STAMFORD -- The loyalty of New York Giants football fans has never been in question.

But following a Super Bowl championship year, the fever pitch of Big Blue Nation were readily apparent Saturday during former Giants punter Jeff Feagles' autograph and photo session at the Bedford Street Stop & Shop Supermarket.

"It's fun to go out to these events," said Feagles, who does work with the community service wing of the Giants as well as pre and post-game work on game days with both WFAN radio and MY-9 TV. "It's always a good time to give back to the fans. The support of Giants fans in the tri-state area is tremendous."

As an added incentive for those on line waiting patiently for autographs and pictures with Feagles for their I-Phones, Stop & Shop held a raffle giving out 10 pairs of VIP Experience (Suite) tickets to Giants home games. Five sets for the Sept 16 clash with Tampa Bay and five sets for the Oct 7 meeting with the Cleveland Browns.

Giants fans came from all directions (Bethel, Wallingford, Long Island) with items for Feagles to sign.

There were commemorative Super Bowl footballs from 2007 (Super Bowl XLII, 40 players signatures thus far) and 2011 (Super Bowl XLVI, 30 players signatures).

There were those rare Jeff Feagles No. 18 jerseys. That gentleman proudly sported a Super Bowl XLVI tatoo on his left shoulder.

There were Super Bowl XLII programs, giant photos of old Giants Stadium. And the dad who drove home and returned with a football for Feagles to sign.

What was clear is that people need to practice taking photos with their I-Phones before coming to autograph sessions.

Feagles, a veteran of these get togethers, never leaves home without one special item.

His Super Bowl XLII ring from the Giants.

"I can't bring the Super Bowl trophy (Vince Lombardi Trophy). So my Super Bowl ring is a great icebreaker and conversation piece," Feagles said. "The kids really love it."

A photo wearing a Super Bowl ring is a priceless keepsake for any NFL fan, young or old.

Feagles punted for 22 NFL seasons covering 352 consecutive games before retiring at age 44 before the 2010-11 campaign. After stops in New England, Philadelphia, Arizona and Seattle, Feagles punted his last seven years for the Giants.

"Punting in the old Giants Stadium was an advantage for me," Feagles said. "Because I knew that whatever direction the winds were blowing on the flags at the top of the stadium, they were blowing in the opposite direction on the field. Not many opposing punters knew that. I haven't kicked a lot in new MetLife Stadium. But the wind is much easier to deal with there."

Feagles was a master of coffin-corner punting, sending the ball out of bounds inside the opponent's 10-yard line. In fact, 554 of his 1,713 NFL punts went out of bounds inside the opposition 20-yardline.

"Coffin-corner punting is becoming a lost art," Feagles said. "There's a lot of precision to the process. It's not taught in college football. And the number of warm weather teams and dome stadiums are a factor as well. The Aussie kick method from Australian Rules Football is the big thing now. It works on the same principles but is easier to learn."

Not surprisingly, punting remains the family business in the Feagles household.

"My oldest son punted for three seasons at North Carolina but took this season off. My second oldest son kicks at Avon Old Farms in Connecticut," Feagles said. "They were by my side during my prime punting years so I'm not surprised."

As for the 2012-13 New York Giants, Feagles isn't panicked despite last Wednesday's 24-17 season-opening home loss to the dreaded Dallas Cowboys.

"Everybody is out to get the Super Bowl champions the next season. Our 2007-08 Super Bowl champs went 11-1 the next year before Plaxico (Burgess) got hurt. We'll see what happens with the current Giants," Feagles said. "It was clear Wednesday that (injured) cornerback Prince Amukamara (high ankle sprain) needs to get healthy. Michael Coe did a good job at corner before he left in the fourth quarter (hamstring). When you're down to your 4th string cornerback (Justin Tryon) late in the game, that's trouble."


(stamfordadvocate.com)

Ridgewood-NJ-March 31, 2012: The Ridgewood Knights of Columbus Council #1736 hosted a pancake breakfast on Saturday March 31st in the parish center of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. Attendees had an opportunity to meet former New York Giants legend Jeff Feagles, who regaled the audience with stories of his 20-plus years in the NFL. More importantly, he discussed family values, life in Ridgewood, and what it takes to be a success on and off the field. He also reflected on the inspiration he received from Coach Tom Coughlin, who always stayed the course in good seasons and bad.

