Loading ...Merriam Webster essentially defines trash talk as: disparaging, taunting, or boastful comments especially between opponents trying to intimidate each other. Even when the regular NFL season is over, the fans don’t stop their brand of extracurricular activity with one another. There are outlets for such banter all over the World Wide Web. As with anything in life, different people approach talking football garbage in different manners.
Many seem to partake in this undeclared sport from unchartered waters. What’s that old saying – don’t go to battle with an unarmed person? Yeah. Some folks argue with facts while making every attempt to handle it as an intelligent debate while some like to reiterate the same old points and then there are those that are there to just pull the conversation down to a personal schoolyard bully level. Whatever the slant, the contests do go on. There are no rain outs or game delays.
For the most part, it isn’t hard to educate oneself nowadays on anything football, much less one specific NFL team. Besides books (yes, actual bound books with ISBN numbers) and easier-to-peruse DVDs, there is that aforementioned internet that will give you the answer to just about any football-related query out there. Unfortunately, many choose not to gather particulars and information but instead fight dirty, armed with insults and a weak goal to hurt their opponent as a means to get their points across (like there are any at that point). Think of it as the guy armed with the handful jokes about one’s mother – no trash talk ground is gained, clearly.
This smack talk isn’t limited to the fans, though. If you think about it, more and more players also partake in the competitive repartee that embodies the slighting talk. DE Osi Umenyiora uses his Twitter account as well as the press to get his shots off towards division rivals. Former RB Brandon Jacobs is still firing rounds for and on the New York Giants’ behalf. Some NFL coaches will even join in with their players and grab the proverbial gun to fire off a few rounds. It will rarely end well for those coaches’ teams, nevertheless (ask Rex Ryan). It has truly become a pretty massive part of the game today and in the week leading up to each game during the regular (as well as post) NFL season, the witty chitchat is exacerbated towards whoever the imminent opponent is.
Recently, some NFL General Managers and/or Owners have thrown themselves into the potshot-taking melee. As uncommon as that is, one really has to honestly admit that if it’s done from in facetious (yet intellectual) manner, it really can be quite amusing. A line, of course, has to be drawn and the topic at hand must be adhered to, then it’s off to the races for pretty much a no-holds-barred battle of who can hold out the longest without taking the grammar school route.
So, New York Football Giants fans…since most of us are of the clever and well-Giants football-versed breed, have you yet been involved in broaching the upcoming topic of September 5th’s season opener with fans of the vaunted Dallas Cowboys? How was that experience for you?
Also…
- Be sure to like Giants 101 on Facebook, follow Giants 101 on Twitter & +1 Giants 101 on Google+
- Text "oneteam" to 20222 to donate $10 to the One Team for the Lights charity initiative.
- Be sure to check out the Giants 101/Jets 101 tailgate this Saturday. Free food and free beer!
Related Videos
Returning Soon!!!!No related posts.
Short URL: http://sport-ne.ws/iyp
Eh, I was never a trash talker when I played ball and I think it’s only good when it’s really funny and spontaneous.
Been thinking about the offensive line.
I start by saying I fully expect David Baas to have a terrific season. He’s a very good player (better than O’Hara) and I think the combination of no camp, injuries, and a change of scenery set him back a lot last year. And when your center isn’t playing well your offensive line isn’t playing well. It was his turnaround toward the end of last season that I think made the difference in the run game.
If you take that assumption as a given then I don’t think we should worry about the interior of our line. Snee, Baas, and Boothe will be fine. Definitely better than last year. And I’ll even go out on a limb and say that I’m guessing that Petrus will show more ability in pass protection over these next three games, at least enough that he will be thought of as “adequate” depth since he’ll improve by going against our starting defensive line in practices all season and be coached up by Flaherty. Between White and Cordle we should have another potential depth guy in the interior and they will keep the better of the two. Throw in the fact that Mosley is thought to be a tackle/guard and is known as a mauler, and that Nick Saban speaks very highly of him (Saban may be a creep, but he knows football and the NFL), and you can probably assume that we are at the very least an average interior line, and probably a bit better, possibly a LOT better if Baas plays up to where he should and Snee is healthy this time around.
So what all our concerns come down to is the tackle position. I think at the moment it’s a very legitimate concern. But we ought to remember that assuming Bennett is the tight end, and assuming he will be staying in to block on the majority of plays (running and passing), and assuming that he is a better blocker than was Ballard even though the latter was pretty decent, whether the tackle he is lined up next to is Diehl, Locklear, or Beatty that combination should be pretty effective. Put Bennett next to any of those three against Dallas, allow him to motion to Ware’s side, and they can keep Ware under control except on occasion when he crosses inside and the guard isn’t aware enough. The same (controlling a strong pass rush) should go for any team we play except those that have two top pass-rushers up front (unfortunately, the Redskins do have that, and the Eagles might). Then we need good play from the tackle who is isolated on a premier pass-rusher or will be attacked by an outside linebacker.
There are three “solutions” available in those situations. One, Eli reads the defense accurately and holds a back in to help on that side. Two, the isolated tackle gets the job done. Three, Eli knows where the pressure is almost certain to come from, moves in the pocket to give him that extra split-second to release, and makes a “successful” pass-rush irrelevant (he did this a lot last season). If we did not have an elite, and very smart, quarterback this would look like a really big problem. It looks a bit less scary when examined in this light.
Now, let’s look at the specific personnel.
I still like Diehl, especially if he winds up on the right side. He’s a tough customer, he plays hurt, he mauls people, he knows when he can get away with holding, and he is a very good clear-out guy on running plays to the outside when he can find and hit a linebacker or defensive back. If he winds up on the left side thanks to Beatty’s injuries then he’s an issue, but he was an “issue” last year and Eli had his best season ever. It would be nice if Diehl could do better (and remember, you cannot do great, especially against speed rushers, when you have a broken hand and cannot grab) and he might. But even absent that he may not be as huge a problem as many suppose. And he WILL fight all season long and give everything.
Locklear has had a very nice career. He’s a bit like Seubert was in that he was never really an elite player but always got the job done. He was available because another team went younger under a coach who justifiably wants to build a team around younger guys in an effort to build a winner in a division that seems up for grabs over the next five years. We don’t know what he’s got left, but the seeming absence of panic on the part of the Giants about Beatty would seem to indicate that they may think Locklear still has a few years of good play left in him. He may be a part of the solution rather than a part of the problem.
And then there’s Beatty. A serious disappointment so far. BUT….I know all about sciatica. It can be debilitating and make you incapable of playing, can recur, and can be maddeningly tough to get rid of. But depending upon the degree to which the nerve is compressed, you can frequently play through the pain, it can be treated and made less debilitating by good therapists and disciplined commitment to the proper exercises, and it can just “go away” for lengthy periods of time, sometimes for many years. Sciatica is not disk deterioration like Pettigout had. It is much more treatable. So maybe they can get a lot of play out of him. Maybe not. But if they think that they can count on Diehl and Locklear to be “average” and look to Beatty to take that level of play up when he is available, and know that Bennett’s presence changes the equation on the outside, they may be more “okay” than many of us think.
Of course, I’d feel a lot more confidence in the O-line if over the next few weeks we see some really good play from Petrus, Locklear, Mosley, Brewer, and Capers. But this morning I suspect that this offensive line could prove at least adequate to the task, not because they are terrific, but because Eli Manning and Marcellus Bennett can cover up a lot of deficiencies up front. The same may prove true for David Wilson if he gets sufficient touches. Some backs don’t need much from their blockers to get yards. Wilson looks like he may be one of that type.
I am suddenly more interested in the preseason than I’ve been in many years.