Official Commemorative Book on 2007 - Seeking Stories from BBI

I think that almost any Giants fan would be able to write a narrative the length of a book just about the stories, memories, and impact that this past football season had on them. There were just so many emotions, highs and lows, moments of doubt, and moments of joy that I personally, even as I write this, find it extremely difficult to be able to isolate just one singular experience that I would like to share from the 2007 NFL season from the perspective of a die-hard New York Giants fan.

Considering the way 2007 season transpired, considering some of the stories of the players and staff members on this team, and considering the unbelievable and exciting conclusion to that season - I feel a strange, deep saddening over the very realistic thought that as a fan I may never experience a season of football (or a season of any other sport) that will come close to the thrill ride that was the 2007-2008 season of the New York Football Giants.

I think that there is a consensus among Giants fans that we (much more so than the Patriots fans) experienced what felt like the "Perfect Season" of professional football. For me, nothing in the realm of sports will ever match the feelings that I felt at the end of the Giants' championship run and victory in Super Bowl XLII . . . nothing.

of the fourth Qtr of the Super Bowl occurred, I found out out that Bob Bennett's ashes were sprinkled on the field between the third and fouth Qtr.

Was it David Tyrees hand alone that kept the ball from falling off the helmet to the ground or was Bob's hand there holding it in place to help secure the victory?

Nothing can top the Super Bowl run for me. I am only 20 years old. A young pup, in comparison to some of the old diehards, like my father, who have seen, and suffered, through it all. But, in my relativly short life and career as a Giant Fan , I have had some rough spots. The San Fran playoff game, the Philly playoff game, the '97 (i think) Viking playoff game....and lets not count the numerous let downs and blow-ups in the regular season. Yes, being a Giant Fan is no honeymoon. But now, I can look back fondly on all those bitter dissapointments, because my New York football Giants did the impossible.

March into Dallas and beat Tony Romo, TO and "America's Team"? Fat chance.

Well will ya look at that...

That was one hell of a game, but now we gotta beat Brett Favre on the (very) frozen tundra? At least we'll put up a good fight.

Oh my God...we're going to the Super Bowl! Whoa...don't get too excited now. We remember what happened last time the boys in blue got to the big dance.

There I was, huddled around the TV with 10 of my buddies, cramped as hell in a dorm room never meant to house as many people as it was. Gnawed chicken wings and crushed chips littered the floor and tables. We were having a grand old time, until....

Tom Brady did what Tom Brady does, and put his team up by 4 with just over two minutes left. The life was sucked out of the room. Heads were hanging, profanity was spewed, and hearts were broken. I was trying desperatly to find some comfort in this very dark moment. "We put up a good fight"...we sure did...but that wasn't enough to console me over the fact that this magical season came crashing to earth.

Then...came the final drive, and with it "the Catch". I remember pulling a "Tom Cruise on Oprah" esque move, pumping my fist wildly in the air and whooping like a mad man. I stayed up there, standing on the couch and just kept repeating "We can't lose. Not after that play. We can't." And I was right.

I spent the rest of the night watching sports highlights shows, watching the same images over and over and over again, and yet they never got old. They still haven't.

To the entire New York Giants organization I just wanted to say....

Thank You

with no television.

2 young children.

During the SB, they are sleeping and so I have the lights off.. and am quietly listening to the game on a portable radio and washing the dishes ....during our first TD.....YES....a nice quiet, peacful, evening....together...that means alot more than the game...but yes it was nice.

. thats our game.

.

...you can imagine the amount of cringing I do living in the land of the Redskins syncophants. I feel like these folks, however myopic they are, tend to be good for a laugh or two. Well, I had one during the first round of the playoffs this past year, when our Giants played the Buccaneers and the Skins played the Seahawks.

As the father of (then) two and a half year old triplets, I have prided myself on bringing them up - properly - as staunch Giants fans. You might surmise that with said triplets, my wife and I rarely get a night out; however, the evening of the playoff game (which we had just won) was one of those nights. Our sitter is a good friend who was one of the children's terrific nurses in the NICU unit at the hospital where the kids were born and spent considerable time; our friend, Kristin, as much as we love her, has one flaw: she happens to be a rabid Skins fan.

That said, on the occasions she'd watched our kids before, we knew that the children were in the best hands of all: a NICU nurse...what more could we ask for as parents? Previously, we had NEVER received a call on our cell phones while we were out and the kids were in Kristin's care.

