Jim Willsen drove his family from Long Island to the University at Albany Friday for the first day of New York Giants training camp.
Willsen is a New York Jets fan, but it was difficult for him to deny his wife and two young sons the opportunity to see their favorite team start preparing to defend their Super Bowl championship.
`I’m a football fan,` said Willsen. `The Jets are No. 1 in my mind, but I never root against the Giants unless they’re playing the Jets.`
The Willsen family were a small part of the 1,779 fans that gathered at University Field for the first of 14 Giants practices. Others came from as far away as London and as close as Colonie to catch Eli Manning, Victor Cruz and the rest of `Big Blue` going through their drills.
`You’re only traveling 20 minutes instead of nearly three hours to see them,` said Colonie resident and Giants season ticket holder Tony Mogavero, who brought his family to UAlbany Friday. `This is great to come here in the afternoon and see them up close.`
`I’ve been a Giants fan all my life,` added Rensselaer resident John Maxian. `Having the camp here is great.`
Area Giants fans didn’t see their favorite team practice at UAlbany in 2011 thanks to the NFL lockout, which wasn’t resolved in time for the team to schedule training camp outside of their Meadowlands Sports Complex home. It was the first time in 15 years that the Giants failed to come upstate.
The training camp setting didn’t matter too much for players such as defensive tackle Chris Canty. All he wanted was the chance to play the 2011 NFL season.
`There’s really not too much difference (in the settings). Training camp is training camp,` said Canty. `You’re here to get ready for the season.`
`Every training camp, you treat the same way,` added quarterback Eli Manning. `It’s about getting better from the previous season. You want to get everybody up to speed as quickly as possible so that everyone is on the same page.`
For the fans, though, training camp is about seeing their favorite players from a closer vantage point than if they traveled to MetLife Stadium to see them play in a game.
`We missed them (last year),` said Jim Garretson, who traveled from Cherry Valley in Otsego County. `We usually come up here at least once a year.`
`To be able to see them up close is phenomenal,` added Maxiam.
The last time the Mogaveros saw the Giants, it was when they defeated the New England Patriots 21-17 in Indianapolis to win Super Bowl XLII. They brought a picture of them in the Lucas Oil Stadium stands as the confetti flew behind them following the game, along with a laminated ticket.
`We drove out to Indianapolis without any tickets,` said Tony Mogavero. `We went to the ticket exchange and got tickets a few hours before the game.`
Manning — the Super Bowl’s most valuable player — autographed the picture. Mogavero said he hoped Manning would also sign the ticket.
Cousins Sam and AJ Rovner from Long Island stood along a fence waiting for the players to pass by, so they could also get autographs. Sam — who will be 11 later this year — was looking for defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and rookie running back David Wilson, while his slightly older cousin AJ had his sights set on rookie wide receiver Rueben Randle.
`We want to get the autographs, so we want to get the perfect spot,` said Sam.
Krista Mein of Schenectady picked a different spot along the fence near the players’ exit. She couldn’t see the action going on, but she didn’t mind.
`If you’re looking for that special autograph, this is the place to be,` said Mein.
John Shihrer of Glenville wasn’t interested in getting autographs, though. He sat in the stands and watched intently as the Giants ran their plays in public for the first time since the Super Bowl.
`I think the key is if the offensive line is going to hold up for Eli (Manning) this year,` said Shihrer. `If the offensive line does that, I think Eli’s going to be productive.`
Ultimately, the New York Giants are hoping that their three-week stay in Albany leads to a productive NFL season — one that includes another shot at a Super Bowl ring.
`We have to focus on coming together as a team,` said Canty.
Giants training camp continues for the next two weeks at UAlbany. Practices begin at 1 p.m. For details on practices and parking, visit www.giants.com or www.albany.edu/giants.
