OK, New York sports fans. Everybody loves a good quarterback debate, so let’s have one.

Both the Jets and Giants drafted quarterbacks in the late rounds Sunday. Both are guys who were once highly-regarded, but saw their stock plummet during their senior seasons.

So, which team got the better quarterback. The Jets with Tennessee’s Erik Ainge in the 5th round? Or the Giants with Kentucky’s Andre Woodson in the 6th?

Here is Jets’ coach Eric Mangini talking about Ainge.

“I liked a lot of things about him — his size and his accuracy,” said Jets head coach Eric Mangini of Ainge. “I liked meeting him and talking with him. His intelligence, his leadership, his passion for the game — all those things I thought were very positive and very important things to have at that position.”

Here is Giants’ coach Tom Coughlin talking about Woodson.

“This was just too good a pick for us to pass up,” Coughlin said. “This is a guy that was rated highly on our board. We found ourselves in a …

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This will be an abbreviated version of ‘Breakfast at the Hot Stove’ this morning. I guess you could say we are grabbing a donut and eating on the run.

Breakfast of Champions: Giants grab Phillips, Manningham, Woodson

The defending Super Bowl champion Giants grabbed the safety they needed on with first-round pick Kenny Phillips. GM Jerry Reese took some risks on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, though, grabbing wide receiver Mario Manningham and QB Andre Woodson. See Big Blue View for coverage and discussion.

The Jets, meanwhile, missed out on Boston College QB Matt Ryan. They did take a flier on Tennesse QB Erik Ainge in the 5th round. Oh, and defensive end Vernon Gholston is hardly a bad consolation prize for not landing either Ryan or Darren McFadden.

Incidentally, Pete Prisco of CBS Sportsline gives the Giants an ‘A,’ and the Jets a C+. Not that those day-after-the draft grades mean anything, but they are entertaining.

Rotten Eggs: Posada to DL

Jorge Posada is on the DL for the first time …

I don’t like to do mock drafts. You have probably figured that out by the fact that I have not yet done one. I’m not a big fan since I think they are mostly just guesswork.

Since today is Draft Day, though, I thought I would take a stab at it. So, here is my Mock Draft. By tonight, we will know how I did.

1. Miami, Jake Long (OT, Michigan)
2. St. Louis, Chris Long (DE, Virginia)
3. Atlanta, Matt Ryan (QB, Boston College)
4. Oakland, Darren McFadden (RB, Arkansas)
5. Kansas City, Vernon Gholston (DE, Ohio State)
6. New York Jets, Glenn Dorsey (DT, LSU)
7. New England, Keith Rivers (OLB, USC)
8. Baltimore, Leodis McKelvin (CB, Troy State)
9. Cincinnati, Sedrick Ellis (DT, USC)
10. New Orleans, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB, Tennessee State)
11. Buffalo, Devin Thomas (WR, Michigan State)
12. Denver, Brandon Albert (OG, Virginia)
13. Carolina, Ryan Clady (OT, Boise State)
14. Chicago, Chris Williams (OT, Vanderbilt)
15. Detroit, Rashard Mendenhall (RB, Illinois)
16. Arizona, Mike Jenkins (CB, South Florida)
17. Kansas City, Antoine Cason (CB, Arizona)
18. Houston, Derrick Harvey (DE, Florida)
19. Philadelphia, Limas Sweed …

Good morning, New York sports fans! Before we dig into our daily ‘Breakfast at the Hot Stove,’ give somebody close to you a hug. Nobody around? Give yourself a hug. C’mon, it’s OK. Wrap those arms around yourself and squeeze.

After all, that’s the least we can do to honor Harold Reynolds, hired by SNY as a part-time studio analyst.

Reynolds, you will recall, is the former big league second baseman and ESPN analyst who was forced to leave the network in 2006 due to allegations of sexual harassment.

The folks at Hugging Harold Reynolds are very excited about this news! Yippee!

Peaches and Cream: Ozzie loves Derek

It’s a very lovey-dovey morning here at the Hot Stove. Apparently, Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has a huge man-crush on Derek Jeter. As I said this morning over and Bugs & Cranks, the whole thing makes me uncomfortable.

Fast food: Danica visits Dave

This is one of those ‘it happened in New York’ deals. The video is here.

Bran Flakes: Is there a first baseman in the city?

What is it …

Pacman Jones is going to be a Dallas Cowboy — if Roger Goodell lets him back in the league, that is.

That is as good a reason as any to take a break from all my poetry/songwriting — and Giants discussion — and look at what is happening around the league as the draft approaches.

As for the Cowboys, owner Jerry Jones is continuing to turn his team into the old-time Oakland Raiders — a halfway house for misfits.

He’s got T.O. He’s got Tony ‘Jetsetter’ Romo, who might be more interested in getting a ring for Jessica than one for his team. Now he’s got Pacman, the baddest of the league’s bad boys. He’s got a lame-duck coach in Wade Phillips, whose anointed successor is already on his staff.

Good luck controlling that mob, Wade! Jones has collected a ton of talent, but the Cowboys are still a mess — a ticking time bomb waiting to implode. As Giants fans, I suspect we will enjoy the show.

Of course, over at …

Back for another ‘Breakfast at the Hot Stove’? Well, c’mon on in, sit down, pour yourself some coffee and get ready to go. We’ve got stuff to talk about this morning.

Waffles: Always a good choice when you aren’t sure what to have

The NFL Draft is close enough to smell it now, and that means there are all sorts of rumors cluttering up bandwidth on the Inter-Google. The hometown Jets and Giants are involved in plenty of ‘em.