Well, after the Giants' win, we headed out to dinner, and the Skins happened to kick off versus the 'Hawks. About 15 minutes out of our driveway, the phone rang...it was our home phone number...my wife and I exchanged concerned looks. I picked up the phone, and hurredly asked Kristin what was wrong...

I was greeted by laughter as Kristin sheepishly admitted that she got caught trying to do something underhanded to my kids. You see, she offered that she was being "a jerk" (her words) and tried to teach my kids to say "Go Skins". She was laughing so hard because she was amazed that I'd trained the kids so well...apparently, my children got a look of disgust on their collective faces when asked to utter that phrase, and in unison answered her, "NO Kristin...GO GIANTS!".

Suffice it to say, it was a most enjoyable evening.

On December 29th 2007 I had a hard time viewing the Giants game against the Patriots. That day was the day my son Joseph Robert was born. It had been a very long delivery and I caught that game very tired and weary.

By the time the Giants went to Tampa Bay I had my new good luck charm by my side and in his Giants outfit. He was by my side and in his lucky Giants outfit for every playoff game and the Super Bowl. The Giants obviously did not lose a game with him in it.


I posted this picture on a thread calling Joey the Giants new good luck charm minutes before the Tampa game and everyone was so cool. One poster even reminisced about when his son was born and how his boy was by his side through the Giants '90 Super Bowl run. I remember saying "God I would love to be that lucky" Well, turns out I was.

I have been meaning to post the conclusion of the story and what became of the "lucky outfit". I had a frame made and it now hangs in my Giants shrine in my bar room so when Joey gets older I can tell him how he may have had a little something to do with the Giants winning every game after he was born back in 2008.

"The Giants real good luck charm"

I started to put on my "Tiki" jersey (my only Giants jersey at that time), but realized that it was a jinx even when Tiki was tearing up the league, so I pulled it off and put on a generic "Giants" hoody. My six-year-old wore his Shockey jersey.

My friend throws a great party, and owns a widescreen "home theatre," so the event was well-peopled. I and my family were the only true Giants fans there. There were no Patriots fans. (My friend the host and the majority of the people in attendance were Bronco fans.) Good food and liquid refreshment were being consumed, and a good time was being had by all.

At one point early in the game, we had the lead. The subject of Shockey came up, and I said something disparaging about him, followed by the comment "...but he ain't even playing today anyway." My six-year-old sitting next to me, whose favorite football player in the world is Jeremy Shockey, got all quiet.

The next thing I know, the little guy took off his Shockey jersey. I was a little bit shocked, and asked him why he did that. He wouldn't say. He was very distraught.

Well, the Patriots scored, and all of a sudden we weren't in the lead any more. I got a little antsy, and the mood in the whole room changed. Some of the other adults started to ask me why Ian took off his jersey. Comments about the jersey bringing good luck started to be heard. I asked my son again why he took it off, but he was too shy and upset to answer.

Finally, he tugged on my shirt, and whispered in my ear. "I took the shirt off because Jeremy Shockey isn't playing today."

"Oh," I said. "But the only reason he isn't playing, is because he got injured. He played really hard for the team, and broke his leg. There's no reason to be ashamed of that. He hurt himself really bad and that's why he's not playing today. I'm sorry I said that mean thing about him."

This made him feel a little bit better, but he was too shy to put the jersey back on. Halftime ensued.

As the second half started, he made a triumphal appearance -- with the Shockey jersey on. A big cheer went up. "Now you've got your lucky jersey back on. The Giants are sure to win!"

There's no better way to bring luck to a jersey, than to have your underdog team take a Super Bowl lead with it on, only to lose that lead with it off, then take it back again (twice) with it back on!

--

The Patriots took the lead with two minutes and twenty-something seconds remaining in the game. I looked at the clock, and saw that we had 2 timeouts left. I wasn't concerned at all. They had scored too soon. They were celebrating too early. I kept all this to myself, but inside, I hardly batted an eye.

Everyone around me was feeling sorry for me. Since there were no Patriots fans around, and since I am such a HUGE Giants fan, and because of the way the Giants played and how arrogant the Patriots were, (and because everyone loves an underdog) everybody in the room was rooting for the Giants at that point. I started to hear people trying to comfort me about the potential loss ensuing. I thanked them for their sympathies, but shrugged them off as unnecessary. At one point (fourth and one) I started to harbor thoughts that my friends may be right, and my whole world started to crumble before me. But we survived that scare, and all was right in the universe again.

