Tom Coughlin: Jets have headlines but Giants have trophies

Tom Coughlin usually isn't the one stirring up controversy at MetLife Stadium— he leaves that duty to his counterpart Rex Ryan— but the New York Giants head coach seemed to be taking a jab at his stadium mates the New York Jets when he was asked about all of the attention the Jets were getting for the Tim Tebow trade.

"You know who won the Super Bowl even if we're not on the front page," Coughlin told reporters at the NFL's annual meeting in Palm Beach, Fla..  "New Yorkers know."

That's about as much smack you'll ever hear from the coach who reiterated one of the Giants team mottoes, "talk is cheap."

Asked about the controversy about rotating quarterbacks,  Coughlin did rub it in a little more.

"Once you start to develop your guy," smiled Coughlin— knowing he has two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning calling the signals— "You like him to have the ball in his hands."

Reporters asked Coughlin if he could see the ball coming out of Manning's hands for 20 snaps a game, Coughlin scoffed, "With our guy. I don't do hypotheticals."

Coughlin's comments come after the razzing of Tebow-mania by the Giants owner John Mara the day before Tebow's presser when he jokingly told reporters, "the David Carr press conference will be tomorrow afternoon, too."

Mara wasn't joking yesterday when he said the team expects to work out a multi-year contract extension for the 65-year-old Coughlin within the next six weeks.

Tebow pays tribute to a real hero

It may have not been a C-130J Hercules Transport Aircraft that Tim Tebow arrived in yesterday to set off the next round of Tebow-mania but— even after a flight in the cushy seats of a fancy jet— the New York Jets new "backup" quarterback paid his respects to a real hero.

Tebow's wave of a hand as he was whisked away from Morristown Airport revealed that he was sporting a wristband bearing the name of U.S. Marine Cpl. Michael Nicholson— an amputee who lost both legs fighting in Afghanistan last year.

Tebow's subtle gesture left the real battlefield warrior stunned.

"Oh wow!  really?" Nicholson said after he found out the red wristband bearing his name was on the  newest member of Gang Green.

Tebow had three other wristbands wrapped around his right wrist— the other two honoring causes special to  the religious quarterback.

The 22-year-old former-Marine— who lost both legs while on tour of duty last year— had nothing but praise for the quarterback.  Tebow visited the corporal for about an hour after attending the opening of  a Tampa sports complex in which Tebow had invested.

"It was great that he came out and spent some time with me," Nicholson said.  "It meant so much."

Nicholson said they talked about Tebow's glory days at the University of Florida how they both played football for rival high schools around the same time.

Nicholson's portrait in Marines Dress Blue sitting with prosthetic legs adorns a poster which reads:

THIS IS A HERO

Not a sports player.  Not a politician. Not a faddish figure.

A hero faces death for others, with no thought of personal gain or glory.

This is the face of a true hero.

"The best word to describe Tim Tebow is he is humble," the former- Marine told The New York Post.

I can think of a lot better words to describe Cpl. Michael Nicholson.

Coughlin Is "Optimistic Right Now" That Nicks and Manningham Will Play

The New York Giants passing game may have to Cruz alone this Sunday night if injuries to Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham keep two-thirds of their three-headed monster sidelined.

But not if Tom Coughlin's outlook is as rosy as his cheeks.

The head coach said he was "optimistic right now"  that both players could take the field in the do-or-die game against the Dallas Cowboys and join Eli Manning's latest favorite target Victor Cruz on the field.

Nicks—who re-injured his hamstring in the first quarter Saturday against the New York Jets—expects to be ready when the Giants meet the Cowboys for the NFC East title at MetLife Stadium.

The receiver sat out yesterday's practice but is feeling Coughlin's optimism.

"I don't see myself missing this game," said Nicks.

Giants fans shouldn't take that remark to heart— just yet.

"If I'm out there, I'd like to say I'd be myself, but you never know," he said.  "These things are tricky.  I'm gonna go ahead and claim I'll be myself out there.  I always got to think positive."

D'oh!  That's a big IF.

Manning will need all the help he can get in Sunday night's big game if Cruz is the only deep threat in his repertoire.

A wobbly Manningham returned to practice on Wednesday on a limited basis after resting his knee against the Jets.  He had been nagged by the swollen joint for weeks and spent most of his game time on the sidelines.

Nicks could be the key to unleashing Cruz once again if  Manning gets into a shootout with the Cowboys Tony Romo.

Cruz won't catch an opposing team by surprise any more.  After all, he leads the Giants with 76 receptions for a Giants season-high record 1,358 yards.  You can bet the Dallas D will be keying on the speedy wide-out.

