The Knicks began training camp today with a two-a-day session. Morning session was mostly conditioning drills, running and fast break drills etc. The evening session consisted of several scrimmages. The first team was Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Amare Stoudemire and Ronny Turiaf. The second team was Toney Douglas, Roger Mason, Bill Walker, Anthony Randolph and Timofey Mosgov. The third group was comprised of rookies Andy Rautins and Landry Fields, free agents patrick Ewing Jr. and Shawne Willaims and dead beat Eddy Curry.
Some notes from the day:
-Amare Stoudemire and Raymond Felton were named co-captains so look for them to set the tone for the team.
-Felton's jumpshot looked much improved, a major factor in pick and roll effectiveness giving the Knicks a threat at the top of the screen. He also had good chemistry with Amare which will be the key to the Knicks success this year.
-Amare was Amare, in great shape, looked comfortable in the system, ran the floor well, oh and he gave Timofey Mosgov the business on a nice dribble drive. Video Courtesy of Tommy Dee at theknicksblog.com.
-Eddy Curry looked lost and struggled the most through the conditioning drills...nothing new to report here.
-Anthony Randolph hit a couple jumpshots and looked good on the defensive end. Need to see more from him to get any kind of analysis.
-Danilo Gallinari was sniping as usual, looked good and in shape.
-Timofey Mosgov is legit, hes huge, looked good in transition, athletic, good feet and soft hands just needs to be refined a little. If he continues on this path look for him to be a starter sooner than later.
Knicks have a few more days of two a days then they are off to Italy to begin the preseason. More posts on training camp as it comes.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Week 2 Recap
The Giants got rocked...period. Hopefully week 3 against the Tennessee Titans(1-1) will make me feel better.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Giants 31 Panthers 18 Week 1 Recap
The Giants opened their brand new stadium with a 31-18 victory over the Carolina Panthers. This game was important to the Giants for many reasons, first game in the new stadium, multiple players coming back from serious injuries(Kenny Phillips and Keith Bulluck) and because the last time these teams met Carolina embarrassed the Giants in a 41-9 demolition. In the rematch the Giants showed that the defense is no longer the sieve that it was last year, and the offense, drops and all, is picking up where it left off last year. Here are some notes from the game.
-Hakeem Nicks showed his play-making ability with 3 TD receptions. He got separation consistently and showed great ball skills, pause.
-Ahmad Bradshaw had a good game, some big losses on runs hurt his numbers a little but expect that to happen because of all his cut back and reverse field runs. He finished with 76 yards and a touchdown in 20 carries.
-Eli Manning had a really good game he was accurate and made good decisions but 3 interceptions off of drops will hurt you. He also had 3 touchdowns and showed his mastery of the offense.
-The defensive secondary for the Giants looked like a strength this week with 3 interceptions and held Matt Moore to a 42% completion percentage and 32.6 passer rating. They were swarming around the ball and safeties Kenny Phillips and Antrel Rolle looked like a nasty combination.
-The defensive line looked suspect in the first half but got tons of pressure in the second half with four sacks and 2 forced fumbles. The Giants rotation is so deep with Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka all making plays, it might be too early to say they have returned to their Superbowl form but look for a big improvement from last year.
-Special teams is a big issue right now for the G-men, punter Matt dodge was kicking ducks like he has all preseason and kickoff coverage was terrible giving the panthers great field position most of the game.
Overall the Giants played well, they played sloppy at times but they looked in control for most of the Game. They will be playing the Colts next week, if they want to win that game they will definitely need to keep those turnovers in check because Peyton Manning will not throw 3 interceptions in the end zone...you can take that to the bank.
-Hakeem Nicks showed his play-making ability with 3 TD receptions. He got separation consistently and showed great ball skills, pause.
-Ahmad Bradshaw had a good game, some big losses on runs hurt his numbers a little but expect that to happen because of all his cut back and reverse field runs. He finished with 76 yards and a touchdown in 20 carries.
-Eli Manning had a really good game he was accurate and made good decisions but 3 interceptions off of drops will hurt you. He also had 3 touchdowns and showed his mastery of the offense.