I turned to my friend, and said "I feel good. In fact, I feel great. 1:27 left with two timeouts? We've got this in the bag." My friend gave me a look as if I had just told him that aliens had landed in his backyard.

After the game, he turned to me and said "good call with 1:27 to go. No way did I think you guys would pull it out at that point. Great win!"

And he was right. For all time.

There is nothing that lasts longer than sharing great moments with your family, especially when it comes to long standing traditions and love.

My family's love is one that is most certainly elevated by the Giants. This past year I spent nearly every game with a member of my family and it will always be a season that I will cherish forever.

Not only because of the ties between my family and Giants lore(3 generations), but also because of the new memories that were created.

I still recall the 86 and 90 Super Bowls as a child and early teen. Those were outstanding times but I was still too young to understand what they really meant.

Nothing beat my two brothers, my father and I celebrating that win in Super Bowl 42. It was an easy 10 minutes of bumping chests, screaming, and months of enthusiasm all in one shot.

My Grandfather grew up in the Wellington Mara days and his class and dignity reflects that same generation. This alone tells me why the Giants tradition has been passed down through many generations for many families.

The Giants are raw red blood in my family and to celebrate the win of a team that represents so much to us will be a memory forever held.

There were many highlights to this season but no highlight was greater than when The Giants won the Super Bowl and realizing that this moment, these people, will stay with me forever. To this day it is vivid and I know it will stay that way for many years to come.

-John D.

The NY football Giants are coming out of the locker room for their first practice. I am yelling "SuperBowl Prep Super Bowl Prep!" Jeremy Shockey turns to another player and I can see he said something like "You hear that,SuperBowl". Antonio Pierce is walking to the field and I give the same rant "Superbowl Prep Superbowl Prep". AP looks and says "let chips fall where they may." I did not like that comment coming from the starting middle linebacker. I felt that he plays a position that is supposed to make the chips fall where he drops them. I now know and understand what he meant. The NFL season is long and unpredictable, an injury here, a bad call there, and the list goes on. But the chips have to fall and in the end, if you played your guts out (like the Giants did)you just may come out on top.
That first weekend at training camp was awsome. My cousin's and son were granted an exclusive interview with Brandon Jacobs, courtesy of Brandon Jacobs. Brandon is going back to the locker room and my son like everyone else wants an autograph. I am screaming to get him to sign my son's football. I tell him we came a long way to attend camp. He asks where we came from and I say Delaware. Brandon replies "oh, that's not that far" and continues to the locker. I thought for sure he was going to hook my son up. Anyway, after practice we took our time leaving the capmus. As we were walking back to the hotel Brandon stops his truck and calls us over. This is amazing! We run up to the SUV and the next few minutes were priceless.I informed him that I could'nt care less about an autograph I just want to spew words of enthusiasm, intensity, and motivation into the players ears. Brandon appreciated my philosophy. In a nutshell Brandon informed us that he is going to break all of the NY GIANTS rushing records and I hope he does. Baring injury he just may.Oh yeah he signed my son's football. It was great holding that autographed football during crunch-time in the Superbowl, so I guess my son's autograph desire isn't that bad. Training camp 2007 what an awsome time. NY Giants Super Bowl Champions, whoda thunkit.
-A. Sewell (Brinx)

area. In fact, you can say that BBI started here (before my time) with get togethers at Crystal City Sports Pub in the late 90's. Those events have grown to proportions unimagined, I'm sure, at the time. From events at training camp where 50 to 100 people show up to neighborhood bbq's and get togethers in the greater D.C. area.

This season, following get togethers for training camp, games, and the playoffs, the gang gathered at The Elephant and Castle bar and restaurant in downtown DC to celebrate the Superbowl. Thirty or so die hard BBI'ers, including Eric from BBI, were in attendance. Honestly, I cannot remember a more thrilling and exciting gathering to celebrate an event. Most everyone had a story to tell about the Superbowl party/event that they attended or hosted. The stories never grew old. The beer never ran out. The cigars were lit in celebration. "The Catch" was re-enacted several times. All the while, this reverie continued while the DC faitfull came and went for dinner. The staff had a blast indulging us, though many were fans of the Redskins. Seeimingly like everywhere else, they were just happy to see New England lose.

Except one fellow. The best line of the night was muttered by a Redskins fan sitting with his date at a nearby table trying to enjoy his dinner:

"Of all nights...we have to pick THIS one to have dinner here. This is torture"

It was a night that will never be forgotten for old and young alike.

