The first damaging hit was applied to the roster for 2010 for a practice in the new PSL stadium.
Hixon got his cleats caught in the “FieldTurf”. Done for the year with a torn ACL and it isn’t even training camp yet.
Domenik Hixon was 2nd in the NFL last year with 57 kick-off returns and tied for 6th with 37 returns for 20+ yards. Last season the Giants were 28th in average yards per kickoff with 20.9 versus Hixon’s average of 22.6. The value he demonstrated was highlighted versus Arizona in 2008 when he had 201 return yards. Many times on this blog we debated how Hixon has to be handling kickoffs given his explosiveness.
There have been questions raised about the training staff and how they have handled hamstring issues and whether they may be culpable. But, why were they putting their players at risk in order to show off their new facility when their kicker stated that the field was “mushy”. Overall Tynes stated that the “surface was ‘a little soft’ for his liking” and “the rubber wasn’t compact yet.”
Oh don’t fear our leader Tom Coughlin says “We’re aware of it, we’re continuing to work with it, we’re asking the turf people to take another look at the field and some of the thoughts we had about shoes and such,” Coughlin said, adding: “I think it’s pretty much new, just because it’s new.” This all very reassuring isn’t it?
Reese stepped in to do some damage control on the issue and had this to say: “Obviously, we’ll look for the right shoes to wear over there as part of the adjustment to the new stadium, new field. … It happens. It could’ve happened anywhere. I went over and looked at the field again and we talked about some things that maybe need to be changed in respect to the field, so we’re working on that. We’ll hopefully have all the kinks out before we get on it again.” In addition, it appeared he had some outlining concerns regarding the field in his statement about the first inspection of the field a “his inspection of the field on Wednesday revealed a few seams near the 50-yard line” but he “cautioned the seams had nothing to do with Hixon’s injury, which occurred far away from midfield.” Well yet he brings up another concern that relates to the points above on why take chances with your players when he states that “I’m sure it hasn’t settled, like all new fields have to settle a little bit. But those are things we think will get worked out.” Is the Marketing and Public Relations Department empowered with decisions on practice time and location in order to ensure every last PSL seat is sold?
Tynes also added about the turf that “I’m sure it’ll get matted down with the 50 concerts they have.” Which leads to a question: do some of you feel philanthropic about your PSL money going to subsidize 50 concerts?
Where do we go from here? Chad Jones, Sinorice Moss (eek!), Andre Brown, Bradshaw, or even taking chances with Manningham?
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