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Toy & Book Drive Monday, December 5, 2011 6-8pm, Lord & Taylor Court Westfield Garden State Plaza Paramus, NJ Come donate new, unwrapped toys or books ($10) for one autograph per player. All books collected will benefit Tuck's RUSH for Literacy and all toys will benefit The Boys & Girls Clubs of Bergen County. Player Cards provided, no memorabilia

Building a marketing Giant

Wednesday, September 15, 2010 by Jeff Roberts, The Record (view original)

Those white leotards still haunt him, taunting Justin Tuck like a nightmare that just won't end.

His voice drops an octave or two as he talks about them, the laughter evaporating as he becomes deadly serious.

"They were not white leotards! They were white football pants," Tuck pled over the phone after a recent Giants practice. "Everybody thinks they were white leotards. I know, I know — they look like leotards.

"I still get crap. I think it's going to stick with me for awhile."

Tuck pranced in a white leotard-looking outfit to Swan Lake's "Dance of the Little Swans" in a SoBe commercial that aired during Super Bowl XLIII, fumbling through the steps alongside Ray Lewis and Matt Light. It was his first real leap in the world of sports marketing, a gamble that left him ballet dancing for 95 million viewers.

But that gamble paid off, and now Tuck is everywhere. In a Nike TV ad for Foot Locker. In an EA Sports spot for "Madden NFL 11" filmed this summer in Ridgewood. And in Subway ads playing around the clock.

The marketing of Tuck offers insight into how athletes' images are shaped and sold to advertisers and the public. It also shows why some athletes find lucrative partnerships while others make no impact in the marketplace.

Tuck's self-effacing plunge has since grown into three national endorsement campaigns: with Nike, Electronic Arts and Subway.

The Bergen County resident is a Pro Bowler, the face of the Giants' defense. But the defensive end is unrecognizable to most non-football fans.

Yet Tuck, 27, still has landed endorsements that make elite players jealous, experts say.

"We're surprised. I doubt we're the only ones," said Matt Delzell, group account director of Davie Brown Talent, part of The Marketing Arm. The company represents advertisers that seek athletes and celebrities to endorse products. "When I first saw him in a Subway commercial, I knew who he was, and I still thought it was surprising."

The fundamentals of sports marketing are relatively simple: Take a player who excels on the field, who is recognizable. Craft an image for him, ideally a genuine one reflective of who he is. Then match the athlete with the marketplace.

The goal is to move people, to engage them and to sell whatever the athlete is endorsing. Tuck has done that, through an intimidating glare and his imposing 6-foot-5, 275-pound physique in Nike ads and through humor and personality in Subway commercials.

"He's got that knack when he walks in a room, he lights that room up," said Doug Hendrickson, Tuck's agent at Octagon, a Virginia-based firm. "That's rare. That's something you can't teach."

Tom George, a senior vice president for Octagon, sells that and Tuck's other "assets."

There's the powerful "brands" associated with Tuck's name: New York City, the NFL, the Giants, Notre Dame. The work he does for his charity, R.U.S.H. for Literacy, that combats illiteracy in his native Alabama and in New York.

Tuck also has the ability to connect with hedge-fund managers — he has a business degree from Notre Dame — as well as the average fan.

Tony Pace, Subway's chief marketing officer, said Tuck is attractive as a pitchman because his physique is "the embodiment of heath" and he is well-known in the metropolitan area.

George, who shapes images and lands product endorsements for Octagon's elite athletes, used those gifts in crafting a marketing plan, a road map selling Tuck as a "different kind of NFL superstar," a "leader" and "role model."

In other words, Tuck is packaged as the anti-Ben Roethlisberger, who will light up the screen but never will end up in a perp walk.

Tuck earns six figures annually from endorsements, putting him on par with bigger names such as CC Sabathia ($500,000) and Philip Rivers ($250,000) and dwarfing Julius Peppers ($75,000).

Tuck, a third-round pick in 2005, was hardly a crossover star coming out of Notre Dame.

But then came the Giants' victory in Super Bowl XLII — and Tuck's two sacks and forced fumble in the upset over the Patriots. TV broadcasts began isolating him on screen and selecting him for postgame interviews.

"That's when I knew I had something," George said. "He was being anointed."

But success on the field only offers opportunity. Success off it is a different story.

