Giants: training Camp Notes

Signings

Giants signed second round draft picks Clint Sintim (U-Virginia) and William Beatty (U-Conn) to their rookie contracts. At this point the only Giants draft pick that has not yet signed is their first round pick, Hakeem Nicks (UNC). I look for the deal to be concluded before training camp so that Nicks does not miss any practice time. Nicks showed a lot of promise in the off season conditioning program and with the Giants search for a deep threat to step forward from the WRs, they will want everyone from this group in camp. In order to make room on the roster for Sintim and Beatty, the Giants released WR Micah Rucker and LB Kelvin Smith.

Interesting Schedule notes

My buddy Don, who is a huge Giants fan, long time seasons ticket holder and has been retired and living in North Carolina for the last several years pointed out an interesting scheduling quirk involving the Panthers (his nouveau local team) and the Giants (his real team). The Panthers will be playing 3 games in Giants stadium this year. They play the opening preseason game against the Giants on Monday August 17, they play the Jets in a regular season game on November 29th and they play the Giants again at the Meadowlands on December 27th in their 15th game of the season. It is also possible that, if the Giants and Panthers both make the playoffs this year, the Panthers may have to travel to NJ again for a playoff game. That would make 4 games in one visiting stadium in one season. That has to be a record. Or as Frank Gifford might have said: "That's sommmmme kind of record". I hope they have EZ Pass.

In another interesting schedule note, the Giants have 3 games this year slotted into the exact same weekend as last year. Specifically: Giants open at home against the Redskins, and close the season with a home game against the Panthers and a road game against the Vikings. Giants played these three teams last year all on the same weekends as they will in the upcoming 2009 season. It's not so unusual in the case of the Redskins, who the Giants play twice every year. But still....