QUOTES:

Coach Tom Coughlin on what  he told the players before they left the facility: “I told them all of the essentials. Count the days until July 26. In this day and age it is about nutrition, about rest, about taking care of yourself; about crossing those days off the calendar. And really, it is not like the old offseasons where we may have had 14-15 weeks. We are into our ninth. So as far as trying to rest a little bit and then pick back up, no, you wouldn’t be able to do that. You have to be ready to change direction and do those kinds of things. I did cite some of the examples in this little time where we have maybe a three-day down time and then go and practice once and have – like the other day – two backs had a hamstring after taking three days off. So anyway, all of those things have been said this morning. We talked about our schedule and what is in front of us and just wrapped it up for the program – the offseason program for the veteran players. And then the rookies are here for another week. ” READ MORE

Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell on what the last six months have been like since the end of last season: “It’s always self-evaluation. It’s always an opportunity to look and try to get better in what you do professionally and personally. There’s no time to cry over spilled milk. I’ve just tried to make sure that I get myself together and make sure that we get a good plan for our defensive football team and just evaluate us each and every day to the best of my ability in order for us to improve.” READ MORE

Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride on young players mixing in with the veterans: “It is always an enjoyable time for me because you get a chance to see some of the young guys develop and grow and maybe starting to believe that down the road somewhere when things become familiar enough they are going to actually be able to contribute and help us win some games. So that was the good thing; that was the enjoyable thing to see. The absence of two of our receivers allowed some of the younger receiver corps – particularly – to get more play than they might normally have gotten; more repetitions. I think they certainly prospered and benefited because of that.” READ MORE

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» PHOTOS: Giants Minicamp Day 3

» 10 Takeaways from Giants Mini-Camp

» Mark Herzlich works to secure MLB role

» Quotes: Perry Fewell talks defensive strategy

» Quotes: Kevin Gilbride on outlook of offense

» Quotes: Tom Quinn on returns competition

» Quotes: Players set goals for 2013 season

» Quotes: Tom Coughlin on close of mini-camp

» Fan Poll: How many points will NYG average?

QUOTES:

Coach Tom Coughlin on what he’s seen from his running backs: “Actually, they have all worked well given the opportunities. The young kid (Cox) continues to do some good things. Between Andre (Brown) and David (Wilson), we’ve had good days, I think, pretty consistently. Da’Rel Scott has had a few good days. Ryan Torain, of course, has the hamstring right now.” READ MORE

RB David Wilson on pass blocking: “I didn’t have many opportunities last year to show that capability due to my reps and that’s an area that I definitely need to show the coaches that I can handle and that’s an area that a running back in the NFL definitely needs to be able to handle. I’m doing all the right things to take steps towards that and be ready for the season.” READ MORE

CB Terrell Thomas on if he’s still wondering how the knee will hold up: “No. Not at all, to be honest with you. I’m able to do everything. It’s more just about getting comfortable and trusting myself without hesitating, without thinking, and just reacting and I’m almost there. Physically, I haven’t swelled up in the last four months and I’ve been progressing every week and each week I get better and faster and stronger, so it’s just a progression. I have to be realistic with myself knowing that I had two ACLs in one year and it’s a long journey, but I’ll be back and I’m going to shock a lot of people.” READ MORE

Mini-Camp Highlight: WR Hakeem Nicks in WR drills – snpy.tv/11fTFic—
New York Giants (@Giants) June 12, 2013

Mini-Camp Highlight: Eli Manning goes deep to Louis Murphy – snpy.tv/18yggPE—
New York Giants (@Giants) June 12, 2013

Mini-Camp Highlight: TE Bear Pascoe moves the sled – snpy.tv/13DKCZW—
New York Giants (@Giants) June 12, 2013

Mini-Camp Highlight: DT Shaun Rogers through the cones – snpy.tv/11fUvvE—
New York Giants (@Giants) June 12, 2013

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» PHOTOS: Minicamp Day 2

» CB Terrell Thomas looks forward to return

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» Giants News Flash: Mini-Camp Day Two

» Coach Tom Coughlin post-practice

QUOTES:

WR Hakeem Nicks on the reason why he didn’t tell Coach Coughlin about not attending the OTAs: “Well, I feel where he was coming from. I could have done a better job at reaching out, but I did. We finally got to talk. We got things straightened out on that end. Coach Coughlin…that’s my guy. That relationship can’t go sour. I felt where he was coming from. I should have done a better job at reaching out to him, but I’m here now and they’re excited to see me.” READ MORE

