Giants' Chris Canty meets with coaches, gets in full workout day after temporary end to NFL lockout

BY Ralph Vacchiano
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Tuesday, April 26th 2011, 3:31 PM

New York Giants defensive tackle Chris Canty, seen here chatting with the media last season, returns to the team's Meadowlands practice facility Tuesday for a workout.

On the first day of the temporary end of the NFL lockout, some teams wouldn't even allow their players in the building. Others did, but kept the weight rooms closed. Most kept their coaches far from the players' sights.

Not the Giants. In fact, when defensive tackle Chris Canty arrived he was greeted with a hug from Charles Way, the team's director of player development, and was allowed to get in a full workout in the team's weight room. After that, he met with Tom Coughlin and several of the Giants' assistants.

It was as if everything was back to normal - even if it's only for a day (or two).

"It felt pretty good," Canty said after spending a few hours at the team's Meadowlands practice facility. "I got in a workout. I had a chance to meet with the coaches. It was great. We're excited to get back to business as usual. It's a good week for our game, a good week for the league and a good week for the players."

Canty said he was at home in Charlotte for Easter when he heard that Judge Susan Nelson had enjoined the lockout Monday, so he immediately booked a flight to New Jersey for Tuesday morning. Undoubtedly he was partly motivated by the $250,000 workout bonus in his contract, but he also said he was motivated by a desire to get back to work.

"I'm sure the sentiment is the same around the league for the players," he said. "Guys were ready to get back to work. We want to put
a quality product on the field for our fans in the fall. A big part of that is coming in and getting to work in the offseason."

Canty wasn't alone, either. The first player to show up Tuesday morning was receiver Mario Manningham, who arrived around 11:30 a.m. and stayed for a half hour. Canty showed up a half hour later and stayed until about 2:30 p.m., which was about a half hour after running back Brandon Jacobs arrived.

According to Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon, all three players met with staff members and coaches. Canty was the only one to work out. The NFL had instructed teams to open their doors and treat any incoming players with "courtesy and respect," but NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an email that "We do not believe it is appropriate for football activities to take place until there are further rulings from the court."

The Giants, regardless of the league's attempt to seek a "stay" of Judge Nelson's order, had no problem letting Canty - or others - work out.

"In light of last night's ruling by Judge Nelson, we were directed by the league that if our players showed up today to treat them with courtesy and respect," Hanlon said in a statement. "That message, which sounds a lot like how we always treat our players, was reinforced to our staff by our ownership."

Canty called the Giants "a class act" and said he never had a doubt about what would happen upon his return.

"No, there was no tension here," he said. "I know that hasn't exactly been the thing around the rest of the league, but coming in here it was like we never left. Coming back, coaches are very excited to have guys back in the building and we're just excited to move forward and get back to work."

Not surprisingly, Canty said he'd be back tomorrow and would keep coming "as long as the doors are open." He expects a lot more players to start joining him soon, too.

"That's the kind of team we have," Canty said. "We have a veteran team that loves to work with one another to accomplish a common goal. Guys understand a big part of us having success is being here, working out together."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/2011/04/26/2011-04-26_giants_chris_canty_meets_with_coaches_gets_in_full_workout_day_after_temporary_e.html#ixzz1KfRuI6Jk

Brandon Jacobs lauds Giants for letting players use their facility today
Published: Tuesday, April 26, 2011, 4:27 PM Updated: Tuesday, April 26, 2011, 4:40 PM
Mike Garafolo/The Star-Ledger

Giants running back Brandon Jacobs was pleased he was able to visit the team's facility, speak with the coaches and even grab a bowl of gumbo from the cafeteria.

Brandon Jacobs received a text message from his agent, Justin Schulman, telling him the Giants’ facility was open for business.

“‘Go there and give it a try,’ is what he said. It didn’t seem like he was sure either,” the veteran running back told reporters after about a 90-minute visit to the Timex Performance Center. “He said, ‘Go up there and see what they tell you.' So I said, ‘Okay, we’ll see what they tell me.’ And we’re able to work out; we’re able to do anything.”

Yes, the Giants’ complex was unlike any other today – the first day after U.S. District Judge Susan Nelson lifted the lockout – in that players were able to use the entire facility if they so chose. While Chris Canty took advantage of the offer, Jacobs was merely on a reconnaissance mission to find out “if it’s true or not” the facility was open to the players.

It was, and he’ll be back on Wednesday for a workout.

“That’s the difference between this organization and all the other ones out there. They want us to get in and get some work in because, after all this is said and done, we’re still their players and we’re going to be the ones playing,” Jacobs said. “So why keep all our resources from us that make us better?”

Later, he added, “I wish the other teams continue to let their guys not go to the facility. I wish that happens. … Let ‘em continue doing it.”

Asked why the team allowed players full access to the facility while other teams were keeping their weight rooms closed - and reportedly, in Cincinnati and Buffalo, barring players entirely - Giants VP of communications Pat Hanlon reiterated the league's message to be "courteous and respectful" toward the players "and that's what we did."

Jacobs said he crashed an offensive staff meeting to talk to the coaches, who have been prevented from communicating with the players during the lockout. He spoke with Tom Coughlin, who asked about Jacobs’ family and touched on the work stoppage and what it will mean to the offseason.

“He didn’t hesitate on talking about the ending of last year, which is good. I know he was itching to get that one out, and I wanted to hear about it, too,” Jacobs said. “We have to come in and make things work. We’ve got to come in, work hard and try to correct those mistakes.”

On that note, Jacobs believes the Giants will be better equipped to handle the work stoppage than other teams because of the number of veterans on the roster.

“I just think a lot of guys who have very young teams are going to have trouble dealing with a situation like this and won’t be able to find a way to fix it,” he said. “In our case, it’s not going to happen because we have a good enough team and old enough guys around that know what it takes to win and be successful.”

Jacobs’ return to the facility wasn’t complete until he got himself a bowl of gumbo from the cafeteria. He said the kitchen always does a good job of making that dish – which is quite the compliment, considering he’s a Louisiana native.

“I don’t know if they made gumbo knowing I’d be in here today, but they did a good job making it,” he said, adding: “Everyone was very excited to see the few people that came in today. But that shows how everybody missed each other, being around each other as well. I just hope all of this stuff, they find a way to fix it and find a way to deal with it in a different way than keeping us from not being able to show up here.”

* * * *

We'll have more from Jacobs shortly on his own situation. Lots of interesting, insightful and even self-deprecating stuff from him.

It is pretty clear the Giants want to just get back to football. NYG is the only team allowing players to work out if they choose.

Great to see Canty, Manningham and Jacobs there, it shows they are focussed this year; let's be honest all three have things to prove on the field.

I would expect to see a lot more Giants show up over the next few days.