-The defensive secondary for the Giants looked like a strength this week with 3 interceptions and held Matt Moore to a 42% completion percentage and 32.6 passer rating. They were swarming around the ball and safeties Kenny Phillips and Antrel Rolle looked like a nasty combination.
-The defensive line looked suspect in the first half but got tons of pressure in the second half with four sacks and 2 forced fumbles. The Giants rotation is so deep with Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka all making plays, it might be too early to say they have returned to their Superbowl form but look for a big improvement from last year.
-Special teams is a big issue right now for the G-men, punter Matt dodge was kicking ducks like he has all preseason and kickoff coverage was terrible giving the panthers great field position most of the game.
Overall the Giants played well, they played sloppy at times but they looked in control for most of the Game. They will be playing the Colts next week, if they want to win that game they will definitely need to keep those turnovers in check because Peyton Manning will not throw 3 interceptions in the end zone...you can take that to the bank.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
ARE YOU READDDDDDDDYYYYYY!!!!
You hear that?...That crack after a clean hit...the slight thump of pigskin hitting sure hands...the sounds of 300-pound men crashing into each other with the sole intention of destroying his opponent. That's right, its football season...light the grill up, throw the brews on ice, and make sure your TV game is correct(nothing less then HD will suffice).
The New York Football Giants will be facing the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in a rematch of the last game played in the old Giants Stadium when the Panthers demolished the Giants with a 41-9 Victory. The Giants are very healthy, the entire starting offensive line practiced together this week for the first time this year and Kenny Phillips and Keith Bulluck will be starting for the defense.
My prediction is the Giants win this one 21-17. LETS GOOOOO!!!
The New York Football Giants will be facing the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in a rematch of the last game played in the old Giants Stadium when the Panthers demolished the Giants with a 41-9 Victory. The Giants are very healthy, the entire starting offensive line practiced together this week for the first time this year and Kenny Phillips and Keith Bulluck will be starting for the defense.
My prediction is the Giants win this one 21-17. LETS GOOOOO!!!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Timofey Mosgov FIBA Review
During the Fiba World Championships of course my main focus has been watching the US Basketball team take it to the world. But I have also had a chance to look at the Knicks new toy, 7'1 Russian Center Timofey Mosgov. Today I got to see them clash for the first time, Mosgov finished with 13 points and 4 rebounds in an impressive outing and USA left with the W. During the tournament Mosgov lead his team in scoring(off the bench) averaging 12.6 points shooting 65.5% from the field, 3.7 rebounds and 1 block in 18.7 minutes per game. However those stats, especially the rebounds, don't really tell the story. Here is my breakdown of Timofey Mosgov's game.
Offense:
At this point in his development Mosgov does not have a polished offensive game to say the least. Unlike most European Big men he does not have a consistent jumper to rely on and if you Put him one on one on the block with an NBA center don't expect much. He doesn't have a go to post move and seems a little out of control at times. His greatest asset on the offensive end will be his screening and rolling. For his size Mosgov has excellent mobility and good technique on his screens. I think New York is the ideal place for Mosgov, Mike D'Antoni will utilize his mobility with screen and rolls and keeping him moving on that side of the court.
Defense:
This is probably one the weakest parts of Mosgov's game. Usually when you say a center is not a good defender you are referring to shot blocking but its not that, because he can. But his positioning and decision making leaves something to be desired. For somebody who is so good at the screen and roll on offense, defensively he looks lost. He will be in foul trouble ALOT due to these issues expect it to be something that assistant coach Herb Williams will be in his ear about constantly.
Rebounding:
If you look at his underwhelming rebounding numbers alone you would have cause for concern. However, Mosgov's focus is not on actually grabbing the rebounds but completely removing his guy from the block. Mosgov has excellent technique in boxing out, a skill that has seemed to disappear in the NBA. Although you would like him to have more boards one thing you shouldn't have to worry about is his man getting on the offensive glass. With all of the second chance points the Knicks gave up last year look for those opportunities to decrease the more Mosgov plays. Also don't be surprised if you see the fours that line up with Mosgov to have good rebounding numbers.
