T-Rock's Take on the Giants

Today, we'll talk about who's on the bubble -- or. more accurately, who's safely in the bubble and who's on the outside looking in. Tomorrow's game may clear some things up, but I'm betting the hard choices won't be made easier when the "Pats" -- i.e., the 36-odd guys you've never heard of that Bill Belichick suits up tomorrow -- come to town.

This is, of course, as scientific and accurate as can be. So here's who's on the bubble, with my well-researched, well-informed feeling on who's in and who's out...

DB Curtis Deloatch: Could have been a goner if not for E.J. Underwood's season-ending shoulder injury. He's still not assured of a spot but he's looking better and better for the fourth DB slot. Verdict: Bubble Boy

DB Frank Walker: Always a fun guy to have around, and he's had a solid camp. But the numbers game may push him out after three seasons. Verdict: Costanza

DE Eric Moore: Giants tried to make him a LB last season. Should've spent more time making him aware that time in the NFL is short -- he was, according to a couple players, the most-fined player last season. Now, he's behind Adrian Awasom, who doesn't really have a legit chance to make the team. Verdict: Costanza

DE Jonas Seawright: Hasn't exactly lit it up in camp with a real opportunity to get some playing time, but he's still got that all-important potential -- at least until the Giants draft another Barry Cofield next April. Verdict: Bubble Boy

DE Damane Duckett: In the same situation as Seawright, but a year older. That's never good. Verdict: Costanza

WR Michael Jennings: You know how I feel about the man. He made just about everyone's camp with his big personality and, frankly, even bigger improvement -- did anyone seriously think he had a chance to make this team in July? But it's hard to make the numbers work: With such a need for defensive depth, the Giants really can't afford to keep six WRs. And they already have Chad Morton to return punts and kicks. But MJ will get work in the NFL somewhere and he can be proud of that. Verdict: Costanza

WR Willie Ponder: Writing's been on the wall since Day 1 of camp. Like Jennings, he'll find work. Verdict: Costanza

TEs Wade Fletcher and Darcy Johnson: No shot. Verdict: Costanzas

OL Rich Seubert: A tough call. The turf toe has set him back; so has Grey Ruegamer's good play in essentially the same role. Coughlin kept Seubert last season because of the sheer toughness it took for Seubert to recover from the broken leg; I say the coach keeps him again as insurance. Verdict: Bubble Boy

LB Carlos Emmons: I really thought he was the one to go for much of camp, but his versatility should make him stick. Will the Giants keep seven LBs though? Seems like a lot. Verdict: Bubble Boy

LB Reggie Torbor: I also thought Brandon Short might be the odd man out, but might it be Torbor? He's only played strong side, which Emmons can play; he hasn't had the most dazzling camp; and it's looking more and more difficult for the Giants to justify seven LBs. A real puzzler. Verdict: Costanza

OK, if my calculations are correct, the Giants will have eight OL, seven LBs and only two TEs. Perfect!!!

We'll see what goes down in 72 hours...

The team won't announce anything until Tuesday, but the first round of cuts were informed of their dismissal this morning and aren't around... Here is who's gone:

QB Rob Johnson, TE Boo Williams, RB Little John Flowers, FB Greg Hanoian, CB Brandon Williams, P Travis Dorsch, LB Thomas Carroll, G Julius Franklin, DB Vontez Duff, T Ben Herrell, DT Sir Henry Anderson, S Jason Shivers and WR Triandos Luke.

That gets the Giants down to 77. They have to officially be down to 75 by Tuesday.

Johnson is the biggest name, but hardly the biggest surprise -- he was not good enough in camp and didn't prove his arm was back to full strength. He may catch on somewhere else, but this may be it for him.

Frankly, Boo Williams is the biggest shock -- he had the most experience in the battle for the third tight end, and Wade Fletcher and Darcy Johnson haven't shown a whole lot of late. Perhaps, as last season, the team's third TE is in someone else's camp.

And now get out. That was the message from Tom Coughlin to us media types on the last day of Albany camp -- he actually followed up the first two things with "Don't knock each other over getting out of here," which was also his message to his players. In a few minutes, I'll be heeding his advice, but here's my last update from up north before the Giants move back to the Meadowlands and I don't get to watch practice anymore.

About the only stuff of note from the last practice... WR Sinorice Moss was running on the side and Coughlin thought Moss might have been able to practice today. Which means that Moss should actually see the field on Sunday, almost a full months since his quad strain.