Coach Tom Coughlin on Nicks’ return: “It will make a big difference once we get him here for some extended time, which this camp is not going to allow us. But at least he’s here and he’s working.” READ MORE

QB Eli Manning on having Nicks back at practice: “I’m looking forward to having these last three practices and keep working on getting better, working on our offense, improving on things and see if we can… I thought we’ve made some progress these last few weeks of OTAs and hopefully we can finish on a strong note and take that into training camp down the road.” READ MORE

Mini-Camp Highlight: Eli Manning completes to Hakeem Nicks – snpy.tv/17FnTT3—
New York Giants (@Giants) June 11, 2013

Mini-Camp Highlight: Eli Manning finds Brandon Collins – snpy.tv/13Vi26Y—
New York Giants (@Giants) June 11, 2013

Mini-Camp Highlight: Eli Manning connects with Louis Murphy – snpy.tv/11FjkE1—
New York Giants (@Giants) June 11, 2013

Mini-Camp Highlight: QB and WR drills – snpy.tv/16a1A4X—
New York Giants (@Giants) June 11, 2013

Mini-Camp Highlight: Linebacker drills – snpy.tv/12DTcgf—
New York Giants (@Giants) June 11, 2013

Steve Weatherford punts to David Wilson – snpy.tv/11FeUxb—
New York Giants (@Giants) June 11, 2013

Tom Coughlin took “CenterStage” last night on the YES Network. In the interview show hosted by Michael Kay, the Giants’ head coach discussed everything from David Tyree’s Friday practice before Super Bowl XLII to the “contract” he has with his wife regarding how many days he must take off from football.

Here are a few highlights from the interview, which was originally taped in April:

Tom Coughlin talks about advice his father gave him his sophomore year of high school that still sticks with him to this day:

We got beat one afternoon at home, against Clyde-Savannah (N.Y.). After the game, I came home, one of my buddies must have dropped me off ‘cause I went to the front door of the house. As I started to open the door, my dad was standing in the doorway. He looked at me and he said, “If that’s the best effort you’re going to give, you probably ought to find something else to do with your time.” It really hit me hard because, mothers and fathers, (when) they tell you they’re watching the game, they’re watching you. This is the way my dad perceived that particular effort that day (and) he was right.

On Frank Maloney’s hiring of Tom as an assistant for his alma mater back in 1974:

Frank (Maloney)’s 33 years old, I approached him at the end of this talk, I introduced myself, and I said, “You know, I played at Syracuse, I’ve been out a couple of years, I’m a football coach; if there’s ever any interest in talking to me, I’d be interested in talking with you.” That was it, I figured, I’m not going to hear another word. Couple weeks later, I got a phone call, Frank invited me to come down for an interview. It was going to be an evening interview, I had it all wired. I worked all day, and I knew exactly when I was going to get home. I was going to shower, shave and dress: (wear a) suit, put a coat and tie on, leave at an exact time, walk in, 10, 15 minutes early for my interview, it would be perfect. Best laid plans of mice and men. We’ve got two little ones at that time, Judy and I. I came home, and I structured this just as I said. Got everything to go, got ready to leave, and kissed my wife and the kids goodbye, started out the door, no car keys. Where are my car keys? Now I start to sweat, I’m sweating right through my jacket and my shirt. Judy and I tear the house up looking for these car keys. I can’t find them.

Finally I call Frank Maloney, and I said, “Frank, you know, I have to tell you, I’m all set to go, but I can’t find the car keys.” He said, “Well, why don’t you take another hour, see what you can do, call me back if you can’t find them.” I couldn’t find them. I called him back, and he started laughing. You know he said, “Hey, I got kids too.” We had found the car keys; they were in a bobby pin basket under the sink. My crawler (toddler) had grabbed the keys, and dropped it in a bobby pin basket. I never got to go that particular night for my interview. Of course, I’m thinking, ”Oh my God, I’ve blown it. This was my chance.” I was (horrified) because I didn’t know what to expect. This was a Division I job, I’m in Division III. Frank invited me down a week later, and it all worked out. But for that one moment in time, I thought, “Well, I’ve just blown my opportunity here.”

