Strahan’s shoes

Record Staff Writer Paul Dottino chimes in with this tidbit:

Retired defensive end Michael Strahan knows the Giants have good young talent to help offset his departure from the field, but nobody seems to know who the team’s next leader will be – not even Strahan. Who will deliver the pre-game speech? Who will invigorate the sideline or fire up the huddle?

“You know, I don’t know. They tried it when I wasn’t there for training camp (last season) and that didn’t quite work,” Strahan said before teeing off at the Michael Strahan/Marc Dreier Charity Golf tournament Monday in Purchase, N.Y. “I don’t know who will do that.

“(But) somebody’s going to step up. Somebody always does. I mean there was somebody before I got there and then there was me and it’ll be somebody else – and maybe it’ll surprise us at who it is,” he said. “But they have some high-character guys and guys who are great players, who guys will listen and respond to – and that’s the important thing.

“I’m looking forward to seeing Antonio (Pierce), possibly. Osi (Umenyiora), possibly. Shaun O’Hara, possibly. I mean there are some guys who are going to step up and be more vocal. Hopefully, the biggest thing they learned from me is that it’s not about screaming and hollering at guys to do this and do that. It’s about making guys enjoy it, letting guys see that you can be in the league a long time and you can have fun doing it and just love your job. And you can accomplish a lot, I think, when you really love something as opposed to just doing it because it is your job.”

Oh, yes. Despite taking a TV job with Fox that will allow him to work near his West Coast home in California, Strahan said he expects to remain a part-time New Yorker.

“This is New York. This is where I’ve been for 15 years,” he said. “You can’t leave this city. It’s the greatest city in the world.

“I had my entire career here and this is where I made a name for myself and I have so much going on here. I’m not leaving New York. I’m going to maintain a place here and maintain a place in California. I may just wind up living in Texas – and go back home with my parents – who knows?”