Shawn Andrews chemical imbalance thread

[DH]

Hopefully that works out about as well for them as when they signed Jerome McDougle.

[SunMo]

giantspathanlon
 
#NYG GM JReese on Andrews: been monitoring Shawn's progress for awhile, had a very good workout for us, can play both G and both T positions

[Diomedes]

sure he can

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

The Eagles have the slightly less sucky Andrews brother.  Maybe.

[DH]

got my michael phelps on, my michael phelps on..

[Zanshin]

As if I needed more contempt for Andrews.

[phillymic2000]

fargin asshat

[smeags]

did he have his vag removed ?

[Diomedes]

i hope not

[ice grillin you]

i just walked into the middle of it on wip but apparently this dope took a shot at the eagles??

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

EVIL FO!

[PhillyPhreak54]

i just walked into the middle of it on wip but apparently this dope took a shot at the eagles??

What did he say?

[ice grillin you]

i never really caught it....i looked and couldnt find anything....they probably were exaggerating it

[SD]

http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2010/08/shawn_andrews_glad_to_be_with.html

ALBANY, N.Y. – Shawn Andrews said he was playing on his iPad while his agent and the Giants finished the details of a still-undisclosed contract at about 1:15 a.m. today.

The game he was playing? "Angry Birds."

Make the connection to the Eagles if you will. Someone did when Andrews mentioned the game to reporters during an impromptu press conference on the UAlbany field later this morning.

"Isn't that ironic?" Philly's former first-round pick and the newest Giant said of his game of choice before adding with a laugh about the comment: "That was good."

The Giants closed out training camp with an intriguing and surprising move by signing Andrews Friday. The 6-4, 330 pounder, whom coach Tom Coughlin refused to peg as a guard or tackle as of now, brings with him a ton of potential but plenty of questions in the form of problems both mental and physical that concerned the Eagles in the past.

Asked about his former employer and why things went sour, Andrews stated his being released in March was "very untimely." But while he hinted his situation with the Eagles was "interesting," he declined to get into specifics.

"It was a lot, man," he said following a pause. "I don't really want to harp on that. The past is the past. The only time I look in the rearview is for the cops and I don't speed. I'll just kind of leave that where it is."

Still, Andrews' insistence he wanted to play in the NFC East near his old "friends" in Philadelphia indicated the Giants interested him in part because of their two games against the Eagles each season. His agent, Rich Moran, said via e-mail Andrews worked out for another team recently and had two more workouts scheduled. But Andrews decided to cancel those meetings to join the Giants.

Being on the other side of the Giants-Eagles rivalry has him excited.

"I am, (but) I have to get there first," he said. "I'm not making this Shawn vs. the Eagles thing. I don't have any bad blood toward them. It was just an untimely release, they wanted to go in another direction and I just kept working my tail off."

Andrews, who played only two games in 2008 and missed all of last season, claims his back is feeling better after working the past 10 months at Select Physical Therapy in Culver City, Calif. Andrews stated he's undergone a pair of surgeries – one in March 2009 and another nine months later – he described as "partial disk removals." He believes he's done everything to improve his health but won't know for sure until he starts going through drills in practice next week.

"I've put myself through various tests and the only test for football is being on the field," he said. "Just kind of going slow, a few plays here see how the back holds up. But I'm laying it on the line, not that I haven't before but this is it. The Giants are going to get everything from me."

Andrews said he needs to realize "the difference of (being) football sore and the back hurting. I've done everything to prevent it. We'll see what happens. May God be with me."

But what about the other issue that kept him off the field in Philadelphia: his past bouts with depression? The Giants' signing of Andrews indicates they believe there are no issues there, so what was it that allowed them to get to that point?

"He's been here for a couple of days and had interviews with basically everybody in here," Coughlin said. "He's been to dinner with our personnel people and Jerry Reese. People have spent a lot of time with him. I spent a good half-hour with him (Thursday). The quality of the football player that I remember a few years ago is outstanding, knowing he went through some issues – the back and some other issues he had to deal with.

"But sensing now he really is motivated, has both feet on the ground where he wants to play. Just a pleasant young man to visit with and he does indicate to you the kind of desire he has to get back in the game."

