By Ernie Palladino
The (Westchester) Journal News

ALBANY, N.Y. - The New York Giants might get run over this year by more souped-up NFC East opponents such as Philadelphia and Dallas.

But it won't be because of a lack of scouting data.

In fact, the Giants stand among a handful of teams that have raced well ahead of the pack on the information superhighway.

The team's latest step forward is embodied in a $700,000 video software system manufactured by Pinnacle that allows coaches, players and personnel people to access games and players in a keystroke.

Coaches can access films of practices moments after they come in from the field, knocking out the two-hour wait for processing.

The streamlined, digitized system also lets them click through to any game played in the NFL during the season as well as sort the plays of that game by down and distance, tendencies, situation or however a coach wants.

Want a study of the Dallas Cowboys' red-zone tendencies?

Want to see whether St. Louis Rams tackle Orlando Pace tips off a run by flinching his hand at the snap?

"This thing can access it for you in seconds," said tight ends coach Mike Pope, who was sold on the system as soon as he saw it. "It would take you hours if you had to fish it out of the old tapes."

With the new system's 590 hours of storage capacity, up from the 80 of the rudimentary system it replaced this offseason, and with 30 terminals spread around the Giants Stadium offices, there will be little excuse for a player or coach to go into a game ill-prepared.

About 25 NFL teams use Pinnacle - including the New York Jets, who got on board in February.

"We knew what everyone else was doing, and we just didn't want to be behind," Jets coach Herman Edwards said. "You want to make sure you get things to the players at a very rapid pace. So it was a foregone conclusion that this was what we wanted to do."

The real key to the system is storage capacity.

The Giants' 590 hours ranks in the top 10, which is led by Green Bay and Dallas with 1,000 hours.

It means the Giants have all of last year's NFL schedule on hand; Green Bay and Dallas have two years' worth of games.

"The way they've done it, it's a lot easier than jumping around on tapes," said wide receiver Ike Hilliard, a savant of video and computer games in his spare time. "It's all labeled; everything's nice. Our coaching staff is a big believer in that, having nice presentations. I'm sure we're going to see a lot more of it."

The system won't keep a lesser talent from getting beat. It won't guarantee a rise from 4-12, the Giants' record last season.

"It helps coaches teach the material," said special teams coordinator Mike Sweatman. "It makes us more efficient. But you still have to be a hands-on coach."

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