Training Camp Fights- What are you feelings?

[MightyGiants]

GUESTS CAN VOTE

In light of the approximately 11 fights over the two days of training camp and the $200K in fines, how do you feel about the fights?

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I'm happy they're showing aggressiveness and unwillingness to be pushed around. I see it as a good sign of things to come. Team is "scrappy"... 
Like my pastor used to say, "it's easier to tame a wildfire, then to raise the dead"...LOL

[kartanoman]

I'll be honest in that I voted for I loved seeing the fire and passion the Giants displayed.

As a former athlete, and current coach, I would normally frown on this type of behavior in the name of overall sportsmanship. When it comes to recreational, scholastic or NCAA level competition, you respect the game by respecting all who partake as you are ambassadors to making the sport, whatever it is, the best it can be.

That said, when you walk into the professional ring, that's a different animal altogether. Especially a team as downtrodden as the Giants have been over the last decade, or so, now is an appropriate time to wake teams up who have taken you for granted in the past. If you are serious about putting some bite behind your bark, camp scuffles are not a bad way to get started in delivering a message AS LONG AS it is contained and not allowed to get out of control. By all accounts and measures, the Giants and Lions had their share of scuffles; however, they were, by and large, contained sufficiently that nobody was hurt. Further, the teams were separated and practice was shortened to allow everyone to cool off.

While it is understandable some folks express concern about the skill players getting involved with the risk of injuring their "tools of the trade," there is another angle to examine which should be encouraging that the Giants now have some players with "tough" and "fight" in their blood.

All of that is good when you are trying to elevate your team out of the doldrums of the cellar of the NFC. But, at some point, it will have to be professionally contained so that it is used constructively for the good of the team, and the player, and not in a manner where opponents try to "bait" the player into using their aggression against them.

Bottom line, competition brings the fire out of these guys and, at this early stage in the season, that's always a treat for us fans to watch.

Peace!

[kartanoman]

I'm happy they're showing aggressiveness and unwillingness to be pushed around. I see it as a good sign of things to come. Team is "scrappy"... 
Like my pastor used to say, "it's easier to tame a wildfire, then to raise the dead"...LOL

Amen to that!

[H-Town G-Fan]

There's a difference between Jones stepping in to stick up for his OL and things escalating and Nabors taking a cheap shot at a guy (who wasn't even covering him) for little to no reason. The former is far more forgivable than the latter.

[Gmo11]

There's a difference between Jones stepping in to stick up for his OL and things escalating and Nabors taking a cheap shot at a guy (who wasn't even covering him) for little to no reason. The former is far more forgivable than the latter.

Nabers alleges that Joseph said something to him which prompted the shove in the face.  Nabers didn't expand on exactly what was said but it would be surprising to me if he simply passed a dude minding his own business and shoved him in the head for no reason.

[H-Town G-Fan]

Nabers alleges that Joseph said something to him which prompted the shove in the face.  Nabers didn't expand on exactly what was said but it would be surprising to me if he simply passed a dude minding his own business and shoved him in the head for no reason.

I know that's what he says and my response is: who cares? It's still a cheap shot. He didn't square up on the guy for this statement--he hit and (pseudo) ran.

I'm not making any broad character allegations about Nabers--I loved him in the draft (go check my history) and am extremely excited for him. But this was just dumb and I don't know why there's a reflex to defend this particular brand of brainless training camp behavior.

[T200]

If Nabers didn't cheap-shot Joseph, I would have no problems with the skirmishes, including Jones.

Let them know they will not be pushed around and punked.

[bamagiantfan]

I think we all love fire and passion. I don't think anyone is arguing against that. But after the whistle blows and THEN something happens it is completely unacceptable. That is why yesterday's practice was ended early. The league handed down fines and wouldn't be surprised if there were some fines internally. These are the type of fights that absolutely cannot happen during a game. They are learning more than just Xs and Os in preseason. Conduct on the field matters. Games can be decided with one moment of carelessness. I imagine Nabors got an earful from his coaches. It may have seemed harmless to him when he did it. It didn't end well.

I just hope there isn't some safety trying to make the Lions that decides to take Nabors' head off tomorrow night to make a point.   

[EDjohnst1981]

I don't mind it personally.

But I never had a big problem with OBJ, he put up the numbers so I deal with the hassle. I do remember being in the minority with this reasoning though.

It'll be interesting to see how Nabers behaves during the season now a defence know they can make him blow his top and how people on here think of it.

[Gman329]

A skirmish or two is almost to be expected and yes, I get that the Giants were determned not to be pushed around after last year's experience.....but when it reaches the "every other play" level, it goes beyond a distraction, it becomes a preoccupation.  At that point, you're not focusing on what you're supposed to be out there for - to hone your skills, to be a better player and as a group, a better team.  It wastes time and energy that could be better spent.

[ralphpal1]

Also,  you think the Lions would want to practice next year with them

[AZGiantFan]

I'm not crazy about the fights, but I'd rather have 2 days of joint practice like this than the way it was last year when they got steamrolled by Detroit.

[DaveBrown74]

It doesn't bother me, provided it doesn't happen so frequently that it's a major disruption. And it goes without saying that if anyone got significantly hurt in a camp fight that would be a disgrace. Beyond those considerations, I have no issue with it at all. It's hot as hell out there, there's a lot of testosterone, and these guys are in competition with each other while being very physical. It's a given that fights will happen.

What I don't buy is the "fire and passion" stuff. There have been camp fights every year over the past however many years. We have been awful in 8 of the last 10 years. There is absolutely no correlation whatsoever between camp fights and what the team will be like that year. It's a July-August topic, they happen on every team every summer, and they have no bearing on anything other than the present, when there isn't usually a great deal else to talk about.

[MightyGiants]

Also,  you think the Lions would want to practice next year with them

I think they do.  I was listening to Chris B (one of the Giants' "insiders"/faux in-house reporters).  The sense I get is both Cambell and Dabbs (while never publicly admitting to it) like the fight their team displayed).  Plus, from what Chris said, there wasn't lasting ill-will between the players.