Lombardi was hoisted. Confetti fell. New Yorkers rallied.
But what's next?
Sure, Andre Brown still has yet to physically get that ring he's been singing about as that will come in time. But looking ahead, it took less than 24 hours after the official close to the 2011 season for all the major outlets to begin dissecting teams' needs, wants, and question marks.
That included the Super Bowl-winning Giants, who apparently have no time to rest on their laurels and must get to work.
Before we delve into what the pundits are saying about Big Blue moving forward, here are some key dates for the lockout-free offseason:February 22-28: NFL CombineMarch 5: Deadline to apply the franchise tagMarch 13: Free agency begins At 4 p.m.March 25-28: NFL owners meetingApril 26-28: 2012 NFL DraftLate April: NFL schedule is announcedLate July: Training camp beginsSeptember 6: Regular season kicks off (Giants will host a yet-to-be-determined opponent)
While the Giants had a parade to attend, Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News released his list of the top 100 free agents on Tuesday. Five Giants were included:
- P Steve Weatherford
- WR Mario Manningham
- CB Terrell Thomas
- ILB Chase Blackburn
- T Kareem McKenzie
Meanwhile, Pete Prisco released his list of 50 this morning on CBSSports.com. He included Aaron Ross (No. 27), who was left of Sporting News' list completely (Manningham was the only other Giant to make his list at No. 29).
"He's been a decent starting corner for two Super Bowl teams," Prisco wrote. "That means something. He's a good second corner. He turns 30 in September."
On the flip side, looking at what New York needs instead of what it will try to retain, Sports Illustrated’s Don Banks asked exactly what I led off with: "What's next for Giants, Patriots?"
While we're only concerned with the Giants here, Banks hit on Manningham.
"Making the Super Bowl's most memorable play on that 38-yard final-drive reception didn't just help the Giants win a Lombardi Trophy, it might just help potential free-agent receiver Mario Manningham stick around in New York," he wrote. "Winning puts a happy sheen on everything and often convinces teams to try and keep their roster intact as much as possible, and that could mean Manningham just improved the size of the offer he'll receive from the defending champions. New York won't break the bank to keep a receiver who slipped to its No. 3 slot this season, and someone could throw stupid money at him in an effort to make a headline splash in the market."
After analyzing the coaching staff saying Tom Coughlin has been fired by the New York-area media "so many times we've lost count," the topic of the draft came up. The Giants will hold the coveted No. 32 slot.
"The Giants will consider giving first-round attention to offensive tackle, and could even look for a play-making linebacker or another cornerback, depending on how Thomas' rehab goes, and how much confidence the team has in Amukamara as he returns for his second season."**
QUICK HITS**
Belichick at SB: 'Make em go to Manningham' [CBSSports.com]
Zac Wassink writes the Giants “were really America’s team.” [Yahoo!]
Victor Cruz kicks off N.Y. Fashion Week )[Los Angeles Times]
2.1 million viewers live stream Super Bowl online [Chicago Tribune]
NY Giants fever spills over to Pebble Beach, where Tiger Woods' caddie is a Big Blue season-ticket holder [New York Daily News]
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