Feagle’s advice for young budding athletes: “Success begins in the classroom, and you must learn to manage your time efficiently”.

There was also a special appearance from the Easter Bunny. Proceeds from the event will go to fund the Knights’ local charities.


(topix.com)

HO-HO-KUS – Now, when Jeff Feagles describes his first adult experience as a fan at an NFL game, he can smile and laugh. But on that early autumn evening inside a brand new Meadowlands Stadium, the strains of the national anthem sent him into a tailspin for which he was not prepared.

At all.

The reality of life without football hit him with the emotional equivalent of a punch to the gut. Sitting in the stands for the 2010 season opener, head hidden inside the hood of a sweatshirt, the 22-year veteran punter felt as if he’d been blind-sided by a linebacker.

“That was a mistake,” Feagles said. “Just realizing it was over for me. I fell apart. I remember telling myself, ‘from now on, I’m staying in the parking lot until the intros are over.’ As the season went on, it got better.”

Feagles was overcome despite leaving the game on his own terms, which only underscores how difficult it can be for professional athletes to become ordinary citizens once again. For Feagles, smoothing out the transition has meant finding a new career, something he’s done with a Bergen County-based business venture that combines his community roots and athletic knowledge.

As a partner in F.O.R.C.E, a performance and training center located in Ho-Ho-Kus, Feagles has found an outlet for his next professional life. And if it has taught him anything, it is how important it is to be prepared for the inevitability of this step. The intersection of greed and stubbornness otherwise known as the NFL lockout is likely going to force the transition on to plenty of unsuspecting or unprepared players. The subset of players who lose their jobs due to lack of opportunity or lack of activity can easily get lost on their way into the real world.

“That’s where people run into problems,” Feagles said. “You lose your identity in a sense. You’re used to having guys do things for you and you wake up one morning and no one’s there. You have to do it for yourself. The hardest thing for me was not having a schedule or structure, getting out of that routine where you know every day where you’re supposed to be.

“I would encourage all of the players in the NFL in the off-season to think about something on the side. That will help the transition when they’re done playing. I was able to do it relatively easily because I was able to have experiences before I retired.”

In his seven-season tenure with the Giants, the last of his stints with five different teams, Feagles traded one dreaded identity (longest-tenured active player without a Super Bowl appearance) for another (2008 Super Bowl champ). He also found a new home, trading in his Arizona roots for a permanent home in Ridgewood.

Feagles actually staved off retirement at least once prior to hanging up his cleats for good following the 2009 season, when Giants coach Tom Coughlin allowed him to commute from Arizona in 2008. But the family – Feagles’ wife, Michelle, and their four sons, C.J., Blake, Trevor and Zach – realized they missed their friends in Ridgewood. They returned, buying a house on the  same block they’d lived before, and restarted their lives.

Now, Feagles is into his next career, keeping busy as a full-time fan for the various football and lacrosse exploits of his sons. C.J. is heading into his junior year at North Carolina, where he is a punter for the Tar Heels. Blake will be a senior at Ridgewood High, followed by Trevor, who will be a freshman, and Zach, heading into seventh grade. Dad is also busy at F.O.R.C.E.

“He is a fantastic asset,” said Frank Giannantonio, the gym’s founder and director of strength and conditioning. Giannantonio, an experienced athletic trainer with a master’s degree in sports medicine and exercise science, oversees the training programs, which can be tailored to any level of athlete. From pre-teens to adults, from individuals to teams, the staff at F.O.R.C.E. aims to adapt to specific needs.

“Nothing is generic,” Giannantonio said. “We evaluate everything before we begin, find out where people are physically.”
“It’s set up like the Giants, like a professional team,” Feagles said. “We have two platforms, speed and agility, and are very individualized and age specific. We work with a lot of youth sports and in the community.”

That is a part of the job Feagles both enjoys and excels at. He made so many local contacts through his own and his kids’ athletic exploits, and now he’s able to return the favor by passing on his knowledge. In 22 years in the hit-or-be-hit NFL world, Feagles never missed a game.

“I can share what I’ve done, what I learned to be able to stay on the field and help others try to incorporate that into their training,” he said.

Indeed, Feagles is busier than ever, his transition into retirement not simply moving him into his next chapter of life, but serving as an example for players in all walks of professional sports to follow.


(northjersey.com)