Loading ...At the conclusion of the 2010 season, there were questions as to whether New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin had the full commitment of his players.
Antrel Rolle and Kenny Phillips appeared on a Miami radio show and discussed how much they would like to play for a "players coach" like Coughlin's New York counter-part Rex Ryan.
Much has changed since then according to safeties coach Dave Merritt.
"You look at Tom Coughlin. Antrel, as you and I know, has bought into what Tom Coughlin is selling. Whether it was two weeks ago, two months ago, I don’t know. But he’s bought into it. Why? Because Tom Coughlin has credibility. And Antrel looks at it like, 'This man has been there, he’s done it. Let me listen to him and see.'"
Merritt has been trying to communicate to his group the importance of assignments heading into this upcoming game, and he has even used props.
"I told my guys when I went into a meeting, I put a mirror up and said, 'Who can beat you? Only the man that's in the mirror.' Don't beat yourself by not knowing what to do or not playing the proper leverage."
Reflecting specifically on his mates in the secondary, Rolle knows the importance of Merritt's message.
"We call ourselves the AK-47 Group – myself, Kenny and Deon. You get Antrel, you’ve got (No.) 26. You get Kenny, you got (No.) 21. Which equals 47. But everyone knows an AK-47 doesn’t work without the clip, and Deon Grant has been that clip for us.That’s how we see ourselves. We’re extremely close, we’re extremely tight. Not only are we teammates but we’re brothers."
At first one had to question how serious the "All In" slogan was, but no more.
After a brief meeting with defensive coordinator Perry Fewell in November, Rolle knew that if he didn't establish that brotherhood and go "All In" for his team mates, he could cost them an opportunity at a Super Bowl title.
“And when I thought about that, it actually brought tears to my eyes and from that point on I never saw the game about me. I never saw the game about anything having to deal with me. I saw the game about my teammates, I saw the game most of all about Coach Coughlin, and I saw the game most of all about Deon Grant.”
The Giants have been "All In" for some time now. many a quote this week has been reflective of camaraderie, confidence, and a flat out desire to win.
In three days, we find out what all of that can do for a group of men.
Also…
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REPOST:
TURKISH says:
February 2, 2012 at 5:35 PM
Gronk will be a full go. Word is the limp is an act.
Reply
BigBlueGiants says:
February 2, 2012 at 5:47 PM
Yeah no kidding. He admitted the limp being an act. Again. I’ll repost it from the last thread….
BigBlueGiants says:
February 2, 2012 at 12:46 PM
Gronk admitted he was faking a limp.
But if anyone here knows ANYTHING about sports injuries they’ll know that you can walk 100% fine without a limp with a HIGH ANKLE SPRAIN. The pain and being effective comes from CUTTING, SPRINTING, JUMPING, RUNNING ETC.
I will repeat again. Gronk will NOT be 100% for this game. In fact, priobably will be closer till 60%. IF HE PLAYS AT ALL. Yep. I said it.
He might look ok for some snaps in the first half but will NOT be himself.
Reply
BigBlueGiants says:
February 2, 2012 at 5:52 PM
He’ll be more of a decoy than anything else.
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BigBlueGiants says:
February 2, 2012 at 5:48 PM
you can have a high ankle sprain and walk FINE without a limp.
Gronk admitted that the limp was an act.
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Unless they are lying about the injury and I think not he will not be 100%. He will play, but how effective come the fourth quater will he be?
He most likely won’t be.
Pain meds wear off.
Look what happened to Freeny in teh superbowl a few years ago. Same injury.
Gronk will be used as more of a decoy.
Agreed, the media has made a huge deal of the limp and people are buying into it to quickly. They need to remember how long Osi was sidelined and Rothesburger looked like garbage with his.
TURKISH – do you ever give any thought to what you post on this blog? Clearly you are just re-posting that which you have previously read somewhere. If you did a “little” bit more homework, you would realize that when he went to today’s media session he greatly exaggerated his limp for comedic effect.
And if you did a little bit more homework, you would find out that in an interview with someone on ESPN this morning he hinted that he might not be cleared to play which is a clear deviation from what he has been saying.
