Loading ...The love-hate relationship in New York isn’t only by way of the media; it’s with many of the fickle fans too. It remains a metropolis where it’s hard to be understood no matter how blatant you and your actions are.
Since the last running back “bad guy” focus left in March with former New York Giants RB starter Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw has assumed that role. Slowly, he’s learning what his “brother from another mother” had to endure while in blue. Having passion (especially passion that isn’t somewhat corralled) is oft misconstrued in the city that never sleeps.
Bradshaw is a smaller guy (5’10”) with a huge heart. Even before this year, the 5’10” 7th-rounder out of Marshall has been heard in sound bites doing his best pre-game to motivate his teammates. The defensive side of Big Blue has claimed that they, too, feel his emotions and carry them onto the field and throughout the game. How can one not feel the energy expelled when he fights for every yard (most of the time) and then gets up, clenched fists yelling for more – or when he powers into the end zone, spikes the ball and then flexes his muscles? It can be quite contagious.
Granted, this past division rival showdown was a bit more. As viewers saw #44 and Head Coach Tom Coughlin bark at each other close to the sidelines, there was also the WR Victor Cruz helmet slap heard ‘round the world. That quarter of football was probably the most expressive ever for Bradshaw. Compare it to Jacobs’ helmet toss a few years back. In fact, it’s lesser in severity as the frustration involved didn’t accidentally involve innocent fans. AB just wants the team to win. His passion came out in a way unseen by the public eye, but the team that knows him accepts him.
"There's never been any question about Ahmad Bradshaw's toughness, his intensity level," Coach Tom Coughlin said. "He plays the game hard. You know, you like to have everybody play as hard as he does. He gives it everything he's got. And so, you want people to recognize that fact, but sometimes you do have to control yourself and control your emotions. And he's working on it."
Any question of toughness is ridiculous. Ahmad Bradshaw has played on two broken feet, swollen ankles and lets adrenaline be his game time painkiller of choice. He remains a constant cheerleader while the defense is on the turf, hurt of not.
Jersey wideout Victor Cruz has let their “incident” go:
"But it's all fine. He just wants the best out of everyone. On that specific play, he felt like I could've done more. I agree with him, and we hugged it out later on. We've all got to hold ourselves accountable," Cruz said. "Ahmad's a great person. He's a great running back for us. It's just a matter of getting up and fighting for that next play."
Other teammates chose to take a comical route while describing Bradshaw’s ability to be an emotive catalyst:
"He's like that in the locker room," said TE Martellus Bennett. "He's like that in lunch. He's like that in breakfast. He's like that in dinner. He's like that in the shower. He's like that in the steam room. He's like that in the training room. He's like that, if you're riding in your car, you've got to turn your music up really loud. Ahmad's just an intense person. He's a leader. Everybody leads differently. We have a lot of leaders in here. He's real. Ahmad is Ahmad. I guess if Ahmad was an adjective, other people would be like, 'I'm Ahmad-ing it.' He's just a great guy; he's like that all the time."
Fans need to realize that players are human and have that same type of remote control-throwing reaction/emotional outbursts coursing through them. The media has a job to make news out of minor matters, especially where the World Champions are concerned. This issue/non-issue is dead, but look for more of a hungry running back that won’t stop showing off what and who he is: A Giant at heart.
Photo Credit: Mike Gannon
Also…
- Be sure to like Giants 101 on Facebook, follow Giants 101 on Twitter & +1 Giants 101 on Google+
- Check out the latest line of GMENShirts, including the new pink version which supports the fight against Breast Cancer
- Listen to Gameface with The Frattman every Sunday morning at 9 AM EST on 940 ESPN Radio
Related Videos
Returning Soon!!!!No related posts.
Short URL: http://sport-ne.ws/m2d
Nooooooo way is bradshaw 5’10!
Hi all. Been a long time since I posted due to problems with login since the switch but finally got round to it… I must reiterate that despite following teams in multiple sports this website definitely has the best chatter going on…
Anyway although I think it probably is more of an off season thing to think about, this whole Victor Cruz contract thing had me thinking about JRs coming season or two. Its obviously a tough job to keep a loaded team and its going to be even tougher with our ongoing success… but he’s managed for several years now and has become exemplary amongst the league.
I was looking at the BBI giants salaries. I’m not sure how accurate it is but it seems pretty decent and was looking at our current wages and the wages in the coming year. Its obviously a crude look because I can’t factor in bonuses and the way contracts are set up.
This current season we have 6 players earning between 1.5 and 4 mil and 4 earning over 4 mil.