Watching the NFC Championship Game from Scottsdale, Arizona, I couldn’t be much further away from Lambeau Field both in terms of distance and in terms of temperature on Sunday, January 20th. As I lay on my living room floor, with my eyes half closed and both hands over my face, agonizingly waiting for Lawrence Tynes to try for the 3rd time to kick the Giants into Super Bowl XXLII, my 5 year old son walks into the room and asks my wife, “What’s wrong with daddy”? My wife says he’s praying that the Giants win the game and go to the Super Bowl. My 5 year old says, “I want to watch too”. This was the first time my son had shown interest in watching the Giants and it’s a moment I’ll remember and cherish for the rest of my life. With Jay Alford hunched over the ball, ready to snap, my eyes are now completely closed. I’ve seen virtually every play of every Giants game since 1981, and having seen the Giants lose so many heartbreakers over the years, I just couldn’t bear to watch Tynes attempt to make the longest playoff field goal in the history of Lambeau field. It seemed like forever that my eyes were closed until I hear Joe Buck say the words that were music to the ears of millions of Giants fans around the country, “the kick…… is…. good, and the Giants are going to the Super Bowl”.

Fast forward 2 weeks and I find myself at University of Phoenix Stadium for Super Bowl XLII. I arrived at the stadium 6 hours early and watched with the rest of America for the first 57 minutes as the Giants stood “toe to toe” with what many had called the best football team of all-time. However, we were still down by 4 points. Everyone knows what happened in the end and I’ll never forget the feeling when Eli’s final pass landed in Plaxico’s arms for the game winning touchdown. Electricity went through University of Phoenix Stadium. All of us Giants fans exchanged high fives and hugged like we’ve known each other for 20 years even though this was the first, greatest and only game that we would ever watch together. As the stadium scoreboard clock showed :00, I had tears in my eyes. Tears of happiness from seeing the team that I’ve watched every Sunday for the last 30 years win the Super Bowl, but also tears of sadness, since my father who introduced me to NY Giants football over 30 years ago was not around to witness the greatest Super Bowl ever played. My father had unfortunately succumbed to ALS disease. At his funeral, I talked about his love for his family and for the NY Giants. I even buried my dad with a picture of Eli Manning in his pocket. Unfortunately he wasn’t with me at the game to see it live, but I know he watched from above and enjoyed it with all the rest of us. As I arrive home from the game that night, my 5 year old says “Daddy, give me a high five, we won the Super Bowl. When can we do that again”?

Thank you, NY Giants for being part of my life and my family!!!!

We Giant fans are a superstitious lot. I never expected the Giants to reach the Super Bowl through the gauntlet of playoff games. Virtually impossible although there is always hope. Hope that dates back to the electric times of Connerly and Tittle, took a long dark hiatus during the late 60s and early 70s, and was reborn in the mid-80s with Simms, LT and the Parcells teams.

The night of the Green Bay game we were having a family gathering at an elderly cousin’s house since she is not very mobile. I planned to excuse myself periodically from the gathering and check on the score, but it turns out she has only one TV and it’s in the living room. It would be impolite to keep turning the TV on and off, and not watching the game is not an option, so I left it on, with a low volume. Seems like the rest of the family also wanted to watch the game, at least for me knowing what a big fan I am.

We all moaned and groaned through the missed Tynes field goals as I took each miss as a personal insult. Finally I couldn’t take it any longer and decided the Giants needed a change of luck. I had to sacrifice myself and my misery and leave for the overtime. Something just had to be done to change things. I hadn’t gotten more than a mile away when Favre was intercepted, “Tynes kicked the Giants to the Super Bowl,” and my cousins and family heard me screaming from a mile down the road. Yes, yes, yessssssssssssssssssssss...........and all because I left my cousin’s house.

..........................................

In September a very close young friend and fellow dedicated Giants fan called to say that he and his fiancee (both big Giants fans) were thinking of having their wedding on February 3 which was Super Bowl weekend. If the Giants were in the Super Bowl, would I still come? Never expecting that to be possible, I said “Of course.”

Fast forward to February 1 and I am driving to Connecticut bedecked in Giant paraphernalia. Hat, socks, LT jersey etc... to my wife’s consternation. Show up at the hotel and all Keith and Claudine’s friends are also Giants fans or pretending to be so, or at least are rooting against New England.

The wedding is on Saturday night and I give the post-wedding blessing over bread and wine. I throw in a Go Giants! to general acclaim. Hey, there was a religious fervor to the Giants’ fans in the hall that night so it seemed appropriate.