That could explain why Mariano Rivera, maybe the greatest closer of all time, has little to no impact in the marketplace, nor does Yankees teammate Andy Pettitte.

Brandon Steiner, the founder and chairman of Steiner Sports Marketing, cautions that the New York market offers unique challenges.

"The thing of marketing players in New York is it's a tremendous amount of more work," he said. "The demands are tremendous."

When he began marketing Tuck, George unleashed a 15-person team that includes creative services, public relations, sales and public-speaking experts. Tuck had homework, too.

He schmoozed with corporate and political powerbrokers. And he studied marketing 101, encompassing minute details such as smiling during interviews, thanking the interviewer and using her first name.

"Guys think it's all glitz and glamour and you go and drink some sweet tea and eat cheese and you just go home," Tuck said. "But it's work."

New York Giant Justin Tuck Hosts Second Annual Celebrity Billiards Tournament to benefit Tuck's R.U.

Melodika.net

On Thursday, June 3rd, New York Giants Pro Bowl defensive end Justin Tuck hosted Tuck's Celebrity Billiards Tournament Presented by RXR Realty LLC, a leading New York Tri-State real estate operating company. The second annual fundraiser was held at Slate NYC.

Read the full article on Melodika.net >

Tuck's Task: Shoulder the load

By Ohm Youngmisuk
ESPNNewYork.com

GLADSTONE, N.J. -- New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck knows what is expected of him this coming season.

After offseason surgery to repair a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder, a healthy Tuck will be counted on to return to double-digit sack form. As arguably the best defensive player on the team, Tuck must lead the charge to restore Big Blue's proud defensive image. And finally, the respected Tuck must help the unit offset the loss of Antonio Pierce by assuming the linebacker's leadership role.

There's a lot being placed on Tuck's broad shoulders. While the humble Tuck says his goal is to become more of a leader this season, he insists he will need help filling Pierce's cleats.

Read the full article on ESPN.com >

St. Baldrick's Foundation Shaving the Way

On March 11th Justin will team up with NetApp and the St. Baldrick's Foundation to shave his head in support of cancer research! The “shaving party” will begin at 3:30pm at the Public House in New York City.

The St. Baldrick’s foundation is dedicated to financing cancer research in kids and does so by hosting “shaving parties” where participants raise money to shave their heads in solidarity and empathy for children who have lost their hair to chemo treatment.

To date, over 106,000 volunteers have shaved their heads in solidarity with kids fighting cancer at more than 2,400 emotional events in 50 states and 24 countries in the world's largest volunteer-driven fundraising event for childhood cancer research. The St. Baldrick's Foundation funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government, more than $12 million in 2009 alone.

NetApp has set a goal to raise $100,000 for this event. Follow the link below to support Justin and the 160,000 children around the globe who are diagnosed with cancer each year.

Donate: https://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/BillHogan

RCN Delivers 1000 New Books to a Brooklyn School

CNNMoney.com (press release)

RCN Corporation (NASDAQ: RCNI), a leading provider of all-digital television, high capacity data and voice services, has partnered with Tuck's R.U.S.H. for Literacy campaign to donate more than 1,000 new books to a local school. RCN will use their Smart Cars and vans to deliver the books to Brooklyn Collegiate, 2021 Bergen Street, Brooklyn, NY, on Friday, January 22 at 2:45pm.

Read the full article at CNNMoney.com

Thank you to the everyone who has supported Justin Tuck’s Sack Challenge this season. With a total 6 sacks, Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy is poised to make a significant impact on the lives of disadvantaged kids.

We look forward to celebrating this season with you at Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy’s end-of-season event, stay tuned for more details!

Week 17 VS. VIKINGS

“It’s always tough when the season ends too early. After making the playoffs two years in a row and a Super Bowl win just two years ago, we felt the core team we were bringing back was good enough to contend well into the postseason. Unfortunately we just weren’t able to put it all together, get beyond some of the injuries, and really become a complete, consistent football team.

Our playoff hopes were over after the Week 16 loss. Week 17 was our chance to exact revenge on our record, but facing the Vikings was going to make that tough to do. They’re one of the best teams in football, not just the NFC, and they showed they wanted to go in to the playoffs on a high note. We struggled again defensively, had too many turnovers and never got the offense in a groove to put up points. Sadly, our season ended with a loss.

