ALBANY, N.Y. – Few Giants were as eager to participate in the first training camp practice as cornerback Terrell Thomas, who tore a knee ligament last August 22 and missed the entire 2011 season.
Thomas participated in individual drills today at the University at Albany but was forced to watch the team portion of the opening workout.
"His back tightened up on him," said coach Tom Coughlin, who added, "his legs are fine."
Thomas is confident his absence will be brief.
"It's God's plan," Thomas said. "And I'm not worrying about it. It's not like I have a back spasm or messed up anything. It just really locked up on me.
"It came out of nowhere. Usually, sometimes it's just tightness. But I've never had something like this or kept me out of practice or in a game where my back locked up on me. Things happen for a reason. I'm glad that it's minor. I'll be ready to go tomorrow."
Michael Coe played first team right cornerback in Thomas' absence.
*Giants President and Chief Executive Officer John Mara and Chairman and Executive Vice President Steve Tisch attended today's opening practice. Tisch is a successful motion picture producer who is the only man on the planet with an Oscar (for "Forrest Gump") and two Super Bowl rings. So what did his Hollywood friends think about the Giants' victory in Super Bowl XLVI?
"They love it," Tisch said. "There's a huge following of the Giants in Hollywood - got a lot of fans out there."
Tisch's next film will premier on August 8. "Hope Springs" stars Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Steve Carell. When a reporter said of Streep, "I heard she can act," Tisch deadpanned, "She's pretty good. With a couple more years of lessons she'll be all right."
*Left tackle Will Beatty, who missed last month's minicamp with a back issue, took a normal load with the first team today.
"I feel good," Beatty said before the workout. "My plan is just to do as much as I can during camp. Camp is to prepare you to get better. All the little stuff that I've worked on during the offseason, a lot of mental reps, I couldn't really do anything. I'm looking forward to getting back out there."
*This doesn't qualify as an upset, but Victor Cruz made the first highlight play of training camp, slipping to the ground, then popping up to catch an Eli Manning pass while he was on the rise…Prince Amukamara boxed off Rueben Randle and intercepted a David Carr pass deep down the right sideline…Michael Boley picked off a Manning pass for Cruz and rookie Jake Muasau intercepted Ryan Perrilloux on a tipped ball at the end of practice…Ramses Barden reached back to make a nice grab of a Carr pass…Jason Pierre-Paul lined up first at defensive right end, but shared time at that spot with Osi Umenyiora and on the left side with Justin Tuck…With Hakeem Nicks (foot) on the physically unable to perform list, Domenik Hixon lined up opposite Cruz with the starting offense…Defensive tackle Chris Canty is also on PUP, so Rocky Bernard worked with the first-team defense.
*Former Giants punter Jeff Feagles visited camp.
*Today's attendance was 1,779, breaking the UAlbany opening day record of 1,750, set in 2010.
*The Giants, PYX 106 and NewsChannel 13 are teaming up with the American Red Cross to host the New York Giants Training Camp Blood Drive on Thursday, August 2, from noon to 7 p.m. The event will be held at the Best Western Sovereign Hotel, 1228 Western Avenue, Albany, N.Y. 12203, across from the team's training camp site at the University at Albany.
Each presenting donor will have their photo taken with the Super Bowl Trophy, and the first 500 presenting donors will also receive a limited edition Giants commemorative T-shirt. Giants legends George Martin, Ottis Anderson and Joe Morris will appear throughout the day to greet donors and sign autographs.
A limited number of appointments are available, so fans are encouraged to visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS to register.
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