Left early the next day to drive home and watch the game. When Brady passes for the go ahead touchdown I say “Great, there are still over 2-1/2 minutes to win the game.” Eli lobs it. Burress alone. Touchdown New York and I get a call. Not from Keith but from Mike, another wedding attendee. He says “Congratulations” to which I reply “Can’t talk now, still 40 seconds left.”

My heart palpitating, I watch the bombs Brady tosses, thankful for Webster getting his hand on the one throw. Giants win! and seconds later Keith and Claudine are excitedly on the phone. Their wedding brought luck to the team. Wonder what they will do for a follow-up next year?

After the bye week, and in the midst of a 6 game winning streak, the Giants were finally going to play a team that mattered! The dreaded Dallas Cowboys, who had started our season with a loss, were coming to the Meadowlands and this would be our statement game! Our QB was in his 4th season and had this wonderful pedigree, and the Cowboy's QB was hardly a full season as starter, but the entire NFL was praising Romo and doubting Eli. This game would turn it all around! Eli would take a step up and Romo would have one of those "Welcome to the NFL" games and the Giants would get this crucial division victory.

Well... no... It seemed that the team could never build offensive momentum. Every great play was followed by a breakdown or penalty. And on the other side of the field Romo was putting on a clinic, not just in quick reads, but freelancing and smart game decisions. I was steaming about an early "over the line of scrimmage" TD toss and it appeared that even the refs were giving this kid the Montana treatment while Eli was called for borderline delay penalties. When Bradshaw's long kick-off return was erased because of a phantom holding call I saw red (those stupid jerseys) for the rest of the game.

When a stadium bound fan begins to feel that level of anger things get perceived through a prism. And my focal point was Eli. It didn't matter that Sam Madison was getting old in front of my eyes, or that David Deal couldn't hold the corner with a Howitzer or that our vaulted defensive line was playing patty cake while Tony Romo blew air kisses to Jessica... it was Eli's fault. When T.O. caught his final 50 yd TD pass and then I have to watch Eli get called for another delay penalty... during a no huddle drill with less that three minutes left! I had finally lost patience with our QB of the future!

The ride home from the stadium was a rant of epic proportions where the realists in the car spoke of the offensive lines problems and our problems in both trenches... but I was loaded for bear with only one target. My Coup De Grace on the game was the infamous proclamation of "Our team gives away the store to get the next great QB and we end up with Dave Brown while the Cowboys pull some late round schmo off the bench and they end up with Roger Staubach!" That statement is already haunting me and my tailgate brothers will never let me forget the day I gave up on a Super Bowl MVP. But I can handle it.... I was a Brunner man!

I live in Wisconsin and the game against the Packers generated enough interest from my local cheeseheads friends that I was able to get a group together for the game. The person who was most excited for me was my mom who has watched me cheer for the Giants since I was kid who loved LT. My parents live over 100 miles from me but I would get to watch one last game with her week 13 when they played the Bears.

My mom went into the hospital for heart surgery on January 10 of 2008. Things did not go well and she would remain in the ICU throughout the playoffs. As Doctors made many efforts to save her, Giants games were my only distraction. She passed away on January 29th and her funeral was the day before the Superbowl.

When the game started I was just glad to have a distraction from my grief. As the game went on and Giants fought hard I had many people tell me that it was meant to be. When the final pass fell incomplete I think I was in shock more then anything as my phone got call after call and text after text telling me congratulations (which suprised me after the Giants had beat the Packers just two weeks earlier) and suggesting that Corey Webster had a little help from above to break up that last pass to Moss. While I know that's not true the thought did bring some comfort to me and an even bigger smile to my face.

The timing of the unbelieveable run made by my favorite team in all of sports couldn't have come at a better time for me as it helped me get through the most difficult time in my life.

In Chicago battling the rain.
In Buffalo battling the snow.
In tampa battling the heat.
In Dallas battling the past.
In Green Bay battling the cold.
In the desert...battling history.

