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| Clark Finds A Kinder, Gentler Coughlin | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 30 2008, 06:38 PM (28 Views) | |
| BlueHeart | Jul 30 2008, 06:38 PM Post #1 |
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Gifted, But, Twisted Fearless Leader
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[size=7]Giants' Clark reunited with a charming Coughlin[/size] BY TOM ROCK | tom.rock@newsday.com July 30, 2008 ALBANY - Danny Clark had to see it for himself. He'd heard the stories about a softer, kinder Tom Coughlin, but they didn't jibe with his memory. Back when Coughlin was the coach in Jacksonville, Clark was his seventh-round draft pick in 2000. They spent three years together. So when Clark, a free agent this winter, came to visit the Giants, he did so expecting the firebrand. People, in Clark's experience, rarely change. All those stories about Coughlin going soft, they must be a myth. "I had one of my eyebrows up," Clark said of his skepticism during the visit. "I was like 'Man, is he going to chew me out? Or chew someone else out?' I may be exaggerating a bit on how rough he was [in Jacksonville], but that was our impression." What he got was a relaxed chat with a man who had, in less than a year, reinvented himself. While no one is accusing Coughlin of being cuddly, he's shown that having personal relationships with players can bring success. He is no longer the unsmiling dictator that Clark remembered. So what did they talk about? They spent some time talking defenses and schemes, but they also connected as people. Coughlin inquired about Clark's family, gave some advice to him on sending his stepson to college next year. They even spoke about their family histories, and when Clark said that he believed he had some Irish ancestry, Coughlin turned tour guide and suggested he stop by Ellis Island. "He was genuine, all smiles," Clark said. "He didn't smile much back then, and now he definitely has a lot to smile about. I'm a fan of that. I'm a fan of happy people." Coughlin and the Giants are fans of Clark, the nine-year veteran who likely will be the starting weakside linebacker, filling one of the gaps lost in post- Super Bowl free agency. Some Giants players have already made comparisons, saying that Clark's style reminds them of Kawika Mitchell. Now it's just a matter of getting the reps and getting comfortable. That shouldn't take long. "Even before I knew I was going to be a Giant, I knew I would be a great fit in that defense," Clark said. "They're hungry, nasty guys who play with a chip on their shoulder." The position is the same Clark played with the Texans last season. The major difference: In Houston they called it a strong side linebacker while here he's on the weak side. Same position, same concept, different name. Clark was supposed to battle Gerris Wilkinson for the starting job, but the third-year player has been on the PUP list since the beginning of camp. Clark is recovering from surgery on a sports hernia and has been participating in only one of the two practices each day, but he said by the end of the week he expects to be on a full playing schedule. No matter how welcoming the players have been, though - and how charming the coach - there have been times in recent months when Clark felt like an outsider. He would be working out with the team this offseason and suddenly they would be off to Washington to visit the President or boarding buses to Tiffany's to collect their rings. "It made me feel like a kid and all the other kids got ice cream and I didn't get any," Clark said. "My only objective is to get some ice cream." And Coughlin might just be Mister Softee. Notes & quotes: The Giants practiced without their three best wide receivers yesterday. Plaxico Burress (ankle) has missed every session this camp, but Amani Toomer (swelling in left leg) and Steve Smith (soreness) also skipped the latest workout. That left Domenik Hixon and Sinorice Moss playing with the starting unit . . . Right tackle Shane Olivea moved from the third to the second unit with Adam Koets missing practice due to dizziness . . . Safety Terrance Stringer, an undrafted rookie, also missed practice (hamstring). |
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9:11 AM Jul 11