Rookies Barry Cofield and Gerris Wilkinson appear to be starting Friday's game at tackle and weak-side linebacker. Brandon Short is healthy, but he's been running second-unit WLB with Carlos Emmons still out. Wilkinson has been with LaVar Arrington and Antonio Pierce the past two days and Cofield has been in William Joseph's spot alongside Fred Robbins all week.

I'd imagine Coughlin is going to see how much these two can handle on Friday and their play could go a long way towards determining some roster spots. If Wilkinson excels, that could be trouble for Emmons or Short.

And I'm off... More tomorrow before the big game.

Oh, and for Andrew -- No. 2 is usually quite bad for anyone, but in this case, Lorenzen being No. 2 is a good thing. I trust he would not be offended.

From Albany, at least...

The familiar five did not practice: T Luke Petitgout (back), G Rich Seubert (toe), C Shaun O'Hara (knee), WR Sinorice Moss (quad) and LB Carlos Emmons (neck). None of them will play Friday.

Eli Manning and the first unit will play at least a half, Tom Coughlin said last night. And Jared Lorenzen will go in with the second-teamers on offense for the first time. Coughlin said it's just Lorenzen's turn, but maybe it'll mean something more of Lorenzen has a good game. Tim Hasselbeck will play last and Rob Johnson... Maybe we'll see him again, maybe we won't. Coughlin wouldn't commit and frankly, he just hasn't shown enough to be relied upon.

We'll have some young players to watch for the game on Thursday.

No Emmons (neck), no Moss (quad), no Petitgout (back) and a limited Sam Madison (hamstring). LaVar Arrington (knees) had swelling and pulled the chute after a few plays.

Highlights: Two nice catches on deep balls by Tim Carter in 1-on-1 drills; on the first, he beat Curtis Deloatch down the middle, then got mad after Deloatch fell on him. The two jawed all the way back to the group and had to be separated by defensive coordinator Tim Lewis.

Lowlight: A helmets-off fight between rookies Gerrick McPhearson and Anthony Mix. Rare to see a WR and a DB tussle out in the open like that. The players enjoyed it, but Tom Coughlin did not. "There's no place for that," the coach said afterwards. As with a Tyson Smith-Tony Jackson slugfest the day before, Jeremy Shockey helped play peacemaker.

One practice and one jog-through to go...

Today was the print guys' sitdown with Tom Coughlin, a half-hour plus of questions in a more relaxed setting than we usually get with the coach.

Haven't transcribed the whole deal yet, but here are some quick takes on the topics discussed:

On Eli: The QB's competion percentage is up in camp over last season to all quadrants downfield. And Eli's maturity is not a matter of having more information thrown at him -- he's just synthesizing the same amount of stuff he's been getting from the coaches since he came into the league.

On LaVar: Coughlin expects great things from Arrington and expects to give No. 55 the flexibility to be great -- i.e., making him a two-down player to keep him fresh.

On his relationship with Plaxico: Coughlin echoed Burress' words to me last week. "People are who they are," the coach said, adding that his door is always open. Burress countered with, "It's not just on me to make that move." I don't think these kids are ever going to make it happen, people. But if they win -- and they both seem to want to win -- who cares if there's no chemistry between them?

On Shockey and his all-out personality: Coughlin never took Shockey's "(Coughlin) can be an ass sometimes" comment the wrong way. He knows that No. 80 only does things one way and that's fine with the coach. "I don't think you'd want him any other way," Coughlin said.

On "changing the culture" of the team: That was something Coughlin wanted to do from the outset, mostly by getting players to work through injuries and commit to going above and beyond for the team. The best example of that this camp is Tim Carter, who is learning to play with pain, and play well.

And, finally, Coughlin gave us our MJMD... Strangely, I was the only one to ask about Jennings. "I've been pleased by what he's done," Coughlin said. "He's made himself into a punt returner, having worked on that all off-season."

More to come after practice...

Pretty uneventful practice today, aside from a real throwdown between LB Tyson Smith and FB Tony Jackson on a punt-coverage drill -- haymakers and everything! -- and DE Mathias Kiwanuka showing he really can't stay away from QBs, when he knocked down Jared Lorenzen and drew the ire of Tom Coughlin.