It’s hard to try and find the positives over the entire season. But we really have to focus on things we did well, and track where we failed so we can get better in the offseason. We had a great start with some great all around games against Dallas and found some emerging stars on both sides of the ball. We’ll use that growth in the offseason, and combine changes made in the draft and personnel to get better.

The 2010 season doesn’t officially begin for months, but preparation begins immediately. We’ll have guys rehab to clear up some injuries, and rest up after a tough season. It won’t be too long before we refocus and start training for next year. We’re a group with a ton of pride and motivation, so we’ll look to bounce back and compete once again.

Heading into our offseason, my team and I would like to thank the fans for supporting us all year. We’re sorry to disappoint you as well as ourselves by going home early, but every season is memorable thanks to you. You were there for the great wins, some brutal losses, and the end of Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands. We know you’ll be there when we christen the new home next door. It will be something to look forward to!

Thanks and God Bless!”

Week 16 VS. PANTHERS

“Last Sunday was one of the most painful moments I’ve had since putting on my Giants uniform. I’m sure you as fans felt the disappointment, too, bidding the stadium goodbye in such an embarrassing way. Believe me, when you work all season towards one goal with an entire team of people on the same mission, there’s no worse feeling than coming up short the way we did against the Panthers.

There’s really no easy explanation for the loss. Usually you can pinpoint something on defense, turnovers, or bad timing. But no one thing lost this game for us; we struggled all around. We had everything on the line and ran into a team looking to spoil someone’s party. Too bad for us, we were on the schedule and came out flat.

It’s not going to be easy to gulp this down. Our season has been full of highs and lows, and this is definitely the bottom of the barrel. The only satisfaction we find is that there’s one more week to play. We have one more chance to get some revenge by spoiling someone else’s party.

The best thing for us now is to start clean next week and come out tough. We still have a chance to salvage one more high note to close out the year against Minnesota. We’ll come out and try to complicate their playoff picture, and try to close out with a positive note to build on for next year.

Thanks fans, for all of your great support at the Meadowlands over the years.”

Week 15 VS. REDSKINS

“Now that’s more like it! That’s the way we expect to play week in and week out; going all out for 60 minutes, striving to play mistake free, and coming home with big “W’s”. No disrespect to the Redskins, because we know what they are capable of doing. But this is how we expect to play when we go up against teams that we need to beat. We jumped out early, never let them back in the game, and put a ton of pressure on Dallas by jumping right back on their heels.

Our coaching took us a long way this week to get back in the groove. We knew we were there offensively, especially after last week. We just needed to get our “D” back in sync. And after fine tuning some things at practice this week, we did just that. We shut down their passing game with five sacks and a couple picks. After jumping out to a quick lead thanks to Bradshaw and Eli, and getting our confidence up on defense with some early three-and-outs, our momentum was sky high.

We never take the ‘Skins lightly. They’re in division, and always a threat to play the spoiler when they get the chance. Knowing that our season was on the line, we never let them get the upper hand. And now, we’re making a big threat for that 6th seed. It’s down to us and the Cowboys, but all we can do is go out there and keep playing like we did Monday night. We’ve got to stay focused on what we can control, and how we play is the only thing in our hands.

We’re back home to close out the Meadowlands against the Panthers on Sunday. It’s been 33 years in that stadium, and we’ll be trying to send it off the way it deserves. We know they’re flying high after knocking off Minnesota, so we definitely won’t be taking them lightly. Every game’s a playoff game from here on out. We’ll try to get that win in our stocking, and stay alive in the chase for the ring.

See y’all at the game! And have a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends.”

The 2009/2010 NFL Season is under way and defensive end Justin Tuck is bringing success on the field to new levels. For every sack Tuck records in the 2009/2010 NFL Season, he will donate $1,000 to support his literacy initiative, Tuck's R.U.S.H. for Literacy.

Additional Sack Challenge donations from generous sponsors will build upon the donations that have already been committed to this program.

2009-2010 Sacks: 6.0

For more information, please visit: http://www.allstarshelpingkids.org/teammates/tucksackchallenge.html.

Justin Tuck Named To Notre Dame All-Decade Team: Defensive Line

Blue and Gold Illustrated has named Justin Tuck to its All-Decade Team Defensive Line. Here is the excerpt:

1. Justin Tuck

The Alabama native probably was the most prominent Notre Dame defensive player of the decade (2001-04), although a case could be made for cornerback Shane Walton (2000-02). Tuck was the type of recruit the SEC powers usually land: relatively isolated in a small town, not necessarily hailed as a "big-name," but a superior athlete (also a star in basketball) with room to grow and develop from outside linebacker into a defensive end.