Tom receives emotional voicemail from John Madden following his decision to play starters against the undefeated New England Patriots in Week 17:

The next morning (I got a) call from John Madden, which meant all the world. When I came, there was a light on in my phone voicemail. I picked up the phone, “Tom, this is John Madden, I just want to tell you what you and your team did last night is the greatest thing that’s happened in the NFL in the last 10 years. I’m pretty emotional about this, but I believe there’s only one way to play a game, and that’s to win. You play every game to win, you play as hard as you can, and that’s what sports are all about.” As a matter of fact, I listen to it once awhile, every now and then.

His thoughts about the New York Giants chances of beating the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII and David Tyree’s Friday practice before “The Catch”:

Absolutely, you’ve got to believe you’re going to win. Now I have to tell you about Friday, which is a great story. We brought in on a Friday practice what we call the green zone and the red zone. You’re going to work on move the field capacity and short yardage, goal line, that type of thing. We get down to the green zone; we had been using David Tyree, who was a Pro-Bowl special team player. David was also very physical, and David would come down and block the safeties. So we decided to employ David in that capacity, but also, to run some patterns for us. He would look as if he’s going to block, and then he would—well, that day was probably the worst practice I have ever seen anybody have. David couldn’t catch the ball. When that practice was over, Eli went to David Tyree and said, “Don’t worry, David, you’ll be there when we need you.” Of course…he makes probably the greatest individual play –I am biased — in the history of (the Super Bowl).

The unique “contract” Tom has with his wife regarding how many days per year are absent of football:

Five days. She calls it her contract. It’s after the season, she gets five days, she’s tried to negotiate for more and I’ve tried to negotiate for less. I’m OK until about the last day (without football), or the last day and a half. Then I get a little itchy because I’ve read the book, I’ve walked around the beach, I’ve sat in the shade. I’ve gone to dinner, what more am I going to do now, besides get back to work?

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Sounds like a page taken from Tom Coughlin.

The Sun Devils went on to post an 8-5 record and a victory in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, completing the program’s first winning season since 2007. Finding that he’s onto something, Graham is going one step further in 2013 and taking a page from Tom Coughlin’s actual book “Earn the Right to Win.” He has assigned the manual to his coaching staff for summer reading.

“I think it really fits us right now,” Graham told azcentral.com. “If you get a chance, just read the beginning of it. Michael Strahan says, ‘Hey, Tom Coughlin, I couldn’t stand the guy. He comes in here, he has all the stupid, petty rules. I didn’t understand why you had to wear the same colored socks to practice. What does that have to do with winning?’ And so it really correlates to what our players went through our first year here and about building trust. Strahan said, ‘When I decided to start taking pride in those stupid, petty rules, that’s when I became an All-Pro and that’s when we won the Super Bowl.’ I thought it was a great testimony for us.”

WATCH: COUGHLIN AND STRAHAN REUNITE, TALK BOOK >>

The book, which Coughlin released in March, centers on the theme of “how success in any field starts with superior preparation.” Graham hopes his staff will identify.

“We came in and tried to establish who we are – our character, our discipline, our work ethic – but we’ve just kind of installed the minimum,” Graham said. ”I want to be a smart football team. And there are just a lot of illustrations (in that book) that will be good for us. We’re just trying to get everybody to improve.”

At least the people at NFL.com think so.

NFL.com columnist Adam Schein ranked the top coaches in the NFL, and Coughlin came in at No. 2 behind the Patriots’ Belichick.

“Like Belichick, he’s a future Hall of Famer,” Schein wrote. “Coughlin has two rings and gets his Giants to overachieve. He’s a fantastic motivator and in-game coach.”

Here is a look at “The Schein Nine” list of top NFL coaches:

1) Bill Belichick, New England Patriots

2) Tom Coughlin, New York Giants

3) Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers

4) Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco 49ers

5) John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens

6) Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers

7) Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints

8) Mike Shanahan, Washington Redskins

9) Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs

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PHOTOS: GIANTS ON THE MOUND

And that includes the baseball diamond.

New York Mets third baseman and newly-named captain David Wright will find that out as he now has reading material for the team’s road trips. Coughlin recently had a copy of his book delivered to Wright before Opening Day with an inscription congratulating him on the honor of being named captain.

“I just appreciate the way a young man like David represents his organization on and off the field,” Coughlin told the New York Post. “Guys like David Wright, Derek Jeter and Eli [Manning] are cut out of the same cloth.

“They are blessed with great ability, and they understand the responsibility that comes along with it. They understand what it means to represent their respective organizations, and they know that the people of the metropolitan area respect somebody who rolls up the sleeves and goes to work and leads by example, not words.”

This wasn’t the first time Coughlin has reached out to the Met.