DT Barry Cofield worked as the nose tackle with the first unit alongside Fred Robbins and Brandon Short was in at weak-side LB because Carlos Emmons returned to the sideline with his neck burner. Coughlin reiterated his "everyone has to play" mantra, but Emmons could easily become the 2006 version of Barrett Green -- a steady contributor but just unable to stay on the field.

Back in Albany for one final training camp segment. Practice starts in about 90 minutes and here's an injury update:

C Shaun O'Hara (sprained left knee) was cryptic but ultimately confident that he will be ready for the Sept. 10 opener against the Colts. "Three weeks is a long time," he said. "If I'm not out there, then I'm probably on another team."

G/C Rich Seubert (turf toe) said he would try to do individual drill work today and may resume full practice by tomorrow or Tuesday. No way Tom Coughlin plays O'Hara against the Jets, so Seubert getting a few snaps at center with the first unit would be helpful for Seubert.

WR Sinorice Moss (world's worst quad strain) finally said the word "frustrated" about his situation. Since Coughlin's said it roughly a dozen times, Moss was wise to admit this isn't how he wanted to start his NFL career. Maybe seeing Tim Carter finally break off a big gain on the end around dampened Moss' mood. Moss hoped to resume practicing before the team breaks camp on Wednesday.

LT Luke Petitgout (back) scoffed when asked if he were practicing today. "Why not?" he said with a smirk. We'll see about that.

Lastly, Coughlin made mention of LB Tyson Smith's second consecutive good game on special teams and at the weak side. Now, no one's saying Carlos Emmons or Brandon Short is in imminent danger of being gassed, but if Smith is more than capable on teams, Gerris Wilkinson is doing the same and the Giants already have a special teams beast in Chase Blackburn, suddenly Emmons and Short don't look quite so valuable, especially with neither at 100 percent.

Just something to think about with the preseason winding down.

More to come...

Well, it was kinda warm, and I nearly ran through an entire bag of sunflower seeds...

And about the only interesting play of the day was the final play of practice, when Eli Manning's two-minute drill pass went off Tim Carter's chest and into CB E.J. Underwood's hands, ending the drive and the day. About the best news of the day was that every starter except Sam Madison (hamstring) is slated to play on Thursday against the Chiefs -- I know, I know, I've been writing all camp that sitting out starters isn't so bad, but if they're healthy, let 'em play. Tom Coughlin wants it that way, and what I want doesn't mean much to the coach.

Madison will actually be a game-time decision, so the entire projected starting offense and defense could see the field. Which even I will say is a good thing for the Giants to get some chemistry going. Coughlin said he will rotate all five tackles in with the first unit, seemingly giving no preference. Barry Cofield and William Joseph shared 3-gap tackle duties alongside Fred Robbins today.

WR Sinorice Moss went down to the city for an evaluation on his strained quad. Coughlin's heard enough of the questions on Moss' seemingly minor injury, and so have I, frankly. The kid's out, the coach is ticked, and I'm guessing Moss has a long way to go to earn Coughlin's accolades.

Saving the MJMD for game night. If he takes another one to the house, I hope Chevrolet gives him a sponsorship deal. Or maybe he can get the Nike swoosh on his gold teeth.

The Giants are approaching the second of their four preseason games -- and the debate over how much preseason is too much is, frankly, not one for players to debate; football games make money, period. I hear there's other careers out there besides football player, Clinton Portis.

Anyway, this is the time when Tom Coughlin wants to see some cohesion and progress from his starters. And his starters... they want to make it to the regular season in one piece. Antonio Pierce told me this morning that he let his bad ankle get more and more sore through the first two weeks of camp to the point where he needed last night off.

"I should be more on top of it," he said. Luke Petitgout's chronically bad back acted up too. Amani Toomer said minor hamstring issues are an annual training camp occurrence.

Basically, this is not a team that's searching for an identity -- they found the makings of one last season and are looking to further it going into this season. So when Chris Snee goes down or Jeremy Shockey takes an accidental shot to the head, it seems worse than it would have been a year ago because the Giants hadn't accomplished anything yet.

So the nagging injuries need to be taken care of now, so they aren't a problem later. As Plaxico Burress said today, "We don't need to be killing ourselves right now."

Of course, there's always a chance that the starters won't have the game speed and chemistry they need by Sept. 10. But they all need to be on the field for that.

I'll update off practice later this afternoon.

Sorry for ignoring those of you who have taken the time to post. I appreciate all comments, even the ones that rip me.