Giants’ rumors are swirling around the status of the mercurial tight end, Jeremy Shockey? Will they Giants trade him? Will they keep him? Who actually WANTS a mouthy, often-injured guy coming off a broken leg? And will anybody offer enough to make moving him worthwhile.

I took a stab at summing up the situation with a poem over at Big Blue View, my Giants’ site. Check it out. Oh, and let me know what you think of the shiny new platform being unveiled on the site today.

As for the Jets, there is talk …

Super Bowl hero David Tyree has apparently undergone knee surgery.

Reports indicate that Tyree expects to be ready for training camp. This does, however, lead nicely into what seems to be an annual discussion — do the Giants need to make wide receiver a draft priority?

Somehow, despite the fact it seems the Giants take a receiver early in the draft every year, the answer annually is yes. I don’t think that’s any different this season.

Plaxico Burress is a star, Steve Smith might be one and Amani Toomer is arguably the best receiver in team history. Toomer can’t go on forever, though, Sinorice Moss is still a mystery and Tyree isn’t really a full-time part of the receiving corps, anyway.

So, with that said let’s look at some of the guys who might be available for the Giants.

DeSean Jackson, California
At 5-foot-9 3/4, 169 pounds, he seems like a guy who might possess all the skills we thought Moss had.

NFL Draft Countdown
(First rounder)
Awfully similar to Ted Ginn, Jr. when he was …

Let’s take a look at the top linebackers available in this weekend’s NFL Draft.

In the SBN Mock Draft I took Connor, but I wouldn’t complain if the Giants landed Mayo, either.

Let’s look at both of these guys, and some of the other top linebacker prospects who could be available to the Giants.

I ran NFL Draft Countdown bios on Mayo and Connor previously. So, for those two players I will use the ESPN NFL Draft Tracker.

Jerod Mayo, Tennessee
He could be gone when the Giants pick at 31, or he could last into the second round. Projects as a very good player.

ESPN Draft Tracker
(First round)
Mayo has experience playing inside and outside linebacker at Tennessee. While he showed NFL potential in both spots, he seems like a more natural fit on the weak-side where he will get more protection. Mayo is far from a finished product. He is blessed with an outstanding combination of size, speed and athletic ability, which was on display at the combine. But in order to become a …

Today we start a new feature hear at Hot Stove New York. Let’s call it ‘Breakfast at the Hot Stove.’

As the name implies what we are going to do each morning is give you a review of what’s cooking on the New York sports scene. We’ll give you the news, but we’re not playing it straight.

We’ll try to start your day with a laugh (spitting up a little OJ never hurt anybody), or get you a little aggravated before you head to the office (just don’t take it out on the boss).

So, grab that extra morning cup of coffee and come along. It’s breakfast time and the Hot Stove is open for business.

The Bacon: Sharapova visits Letterman

Yeah, I know this isn’t really sports. And I know it happened a couple of days ago. But, hell, it’s Maria Sharapova and any time I can gave breakfast, lunch, dinner, an intimate moment … you get the idea … with Maria, I’m doing it. Besides, this did happen in New York….

Ernie Palladino of the Journal News is reporting that the Jeremy Shockey to the Saints talks are gaining traction, and that the key player coming back to the Giants is starting safety Roman Harper.

Harper started all 16 games for New Orleans last season, his second in the league. He had 90 tackles, four sacks and three interceptions.

If that deal does go through the Giants will, obviously, be looking somewhere other than safety for their first-round selection.

More Good Stuff to Read

Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News ranks the Giants draft needs. The Blue Screen

A linebacker would be a good fit as the top pick. Newsday

Like I have been saying, here’s more speculation that the Giants are targeting Miami safety Kenny Phillips.
New York Post.

(– Read more of Ed Valentine’s Giants’ coverage at Big Blue View.)

One position we have all acknowledged feeling the Giants need to upgrade is safety.

Veteran Sammy Knight, signed to replace Gibril Wilson, and James Butler are no better than adequate. Second-year man Michael Johnson is exciting, but still unproven. This position needs attention, and I don’t think anyone can be surprised if a Day 1 choice is used to upgrade it.

Let’s look some of the possibilities. Since I do have an ESPN Insider account, I will use NFL Draft Countdown for player bios.

Kenny Phillips, Miami
This is the guy many mock drafts have the Giants taking. If he is still there at No. 31, this is the guy I want.

NFL Draft Countdown
(First rounder)
The next in a long line of top Hurricane safeties, following in the footsteps of guys like Bennie Blades, Ed Reed, Sean Taylor and Brandon Meriweather … could rank amongst the Top 10 safeties in the NFL relatively early on in his career.

Reggie Smith, Oklahoma

An intriguing guy who could also project as a cornerback, or at least a nickel …

Here are 10 Giants-related questions to ponder as the NFL Draft approaches.

1. Will Michael Strahan retire?
It sure would be nice to know before the draft, but GM Jerry Reese is not expecting a decision soon. I would think the Giants will draft a linebacker early either way, at least giving themselves the option of moving Mathias Kiwanuka back to defensive end.

2. Will the Giants trade Jeremy Shockey?
We have been discussing this a lot lately. As I’ve said, if Shockey is going to whine and be a distraction, I say move him. In the end, I don’t think Reese will unless he gets overwhelmed. Even if Shockey gets traded I’m not sure drafting a tight end is necessary. It would be nice, though, to pick up a couple of extra draft choices.

3. Can Reese do it again?
Reese’s 2007 draft was, of course, magical. All eight of his choices made the team, and seven contributed heavily to the Super Bowl championship. I don’t think you can expect perfection again, but I …