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Players return to field
Coach Tom Coughlin was back where he feels most at home - on a football field
By Mike Eisen, Giants.com

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MAY 30, 2008

EAST RUTHERFORD - He has been cheered in a ticker-tape parade, chatted with President Bush in the White House, spoke to a packed state senate chambers in Trenton and received his championship ring in Tiffany and Co. But today Tom Coughlin was back where he feels most at home - on a football field.

The Giants today held the first of their six OTAs (organized team activities), their initial on-field work since the Super Bowl XLII triumph over the New England Patriots. Although the full squad was not on the field at the same time and the players worked primarily on individual and unit drills, it was still football.

"That, for me, is what it is all about," Coughlin said after the workout, "having the players on the field with the coaches, working on the game that everybody loves and again keeping your eye on the prize."

The OTA began just 12 hours after the Giants received their Super Bowl rings in a moving ceremony at Tiffany, which designed and produced the rings. So after accepting their final and most significant platitude for their championship season, the Giants shifted their full attention toward a successful 2008. Most of the players have participated in the team's offseason conditioning program. In case anyone needed help turning that first page, Coughlin said, "Let's go back to work, let's do this again," as he handed each player his ring at last night's ceremony.

"We had our rings last night and we are on the field today," Coughlin said. "It is flipping the page and it is moving forward and I thought that was the significance of today. After spending the offseason basically trying to get back to catching up I feel like our staff is all back to where we normally are. It was a really good connection, I think, for everybody."

Some players no doubt would have preferred more celebration time and a return to the field on Monday. But everyone recognizes the importance of turning the page on 2007 and beginning to focus on the new season.

"The timing is great, because this is the first time we're back on the field," defensive lineman Justin Tuck said. "With the ring we can pretty much put '07 to rest and start a new chapter in '08."

"I think all of us look at it that way," left tackle David Diehl said. "We enjoyed the moment of getting the ring. But now it's over. It's back to business and working hard and getting back on the right track and focusing on the next season, like we have this entire offseason. It's time to go back to work, because we understand that it was the things we did in the offseason to get us ready for training camp that separated us."

The first players on the practice field this morning were the quarterbacks, running backs, fullbacks, wide receivers and tight ends. They were followed later by the offensive and defensive lines, wide receivers and tight ends.

The emphasis was on fundamentals and individual drills, as they will be again on Monday. The following day, the offense and defense will work against each other in the no-pads, no-contact workout. The Giants will have six OTAs (four less than the maximum allowed) before a full-squad mini-camp begins on June 11. When the mini-camp concludes two days later, the veterans will scatter until training camp while the rookies will work for an addition 10 days.

Although everyone has enjoyed the parade, White House visit and appearances that are part of the reward for winning the championship, football players are most at home on a football field, where they can work and bond with their teammates. So though the work was pretty elementary today, the players relished the opportunity to return to a familiar environment.

"It is definitely fun to be out there with the guys running around," running back Brandon Jacobs said. "You love going out and opening up the runs and actually playing around with the football. I think the OTAs, fresh off a season like we just had, are better. They're better this year than it was in any other year.

"It was definitely fun, I can't even deny that," defensive end Osi Umenyiora said. "We're a little rusty, but it was still fun. I enjoyed myself."

Several players said that putting the ring on their finger increased their incentive to try to win another one. But Umenyiora is one Giant who is not looking that far ahead.

"I was out here and I was like 'Man, I am still trying to get my technique back down.' So I feel like we need to start focusing on one thing at a time and basically work on our preseason schedule, work on training camp, work on mini camps, and then we will start worrying about what is going to happen after that."