Laws nearly achieved a Notre Dame single-season record with 112 tackles in 2007.

A third-round pick in 2005, Tuck is one of many Notre Dame players in the last decade whose pro careers eclipsed their college years. David Givens, Ryan Grant, Jordan Black, Rocky Boiman, John Owens, etc. are among the others.

Still Tuck did record 43 tackles for loss during his three-year career, after redshirting as a freshman in 2001. That is third on the Notre Dame chart (since 1967) to Ross Browner's unbelievable 77 and Kory Minor's 43.5. His 24.5 career sacks — a stat first kept in 1982 — is tops. The New York Giants star came close to receiving the MVP award in the 2008 Super Bowl victory over 18-0 New England, and last year he received All-Pro notice.

One of the top what ifs of the decade is "What if Tuck would have returned for a fifth season in 2005 to team with Trevor Laws, Derek Landri and Victor Abiamiri on the 2005 Irish defensive line? Could he have made a difference in 11th-hour 44-41 and 34-31 setbacks to Michigan State and USC en route to an 11-0 regular season?"

For the full article visit BlueandGold.com

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who came out to last week's Toy & Book Drive with Justin and his teammates. There were over 500 people in attendance and we collected 500 books for the Boys and Girls Clubs in Bergen County!

Best wishes to everyone for a Happy Holidays!

Week 14 Update

This last game really put a lot in perspective for this team. We've been working really hard over the past few weeks to get back to form, but we just couldn't put the brakes to the Eagles offense. It felt like a heavy-weight fight, where each team threw punches, and the other team took 'em and threw right back. Unfortunately for us, they threw the last heavy blow and we just couldn't get back up before time ran out.

We have to credit our offense, which had some good production and tried to carry us to the division lead. Eli was on point, and big play makers came through. Nicks, Hixon, Boss, Jacobs, and Bradshaw all got into pay dirt. 99% of the time, I'm going to say that and we're going to come away with the "W".

But this week, the Eagles and Desean Jackson really cut up the defense. We struggled with missing tackles and mental mistakes. We really can't have that coming down the stretch. We needed to be at our best to beat a team like the Eagles, and unfortunately we weren't. Overall, all of our units within the team need to limit turnovers.

So coming down to the last three games, we're looking at must-wins all the way through. The Eagles have two games on us plus the head-to-head, and the Cowboys in the Wild Card race have one game on us, but we have the tiebreaker there. All we can do is go out there and handle our business one week at a time, starting with Washington next week. We need to go out and win on the road, and really put the pressure on the other teams. There's definitely no quit here!

Week 13 Update

We came up with a HUGE win against the Cowboys, and we're back in the playoff hunt. We've known for years that the East teams are as tough as they come. As long as there are games left in the season, the division is up for grabs.

Coming in, we were only two out of first place, and knew a win would sweep them and tighten up the race. A credit to our guys who played this game like a playoff game, not letting them put us away. And even though we went down early, all we needed to do was keep playing our game to get back on top.

In the end it came down to big plays. On offense we were slippery and broke a couple modest plays into big TDs. Jacobs was a bully on his catch for a TD, and Hixon put on the jets going across the field to get six on the punt return. On 'D', we held them with some big turnovers after they got on the board early.

It was a big win for us. This division is wide open all over again, and we feel great about the next few weeks. Philly is coming in red hot right now, with weapons all over, so we're going to have to play it like the season is on the line.

We need another week of good coaching and practice. Then we'll come out ready to fight for the division on Sunday night. It's a national TV game, so we hope our fans can come out to the Meadowlands or catch us on TV. Either way, cheer us on to another win!

Toy & Book Drive

Please join Justin & teammates Terrell Thomas, Ramses Barden and Michael Boley at the Toy & Book Drive on Monday December 7th at Westfield Garden State Plaza.

Come donate new, unwrapped toys or books (+$6) for one autograph per player. Toys and Books will benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of Bergen County. Team photos will be provided, no memorabilia. Thank you.

Monday December 7th
Westfield Garden State Plaza
Neiman Marcus Court
6pm to 8pm
See details on the flyer (PDF)

Justin Tuck's Sack Challenge: Week 12 Update

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving last week, and got to spend some time with family and friends.

