Notebook: Giants embrace latest international game

MUNICH – Brian Daboll holds four full-fledged news conferences in a typical week, and those held on Friday traditionaly draw the smallest group of reporters, provoke the fewest and often least interesting queries, and are invariably the shortest.

But this week was different. Daboll attracted his largest-ever Friday crowd, one that included reporters from several European countries, and he answered questions he never previously fielded in his three seasons as the Giants’ coach.

It was not a coincidence. The Giants arrived here early in the morning after an overnight flight from Newark. On Sunday, they will be the visiting team when they face the Carolina Panthers in Allianz Arena, the home of FC Bayern Munich. The Giants today practiced at the headquarters of the famed soccer club.

It is the second European trip in Daboll’s tenure; two years ago, they defeated the Green Bay Packers in London.

Perhaps the most memorable exchange occurred late in the Q&A, when Daboll was asked, “What’s your favorite thing about the trip to Germany?”

“I’ve only been here a few minutes,” Daboll said. “Got about two more days and I’ll give you that answer.”

Daboll was also asked if he slept on the 7-hour flight, whether he has a message for Giants fan base in Germany (“One, we appreciate them”), his pre-practice meeting with FC Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany, and Jakob Johnson, the Giants fullback who is a native of Stuttgart and has bounced between the practice squad and active roster this season.

The temperature was in the low 40s during the Giants’ late-afternoon practice, about 35 degrees cooler than it was for their final workouts in New Jersey. It was an otherwise normal Friday practice.

Afterward – not so normal. The team’s most important players seldom speak to reporters two days before a game. But today, Malik Nabers, Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and Daniel Jones each spent time parrying with the three dozen or so foreign and domestic reporters.

“I’m surprised I’m this far (about 4,000 miles) from home,” Nabers said. “But, I’m glad that I got the opportunity to play in another country. Especially to play the sport that I love and do it across the seas.”

Nabers admitted he doesn’t watch soccer, but if he played the game, he’s confident in what his best position would be.

“I’d probably be a goalkeeper,” he said. “I’m pretty good at catching the ball.”

Burns spent his first five NFL seasons with Carolina, for whom he made two Pro Bowls. Earlier this week at home, he downplayed the possibility of being more emotionally charged facing the Panthers. In Europe, he as a different take.

“I am a little extra motivated,” Burns said. “I spent five years there and I know a lot of guys there, whatever the case may be. But I’m blessed to be where I am now. I’m happy to be where I am now and I’m looking to get a win.”

Burns seems to be enjoying himself in Germany, but he has another country in which he’d like to play a game.

“I want to play in Tokyo,” he said. “That would be lit. And I’m an anime fan, so that would be lit.”

This is Lawrence’s second visit to Germany. He and a group of friends take a trip somewhere different every year, and they already hit Berlin.

“I’ve been here once before in the Berlin area and I had, it’s hard for me to pronounce it, so bear with me, ‘Schnitzel'”? Lawrence said. “Sorry, it’s hard for me. That was really good. They almost got mad at me because we ordered so much, we almost didn’t finish it and they (weren’t) having that.”

Why should international fans who don’t have a favorite team support the Giants?

“The tradition is wild here,” Lawrence said. “We celebrated 100 years this year, and it’s blue-collar, hard-working guys. Like Burns said, ‘Watch our play.’ We play hard, we play physical, and that’s the team that you want to cheer for that’s going to give it to you consistently.”

Lawrence is second in the NFL with 9.0 sacks and celebrates each one with his signature dance – might he unveil a German sack dance?

“I haven’t done my research on German dances,” Lawence said. “I’m going to do some research.”

Jones said this week he is using the knowledge he gained two years ago when the Giants played in London.

“It’s helpful to have gone through the week of preparation once and know what it’s like to travel, getting over here and then immediately going into meetings and a practice,” he said. “Just having done it once, I don’t think there’s any special trick to it or any secret. I think it’s just trying to get your rest and catch up after a long flight. Like any other game, preparing, setting the game plan, making sure you’re locked in.”

*Wide receivers Darius Slayton (concussion protocol) and Bryce Ford-Wheaton (Achilles) have been declared out of the game. Slayton is third on the team with 32 receptions and second with 469 yards.

*Daboll said safety Jason Pinnock (abdomen), who has started every game the last two seasons, “is a concern for the game.” Pinnock did not practice Friday and is questionable.

Also questionable are kicker Graham Gano (hamstring), and linebackers Matt Adams (calf) and Darius Muasau (hamstring).