That is broken up as 1 QB, 1RB, 1OL, 1LB, 3DL, 3DBs.
Next year we look to have 4 players earning 1.5 to 4 mil and 9 players earning over 4 mil (including Eli whose wages is going from <2mil to 13 mil).
This doesn't include us paying Bennett, Beatty, Cruz, Boothe, and Kenny Phillips. Who are all going to warrant deals in the region of 4mil a year plus.
It makes me really worry and wonder at how inventive the front office is going to have to get.
If we base our wages on this year and imagine we can pay 10 players well which isn't an unreasonable suggestion the ten I'd probably pay are (bearing in mind their current contracts and our younger players coming through)
Eli, Cruz, Beatty, Kiwi (signed to a reasonable contract), Nicks (in his final year so may need a new contract), Antrel Rolle, Snee, Baas, Weatherford, and Tuck or Canty depending on who plays better for the rest of the year or accepts the cheaper contract. This leaves us not resigning or releasing Bennett, Boothe, Bradshaw, Tuck or Canty, Boley, Phillips, Webster, Locklear, and Osi. 9 out of 22 starters!
Clearly this is probably a little too dramatic but if we do work on the assumption that we will pay 10 players very well and have to survive with draft picks and cheap veterans for everyone else, and if you were Jerry who are the ten players you are spending the cash on next year?
p.s. although an eternal optimist, I worry about losing every game we play, but am feeling a little less worried about the cowgirls this weekend…
http://www.bigblueinteractive.com/information-pages/player-salaries/
Yeah. This has been kicked around some here, and you’re right … it’s going to be a b-tch for Reese to manage. Reality is planning to slap a few players hard. I was ball-parking it yesterday, and it seemed to me that we’re going to need to come up with an additional $10-15 million through restructures and/or player releases. Sad business … since none of these high(er) salary guys are ones you want to lose.
Boothe ain’t getting a $4 mil/year deal…
But I bet he gets $2 … 2.5 or so.
So, Jaiquan is gonna miss the game tomorrow?
What’s everyone’s thoughts on this kid? I know FF55 has expressed profound disappointment in his play thus far, but I haven’t heard anyone else echo those sentiments. The kid looked like gangbusters towards the end of last season and through the postseason, but has only looked meh out there during this season. It’s interesting–it’s like last year they put him out there and simplified stuff, but this year they actually expected him to know all the reads and stuff, and his play has dropped off accordingly. Perhaps there’s a reason we lasted until, what, the 6th round?
Hope he can turn it around. He’s got all the ability in the world. Dunno what the story is.
Sometimes players slump a bit … I wouldn’t be all that concerned. He’s another guy who needs to get healthy and get his head on straight. Every year we have a few … and usually it turns out OK.
Just to add … if I had to guess I’d say that because of his good showing last year the team wanted to increase his snaps. This isn’t just a question of fitness. He played on fairly obvious downs with a limited amount of reads. The mental burden probably went up a lot higher than the physical. This makes you think instead of react … and until he gets instinctive he’s going to struggle.
My speculation …
ff55 is still haunted by memories of Gerris Wilkinson. Which is completely understandable.
I was also one of the ones who expressed disappointment in Williams’ play thus far.
I am higher on this kid than anyone else here, probably even moreso than FF55. I loved what I saw from him last year ever since the first Eagles’ game where he essentially had his coming out party. He seemed to make big plays at big times all over the field last season and displayed great instincts. I am on record of saying here that Williams would end up being one of the best OLB’s in the NFL.
This year he has just looked fairly lost at times. It’s almost like I haven’t even seen him on the field at all because he never seems to be making any plays. That said, eyes are deceiving, and a lot of times, the less you see/hear of a guy, the better (although that generally applies more to cornerbacks).
Regardless, Williams is still a very young player and this is only his second year. I still have high hopes for the kid.
So I can see this being a Mel Gibson film … “The Passion of the Bradshaw” … but I’m struggling to figure out how we add the necessary amount of bigotry. It’s hard to blame losing a football game on the Jews. I’m not sure even Mel could do the logical gymnastics for that one.
I can!
“We lost the game. Why? Because we didn’t have the quality players and coaches necessary? Why? Because we didn’t have enough money? Why? Because the Jews in the banks and in the league offices wouldn’t let us spend more!”
Looks like this project gets the green light !!! Though Bradshaw will have to change his first name … Ahmad, c’mon … it’s to Muslim-ish, and I’m sure Mel hates them too.
What better way to shame the Jews than to imply that their savior is a Muslim?
A shanda fur die goyim !!!
UUT