Giants Legend Michael Strahan Predicts Strong Season
The New York Giants are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2009 season as many were left to wonder where that legendary defence of their Super Bowl XLII triumph went.
The Giants seemed removed last season from the scary looking, haunting defence that we had seen for the past few years. Perhaps the highest point came when that defence held the most prolific offence in NFL history, which was in 2007 during the Super Bowl, when the 'G-Men' upset the undefeated New England Patriots 17-14.
Some pieces of the G-Men squad left, including Michael Strahan, who retired following the championship season, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo took the St. Louis Rams head coaching job last year. That may have had the most impact as the Giants struggled on defence last season and have switched defensive coordinators twice in two seasons, now firing Bill Sheridan and replacing him with the former Buffalo Bills interim head coach Perry Fewell.
Strahan, meanwhile, has been enjoying a new career on television. He’s a football analyst on FOX, and he hosts Pros vs Joes, but he recently gave his old team a helping hand, too.
The Giants landed free-agent Keith Bulluck last week in order to strengthen their line-backing corps. Bulluck had contacted Strahan and asked for some advice on playing in New York. Shortly after the conversation, Bulluck was a Giant.
"I was just up front and honest with him about playing in New York and the coach and GM and the players and exactly what they were missing," Strahan said.
Bulluck signed a one-year deal with the Giants, as he chose them over the Cardinals, saying that the Giants were built more solidly than the Cards.
"I know the city is going to love him and the players will love him. Seeing from afar, he was always inspirational and always played hard and one of the guys you really admire of how he handles himself on and off the field," said Straham.
Bulluck was quite the defensive leader in Tennessee with the Titans in the last ten years. Strahan was also quite the leader himself in his illustrious career in New York. The two share a common trait. They’re both emotional leaders that can back up their emotion with results on the field. They both have a ton of heart and bring their best every game.
"What really took it over the top was when I spoke to Strahan," said Bulluck. "I reached out to him and, you know, he was shooting a couple commercials so it took him a couple days to get back to me. When he did, we had a nice 30-minute talk. He shot me straight. He didn't say, 'Go to the Giants,' or anything like that. He gave me his overview of what he thought was needed and how he felt I would help."
Bulluck himself is a New York native and he’ll have to be a great leader for the Giants and be able to overcome the torn ACL he suffered last December.
The 10-year veteran Bulluck will shift from his habitual outside line backer position to play middle line backer, taking the place of Antonio Pierce, who was released following last season, and eventually retired.
While Strahan played a great career in New York, he still feels like a member of the team and will be keeping an eye on his old teammates this year as they will try to recover from an 8-8 finish last year. He believes Bulluck is a tremendous leader and can bring the intangibles that a team needs to make it to the elite as the Giants did in 2007.
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