So, we'll kick off with some answers to the burning questions you've been asking...

Geoff -- Doubt that Coughlin would punish anyone for speaking out, let alone Umenyiora. He had some muscle tightness so he was out, probably this evening too.

Big BB -- My story in today's print edition should satisfy you on the subject of the top rookies. My quick impressions of the others -- at least the ones that stand out:

LB Gerris Wilkinson has been given a lot to work with and has looked good... T Guy Whimper is still very raw, but there's plenty of time to learn behind this veteran O-line... DT Barry Cofield is solid and getting a turn with the first unit... S Charles Peprah has the athleticism but still has a ways to go to read offenses... CB Gerrick McPhearson also has the natural ability but, like Peprah, has a ways to go.

As for the undrafted guys, CB E.J. Underwood has stood out and may have a chance to steal the last DB spot from veterans Frank Walker and Curtis Deloatch; TE Darcy Johnson has made a few excellent catches and has the size (6-5, 252) to be a viable third tight end option; LB Tyson Smith showed good speed in Friday's game; and WR Anthony Mix has been up and down, but at 6-4, 235, he's still intriguing.

Chadwick -- I think Shockey's tattoo is a dragon, but I have to admit, at first glance it looked like a large-mouth bass. I'll have to ask.

OK, on to this morning's activity...

I mentioned Osi's being out. WRs Amani Toomer (hamstring), Sinorice Moss (quad) and David Tyree (ankle) were also out, as was G Rich Seubert (toe). The workout in shorts and pads was uneventful except for Michael Jennings' great catch from Jared Lorenzen and Rob Johnson's second straight lousy practice. He was picked off by CB Kevin Dockery on a woefully underthrown deep ball and still looked a step slow with his release. He'll be in Thursday's game after Eli Manning and Johnson needs to show a lot.

The Michael Jennings Moment of the Day is becoming awfully mainstream... A local TV crew took a tour of MJ's Caprice today. We were there first, just remember that.

His catch from Lorenzen was a perfectly run route under a perfectly thrown ball. The way MJ's playing now, with a lot of confidence, maybe he's forcing Coughlin to think about a sixth WR. It'll be tough, but that's our man's job, to make the decisions tough.

And boy, is there plenty to work on. The Giants did win on Friday night, but most of the players who will be in the thick of it starting on Sept. 10 have a ways to go, as just about everyone acknowledged following the game.

With just four practices before Thursday's game against the Chiefs, Tom Coughlin and his crew got right back to it this afternoon here in Albany.

A few bits of good news, injury-wise: G Chris Snee (knee) returned to practice. He was limited to only 2/3 of the 11-on-11 drills, but that's 2/3 more anyone thought when he went down on Tuesday with what could have been a long-term knee problem.

Also back in limited duty was LB Carlos Emmons (neck). Coughlin, who tends to treat chronically injured players like lazy layabouts, said Emmons' health is all on the player right now. It's not really likely Emmons will be cut -- Brandon Short is his backup, and Short is far from 100 percent healthy too. Behind them, it's rookie Gerris Wilkinson, even though Chase Blackburn started at the weak side on Friday.

TE Jeremy Shockey (concussion) made a more regular practice appearance today, so he may progress to the point of playing Thursday.

And now, the added bits of bad injury news. In addition to WR Sinorice Moss (quad) still being out -- that's two solid weeks missed now for him and only three completed practices -- WRs David Tyree (sprained left ankle) and Amani Toomer (hamstring) sat out today. Tyree's injury was known from Friday, but Toomer's wasn't, and no hammy injuries for receivers are welcome for Coughlin.

Also out was G Rich Seubert (turf toe), though Snee's return lessens the blow of that minor injury.

The practice featured much more team drill time, focusing on third- and fourth-down situations. Eli Manning's first unit was OK, giving up some penetration by the defensive line but also clearing some decent space for rushes. Rob Johnson, who will get some work on Thursday, was not good today, missing receivers often and getting picked off once by R.W. McQuarters, who had two INTs today -- the second was on a terribly thrown ball by Manning.

And there was a scuffle -- Michael Strahan, who has been keeping quiet with reporters and on the field, pinned backup G/C Grey Ruegamer to the ground after what may have been an errant hand to the face. Strahan suffered a swollen eye in the regular-season finale at Oakland after he got a two-handed jab to the face from Raiders OL Chad Slaughter and made sure Ruegamer got the message. Strahan held down Ruegamer and grabbed the lineman's throat, then continued with some words with the two on the sideline. Nothing further developed.

