctor’s son.  I told the son that I can’t just play for fun; I’m always very competitive.  But he wanted to beat me so we played until I won 4-3.  He’s actually pretty good.


You’re to fly down to Washington to accept President Bush’s congratulations for winning the Super Bowl later this month.  Have you ever visited the White House before on a tour?  Are you excited about the trip?

Amani:  No, I have never been to the White House and I’m not even sure when we’re supposed to go.  It will be exciting.  I have a great deal of respect for the office of the President of the United States.


Have you seen the design of your Super Bowl ring yet?

Amani:  Yeah, I really like it.


It’s unusual for a Super Bowl winner to repeat the next year, maybe in part because of the after-glow with players becoming complaisant and perhaps thinking they’re better than they are, and in part because the winners usually lose a lot of players in free agency. Would you agree and do you think there are other reasons as well?

Amani:  Well, I do think we lost some good players in free agency and that will hurt but I don’t think anyone is complaisant.  It took us too long to get here for one thing. It’s such an overwhelming feeling to win a Super Bowl!  And that parade was just awesome. I really can’t describe it but it was such an incredible feeling. It’s just amazing to see two million people lined up along the street to cheer you.  It’s impossible to really describe the feeling but it was overwhelming and I know I’ll never forget it.  I also know I want that experience again and I’m sure the rest of the team does too. We went to a club to meet some other Giants’ players recently and we were all talking and could hear people saying, “Those are the Giants.”  And then Eli walked in.  He actually got a standing ovation when he came through the door. It was great!  The whole experience has been so wonderful, I want to experience it again and again and again.  And I’m sure the rest of the team feels the same and is willing to work to get there.


How do the Giants chances to repeat look to you?

Amani:  Good, I think because everyone has such a good attitude and understands that it isn’t something that just happens.  I’ve been re-watching the games and there were some we should have won and some games in which we were fortunate.


You and the other veterans know how hard it is to get to the Super Bowl but the Giants had a lot of rookies participating last year.  Do you think they’ll expect to go every year?

Amani:  No, I don’t think so. I think they understand what a rare event it is for a team to get to the Super Bowl and win it once, let alone repeat.  And I think in New York the fans are optimistic and believe we’re a good team but overall I don’t think we still get much respect. I think we’ll need to repeat to gain the respect of the rest of the country. When the Patriots won their first Super Bowl, everyone said what a great team they were but outside of New York I don’t hear that the Giants are great. From what I’ve read, everyone thinks the Cowboys will win the division next season.  They are a good team and we’re very well matched but we beat them when it counted and I think we need to show that we can do it again. And then again.

Is that who you see as the Giants toughest competition for the division title in 2008?

Amani:  You never can really tell but they’re a very good team.  They won’t catch anyone by surprise this year and the Eagles also came on near the end of the year so they can’t be ruled out.  But it’s really too early to tell; there are surprises every year.

A recent rule change at the owner’s meeting eliminated the force out.  What do you think of the rule change?

Amani:  I thought the old rule was a good one. I didn’t think anything was broken so I’m not sure why it was fixed.  When a receiver goes up in the air for the ball under the new rule, I think opponents will try to throw him out of bounds and I’m afraid of increased injuries because a receiver is so vulnerable at that moment.  I’m afraid more receivers will be carried off the field on stretchers.