TURKISH says:
February 2, 2012 at 7:10 PM
Yes, I do give the posts some thought….LOL I read a tweet posted by PFT earlier today. The info about him admitting to limping was not in the article though. Thank you for the back handed explanation =)
My point on Gronk, I don’t trust the Patriots at all. They always have an “injury” that becomes the focus of the media. Don’t be shocked when he is running full speed and breaking tackles in the middle of the field Sunday.
Reply
TURKISH says:
February 2, 2012 at 7:13 PM
Oh and on ESPN, I don’t watch it unless a game is on. If you did your homework you would know they are full of bantha fodder.
ESPN provided actual FOOTAGE of his media session today, starting with his exaggerated limping to the podium. He was laughing and all the media there was laughing. IT WAS A JOKE and everyone knew it except for someone tweeting to you from PTF. In the same footage he hinted that he might not be cleared to play. This is actual footage that you can see with your own eyes. This was not an opinion piece by ESPN.
Slow clap. Right gotcha the first time there…..LOL
Again, read the tweet from my phone in my travels today. I did not see the segment. No need to get all Stephen A. Smith up in here…LOL
I might have been a tad bit hard on you. Sorry about that. Was just trying to quell a rumor that wasn’t true.
Oh, I really enjoy Stephen A Smith, he is a character with a lot of passion.
No problems here =)
Clint Sintims behind the scenes videos with Michael Coe, Bruce Johnson and Marvin Austin
http://www.twitvid.com/XN1HG
Never have so many been so concerned about one person’s high ankle sprain.
And Brady as faded into the background which was the purpose of the whole exercise. Advantage Belichick.
With regard to Gronk’s ankle my personal experience leads me to believe that it will severely limit his play on Sunday. As a freshman lacrosse player at Hopkins I rolled my ankle taking a shot and came down on a defenders foot. The trainers called it a bad lateral ankle sprain. It took me 7 days to get back on the practice field and 2 weeks til I could get to full speed and even then I was not at 100%. Even with top-flight facilities and trainers using the best medical techniques available to rehab my ankle, it just takes time to heal.
Gronks high ankle sprain is much more sever than a lateral sprain. They can tape it up, brace it up and give him pain killers, but in all likelihood his ankle is not what they call 100% stable. If it’s not stable his cutting ability will be hampered. I could see him starting the game but not finishing it. Also keep in mind how defenders tackle him, usually low and around his ankles. All it will take is one low tackle and he re-injures or re-tweaks it. He sustained this injury by a very strong low leg/ankle tackle by Pollard of the Ravens.
It should also be noted that playing on field turf dramatically increases the chances of his re-tweaking it. Not a god surface for anyone with a high ankle sprain because it puts additional pressure on the ankle versus grass.
Your mouth to God’s ears.
Hop is right i fortunatly had to deal with my high ankel sprain during training camp over the summer and i was sidlined for 2 weeks and 5 weeks before i was allowed to cut probally looking at about 5 week till he is 100% and he is well 3 weeks of that nasty injury wont really affect a straigh go route but even a simple slant will be dificult to do
I was listening to come commentary today that said start the game without him, see how it goes, then bring him in in the second half if you need him. Interesting, out of the box thought.
Very out of the box strategy that would circumvent any swelling that would occur during halftime if he were to play in the first half. I think this illustrates how limited the Patriots think Gronk will be.
I have never fully understood the getting cold during half time thing. Can’t the guys just ride a bike or do exercises or whatever they normally do on the sideline to keep warm?
Gronks’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, says if it wasn’t the Super Bowl there is no way he could play.
I predict Gronk is “inactive” for SB XLVI, by the way. I said yesterday I wouldn’t be surprised if they list him as “limited” for one of these next few practices in the interest of disinformation (Bill: “Gronk, come walk out here and stand at the LOS while we run this play. There, now you’re “limited.”) Should he suit up, he will only be used as a decoy.
I think he’ll be active to be used as a ploy, but he’s not going to be effective.