However, there are plenty of new developments with our man Michael Jennings. Can't say I wasn't grinning from ear to ear watching One Five spin his way down the field on Friday for his 57-yard punt return for a TD. I don't know if that will help him make the Giants roster because they don't need any more returners, but it's got to help him, period. Some NFL team can use him after a play like that.

Today's MJMD comes from late Friday night. Jennings was at his locker after being the first Giant to be interviewed post-game, packing his Giants-inscripted overnight bag. Most players have their names stitched onto theirs; Jennings has "J'Ville Slim" on his.

I asked him if he got any phone messages yet, about an hour after the game.

"The game wasn't on in Jacksonville," he said. I told him it was surely already on SportsCenter, maybe as the top play of the night.

"You really think so?" he asked. "I got to tell my Momma to watch it."

The Giants coach likes to remind us reporter types that we're always looking at the wrong thing. For instance -- we're all concerned about who's NOT playing on Friday in Baltimore. I mean, who cares about Jeremy Shockey, LaVar Arrington, Sinorice Moss, Chris Snee, Carlos Emmons and possibly Brandon Short and Will Demps? Just because those guys aren't playing doesn't mean this game isn't worth watching.

There's (and this is the order Coughlin listed them in) RB James Sims, OL Na'Shan Goddard, TE Darcy Johnson, DE Willie Evans, DT Sir Henry Anderson, DT Marcus Green and CB E.J. Underwood. Come on! If those names don't get you geeked up for some football, then you just ain't ready.

The guy who you'll see most of if you watch is rookie LB Gerris Wilkinson. With Emmons out and Short very doubtful to play more than a few snaps, Wilkinson would be the only weak-side linebacker on the field. Welcome to the NFL, Gerris. "It'll be a challenge, and that's what you want," he said.

The veteran absences do in fact mean little because Shockey, Arrington et. al. wouldn't have played much anyway. It will be an opportunity to see if someone can seize the third TE spot (Wade Fletcher, Boo Williams and Johnson are in the running) and whether Sims can handle some work in the backfield.

Eli Manning will go a series at QB, followed by Tim Hasselbeck and Jared Lorenzen. Rob Johnson will debut next week against the Chiefs, and that is significant. "The proper order is the way we'll play them," Coughlin said. Translating that from Coughlinese, it means that Johnson is fourth in the pecking order and will need a big couple of preseason games to dent the existing rotation.

Practice was uneventful, which is a step in the right direction after a couple of days of injuries.

And now, our pre-game MJMD. Michael Jennings is not on Coughlin's list of ones to watch, but Jennings has to make a big impression on Friday. How will our man stay relaxed?

"The time I feel most comfortable is when I'm riding in my Chevy," he said. "So when I'm out there on Friday, in my mind I'll just be floating down the road on my two-sixers (the 26-inch rims on his tires). I want to be comfortable, and I want to show everyone Mike Jennings. I just want to be One Five, show who I am. If I do that, I'll do something real special."

All of us eagle-eyed reporter types noticed that Jeff Feagles wasn't on the field this morning -- Travis Dorsch was the one doing the punting.

It took Feagles to point out that he hasn't been on the field for any of the morning practices on the two-workout days -- that's our bad. Feagles is on a strict 40-punt maximum per day, and he spends the mornings of two-a-days swimming and working out to strengthen his 41-year-old legs.

"Just hanging out, it wears on you," he said.

The newest addition to the Giants training camp family was RB Mike Jemison, who was in camp with the team last year as well. With Derrick Ward on the shelf for at least a month, the Giants needed a healthy back who could get some reps.

Talk of Friday's preseason opener against the Ravens began today, and Tom Coughlin was characteristically cryptic. He said he hasn't set the QB rotation for the game beyond Eli Manning's one or two series; judging solely on the reps to date, Tim Hasselbeck has a leg up on the No. 2 spot and Rob Johnson and Jared Lorenzen have flip-flopped the Nos. 3 and 4 spots.

Johnson, who has more than a touch of the Owen Wilson surfer dude in him, showed off his Tommy John surgery scar today. "I tell everyone it's a shark bite," he said.