My son, DantheBigBluefan, posted above and there is really not much to add except that, as a family, we are probably like many Giants' fans all over North America, maybe all over the world. Sunday is a ritualistic day for us. I pick my boys about an hour prior to game time and we come back to my place to sit down and watch and discuss the Giants. We are all wearing some kind of Giants' material...Dan with his Manning jersey, Matt (my other son)with his Plax or Shockey jersey. I am usually wearing one of my Giants' hats. It has been that way since Dan was born. Matt couldn't help but become a Giants' fan. 2007 was a wonderful year but only in retrospect. After all, the regular season was not that great. We showed glimpses but no one could have predicted the Super Bowl run we would go on. In fact, when the playoffs started, we all hoped we could win the wild card and we'd be happy. Then it was on to Dallas and beating the team I hate the most. The Green Bay game was surreal as it was as cold in Ottawa that day as it was in Green Bay. So I am well aware of the elements the Giants had to face. Then, of course, finally the BIG game in Arizona. Being a Giants' fan, I have always believed, or a fan of any team, means sticking with your squad through good and bad. Certainly I have seen my share of both since I became a Giants' fan at 7 in 1961. The 70's are a decade I hope never to repeat. The NFL is, in my opinion, the toughest league in which to win and win consistently. The NHL is a close second but, with free agency, loss of coaches when you have a good team and so forth, the NFL presents obstacle after obstacle. Not to mention they punish you with a tougher schedule when you win consistently. So I take last year as a wonderful gift. I hope to see more but so many things must go your way to get to the big game let alone win it. The best thing of all, though, is the bond the Giants have with myself and my boys especially since I am not with them every day anymore. We hope soon to be able to make a trip to a live Giants' game as a family. Maybe this year.

was sitting in the exact same seat as I had been in throughout the playoffs, surrounded by the same friends and family. The whole last drive was so nerve wracking that it was just a blur. With 0:39 seconds left on the clock I saw Eli's step back and motion that he was going to throw a trademark jump ball to Plaxico. When that camera panned up to follow the ball and all you can see was Plaxico WIDE OPEN in the end zone, that was probably one of the greatest moments of my life. Right there, one vision was proof that mine and all Giants fans dreams were about to come true. We really did it. Not only did we win the Superbowl, we beat the best team ever. Then reality set it and I realized that Tom Brady still had 0:35 seconds left. I have watched too many Giants games to celebrate until i see 0:00. It is the greatest feeling being World Champs again and I will never forget the 2007/2008 season as long as I live.

My kids were brought up watching the Giants each Sunday, and now my grandchildren are being raised as Giants fans. It has evolved into weekly assemblages at someone's house involving brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and grandchildren. My sister had a Giants game room built in her basement with a large screen TV just for the games.

I haven't missed a game, pre-season, regular season or post season since 1962. I once agreed to go out with friends on a Saturday night provided I could listen to the pre-season game on my transistor radio (it wasn't televised).

With that as background, I received a call asking me to do a weekend meeting of a large group of physicians in Dallas (I live in Connecticut) on Super Bowl weekend. I wasn't fond of the prospect of missing the Super Bowl, but it was needed money and this was the week following the second game of the season. The Giants were 0-2 and looking terrible while doing it. The defense had given up 80 points in the 2 games, which was probably a record of some sort. I figured, what the heck, the Giants weren't going to the Super Bowl, so why not take the job.

hit submit rather than preview ...I'll complete it

I have supported the Eli Manning trade fervently since it happened....arguing with Giants fans at the Draft Day Party when the trade was completed.

Eli has had his ups and his downs as a Giant, but the ups stand out more in my mind; The comback drive vs. Denver, the comeback vs the Eagles in 2006 and strong performance in Dallas on Monday Night Football in 2006.

So when he had his bad performances vs. the Vikings and Redskins last year, I still knew he had what it took to be a championship quarterback in the NFL.

I know players want to win and the QB for the most part is what drives that outcome. While the SB win was the most satisfying part of last season, the hug Michael Strahan gave Eli after the GB game was the most special moment. It was a hug from one warrior to another. Eli doesn't look like the traditional warrior, but anyone who can QB a victory over Brett Favre and the Packers in that stadium during those conditions transcends what a warrior is expected to look like and act like. That hug spoke volumes as to what was going through Michael's mind and all Giants fan's minds.

Similiar to the US Hockey team needing to beat Sweden for the Gold Medal after upsetting the USSR, I felt that the SB would be a piece of cake for a QB and team that withstood the most spirit-breaking conditions in Green Bay.

When Eli's pass nestled into the arms of Plaxico Burress, I knew I had just witnessed the most special season in NFL history; not because the Giants weren't expected to win a SB, but because it demonstrated that if you worked hard, overcome uncomfortable conditions and believe in yourselves, you can do anything.

I have a picture of that hug on my wall at home and at work. That hug demonstrates to me each day that anything is possible.