Overall I think the Knicks could have a nice player in Mosgov. He is young, raw and needs a little work but look for him to contribute by the second half of the season.
His strengths fit well with what Mike D'Antoni wants to do on the court and his attitude seems to be good. Just another reason that I CANT WAIT for the season to start.
Offense:
At this point in his development Mosgov does not have a polished offensive game to say the least. Unlike most European Big men he does not have a consistent jumper to rely on and if you Put him one on one on the block with an NBA center don't expect much. He doesn't have a go to post move and seems a little out of control at times. His greatest asset on the offensive end will be his screening and rolling. For his size Mosgov has excellent mobility and good technique on his screens. I think New York is the ideal place for Mosgov, Mike D'Antoni will utilize his mobility with screen and rolls and keeping him moving on that side of the court.
Defense:
This is probably one the weakest parts of Mosgov's game. Usually when you say a center is not a good defender you are referring to shot blocking but its not that, because he can. But his positioning and decision making leaves something to be desired. For somebody who is so good at the screen and roll on offense, defensively he looks lost. He will be in foul trouble ALOT due to these issues expect it to be something that assistant coach Herb Williams will be in his ear about constantly.
Rebounding:
If you look at his underwhelming rebounding numbers alone you would have cause for concern. However, Mosgov's focus is not on actually grabbing the rebounds but completely removing his guy from the block. Mosgov has excellent technique in boxing out, a skill that has seemed to disappear in the NBA. Although you would like him to have more boards one thing you shouldn't have to worry about is his man getting on the offensive glass. With all of the second chance points the Knicks gave up last year look for those opportunities to decrease the more Mosgov plays. Also don't be surprised if you see the fours that line up with Mosgov to have good rebounding numbers.
Overall I think the Knicks could have a nice player in Mosgov. He is young, raw and needs a little work but look for him to contribute by the second half of the season.
His strengths fit well with what Mike D'Antoni wants to do on the court and his attitude seems to be good. Just another reason that I CANT WAIT for the season to start.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Giants Roster Cut to 53
Saturday marked the end of some notable players tenure with the Giants and some new additions.
Players Cut:
DT Jay Alford
QB Rhett Bomar
RB Andre Brown
WR Derek Hagan
Bear Pascoe
Players Added:
QB Sage Rosenfels
WR/RB Darius Reynaud
Players Retained:
Victor Cruz
Duke Calhoun
Most notably players cut were superbowl hero DT Jay Alford and QB Rhett Bomar who got most of the Giants Snaps this preseason. Some of this may come as a surprise but after the Giants added backup QB Sage Rosenfels and Return Specialist Darius Reynaud from the Minnesota Vikings players like Bomar, Andre Brown and Derek Hagan became expendable. Some players that were probably on the cusp but were kept are preseason star Victor Cruz and the speedy Duke Calhoun.
Players Cut:
DT Jay Alford
QB Rhett Bomar
RB Andre Brown
WR Derek Hagan
Bear Pascoe
Players Added:
QB Sage Rosenfels
WR/RB Darius Reynaud
Players Retained:
Victor Cruz
Duke Calhoun
Most notably players cut were superbowl hero DT Jay Alford and QB Rhett Bomar who got most of the Giants Snaps this preseason. Some of this may come as a surprise but after the Giants added backup QB Sage Rosenfels and Return Specialist Darius Reynaud from the Minnesota Vikings players like Bomar, Andre Brown and Derek Hagan became expendable. Some players that were probably on the cusp but were kept are preseason star Victor Cruz and the speedy Duke Calhoun.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Preseason Wrap-Up
Eli Manning and the first team offense looked good as they diced up the Patriots defense through efficient running and precision passing. The drive started with a couple nice runs from Ahmad Bradshaw. Eli followed that up with a 22-yard dime to Kevin Boss down the middle of the field. The drive ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass to the Boss.
On the Second drive the New York Giants went Boise St and ran a WR End Around with Hakeem Nicks for 15yds. Two plays later they attempted a flea flicker which ended with Eli displaying his hands of stone fumbling it and getting penalized for a forward tap. The drive ended in a punt.
