GIANT NOTES
ALBANY – As Giants training camp came to an end yesterday, defensive end Michael Strahan missed a second day of practice with what the team was calling strained rib cartilage.
Strahan’s availability for tomorrow night’s preseason game against the Jets was in question.
Strahan, asked if he would play, said, “I don’t know . . . I hope so. I plan on it.”
He said he felt better than he did the day before and was not concerned about possibly missing the third preseason game.
“It’s the preseason . . . if I’m not right I won’t play; if I am right I will play,” Strahan said.
“I’ve practiced every single day, every single play. I broke my pinky toe [in August 2003] and didn’t play any in the preseason, didn’t practice any and still did it. I know I can do it now. I’m in shape. If I’m 15 pounds lighter and can’t do it I have a serious issue.”
Prior to this latest injury, Strahan endured camp in fine shape coming off a torn pectoral muscle. If he can’t play tomorrow, rookie Justin Tuck likely will start in his place. Tuck missed most of yesterday’s practice with a wrap on his right knee.
Tom Coughlin said Tuck was fine. Rookie Adrian Awasom was on the field in place of Tuck.
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RB Brandon Jacobs (hip flexor) did not practice again yesterday, but Coughlin said he could have. “We’ll try to get him so that he’s OK for the game,” Coughlin said . . . QB Tim Hasselbeck will start and play the first three quarters. QB Jesse Palmer will be next in line . . . Punt returners for the game will be WR Michael Jennings and possibly WR Ataveus Cash and WR Jamaar Taylor. Newly signed WR Zuriel Smith may get a look.
Attendance at camp was 38,472, third-highest in the Giants’ 10 years training here . . . As an end-of-camp prank, offensive linemen Rich Seubert and Shaun O’Hara tried to douse punter Jeff Feagles with a bucket of Gatorade but missed him. “I’m the old guy but I ducked ’em,” said Feagles, 38. It was attempted retaliation for Feagles squirting the linemen with a water gun the previous day.
The Giants 29th annual Kickoff Luncheon will be held Wednesday, Aug. 31, at the Hilton New York Hotel, benefiting the John V. Mara Cancer Research Unit, Saint Vincent’s Hospital Catholic Medical Centers of New York, and the John V. Mara CYO Camp. For more information, call (212) 356-4939.