Coughlin wrote a note to Wright a few years ago, saying he enjoyed his style of play. Wright, according to the article, never forgot that and said it “was almost like a football pregame pep-talk, it was nice. I got it framed and it is displayed proudly.”

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» Eisen’s Mailbag: Strahan’s All-Time Ranking

Whether or not you think three minutes early is two minutes late, under Coughlin Time, the coach is always right. And it’s going to cost you.

Michael Strahan learned that the hard way with Tom Coughlin, and while the former Giants defensive end and current head coach’s relationship overcame its rocky start, there was still a matter of that 500-dollar fine. Coughlin rectified that Wednesday morning.

Appearing on “LIVE with Kelly and Michael” — which Strahan has co-hosted since September – to promote his new book, Coughlin reunited with the Giants great, and at the end of the segment handed him a crisp 500 dollar bill – in Monopoly money.

“One of the greatest things this guy has said to me was,” Coughlin recalled, pointing at Strahan, “‘Coach, out of respect for you, I set my watch 10 minutes ahead.’”

Strahan, who wrote the foreword to Coughlin’s new book, confirmed it is still true and laughed: “I’m 500 dollars richer, yeah.”

Strahan introduced his former coach to begin the clip before co-host Kelly Ripa asked how two such likable people could not initially get along.

The answer: they are two very strong-willed people, Coughlin explained.

“I’ll never forget the first time he came in my office. Here he sits in front of me and he’s doing all the talking. I’m the head coach. I just got hired as the head coach, and here comes a guy into my office to tell me exactly what he thought and how we’re going to do things. He was representing his teammates, which he does very, very well. [He’s] a natural-born leader, all of the above, has a magnetic personality, but we didn’t hit it off too good at first. He didn’t like the rules, he didn’t like the rules.”

>>WATCH GIANTS CHRONICLES: MICHAEL STRAHAN

Strahan eventually understood the method to his rules, which underscored Coughlin’s themes in “Earn the Right to Win.”

“What was important to me was I wanted everybody to come to work with passion,” Coughlin continued. “With eagerness, with a desire to learn, anxious to come into the building and be prepared to compete and have a great day and help the New York Giants win.”

Such a nice reunion!!! Tom Coughlin & @MichaelStrahan! #KellyandMichael #Giants @Giants #EarnTheRightToWin lockerz.com/s/286169596—
LIVEKellyandMichael (@KellyandMichael) March 06, 2013

Two stars, TC and @michaelstrahan … Warming up for today's @KellyandMichael … NOW!!! lockerz.com/s/286165369 #EarnTheRightToWin—
pat hanlon (@giantspathanlon) March 06, 2013

That's the back of @BobPapa_NFL's head as he chats with TC this AM on #SiriusNFL lockerz.com/s/286165751—
pat hanlon (@giantspathanlon) March 06, 2013

Coach Coughlin in studio @ESPNNY98_7FM w @RealMichaelKay & @DonLagreca to discuss his book "Earn the Right to Win" http://t.co/w9gQEc3kgx—
Ryan T. Hurley (@ryanthurley) March 06, 2013

Check out Coach Coughlin’s new book EARN THE RIGHT TO WIN, out today: tinyurl.com/c5tllmp Congrats Coach!—
Victor Cruz (@TeamVic) March 05, 2013

TC is up and running at Barnes & Noble, 46th and 5th! #EarnTheRightToWin lockerz.com/s/286078102—
pat hanlon (@giantspathanlon) March 05, 2013

NFL Coach Coughlin’s tip for success on & off the field…"you’ve got to be prepared when you do have that opportunity" #giants—
TODAY (@todayshow) March 05, 2013

TC taping an interview w/ @DukeCastiglione for #GoodDayNY. Earn the Right to Win. lockerz.com/s/286064472—
pat hanlon (@giantspathanlon) March 05, 2013

"Preparation is the key to success" NFL veteran coach (and author) Tom Coughlin #EarntheRighttoWin—
Piers Morgan Tonight (@PiersTonight) March 06, 2013

Beadle & Briggs sit down w/ @Giants HC Tom Coughlin … They were late.. Was he mad? Find out 6pm on @NBCSN http://t.co/gnPbJt7Bwq—
The Crossover (@crossover) March 06, 2013

NY @Giants head coach Tom Coughlin is in studio! http://t.co/uGpFWMukdg—
Chris Mad Dog Russo (@MadDogUnleashed) March 06, 2013