As for Nicks (71 rec., 1116 yards, 6 TD's), who had only one catch for 20 yards while being blanketed by the Jets All-World DB Darrelle Revis, it sometimes comes down to a case of the dropsies.  He's dropped a couple of crucial passes over the past two games but said the weather was a factor.

"I can go a stretch where I won't drop a ball for five, six weeks," said Nicks.  "I don't normally have drop after drop after drop after drop.  It's normally... I go a whole season without drops, then I have a period where I might fit some in there, but that's me because I'm starting to lack concentration or something like that."

Concentration is one thing, injuries are another.

Asked about how far along the hamstring was Nicks said, " I notice it, I can't really dig like I want to right now."

He then put it in perspective.

"[I'm] close to 100 percent as I can get.  I don't think nobody's gonna be 100 percent playing football this time of year.  Something's gonna be hurting, but come game time, you know how to put all that stuff behind you."

How important are Nicks and Manningham in this game?

Nicks had eight catches for a season-high 163 yards and Manningham had a 47-yard TD in the Giants 37-34 win against Dallas on Dec. 11 at Cowboys Stadium.

"I ain't the type of guy that looks for no excuses," said Nicks.  "If I am out there, I've got to be ready to go."

Tom Coughlin Bowled Over By Giants 29-14 Win Over Jets

You could say Tom Coughlin was bowled over by his New York Giants players 29-14 victory over the New York Jets—literally bowled over.

In the waning minutes of a wild fourth quarter, the Giants head coach was taken out by his own running back D.J. Ware after the Giant player was pushed out of bounds into the Giants side of the field at the end of a long run.

The play was reminiscent of the one which took out New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton at the beginning of the season and had him calling shots in a cast from a stadium booth for a few weeks.

Coughlin looked shaken as his assistant coaches ran over to help him but the tough-as-nails coach knew this game was important and shook off the helping hands.

Both teams were playing to keep their playoff hopes alive along with bragging rights to MetLife Stadium.  Coughlin might have been playing for his job as well.

So there was no way Coughlin was going to let being steamrolled by a 230-pound man keep Old Iron Britches from the sidelines—especially when the Jets were making the game interesting after the Giants seemed to have put the game away.

A lackluster first 28 minutes of play by the Giants (8-7) was whisked away by a 99-yard catch and run touchdown by Victor Cruz to give the Giants a 10-7 halftime lead. 

Cruz tied an NFL record with the 11-yard catch and the ensuing 88-yard sprint and became only the 13th player ever to go 99 yards with a reception.

Eli Manning's new favorite target also broke the Giants single-season record for receiving yards with a 36-yard catch in the third quarter.

The great TD catch inspired the Giants as they headed to the locker room at half-time and it carried over into the second half.

A late safety and touchdown run by Ahmad Bradshaw sealed the victory for the G-men.

There was no word on how serious Coughlin was hurt, but a Dallas Cowboys loss might help ease the pain.

Somewhere though, Tiki Barber must be smiling.

N.J. Governor Chris Christie: Jets Over Giants By Seven

It was only a matter of time before New Jersey's second biggest bloviator would chime in about Saturday's crucial Giants-Jets game and Governor Chris Christie didn't disappoint.  He thinks bettors should take the points and the three-point underdog Giants in the battle of the Meadowlands but count on the Jets to win the game.

"J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets," the governor said Friday on Sirius XM's Radio's "Mad Dog Radio" program.  "Absolutely.  Rex and the boys will win by seven."

Most politicians would have used political double-speak when answering that question and said something along the lines of 'the home team' or the 'team from Jersey.'

Technically the Giants are the visitors, but the blunt-talking Christie has never been one to mince words and seems cut from the same mold as the Jets loudmouth head coach Rex Ryan.

And a big mold it is.

Christie, who combined with Ryan, could probably wipe out a Las Vegas buffet table in one trip, said nice things about Giants head coach Tom Coughlin but believed the Jets—who train in Florham Park— would win. 

"The Jets are going to step up," said Christie,  "The Jets have been the more consistent team this year.  The Jets are going to win."

All week, the GOP governor was heard supporting presidential candidate Mitt Romney and now old Mitt has jumped to first place in the latest Republican polls.  So maybe Christie can bring the same kind of luck to the Jets playoff hopes.

Meanwhile, Ryan continues to stir things up and has been mouthing off about Giants fans.  He said he occasionally runs into them.

"There is usually a shoving match," he joked.

Ryan is encouraging his own fans to bring the twelfth man on Saturday afternoon and instructed them to wear green and wave white rally towels.

Mark Sanchez Gets Ready For Giants Game With Model Kate Upton

Things just keep getting better for Mark Sanchez—if you don't count last week's 45-19 drubbing by the Philadelphia Eagles.  As the New York Jets quarterback prepares for this Saturday's huge game against same-stadium rivals, the New York Giants, Sanchez has been spotted paying many late-night visits to Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Kate Upton's Manhattan apartment.