The defense started its first drive in their territory thanks to terrible punt coverage by the suspect Giants special teams. Starting at the NY 45, the Patriots mixed run and pass to drive it down the short field and finished the drive with a 5 yd td pass from Tom Brady to Ron Gronkowski.
The second defensive drive ended with a sick one-handed interception by new addition Antrel Rolle, his second of the preseason,. Later the group of the 2’s and 3’s led by Jonathan Goff had a beautiful goal line stand, stopping the Pats 4 straight downs.
Overall the team finished on a positive note with a 20-17 Victory.
So what can we take from this preseason?
1. Look out for Hakeem Nicks
Nicks is poised for big year as he was one of the main focuses of our preseason offense. Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride moved Nicks around the field and focused on putting him in position to gain yards after the catch with several bubble screens and short passes.
2. Ahmad Bradshaw will be the Giants primary runner
Ahmad had a good preseason showing great vision and that explosive burst now that he is healthy. With Brandon Jacobs not showing much, look for Bradshaw to have his first 1000-yard season.
3. Kenny Phillips is back!
Kenny Looked very explosive in the final preseason game after getting the most reps since he was injured in week 2 of last year. His range has looked excellent and he was laying wood on receivers coming through the middle. The tandem of Phillips and Rolle in the defensive secondary could be fun to see.
4. Eli will show last year was no fluke.
Eli had his best statistical season last year with his first 4000-yd passing year when he finished with 4,021 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. But with Ahmad Bradshaw getting the bulk of the running duties and his ability to be effective catching the ball out of the backfield, look for the Giants to be pass happy again this season.
5. Jonathan Goff is ready to go.
Jonathan Goff had his best game of the preseason in the last game finishing with 7 tackles and 2 pass deflections. He looked comfortable leading the defense and was flying around. This will put to rest the Giants linebacking order with Goff in the middle and Micheal Boley and Keith Bulluck(eventually) on the outsides.
On the Second drive the New York Giants went Boise St and ran a WR End Around with Hakeem Nicks for 15yds. Two plays later they attempted a flea flicker which ended with Eli displaying his hands of stone fumbling it and getting penalized for a forward tap. The drive ended in a punt.
The defense started its first drive in their territory thanks to terrible punt coverage by the suspect Giants special teams. Starting at the NY 45, the Patriots mixed run and pass to drive it down the short field and finished the drive with a 5 yd td pass from Tom Brady to Ron Gronkowski.
The second defensive drive ended with a sick one-handed interception by new addition Antrel Rolle, his second of the preseason,. Later the group of the 2’s and 3’s led by Jonathan Goff had a beautiful goal line stand, stopping the Pats 4 straight downs.
Overall the team finished on a positive note with a 20-17 Victory.
So what can we take from this preseason?
1. Look out for Hakeem Nicks
Nicks is poised for big year as he was one of the main focuses of our preseason offense. Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride moved Nicks around the field and focused on putting him in position to gain yards after the catch with several bubble screens and short passes.
2. Ahmad Bradshaw will be the Giants primary runner
Ahmad had a good preseason showing great vision and that explosive burst now that he is healthy. With Brandon Jacobs not showing much, look for Bradshaw to have his first 1000-yard season.
3. Kenny Phillips is back!
Kenny Looked very explosive in the final preseason game after getting the most reps since he was injured in week 2 of last year. His range has looked excellent and he was laying wood on receivers coming through the middle. The tandem of Phillips and Rolle in the defensive secondary could be fun to see.
4. Eli will show last year was no fluke.
Eli had his best statistical season last year with his first 4000-yd passing year when he finished with 4,021 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. But with Ahmad Bradshaw getting the bulk of the running duties and his ability to be effective catching the ball out of the backfield, look for the Giants to be pass happy again this season.
5. Jonathan Goff is ready to go.
Jonathan Goff had his best game of the preseason in the last game finishing with 7 tackles and 2 pass deflections. He looked comfortable leading the defense and was flying around. This will put to rest the Giants linebacking order with Goff in the middle and Micheal Boley and Keith Bulluck(eventually) on the outsides.
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