The group of injured Giants numbered seven this morning: LBs LaVar Arrington (knee), Carlos Emmons (neck) and Brandon Short (knee, still practicing once a day), S Will Demps (same as Short), DT William Joseph (leg), OG Chris Snee (knee) and WR Sinorice Moss (quad).

Snee was tight-lipped about his injury but said surgery isn't an option now and he feels "very positive today." He clearly has been soaking up the media training father-in-law Coughlin offered over the crib of Snee's newborn son.

Moss might be more worrisome, given that he told us today that he suffered the same injury at the NFL Scouting Combine in February and Coughlin's saying Moss is shut down through the weekend. That's two weeks for a strain. Not a good start to the young receiver's NFL career.

Without Joseph in, rookie Barry Cofield shifted over to the 3-technique tackle spot with the first unit next to Fred Robbins. Cofield played mostly 3-gap and DE at Northwestern, so he's been learning the NT spot with the thought he could slot in behind Joseph. Here's his chance.

And now... The MJMD. Since the backup QBs were a topic of conversation today, we asked Michael Jennings who his favorite QB is.

"Well, I've always been a Rob Johnson fan, growing up in Jacksonville," said One Five, a comment that's sure to make Rob Johnson feel like a very old man. "I always loved watching Rob play. But J-Lo's my boy. Being on the practice squad all last year, he threw me the most passes. I like to go deep and he gets it there."

Turns out that not everyone wears cleats to the Giants meetings, a team official informed me. So it's not a policy of Coughlin's, just an off-shoot of his "five minutes early" policy that some guys wear their cleats to meetings so they don't spend time getting taped up afterwards and end up late to the field, which would result in a fine.

Though I'm guessing now no one's wearing cleats through the halls of the Phys Ed building anymore.

There's a joke in that headline somewhere, but Sunday was indeed the first really awful injury day for the Giants. This, after I said in the paper yesterday that the most Tom Coughlin had to worry about was a kicker with blue dye on his legs.

I'm sure it's all my fault. I'll take the heat for it.

Here's a rundown on the latest news I have regarding the Giants' injured:

-- G Chris Snee had a MRI on his right knee today and GM Ernie Accorsi said that the injury "is not serious enough to be long-term." So that means no torn ligaments. At worst it's a torn meniscus, which won't keep Snee out until the regular season.

-- RB Derrick Ward is out 4-6 weeks with a broken foot. The team declined to say how it happened, but a person who saw the incident said Ward slipped on the floor of the Physical Education building here on the way to a meeting yesterday between practices. The players attend meetings in full field dress, cleats included, and that's why Ward slipped. The person said Coughlin may change the team rules to allow players to remove their cleats before walking to meetings.

-- RB Brandon Jacobs will be "fine," according to Accorsi, after Jacobs underwent a stress test today for an irregular heartbeat.

RIch Seubert can slot into Snee's spot, which is a plus -- Seubert really can only play guard, so if anyone's going to get hurt, might as well be a guard. The running back depth was plenty questionable already behind Tiki Barber; losing Ward until the regular season begins and having Jacobs go through a scary couple of days only makes things seem worse.

Chad Morton excited the camp crowd Sunday evening with his speed from the backfield, but he's the kick/punt returner -- if he gets hurt, it'd be much harder to replace him than to find a fill-in back for the rest of camp.

LB LaVar Arrington didn't practice yesterday due to "general soreness" -- if that were a real injury, I'd miss a lot of work -- and this is how it's likely to be with Arrington, who has been bumped and bruised through his seven seasons. As long as he answers the bell, there's nothing to worry about.

I'll save the practice update for the paper, and have some more info tomorrow.

And we'll also save the Michael Jennings Moment of the Day until tomorrow too. Got to pace ourselves.

Tonight's practice marks the end of a week of Giants training camp. With the off-day tomorrow, here's our highs of the opening week:

Best Throw: Eli Manning to Amani Toomer on the first team play of camp last week was pretty strong, though Tim Hasselbeck had back-to-back beauties today, one a deep post to Toomer, the next a perfect ball to David Tyree, both into tight coverage.

Best Catch: Juggling grabs by Willie Ponder yesterday and tight end Boo Williams today earn a tie.

Best Hit: Will Demps on Jeremy Shockey wasn't a real hit, even though it caused the most damage; LB Nick McNeil's takedown of RB James Sims was a nice hit, just not at the right time.

Best Fight: Rich Seubert had a pair of undercards before the main event this morning, a genuine haymaker-throwing tussle between backup C Grey Ruegamer and DT Jonas Seawright.