The New York Post reports that Sanchez has been spotted several times at the sexy Victoria's Secret model's pad since November— usually after games and before practices—sometimes as late as midnight.

Sanchez was spotted in Upton's lobby bringing gifts gifts up to her from a chauffeur-driven Navigator after a charity event last month.

Maybe Sanchez is pulling a Derek Jeter by gifting his dates— except he personally takes the presents up to his lady friends instead of just leaving a swag bag in the limo after they get the heave-ho.

Call Sanchez the anti-Jeter but, this is Kate Upton we're talking about.  I don't think an autographed football and a Jets wristband will float her boat.

A source told the Post, the quarterback has seen coming into her building with bags a minute or two after the beautiful Upton arrived.

"They almost never come in together.  He's always five steps after her," the source claimed, adding that the QB often pulls a woolly cap over his face as a disguise.

Just last week, it was reported that Sanchez was seen with two different women on the same night at a swanky Manhattan hotel.  First, there was an exotic Spanish-looking woman  at 3 a.m., followed by an unknown blond who sauntered into his room an hour later.

Could it have been Upton?

The model's sister, Christie Upton, is a Jets  manager of client relations and works closely with the team.  Kate has been spotted at some Gang Green's games.

Another source said that Upton and Sanchez are "just friends."

Now where have I heard that one before.  Oh yeah, that was with Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Hayden Panettiere.

Sounds like Sanchez has been burning the midnight oil with his black book more than his playbook.

NFL Got It Right With DeNiro Talkin' To Us

On a day filled with numerous ceremonies commemorating the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the NFL picked the right person to narrate its own tribute to the fallen during the New York Jets/Dallas Cowboys game on Sunday night.

Oscar-winning actor, and quintessential New Yorker, Robert DeNiro was the best choice to narrate the succinct and touching tribute.

In what could have been overblown and cheesy moment, the nationally-televised event at MetLife Stadium came off as a simple salute to the military, the first responders and the lives lost ten years ago.

DeNiro's thick New York accent was the perfect voice for all the people who remember that day.  If you weren't riveted by the actor's serious tone, then the U.S. Marine playing a lonely Taps or the National Anthem performed by Lady Antebellum had to make you reflect back on a day that can sometimes be overlooked.

The star of so many tough guy films lives only blocks away from Ground Zero and was one of the city's biggest boosters after the attacks.

His Tribeca Film festival was born from the death of lower Manhattan and was just one of many projects which helped the area pick up the pieces and rebuild.

DeNiro, who has portrayed so many memorable characters in New York-themed movies from "Mean Streets," "Taxi Driver" and "Goodfellas," to the greatest boxing film ever produced "Raging Bull," pulled off the narration with flying red, white and blue colors.

On a day filled with what could be perceived as too many tributes, this was the one the whole nation saw and in a place that, nine years and 364 days before, fans could see the two towers stand sentry over the Hudson River then, a day later, be brought to their knees.

When DeNiro said, "On behalf of the NFL and grateful nation, we salute you," he was talkin' to me and every other American.

Now we can go back to our lives--somewhat.

As for DeNiro, all is now forgiven for "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle."

Jets Flight Crew Unveils Sexy 2012 Calendar Photos Shot by Owner's Daughter

The New York Jets have leaked some of the Flight Crew's sexy 2012 calender photos and they'll have you thinking about a different type of fantasy football. 

Only this time, the Jets cheerleader's swimsuit calendar was created by owner Woody Johnson's two daughters.  The photos capture 19 of the team's 41 pom-pom shakers in a variety of tantalizing poses over the twelve months.

J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets.  The letters never looked so good.  Even Giants fans would have to agree.

According to the New York Post, Gang Green's cheerleader calendar was created by Johnson's two girls.  The photos were shot by 23 year-old daughter, Daisy, in sun-drenched Aruba.

Older sister, 29 year-old Jamie, who is also a photographer, was the art director for the project.

A team representative told the Post that Daisy went through the usual interview process and was selected on her skills.  Oh-kaaay.

Whatever the procedure, the outcome is what matters and it looks like the aspiring Daisy and the models all have skills.

The Flight Crew cheered on Gang Green during last night's rain-soaked 27-7 exhibition win over the Cincinnati Bengals.  Quite a change from the sun-and-fun of Aruba.

The 2011 Flight Crew team will make its regular season debut, with the football team on Sept. 11, when the Jets meet the Dallas Cowboys in a nationally-televised game in Met-Life Stadium.

This was the second consecutive year the calendar was shot in Aruba and it's a lot easier on the eyes than Rex Ryan in a wig during a press conference.