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Riotmaker
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: South Burlington, Vermont
Posts: 5,717
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DE Justin Tuck To Be Married.
Quote:
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – On April 12, Justin Tuck will marry his longtime girlfriend, Lauren Williamson, in Birmingham, Alabama.
DE Justin Tuck will do all he can to stop his close friend Ryan Grant.
But the Giants standout defensive lineman is having second thoughts. No, not about the wedding itself – Lauren need not worry. Tuck is wondering if he needs to make a substitution in his wedding party. One of his groomsmen is Ryan Grant, a close friend who was a teammate of Tuck’s at Notre Dame and with the Giants. But Grant now plays for the Green Bay Packers. And on Sunday, the Giants and Packers will meet in the NFC Championship Game in Lambeau Field.
“I might have to kick him out,” Tuck said of the wedding. “It depends on what he does against us on Sunday.”
It will take more than a football game to pull Tuck and Grant apart. They became close friends as Notre Dame freshmen in 2001. Four years later, they came to the Giants, Tuck as a third-round draft choice and Grant as a free agent. They lived together for two years in New Jersey. Last season, they boosted each other’s spirits when both were unable play, Tuck because of foot surgery, Grant because of arm surgery after a fall at a nightclub.
On Sept. 1, Grant was traded to Green Bay for a draft choice. Ironically, considering how close they are, the careers of both players took off once they separated. Tuck finished the season with 10.0 sacks, second on the team to Pro Bowler Osi Umenyiora. Since entering the starting lineup at Kansas City on Nov. 4, Grant has been one of the NFL’s most productive running backs. He finished the regular season with 956 yards and eight touchdowns and last week plowed through the Seattle Seahawks for 201 yards and three scores in Green Bay’s Divisional Playoff Game route of the Seahawks.
“(Grant’s success) doesn't surprise me at all,” Tuck said. “I think he exceeded people’s expectations, because they hadn’t seen him. The only thing surprising to me is that this is his first chance of getting it. I know what kind of back he is, his work ethic and the things he does to prepare himself. That’s the only thing that surprises me – not that he’s out here doing what he’s doing.
“We always went to war with each other. We were in the same situation last year, being hurt together. He was living with me, so we worked out together. It’s a credit to him to continue to do what he was doing, working out every day and keeping his head straight. He got an opportunity and made the best of it and I’m happy for him.”
The mutual admiration society will go on a three-hour hiatus Sunday as their teams play for the right to advance to Super Bowl XLII. Despite their friendship, both players are looking forward to the encounter on the field. Indeed, they use the same phrase to explain why they can set aside their friendship to try to beat each other.
“We're competitors,” Grant said. “I'm looking forward to it, and even though they are my friends and we know it's nothing personal, we want to win and we're competitors, and I expect that out of them. They're professionals also, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity. I'm excited about it and I can't wait.”
“We’re competitors,” Tuck echoed. “I know he’s going to do everything in his power to win this football game for his team and I’m going to do the same for mine. This is our first time playing each other in this capacity. Each of us wants to have bragging rights.”
Some Giants fans have used hindsight to question why the team traded Grant. At the time they had a surplus of running backs in Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward, Reuben Droughns and rookie Ahmad Bradshaw. Grant, who spent the 2005 season on the practice squad and never got to training camp the following season because of his surgery, had never carried the ball in a regular season game.
“I think that it is never an easy decision when you have a player that you really think is going to be a good football player,” Giants Coach Tom Coughlin said. “We were fortunate that we did have a large number of people at that position that we thought could play in the National Football League. So therein was the decision maker of itself. And as I recall the incident … that is the reason for the decision.”
Green Bay’s offense was very pass- and Brett Favre-oriented before Grant stepped into the backfield. He helped give the Packers a more balanced attack by becoming the feature back the team had lacked.
“He did the same thing at Notre Dame he’s doing right now,” Tuck said. “He’s not doing anything different. I knew when he got his opportunity he was going to make the best of it, and that’s exactly what he did this year.”
Grant is reluctant to talk about his newfound fame.
“He’s the type of guy, he doesn’t want to glorify his accomplishments any more than any other guy,” Tuck said. “He’s a very humble individual. You can give him all the accolades you want to, that guy is not going to change. He’s still going to be Ryan Grant from Nyack (N.Y.). That’s not going to change at all.”
Tuck and Grant met on a recruiting trip to Notre Dame. Tuck played high school football at Central Coosa County High School in Kellyton, Ala. Grant was a star at Don Bosco Prep, a long punt from Giants Stadium. Both young men are outgoing, friendly and thoughtful and they immediately hit it off. On Sunday, Tuck will try to hit Grant, period.
“I look forward to it,” Tuck said. “Neither one of us is a trash talker, but I’m sure we’ll say something to each other.
“I haven’t had the opportunity to actually hit him. I guess this will be a first. I’m sure if he sees me in the hole he’s going to try to avoid me. And when he has an opportunity to run me over he’s going to do it. And he knows when I see him I’m going to try to take his head off, it’s as simple as that.”
Should make for some interesting conversation at the wedding.
NOTES
*Cornerback Kevin Dockery (hip flexor) was the only Giants player who did not practice. Two other cornerbacks Sam Madison (abdominal) and Aaron Ross (shoulder) were limited, as was wide receiver Plaxico Burress (ankle).