Best On-Field Remark, Player: "Look out, Butterball!" Some wit yelled that when QB Jared Lorenzen was under pressure.

Best On-Field Remark, Coach: "Wake Up, Lentz!" Tom Coughlin let G Matthew Lentz know what time it was last weekend.

Best Best: Neil, of course. My predecessor on the Giants beat would have loved to blog.

Best Player, Offense: Toomer. The guy is in tremendous shape, he doesn't miss time and he catches everything thrown at him.

Best Player, Defense: Gibril Wilson missed yesterday's practice but he's gotten bigger and stronger in the offseason and hasn't shied away from contact.

I qualify both of those assessments with this: It's only been a week and it's hard to see everything, especially how the lines look.

Best Accessory: Osi Umenyiora's Pro Bowl flip-flops. That's a perk I can appreciate.

Best Bob Glauber nickname: Blauber really rings true for me, though Blauber himself pointed out that he has a cameo as a sports writer (always stretching himself, that Blauber) in the Mark Wahlberg flick "Invincible." The production folks made up director's chairs for the real-life sports writers, and his said "Flauber" on the back.

I almost think that's better than Blauber.

And, finally...

Best MJMD: For the record, Michael Jennings said Toomer and Ponder have had the best camps so far. As for One Five himself, my favorite is a new entry. He now keeps his Caprice Classic away from the rest of the players' cars at lunch, parking it in a shady area between a few trees and behind some police tape. Sounds about right. Maybe if it were on a revolving platform it would be better.

And the reason we have no worsts yet is because I still have to talk to these guys every day. Who can say who's worst yet? Save that for the preseason games.

Just wrapped the officials' presentation on rule changes, and ref Walt Coleman and his crew really were entertaining. Here are the key rule changes for the upcoming season:

-- Pass-rushers cannot hit a QB below the knees if the QB has both feet on the ground. If he's running, he can be tripped. This will henceforth be known as the Carson Palmer Rule.

-- A tackler now cannot grab the inside of the shoulder pads or the inside of the jersey to pull down a ball-carrier. This is the Horse Collar Rule, the Roy Williams Rule (he broke T.O.'s leg two seasons ago) or The Rule That Tiki Barber Most Wants Enforced. The rule was in place last season but it was only shoulder pads -- Barber was pulled down twice last season, once by Williams, and didn't get a call either time. Now, he will.

-- On an attempted onsides kick, the kicking team can't load up one side of the kicker -- at least four players have to be on either side of the kicker. Coleman said this is a safety issue. I think it's a bad change, further reducing the chance of recovering an onsides kick. Gotta get on the competition committee and fix this.

-- Excessive celebration in the end zone now includes using the ball as a prop, going to the ground to celebrate or celebrating legally too long. Coleman said this came from the Players Association, not the league, which is interesting, seeing as how the PA's members are the ones doing the celebrating. Too bad for Chad Johnson.

-- Replay time goes down from 90 seconds to 60 for the referee, but Coleman told us something we never knew: The replay official in the booth never before was allowed to offer his opinion on the reviewable play. Now he can, which will cut down on the time the ref has to spend looking at the play. This replay rule is much more trouble than it's worth -- maybe the league is finally inching closer to being a smart, quick way to fix things.

-- Down by contact is now reviewable. Another step towards sanity.

The best part of the session, which this officiating crew will hold with the Giants tonight, was the Q&A. Coleman, entering his 18th season as a ref, was on the field for the Pats-Raiders playoff game when the infamous "tuck rule" call was made -- a Tom Brady fumble in a blizzard was overturned by replay and the Pats went on to win the game and then the first of their three Super Bowls.

"I put the headset on and the replay assistant we had at the time said, 'Walt, this is the game,'" Coleman said. "I think I said, 'No kidding.' But the call was an easy one to make once I saw the replay -- the rule is clear. It's just that no one outside of the officials knew the rule."

Also got to meet the only NFL official from Long Island, Hauppauge's Steve Zimmer, a former district attorney who's in his 10th year as a field judge. Zimmer said he was an All-Long Island football player at Massapequa. We'll have to check on that.

He had the best line of the meeting when Coleman went over a moment with Coach Coughlin last season. Coleman threw a flag on a holding call and Coughlin went nuts -- the opposing player who was held had smacked Eli Manning in the head, with no call.