My kids were brought up watching the Giants each Sunday, and now my grandchildren are being raised as Giants fans. It has evolved into weekly assemblages at someone's house involving brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and grandchildren. My sister had a Giants game room built in her basement with a large screen TV just for the games. I haven't missed a game, pre-season, regular season or post season since 1962. I once agreed to go out with friends on a Saturday night provided I could listen to the pre-season game on my transistor radio (it wasn't televised).

With that as background, I received a call asking me to do a weekend meeting of a large group of physicians in Dallas (I live in Connecticut) on Super Bowl weekend. I wasn't fond of the prospect of missing the Super Bowl, but it was needed money and this was the week following the second game of the season. The Giants were 0-2 and looking terrible while doing it. The defense had given up 80 points in the 2 games, which was probably a record of some sort. I figured, what the heck, the Giants weren't going to the Super Bowl, why not take the job?

As the season progressed and the Giants started winning, I began to suspect that I had made a disastrous choice. Then came the Minnesota game. And though that was tough for a Giants fan, the other side of the coin was that at least I wouldn't be kicking myself for arranging to miss the Super Bowl. That ambivalence was short lived as the team embarked on one of the most remarkable playoff runs I could imagine.

I began to scramble to see if they could find a substitute for the Dallas meeting, but no luck. I was stuck and the unthinkable was going to happen. The guy who never missed so much as a pre-season game was about to miss the Giants in the Super Bowl! There was no way out.

My only option was to record the game on my new DVR. I had gotten the DVR only a few weeks earlier. It was a wonderful invention that I was still learning to use, and I was about to put it to the test in a critical way. Traveling home Super Bowl Sunday evening, I was careful to avoid anything that might reveal information about the game, airport TV's etc. When I arrived in Hartford and went to the valet parking to pick up my car, as I was standing in line, the television suspended from the ceiling was showing a discussion of the game! The other people in line must have thought I was strange as I began humming loudly while diverting my eyes and turning to scan every other part of the lobby.

Of course I made the 30 minute drive home with the radio off and walked in the door at about 11:45pm. My wife and daughter were still up and waiting for me. As promised, they had not watched the game so that we could all see it together as if it were just happening. Often over the weekend, the thought had crept into my mind that perhaps I didn't set up the DVR correctly, or that it would somehow malfunction ...now the tension grew as I attempted to get it to play.

It worked! We watched into the wee hours of Monday morning as the Giants pulled out arguably the most exciting Super Bowl victory ever by any team. We went crazy, jumping up and down screaming at the Eli to Tyree magic and finally the touchdown! We sat tensely through the Pats final possession , and after it was over, my wife and daughter went upstairs to bed. I stayed up watching all the post game stuff savoring the celebration, the interviews and comments until the DVR recording ran out. Wonderful invention.

Been a Giants fan since the Polo Grounds, Steve Owen and the A formation. Vivid memories of listening on the radio to the greatest game ever played (until now), and the Bears blowout. In frustration, wrote a letter of fanship resignation to Mr Mara toward the end of the "dark period", but never really quit.

Avidly followed Big Blue throughout the years by any means possible while moving around the world during my career. Even cancelled a flight home from a cruise (game was on during flight)and took a room in a Miami fleabag so I could watch the Bills SB game. Wife is a good sport.

Blessed with two sons. One is a Redskin fan and although I love him unconditionally, may there be mercy for his soul. The second son is as avid a Giants fan as his dad, however he has the most annoying habit of being a pessimist and blaming me when things go wrong. Eli is "your quarterback" if he throws a pick, he's "my quarterback" to him if it's a TD. No matter, as with many other fans, the Giants are a major bonding agent for our very strong relationship, spread across the many miles and years.

For this SB, I traveled to his home in Dallas to view it together. My equally good sport daughter-in-law, knowing our passion for the team, need for total concentration and penchant for occasional indelicate language, scheduled other activities for my two beautiful grand-daughters. In fear for her TV and remote, she purchased and placed a bucket of nurf-balls at each chair and decorated the room with Giant gear.

It was such a great performance by the Giants, there was only one nerf utilized. I launched it at my son's head when he started to go negative late in the game. He righted himself, and we went on to savor an incredulous and joyful celebration that lasted well into the night.