Unfortunately, we didn't get that winning streak going the way we were hoping. The Broncos really took it to us this Thanksgiving. It does us no good to make excuses, as we both had the same short week and were in similar positions coming in. They simply out played us. Both of our seasons are in real critical spots right now, and they came in with the attitude it took to win.

We're not happy with the standings, but we can't distract ourselves with worrying when we need to focus now more than ever.

Our fate remains in our control with Dallas and Philly coming in to our house. Those are big games for our season, and could put us right back in the mix. We'll focus on Dallas this week. We know how to beat them, so we'll try to build on the win earlier this year as we prep for this Sunday.

Hope to see you out there. You fans help keep us motivated, so we'll need you down the stretch.

Justin Tuck's Sack Challenge: Week 11 Update

42 Days, but who's counting? Okay, so some of us were aware that it had been a while since we won a game. But we're just glad to finally get a win and put that rough stretch behind us. I'm proud of our guys for staying strong and determined, and coming out and getting the job done against Atlanta. Eli had a career high passing day, and we can't say enough about Tynes. That guy just came through in the clutch to get us the win. Overall, we got the balance and consistency back that we had been missing. We came out and played all 60 minutes, and then some, for the win. I'm also thankful for another sack this week, because it means another $1000 for RUSH for Literacy (plus the matching donation from our sponsors).

It feels good to get back in the win column. But we got to celebrate that Sunday, and get right back on the field for another match up this Thursday--and it's another good team we're visiting. The Broncos were unstoppable out of the gate. They hit a speed bump, like we did, and now they're the ones looking to get back into the swing of things with a "W".

It's a big game for us on Thanksgiving. We've got to stay on pace in the East, and try to turn Sunday's win into a streak that we can ride into the home stretch of the season.

Most importantly, though, this Thursday is also a day to celebrate with your family and friends. We look forward to the chance to be with our loved ones on Thanksgiving, and the team also wants to thank you all for being the best fans in the world. You've been really supportive, and we're going to need you the rest of the way.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Local Students Take the Field at Giants Stadium During Sunday's Game

November 19, 2009: 02:43 PM ET

RCN Corporation (NASDAQ: RCNI) and New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck will recognize local students at this Sunday's Giants game against the Atlanta Falcons as part of Tuck's R.U.S.H. for Literacy campaign. This is the second year that RCN is supporting R.U.S.H. for Literacy.

This year, children at five New York City Title One schools and Central Middle School in Tuck's hometown of Coosa County, Alabama will participate in the program. They will receive a book and be invited to submit essays. Students from Middle School 203, Brooklyn Collegiate, Jackie Robinson Middle School and Eagle Academy authored the best essays and will attend this Sunday's Giants game where they will be honored on field at the end of the first quarter.

Read the full article at CNNMoney.com

NY GIANTS' JUSTIN TUCK, TERRELL THOMAS, MICHAEL BOLEY AND RAMSES BARDEN 2009 TOY AND BOOK DRIVE AT WESTFIELD GARDEN STATE PLAZA - PLAYERS HOST DRIVE FOR THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF BERGEN COUNTY AND TUCK'S R.U.S.H. FOR LITERACY

Paramus, NJ - Octagon Football clients Justin Tuck, Terrell Thomas, Michael Boley and Ramses Barden have teamed up with Westfield Garden State Plaza to host a Toy and Book Drive this holiday season benefiting The Boys & Girls Clubs in Bergen County and Tuck's R.U.S.H. for Literacy.

Giants' star defensive end Justin Tuck, cornerback Terrell Thomas, linebacker Michael Boley and rookie wide receiver Ramses Barden will lead the toy drive from 6-8 p.m., Monday, Dec. 8 at Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, NJ. The players will sign autographs in exchange for the donation of a new, unwrapped toy or book ($6+) to benefit the children of The Boys & Girls Clubs and Tuck's R.U.S.H. for Literacy. One autograph per player please and no memorabilia, photos will be provided.

The toy drive will be located in the Neiman Marcus Court area, with all toy donations from the two-hour event benefiting The B&G Clubs and book donations for Tuck's R.U.S.H. for Literacy. Members of the Keystone Club, a chartered leadership and service clubs for boys and girls ages 14-18, will be on hand to help collect the toys and interact with players, fans and community members.

