Giants practicing in Arizona bittersweet for Blake Martinez

New York Giants linebacker Blake Martinez (54) speaks with the media after practice during training camp at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, NJ, on Tuesday, Aug 3, 2021. Credit: Brad Penner

TUCSON, Ariz. — Blake Martinez was excited when he learned the Giants were going to be spending a week in Tucson, the town where he grew up. He was a little less thrilled that the practices would be held at the University of Arizona.

This, after all, was the place he always dreamed he would attend and play for. But coming out of high school, the Wildcats didn’t even recruit him.

"I have my bittersweet moments here," he said. "They didn’t want me to play here, so I went to Stanford…