It's really the nightmare scenario for any fan. One of your important players lost for the season... in a meaningless preseason game. Giants fans are living that nightmare with the news that pro bowl DE Osi Umenyoria is done for the year.

New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora will have season-ending surgery on his injured left knee Tuesday.

Umenyiora was hurt in the second quarter of Saturday's preseason game against the New York Jets, and Dr. Russell Warren told the team on Sunday that an MRI found a tear in his lateral meniscus.

"It was obviously the news that I did not want to hear," coach Tom Coughlin said. "But after listening to the explanation and Dr. Warren's thoughts on it, I am convinced that this is the right procedure and the right way to go."

That makes 2 pro bowl defensive ends that the Giants have lost this season,  Umenyoria to injury and Michael Strahan to retirement. The word is that the Giants may try to lure the 36 year old Strahan, who now works for Fox Sports, out of retirement. Either way, the Giants' pass rush went from a tremendous strength to a major question mark before the season has even begun. I want to beat the Giants twice this year in the worst way... but I'd like to do it with all hands on deck. You never want to see guys get hurt.

It was actually a tough day all around for pro bowl DEs... Shawne Merriman found out that he's been playing with two torn ligaments in his left knee.  Doctors were surprised that he had been able to play on such an injury before they discovered it. I have an idea how he may have played through the pain... how about a butt full of steroids?

It's never good to see a guy get injured, but if there's one guy that deserves to be an example of what happens when you cheat and pump your body full of steroids... it's Merriman. Steroids aren't magic cure alls. When you artificially strenghten yourself one place, it can weaken you in others.

Rant over.

Redskins DE Jason Taylor sprained his knee and may not be ready to play the Skins season opener. Not a major injury, but definitely a concern when it happens to a guy that's 34. By the way, Taylor was injured in a 47-3 loss to the Panthers. 47-3?

Speaking of old guys getting hurt, Brian Dawkins' ankle seems fine and he is likely to be ready to go by the season opener.

“Just from my past experiences with things like this, I didn’t feel anything different than what I was thinking that it was just a sprain,” said Dawkins, who said the ankle has improved significantly. “It’s just one of those things that, when you have an injury after the game, you get a little sore. After that, it starts feeling a lot better.”

Apparently, it's not always good to be the king.

After shocking the world and winning the superbowl in January, the Giants' fortunes over the past few months have aken a decided downturn. I'm not saying there ahve been any disasters or anything, but certainly the bad news has outweighed the good. Let's take a quick look at our rival's offseason.

First, free agency hit and the Giants certainly lost more than they gained. Starting safety Gibril Wilson left for the Raiders, starting LB Kawika Mitchell left for the Bills, and solid backup Reggie Torbor. ESPN even referred to the Giants as ""losers" in the free agent market. That said, no one was impressed with what they did last offseason either and we know how that ended up.

Future Hall of Famer and one of the great DEs of all time, Michael Strahan retires. The Giant's pass rush is clearly their strength and easily the #1 reason they went on the run they did last year. Losing  their best rusher will cause guys like Osi Umenyoria to see mroe double teams and put extra pressure on the rest of the line to replace Strahan's production both as a pass rusher and a run stopper.

Speaking of Umenyoria, you can count him on the growing list of unhappy Giants. Despite signing a 6 year, $41 million deal in 2005 Osi has publicly stated he

wants a new deal with even more money... Umenyoria contemplated holding out, but has decided to report to camp while his agent talks to the Giants.

WR Plaxico Burress is upset with his contract and while he has shown up to the teams offseason camps, he refuses to practice. His antics have drawn public criticisms from veterans like Shaun O'Hara.

"My feeling is it is a disservice to all the other guys who are out there working hard and practicing and doing their jobs"

For what it's worth, Burress does feel that the Giants will give in to his demands and cut him a new deal.

The other Giant pro bowler upset is Jeremy Shockey. First and foremost, Shockey has said that his leg injury from last year is not healed yet and that will limit him through the offseason. In addition to the injury, trade rumors have swirled around Shockey all offseason and he made his feelings about the organziation clear.

"Unlike the Giants, I'm going to be quiet," he said at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York while participating in the Powerade Pro Challenge. "They've released multiple things about myself and if you look back into the media, there's always a source. Well, I'd like to know who this source is and we'll go over here and we'll deal with it ourselves, because I haven't said one negative thing towards the Giants in the newspapers."

The situation appears to be getting worse.... Reports surfaced earlier this week that Shockey and Giants' GM Jerry Reese got into a "huge shouting match" and now Shockey's agent Drew Rosenhaus has insterted himself into the fray...

Finally, the latest piece of bad news in the Giants offseason is that RB Ahmad Bradshaw has been locked up in a Virginia jail since Saturday due to an "undisclosed probation violation." It's unknown whether this could lead to a suspension or how it affects Bradshaw's status with the team, but he will remain in jail for a month.

So there you have it. No doubt the shiny new superbowl ring helps with all the bad feelings... but when the new season starts and the title defense begins it's fair to wonder how much all this negativity and bad news could affect the team.

McNabb, who Strahan has sacked more than any other QB(although he's played against McNabb far more than any other QB), will not be missing the future hall of famer.

"Everyone talks about that dog in you. Not everyone has that dog to be the best at what he does," McNabb said. "I believe in the last six to eight years he has ranked amongst the top in the game as far as sacks are concerned. His job was to get to the quarterback and he did it well."

When asked if he'll miss Strahan, McNabb said, "I'm not. There are a couple of more guys over there on that line that we're waiting on their retirement."

Jon Runyan, who has held a storied rivalry with Strahan, felt the same way.

"You going to miss Michael Strahan?" Runyan was asked.

"No," he said immediately. "But it will be different facing the New York Giants."

Like McNabb, Runyan gave Strahan his due. Bigtime.

"I have tremendous amount of respect for him," Runyan said of Strahan. "He's one of the few guys left in the league who doesn't consider himself as only a pass rusher. He plays the whole game."

And he played it so well that Runyan didn't hesitate when asked to rank Strahan among the defensive linemen he faced in his 12 pro seasons.

"I would put him right up there with Reggie White," he said.

Classy of the Eagles to send off a rival with some kind words. I feel the same way about Strahan those guys do. Great player, happy to see him go.

I figured this was big enough news to post here on BGN... Donovan McNabb can sleep a little easier tonight now that Michael Strahan has decided to hang em up.

Strahan, 36, has told FOXSports.com exclusively that he has decided to retire.

"It was important that my teammates knew which way I was going before they got on the field to start the work to defend our title," the team's all-time sack leader said from California. "It's time. I'm done."

Strahan finally made up his mind a week ago, but wanted to take the extra days to make sure his feeling on the matter was 100 percent.

Riding off into the sunset with a superbowl ring on your hand. Not  a bad way to go out. I'm sure we'll be seeing plenty of Strahan's gap toothed grin in the broadcasting world since, to be honest, he's a pretty funny and insightful guy when talking football. Despite the fact he is a hated rival I don't think I'll mind hearing his thoughts. Look at it this way, every former jock that enters the media pushes Merrel Hodge one step closer to being out of our hair.

One thing we unfortunately won't be seeing is another round of one of the great trench rivalries in the past decade...

via www.philadelphiaeagles.com

Oh and let's not forget... this makes for one less elite pass rusher on the New York Giants this coming year and that is a very good thing.