View the flyer

CAKE BOSS // Mon, Nov 2. at 10pm.

When preparing a cake for Justin Tuck's celebrity billiard event for charity, Buddy lands a spot in tournament, prompting his crew to give him a hard time about it. www.tlc.com/cakeboss

Week 3 vs. Buccaneers

Week Three is in the books, and it's really feeling like the season is in full swing. We made the trip down to Tampa Bay and looked pretty solid against a team we knew was looking to get on track. Despite our injuries, our offense came out strong with a long opening drive to set us up with a lead. Eli and the guys were really rolling after that. We ran the ball well, going for over 200 total yards, and our receivers caught a balance of passes and a couple touchdowns. On "D", we were able to shut them out, which felt great because it's our first shutout since my rookie year in '05. A huge credit to everyone on the defensive side, including Mathias Kiwanuka who backed me up at DE and Fred Robbins, who let me borrow a pair of spikes so I could get in there at defensive tackle a few times in the 24-0 win. The shoulder felt stronger as the week went on, so come Sunday, I was ready to get in on a few snaps. I'll keep taking care of it this week as we prepare for our trip to Kansas City.

The next one should be a good challenge, because the crowd is always tough in KC. But I'm confident in our preparation and our team. We'll try to keep up this great start.

Justin Tuck

Week 2 vs. Cowboys

Sunday night was an incredible win for us. We knew coming out to Dallas with all the excitement and hype of their new stadium would be tough, but NO ONE gave up. An unfortunate penalty by a Cowboys' offensive lineman knocked me out of the game early, but that's where our defensive depth came in handy. Our guys didn't give up on any plays and were always at the right spot at the right time, especially Mario Manningham and Steve Smith, who broke out last night with big games. They each got 10 grabs for over 130 yards and wore out the Cowboys' secondary. Our D was also able to get some great turnovers and scores, and we got some clutch running towards the end by Jacobs and Bradshaw.

In the last drive, Eli came through, poised as usual. With time ticking away, he took us down the field for the set up. Then Lawrence Tynes knocked in the final blow as time expired for the great come from behind win. Just another tough NFC East game. Everything came together for us. The coaching, the offense, the defense were all great. Now, it's off to Tampa Bay for the Bucs as our road trip continues. My shoulder is a bit sore but I'm looking forward to getting back out there. We'll try to keep the momentum going and grab another "W".

Justin Tuck

Week 1 vs. Redskins

It's a great feeling to be able to start the season off with a win and also to get the Tuck's R.U.S.H. for Literacy Sack Challenge rolling. There's no better feeling than being out on the field, and being able to give the fans what they've been waiting for. I think both our offense and defense responded pretty well to the excitement of our home opener. The offense played well against a tough Redskins defense, running the ball well with our offensive line opening holes for Jacobs and Bradshaw. Also, Eli did a good job of spreading the ball around in the passing game.

The defense bounced back from the long run on the first play of the game and dominated the Redskins offense with constant pressure on the QB, and pretty much making them one dimensional by stopping Clinton Portis' running attack. Our crew came back strong with Osi's sack and touchdown, and my 1.5 sacks. It felt good to get back into the groove, and for the first time, I earned the NFC Defensive Player of the Week award.

All of our team units (offense, defense, and special teams) showed up this week, and we intend to keep it going next week at Dallas.

Justin Tuck

Ending the Season

The end of the year did not go as planned. We did not get the job done against the Eagles. It was a rough one to swallow because I know we were the better team, but we did not play well enough to win. It was a great season for us coming off of a Super Bowl victory, and now we head into the offseason with added motivation to get back to the top--where we all feel like we belong.

Personally, after the Philly loss, I had to turn my attention to a trip to Hawaii. I still had a Pro Bowl game to play. And it was a great time! Not only did I get to play with and against the best football players in the world, but also got to see everything Hawaii has to offer. My wife and I were able to whale watch, deep sea fish and surf just to name a few fun activities. I'm bummed that the Pro Bowl will not be in Hawaii again next year, because it was a lot of fun. But it will return and hopefully I can be fortunate enough to return as well.

To everyone that helped me along the way this year, to everyone that cheered for the Giants and booed for everyone else, and to all the people that supported my charity Tucks R.U.S.H. for Literacy, I just want to thank you and let all of you know you are appreciated!

God Bless and Go Giants

Justin Tuck