In an attempt to justify my flight to Newark for one day of Giants minicamp, I will now empty my yellow legal-sized notepad:

If you want to root for a long shot, you could do a lot worse than 27-year-old rookie defensive end Charrod Taylor, who was serving on the USS Cole when it was attacked by terrorists in 2000...

I know I already mentioned this guy, but you're going to be pleasantly surprised by rookie running back Ahmad Bradshaw. It's interesting to me that a lot of local writers seem to think that Brandon Jacobs is up to the task of replacing Tiki Barber. I will admit that he has nice speed for a big guy (6-4, 265), but he doesn't have the quick feet of the old Jamal Lewis and he's not going to fake anyone out. I'm just now convinced that Jacobs and Reuben Droughns are a good combination. Sort of Thunder and Thunder...

There's a third-year wide receiver out of Florida State named Michael Jennings who made some really nice plays in Friday's only practice. And it's obvious the Giants are going to try and work Sinorice Moss into the mix. He caught a lot of those quick inside passes that you see the Panthers' Steve Smith turn into touchdowns...

Overheard one member of the Giants' organization say, "I never knew there would come a time when Trey Wingo would be on 365 days a year." The former Baylor Bear and the backbone of NFL Live owns this town...

Didn't get to catch up with him, but it was nice to see Anthony Wright making some nice throws Friday. I spoke with him a few months ago when he was sitting home wondering when a team was going to call him...

Quarterback  Jared Lorenzen throws the heaviest ball I've ever seen. Even on deep seam routes, wide receivers can't handle his throws. It's fun to watch him wind up and hum it in with the left hand, but I fear his time here grows short...

This fullback Robert Douglas is pretty impressive. He figured the Giants would bring in someone to compete with him once veteran Jim Finn went down with a shoulder injury, but I think he'll end up with the job...

I would hate to see defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo get caught in the crossfire if Tom Coughlin doesn't get it done this season. I've been around some coaches who are miserable, but Spagnuolo is one of those guys who seems to inspire everyone around him...

Mathias Kiwanuka's move to linebacker could end up being a huge help to the secondary. It's not a great unit at this point, but an improved pass rush would be a huge help. Linebackers Kawika Mitchell and Antonio Pierce are getting to the ball in a hurry. I think Spagnuolo will allow his linebackers to be a lot more aggressive. Think about some of the things Jeremiah Trotter did in Philadelphia. Spagnuolo will try to find someone who can attack the middle of the line. And there's that linebackers note I promised you guys...

If you're wondering why Eli Manning seems to flourish in the two-minute drill and struggles early in games, you're not alone. This coaching staff is trying to figure out how to help him be more instinctive...

I haven't said anything about the offensive line, so here goes nothing. When you find your left tackle (David Diehl) in the fifth round of the 2003 draft, you're doing fine. And though it's hard to tell anything in shorts, Rich Seubert really appears to be playing well after struggling with injuries in the past...

I did hear one longtime NFL writer mention that Brandon Jacobs reminded him of Priest Holmes. I'd have to say that's a pretty strong compliment.

Thanks for sticking with me today.

m