6/24/08 Interview with Amani:

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.”

Recent e-mails to Amani:

Due to a system error a number of e-mails to Amani were lost.  We’ve retrieved all those we could and you’ll now find Amani’s responses on the fan Q&A page.

If there is still no response to your e-mail, it’s because we were unable to retrieve it.  Your e-mails are important to Amani.

Web Master

Introducing the N.Y. Giants' 2008 Draft Class

By Gail Bahr

Round 1:  Safety Kenney Phillips, Miami, 6-2 ¼, 212, C 4.50 
Generally considered the top free safety in this year’s draft class.  Phillips is a smooth, fluid athlete with very good speed and instincts for the position.  The selection of Phillips fills a position of need with Gibril Wilson having been signed by the Oakland Raiders.

Round 2:  Cornerback Terrell Thomas, USC, 6-3/4, 202, C. 4.49, PD 4.52 and 4.53                                                                                                                                                                             Voted 2007 All-PAC 10.  Thomas brings the Giants excellent experience at a big-time program and good versatility as he also has experience at safety.  Another selection with good speed for the position, Thomas should be able to compete as a nickel back quickly.  

Round 3:  Wide receiver Mario Manningham, Michigan, 5-11 ¾, 181, c. 4.6, PD 4.38 and 4.44
Junior entry. All-American in 2007.  Another receiver from Michigan joins Amani on the Giants’ roster.  A top athlete with good quickness, speed and explosion.

Round 4: Outside linebacker Bryan Kehl, BYU, 6-2 ¼, 242, c. 4.68, PD. 4.56 and 4.57
A very quick, fast outside linebacker to fill the need for additional depth after the departures of Kawika Mitchell to the Buffalo Bills and Reggie Torbor to the Miami Dolphins.  Kehl is said to very extremely intelligent and should be able to compete in the rotation very quickly.

Round 5:  Inside linebacker Jonathan Goff, Vanderbilt, 6-2, 245, C. 4.63
All-SEC in 2007. Candidate for Bednarik and Bronco Nagurski Awards in 2007.  Like Kehl Goff is said to be highly intelligent and, also like Kehl, Goff has excellent speed.

Round 6a:  Quarterback Andre Woodson, Jr., Kentucky, 6-4, 229, c. DNR, estimate: 4.8
Early in the 2007 season Woodson broke Trent Dilfer’s college record for consecutive passes thrown without an interception (342) and finished his college career with the lowest INT ratio in SEC history.   An excellent value pick here, Woodson will compete to back up Eli Manning.

Round 6b:  Defensive end Robert Henderson, Southern Mississippi, 6-3, 278, estimate 4.75
Has 13.5 career sacks and can rush the passer or defend the run.  In his post game press conference, Couch Coughlin said that Henderson could play end or slide inside to tackle on some passing downs.

The Giants had no seventh round pick.  

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.

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

WHEN: Wednesday, February 20, 2008

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

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

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

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

2/14/08 Interview with Amani:

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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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

Amani Gets his Ring!

by Gail Bahr

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

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

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

But remember David?

With nothing but a slingshot, he toppled Goliah.

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

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

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

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

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

Prophetic words as it turned out.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1/16/08 Group Interview with Amani:

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

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


What do you remember about that first championship game?

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


Does Steve Smith remind you of you at all?

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


Have you seen the difference in Eli lately?

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

1/14/08 Excerpt from Inside Football:

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

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

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

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

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

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

1/09/08 Group Interview with Amani:

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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


How has his leadership evolved?

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

1/08/08 Interview with Amani:

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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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

1/02/08 Group Interview with Amani:

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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

Amani:  I don’t know about all that. 


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

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


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

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


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

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

12/19/07 Interview with Amani:

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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


What will you do for Christmas? 

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

Two excerpts from press conference, 12/13/07

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

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

Question: Amani’s veteran leadership?

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

12/13/07 Interview with Amani:

Have you ever had disputed calls in consecutive weeks before?

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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


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


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

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


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


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


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

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

12/06/07 Interview with Amani:

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

Amani:  Thank you.


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


Did you watch the Patriots-Ravens game?

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


Does Justin ever mention Appalachian State?

Amani:  Yeah but that was a fluke!

11/29/07 Interview with Amani:

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

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


Congratulations on your 600th career reception.

Amani: Thank you.


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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

Excerpt from Giants.com by Michael Eisen:

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

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

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

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

11/20/07 Interview with Amani:

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

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


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

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


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

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


Like the Patriots?

Amani:  Yeah, exactly. 


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

Amani:  I’m watching the turkey thaw now.

11/13/07 Interview with Amani:

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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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

11/6/07 Interview with Amani:

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

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


So it was as bad as it appeared?

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


They weren’t aware of the commercial breaks?

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


They understood kneeling on the ball because they booed lustily.

Amani:  They didn’t want it to end, I think.  They wanted more.  It’s like a good performer on the stage, you alwa