Said Andrews, "My head is in the game. It's always been in the game. I just had some setbacks there and it was untimely. I've heard every excuse for myself why things happened back in 2008 that happened. We all go through things and a lot of people, I've learned, that point the finger are probably going through a lot of things themselves and it just makes them feel stronger to point the finger at someone else. I know the God I serve is a forgiving God and he's a God of second chances so why not give a guy a second chance who's passionate about what he does."

* * * *

The immediate reaction from some of our readers and my Twitter followers was what does this signing mean about RG Chris Snee (knee) and LG Rich Seubert (hand)? I asked Coughlin if the team was at all concerned about the health of those players.

"No, not at all," Coughlin said. "It's just another quality football player who helps us."

Look, clearly this says the Giants are trying to improve their depth as well as their prospects moving forward. If Andrews shows signs of being his old self, they have a shot to add a high-quality starter at any of the guard positions or at tackle.

But as for whether they're hiding something on Snee or Seubert, I'd say that doesn't appear to be the case. Neither player, however, will play on Saturday night against the Steelers.

* * * *

QB Eli Manning left camp early to have the stitches in his head examined. No word on whether they were going to be removed today.

* * * *

WR Ramses Barden (back) disputed Tom Coughlin's notion he'll be out "a while."

Barden said he doesn't think he'll be sidelined that long. But when asked for a time frame and a specific description of his injury, last year's third-round pick was cautious in choosing his words.

"It's ... it's ... it, uh ... let me see how I can put this," he said.

I told him to put it "the most informative way possible," to which he replied, "Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Barden eventually decided he'd better stay out of this one. But when he finally got to his car, he yelled back in my direction, "Hey, how about this? It's not chronic."

Okay then.

* * * *

I'll have more from some of Andrews' new teammates, including some who faced him, later on. But for now, here are the leftovers of his session with the media:

(On interest from other teams)
There were a few teams interested. Some fell back and some persistent in their pursuing me. I'm here so...

(On why he picked the Giants)
They kind of picked me but I picked them, as well. I just like the atmosphere. The guys I met, I can tell genuine people when I see them. It's right up the road in the NFC same division where I come from. Its real intense and I like that.

(On whether he'll play guard or tackle)
A little bit of both. Wherever I fit in, wherever coach Coughlin and the offensive line coach (Pat) Flaherty sees me. I'm just here to get it done wherever they put me.

(On his back)
The back is feeling good. I've been working hard. I've been going hard. Not that I never worked hard in my life but this is my last attempt at it and I'm going all out. I'm selling out.

(On why he didn't retire)
I could have but I'm a competitor. I'm in the footsteps of the great Larry Allen. I want to be that good and even better. I have a chance to do that. In this conference, it's competitive and I think I have a good shot to achieve that. Hopefully everything goes well and it's back to kicking butt.

(On whether he failed a physical with the Eagles in the spring)
That's kind of tricky right there., I won't say that. Nah, I didn't.

(On what went bad in Philly)
It was very interesting. I don't really want to get into that and make it a battle but the time of my release was very untimely. I'm a Giant now. That's all I can say, that's all I can rest my hat on. I've been working hard and I'm a Giant.

(On being a Giant)
It kind of has a ring to it. It really does have a ring to it. And it's right up the road. I made some friends back in Philly, New Jersey but I'm just right up the Turnpike. It just gives me another opportunity to stay in this conference and compete. I think the Giants did a ... to be here. So I'm excited.

(On whether he prefers guard or tackle)
I like the right now aspect of the physicalness of playing guard but at tackle I kind of like the aspect of showing my footwork a little bit, showing off, if you will. It's all physical but I like both aspects, Wherever they want me to be, that's where I'm going to be.

(On what his brother, Eagles tackle Stacy Andrews said)
He was excited for me. I texted him and I told him I was close to being a Giant last night and I guess he woke up and heard the news this morning and was texting me. It was a little jargon we talk to each other with. But he was excited for me.

(On regaining his form or settling for less)
I never set the bar low. If I set the bar low, I wouldn't be here and I wouldn't have gone through a second surgery and I wouldn't have come here to work out. I always want to be the best. I want to do better than good enough and that's what I aim to do.

[PhillyGirl]

how can he Possibly have bad feelings for a team that kept him around through all of his bullshtein? Seriously? farging headcase.