"He's right, that's a foul," Coleman said in his Arkansas twang.

"Not that game it wasn't," Zimmer said in his gravelly New York accent.

So there's Jeremy Shockey, walking slowly, looking like Tyson heading to a post-Holyfield fight press conference. And Plaxico Burress walking gingerly on a sore right ankle that kept him out of this morning's practice.

Never speak ill of Coach Coughlin, or look what can happen to you.

Actually, Burress said he wasn't worried about his ankle and he should return tomorrow. Shockey, on the other hand, said the headaches, light sensitivity and nausea were still with him. If they're not gone by tomorrow, this could linger.

And a quick note to the Giants (and the NFL at large): There's no such thing as a mild concussion. You could bump into me ever so lightly and I might not be right for a year or two; conversely, I could Superfly Snuka you from the top turnbuckle and drive your head into concrete and you could be fine. Everyone's different. Shockey said this is his first concussion, but I doubt that -- not the way the NFL treats concussions, even now when the evidence from all the leading neurosurgeons shows that any blow to the head is damaging and that these things are cumulative.

Ask Al Toon, or Wayne Chrebet, or Eric Lindros how many concussions it takes to make you want to quit. They had several, but sometimes it only takes one.

OK, rant over.

S James Butler worked back into the rotation this morning after he was cleared to return by the team's medical staff. Butler has a genetic kidney ailment that was discovered in the spring, but he can play with extra padding covering his kidneys.

CB Corey Webster made two good plays on long passes -- he really should have picked off one deep Eli Manning throw intended for Tim Carter, but the other was pure athleticism when he leaped to deflect a Manning pass for Amani Toomer. Webster is improving daily.

TE Darcy Johnson, in a legitimate fight for the third tight end roster spot, made two superb catches this morning.

Our MJMD (Michael Jennings Moment of the Day) got a little more widespread pub than usual. One Five made five catches this morning, drawing attention from some of my colleagues, enough to prompt a question to Coughlin. The coach wouldn't bite though.

"He has the quickness and the zip," Coughlin said. "He hasn't made too many plays out here, but hopefully that'll come."

I waited until after the gaggle had parted for Coughlin to ask him about Jennings' "Put Me In Coach!" t-shirt. With a dismissive wave of his hand that is a move straight out of my grandmother's playbook -- she usually does it when she's fed up with me -- Coughlin didn't crack a smile.

"Earn the right," he said. "Earn the right."

I did hear from a couple other players that Coughlin, as MJ said, did like the shirt. But play time's over, I guess.

That was kicker Jay Feely's comment about the Jeremy Shockey chronicles, which are extended into a third day thanks to his bizarre evening practice last night. It ended with Shockey suffering a concussion after Will Demps connected his elbow to Shockey's facemask (and broke it) during a two-minute drill.

Both guys were going for the ball and Shockey probably knew that. But that doesn't explain Shockey's "pre-concussion syndrome" before the injury -- he spent the evening practice running his routes, throwing his helmet, cussing out his QB, a wide receiver and anyone else within earshot and generally acting like a nut.

Demps wasn't remorseful about the accidental hit, and neither were his teammates in the secondary. Gibril Wilson thought Shockey's wild-man routine earlier in practice was because the LBs and safeties were dominating the tight end in drills, and the defense did have a much better practice than any of the first five. The training camp line goes that the offense has to catch up to the defense, and with the pads on, that proved true.

I'm blogging pre-practice today since the workout isn't until 2:40, and it will run about half an hour shorter thanks to the 95-degree heat here (not as bad as where everyone else is down near the city, but it ain't nice here either). I'll get an update right after practice.

We do have time for the MJMD today... Jennings was in relaxed mode today -- no t-shirts, no gold teeth. He showed me his serious side today, talking about how he doesn't like to get caught up in dorm-room chit chat at night after practice.

"I just like to drive over to the gas station, work on the engine a little and study my plays," he said. "If I get to talking, I can't focus as much."

Jennings isn't a kid anymore -- he'll be 27 on Sept. 7, so he's not got many opportunities left if he can't make the Giants as a sixth WR.

He was stopped in the parking lot yesterday by David Tyree's younger brother, who told MJ: "I saw your wheels on NFL Network."

"Attention is good and all," Jennings said after Tyree's brother left, "but my dream is to have someone come up to me and say, 'I saw you catch a touchdown on TV.'"