Ah yes, the off-season is nearly at the end of its "drought" period. The New York Giants are getting back to the office after a solid one-and-a-half month break...well, most of the players anyway. With all their respective vacations, time-off, sabbaticals (etc), Big Blue's Championship squad are cleaning out their cleats, stocking up on Vitamin Water and heading back to East Rutherford to begin voluntary off-season workouts.
As expected, a number of the superstars respectfully declined to partake in the workouts. First and foremost, the most expected of no-shows was Sir Michael Strahan who is still enjoying a vacation. His DE Pro Bowl bookend, Osi Umenyiora, is also holding up in Atlanta (according to his agent) and still voicing an interest in contract restructuring before he returns to the gym.
(Quick reminder: Umenyiora is due to make $1.7 million in 2008...while Justin Tuck will be pulling in an average $6 million.)
Another expected hold-out, Chris Snee, was not seen entering Giants Camp today (although Vacchiano, who did an incredible clandestine recon job today when the media was not invited, was unsure if Snee showed or not). At present, there are still mixed reports on whether Snee will officially "hold-out." ProFootballTalk indicates that Coughlin's favorite son-in-law will be absent, while Vacchiano claims there have been no signs of that. Wait and see.
Jeremy Shockey and Plaxico Burress were both absent today. This should come as almost less of a surprise than Strahan's declining. Shockey will undoubtedly spend a majority of his time taking part in the "Miami Fitness Bonanza," although it would truly be in his best interest to spend a bit more time in NJ practicing with his hurler who year-in and year-out pleads for #80 to return from Florida. Burress has been spending the last couple off-seasons in Miami with Shockey, however, given his physical rehabilitation, perhaps he'll remain closer to the team medical staff.
Speaking of rehabilitation, Mathias Kiwanuka's recovery is coming along very well and he's already able to run on his leg. It appears he will be good to go come time for mini-camp and maybe even earlier.
Eli Manning was not present for the start of the program today, but he was the Super Bowl MVP; he's earned a couple extra days off, right? In true hard-working Eli Manning fashion, however, NY/NJ's new Golden Boy will be attending the workouts later this week.
Also seen entering the Meadowlands premises was new LB, Danny Clark. This should not be terribly surprising as he has a long way to go if he wants a starting spot on that LB corps, but great to see him none the less.
EXTRA NOTES:
- The Giants, through what appears to be nothing short of a nearly indecipherable equation, have earned themselves a compensatory pick. More specifically, due to the loss of a few free agents last season, the Giants were awarded a 6th Round pick (199th overall to be exact) in the coming draft. Given Reese's success last year, that could prove to be incredibly valuable.
- In non-Giants news (sort of), ProFootballTalk is reporting that it is appearing more and more likely that former Giants RB, Tiki Barber, is being let go by the Today show. While no official announcement has been made, NBC announced that Kathie Lee Gifford has been picked up to co-host the final portion of the Today show...the same slot that Tiki co-hosted last year. Despite all that's happened and has been said, it'd be hard to not feel bad for the guy if he lost that gig after retiring the year before the G-men brought home the Lombardi Trophy.