Giants name Michael Strahan, four others team captains
BY RALPH VACCHIANO
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Saturday, September 8th 2007, 4:00 AM
When Michael Strahan returned from his 38-day holdout, he said he wasn't worried about how his teammates would receive him. He was convinced, even after skipping all of training camp, he still had their respect.
Yesterday they proved that he does.
Just three days after finally rejoining his teammates, the 35-year-old Strahan was elected captain by his peers - a title he'll share with four others for the season. The other captains are quarterback Eli Manning, center Shaun O'Hara, linebacker Antonio Pierce and punter Jeff Feagles.
And Strahan's co-defensive captain admitted there aren't many NFL players who could have sat out all summer, then come back and been declared a leader by player vote.
"There ain't too many at all," Pierce said. "That's just what he's meant to the guys that are here. He's a guy that for 14-15 years has been a productive player as well as a leader on the team. Everybody thought we were going to turn our backs on him. That shows you how tight this team is."
Strahan, who has served as a game-day captain on countless occasions during his 14 NFL seasons, admitted the honor was "a really big deal" because "it shows guys respect you." He also said it's more proof that his summer "break" was irrelevant to his teammates.
"That training-camp thing meant nothing," he said. "That was more of a figment of the imagination of the pens and papers than actually the players. Players don't care about none of that. You come out here, you play. That's what matters."
Electing five permanent captains was a departure for the Giants and for Tom Coughlin, who in the past had the coaching staff select different captains for each game. The NFL is pushing teams to select year-long captains this season, in part for marketing reasons so they can wear jerseys with the captain's "C" on the chest.
Still, Coughlin wasn't willing to make the policy switch until he discussed it with his newly formed, 10-player "leadership council," which endorsed the idea in a morning meeting before the team vote.
The selection of Strahan, who on occasion during the last four years has made life difficult for Coughlin, did not seem to catch the coach by surprise.
"He's been a solid individual in the locker room for the players," Coughlin said. "He's been a solid guy in the locker room for this coaching staff, and I think that was recognized by the players as well. There isn't any question he's a tremendous football player and a tremendous addition to that group and they admire him."
The only remaining question, of course, is if they get to play with him tomorrow night when the Giants open the regular season in Dallas. The Giants have until 4 p.m. today to add him to the active roster.
It seems a lock they will do that since Strahan said his right foot, which he sprained last year, "feels fine" after participating in all four practices this week.
Strahan did say there was a possibility he'd play only in "certain situations" and on a limited basis. "I'm pretty sure that might be the case," he said.
DECISION AROUND CORNER: CB Sam Madison (hamstring) practiced again, but he'll be a game-time decision. "He's done everything we've asked him to do," Coughlin said. "It's just a question of whether we think it's been enough."... Jared Lorenzen will be the No. 2 QB. ... Dallas receiver Terry Glenn will miss tomorrow's game after injuring his right knee, which was operated on in the preseason.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/f...ants_name_michael_strahan_four_others_-4.html
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