T-Rock's Take: Inside the Giants

Still no Strahan, though everyone and their mother were asked about Ol' 92. I'll save the real fans who are looking for actual football updates the trouble of wading through "We miss him" quotes, but this may start to get a little uglier now.

That's because Strahan called TC at 7:40 p.m. last night -- or 10 minutes into the 7:30 meeting the Giants have had every night of camp since TC took over. So either Strahan forgot or he knew he wouldn't get the coach on the phone, and I'm guessing TC thinks the latter. Which will certainly tick off the coach, even though he wouldn't bite when pressed about his feelings.

Most of the players asked about 92 say they think he'll be in camp eventually and play this year. I'm with them.

OK, on to the field...

Here's the first unit D from the morning practice:

William Joseph-Fred Robbins-Barry Cofield-Osi Umenyiora

Mathias Kiwanuka-Antonio Pierce-Kawika Mitchell

R.W. McQuarters-James Butler-Gibril Wilson-Sam Madison

Willie Joe in Strahan's spot isn't a promotion necessarily; Justin Tuck didn't work this A.M., but he'll be out there this afternoon, and I expect him to run with the 1s at DE. Think of Willie Joe as Kramer at the Tonys -- a seat-filler.

We saw Butler running with the 1s in mini-camp in a rotation with Wilson and Will Demps, so I assumed there was nothing to read into that. But I was just handed the first depth chart of the season, and Butler is listed as a strong safety with Wilson at free and Demps as the No. 2 free safety. Hmm.

All the defensive rookies were with the 2s or 3s -- Aaron Ross moved up to the 2s midway through when Kevin Dockery hit his head on the turf and went off early. He said he was fine, just a nasty headache.

Here's the first-unit O:

Dave Diehl-Rich Seubert-Shaun O'Hara-Chris Snee-Kareem McKenzie

Jeremy Shockey (TE)-Amani Toomer-Plaxico Burress

Eli Manning

Brandon Jacobs-Robert Douglas

The Jacobs-Douglas tandem switched out with Reuben Droughns and second TE Darcy Johnson in team drills, and Sinorice Moss ran as the slot WR in the three-WR sets.

OK, those are the basics. Here's some highlights:

-- Manning's first two throws were... Um, not good. The ball slipped out of his hands before his first throw, looking for Toomer, who was covered well by McQuarters. The second, a deep post try for Burress, went into double coverage and missed everyone. Manning recovered a bit and made some better throws in later team drills and the 7-on-7 drills, including a nice touch pass that Shockey grabbed one-handed in the face of a blitz from Kiwanuka.

He was picked off once, and that one went off Burress' chest and right into Wilson's hands. Not Eli's fault.

-- The best QB of the morning was No. 2 QB Jared Lorenzen. Throws were on target and crisp, especially two early connections with Michael Jennings, who lost the handle on a couple throws on a damp morning, but looked solid. Lorenzen's best throw was a sideline completion to Brandon London, who made a great diving grab just inside the sideline.

Anthony Wright was up and down and Tim Hasselbeck looked bad -- he made a horrible throw into traffic that S Travonti Johnson easily picked off.

Kiwanuka was, obviously, still at LB, and I doubt the Giants would jerk the kid around based on the whim of Strahan. He'll stay at LB until the Ol' 92 makes up his mind.

Michael Stone ran with the safeties today, where I assume he'll stay with Jason Bell on IR. Stone and Demps were with the 2s.

First guy to fall was G Matt Lentz, whose camp last year was notable for TC screaming, "Dammit Lentz, you again!" when he fell a couple times early in camp. Poor guy. He does get the award for the largest truck -- frankly, I'm surprised he hasn't fallen trying to get out of this thing. It looks like a monster truck.

Toomer said his knee felt good, and TC admitted some surprise that Toomer ran well in Friday's conditioning test. He's not working this afternoon though, and neither is Burress, who had an ice bag on his surgically repaired left ankle after the workout. A chance for Moss and possibly Steve Smith to run with the 1s this afternoon.

Tuck and CB Corey Webster will go this afternoon after sitting out the morning.

And it wouldn't be training camp without... The MJMD. Your first Michael Jennings Moment of the Day:

-- Now that he's been an NFL player for a year, One Five -- and it's shaved into the back of his head again, as last year -- has branched out. His Fat Boy Slim company customizes cars -- he promises that a 1971 Chevy Impala he designed for Sam Madison will be arriving in Albany soon -- and he showed me a picture on his cell phone of a 1980 silver Chevy he did for himself. It looked pretty sweet. He said the day before he was leaving Jacksonville to drive the car up here, someone stole it and torched it.

But if Madison's whip looks as good as he says it does, several teammates will be making their orders.

And MJ's summer jam was "It Takes Two," by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock. Why? "It's like Coach Coughlin says: You win as a team," MJ said. "Can't do nothing by yourself. It takes two, baby."

Or 53. But who's counting?