Madison missed the Giants’ playoff victories over Tampa Bay and Dallas because of the injury he suffered in the regular season finale against New England. He will have to show the coaches and trainers he is fit before getting a uniform on Sunday.
“He has to be able to maneuver within his position without worry or injury and be able to defend himself,” Coughlin said. “(He must) be able to handle the responsibilities of his job without any kind of interference or any kind of limitations.”
This is the seventh time Madison’s teams have reached the playoffs – five with the Miami Dolphins and two with the Giants. However, this is the first time he has advanced to the conference championship game. And he might have to sit it out because of an injury.
“It hurts, but it’s part of it,” Madison said. “A lot of people haven’t even been in this situation. The good thing for me is I have a lot of young guys that I can lead and talk to and inspire to get it done, and they’ve been doing it. They’ve been doing very well. For me not to be out there, yeah, it hurts. But to see those guys out there and the way they’re playing, it takes a lot of pressure off me.”
Madison remains active during the games helping his fellow defensive backs, notably Corey Webster and Aaron Ross, on the sideline.
“Right after the games I’ve been going straight to sleep – I don’t think this coaching thing is for me,” Madison said, “My head has been banging.”
*In a story in today’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Packers defensive linemen Aaron Kampman, Cullen Jenkins, Ryan Pickett and Corey Williams accused the Giants of sometimes using illegal, post-play tactics. The story also stated, “The Giants’ method of operation – tough, physical football that approaches the line of dirty play – is no secret in NFL circles.”
Center Shaun O’Hara had a lighthearted response to the “dirty” player charge.
“I try to shower daily and use deodorant, and every once in a while I will even throw in some conditioner,” O’Hara said.
The author of the story said O’Hara “delivered a forceful forearm to the back of Kampman’s neck” after the center blocked him to the ground.
“I’m not really sure off the top of my head what the reference is,” O’Hara said. “But if there is no flag, there is no foul.”
*The weather continues to be a frequent topic of discussion. The temperature is expected to drop below zero at some point in the game, with wind chills perhaps 15 below.
“The temperature is certainly a factor,” offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said. “The ball becomes harder and it’s a little slicker, so it’s more challenging. But to be honest with you, it will be the wind that is the more critical factor. As you saw in Buffalo, the wind can take you right out of a game. It certainly hurt us in the Washington game, but hopefully we have enough in our arsenal to both run the ball effectively, regardless of the weather conditions, and maybe do some things with our scheme throwing the ball that we can avoid having to be affected as dramatically as you can if you’re just throwing the ball down the field deep.”
Eli Manning won’t wear a glove on his throwing hand, but has worn one in practice the last two days on his left hand.
“I kind of tease him,” Gilbride said. “I said, ‘What’s that for? You’re not throwing left-handed.’ But it will help him. He just wants to experiment with it and see if it does help in terms of getting the snaps and having it transfer over to the other hand, so we’ll see.”
*Four Giants players have championship game experience. Michael Strahan and Amani Toomer both helped the Giants defeat Minnesota in the 2000 NFC Championship Game. As a rookie with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Plaxico Burress played in the 2001 AFC Championship Game against New England. Backup offensive lineman Grey Ruegamer played in the same game for the Patriots.
Tom Coughlin led the Jacksonville Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game in 1996 and 1999. Ten members of his staff – coordinators Gilbride and Steve Spagnuolo, secondary coach/cornerbacks Peter Giunta, running backs coach Jerald Ingram, quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer, strength and conditioning coach Jerry Palmieri, assistant strength and conditioning coach Marcus Paul, tight ends coach Mike Pope, defensive line coach Mike Waufle and assistant special teams coach Thomas McGaughey all have championship game experience.
*Hall of Fame linebacker Harry Carson, a Giants honorary captain for Sunday’s game, will ceremoniously pull a giant light switch to illuminate the lights of the Empire State Building Giants blue and red tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. The famed building’s tower will glow Giants blue and red throughout the weekend to help give the team an extra edge over the Packers.
“By illuminating our tower lights in Giants blue and red, we hope that our ‘Big Blue’ beacon will contribute to their journey to the Super Bowl,” said James T. Connors, Empire State Building General Manager. “We’re part of the ‘Big Blue’ fever along with the thousands of other Giants’ fans rooting their team to victory.”
*The huge numbers of NFL fans watching last week’s postseason games made it the most watched Divisional Playoff weekend in a dozen years. An average of 32.7 million fans watched the four games last week, the most for an NFL Divisional Playoff weekend since January 1996 and a nine percent increase from last season (30.1 million viewers).
Sunday’s New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys game on FOX drew 40.1 million viewers to rank as the most watched program on television since the Academy Awards (40.2 million on Feb. 25, 2007).
*All of the Packers practiced, including six on a limited basis: linebacker Nick Barnett (hamstring), wide receiver Koren Robinson (knee), cornerbacks Charles Woodson (knee) and Will Blackmon (foot), center Scott Wells (glute) and tight end Bubba Franks (knee).
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http://www.giants.com/news/eisen/sto...story_id=26602
Talk about irony.
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DE Justin Tuck To Be Married.
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