I have many things to be thankful for and one of them is the great comfort in knowing that for the rest of his life, my son will remember fondly the experiences he shared with his dad as a Giant's fan and in watching this SB in particular. Hopefully we will experience more SB's together, but this one will be hard to top.

late arriving so we put the game on pause (really just the pregame) but alas we were about 5 minutes behind the live game. We were watching in my living room which is larger then my bedroom but I had left the game on in my room. The game went to commercial (in the living room where I was watching it... again 5 minutes or so behind) I got up to use the bathroom quickly and passed by my room. The Giants were driving so my curiosity got the best of me and I went into my room just as Eli hit Tyree in the endzone. This left me with quite the quandary. Do I walk out and go wild celebrating this HUGE touchdown but ruin the moment for my friends? Well I decided that wasn't very nice so I walked out "normally" or so I thought. One by one 3 of my friends said "whats with that look on your face" and I denied anything initially only to explode "woooooooooooo Giants touchdown David Tyree!!!!!!!!!!!" and everyone went nuts lol.

Back in 1981, we went to visit my Aunt and Uncle in Pennsylvania. While we were there, I saw
my cousin's boyfriend yelling at the TV, cursing and wringing his hands. Of course he was
watching the Giants. He kept yelling at Phil Simms, which I heard as "Bill" at first, but once
I started asking questions, he set me straight on the name. He said that Simms was the Giant's
future but that day he wasn't acting like it. Since I was only 5 at the time I didn't understand
was the hell was going on, but I knew that I was interested in something that made someone that
crazy just from watching it. Once I started showing some interest in the Giants I was taken into
the fold by my father and uncles and cousins who also bled Giants Blue. I was hooked shortly after.
I met and married a girl who was already a lifelong Giants fan, as is her father. My obsession with
the team is a bit of a concern to my family at times. Even though they all share the passion, I
take it to another level. That brings me to the adversity.

During the Superbowl run, I was stationed in Tennessee for Air Force Officer's Training.
I was able to see the Tampa Bay game before I left, but that was the last one. The officer's training
program is much like basic training, which I'd already been through 15 years earlier. This
includes massive restrictions like no TV, no phone calls etc. I knew the Giants were winning because
there were TV's positioned in the Chow Hall, even though we weren't allowed to look at them.
My wife sent me pages and pages of BBI threads that she printed off right after the Dallas and
Green Bay games, along with all play by play printouts from NFL.com (see why I married her?).
We were all confident that we would be able to watch the Superbowl because we were already
3 weeks into the training and restrictions were being lifted. Around Thursday of Superbowl week,
the rumblings started going around that they were going to take the Superbowl away from us.
I was incredulous. They can't take away my Giants Superbowl!! Well on Friday afternoon, we
were informed that because we were just the worst class of Officer Candidates ever to go
through the program, they were taking away the Superbowl. I was devastated to say the least.

So the big day comes and I am a wreck. I go to church in the morning and pray to just give
the Giants a chance and not embarrass themselves. I knew they would put up a good fight but
it never hurts to pray anyway. I can't even call my wife to commiserate about my terrible predicament.
The game starts and I am huddled in my room with a lousy, cheap alarm clock.
Miraculously, I am able to get the WFAN feed all the way in Tennessee. There is probably a
simple explanation for it, but I don't want to know about it. To me it's divine intervention.
I listen to every second of the game trying to imagine what every play looks like. I guess I'm
spoiled by TV, but it was killing me to not see the game. It gets to half time and I have to go
out for a 3-mile run. I have too much nervous energy and knowing the half time show is endless, this
works out perfectly. I return for the second half and the boys are hanging tough. When the fourth
quarter comes, the radio, whose reception was perfect all day, starts fading in and out. It gets
to the point where I am adjusting the tuning dial after every play. My roommate starts getting
impatient with me because we need to clean our room for morning inspection. I say "they can kick
me out of this program for having a dirty room, I am not missing this game". I live and die with
every play in the fourth quarter. When the Tyree play happened, I started running around the room
like a maniac, but I had to get back to the radio and tune it back in. Finally the Burress touchdown
and then the final seconds ticking off and it was over.

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I go into the bathroom and turn on the shower. I cried for about
5 minutes. The last two times I've cried in the past 15 years was when my kids were born. I cried
because the Giants beat all odds and finally erased all the bad memories since 1991. I cried because
I thought about my wife watching the game at my house with her dad, my father and uncles and cousins
watching it together, my friends all at their own parties, all going absolutely insane with joy. I thought
about what a crappy time I was having at my training and all that I needed to over come to get through.
Here were the Giants on the road all playoffs kicking people's teeth in and fulfilling their
destiny. The next day, I was getting screamed at because of something I did wrong, and that's
all I kept thinking was "scream all you want dude, the feeling I have right now can't be taken away".
The Giants won and that's all that mattered. For the rest of my training I had a new resolve.
Doubt was replaced by confidence and all the misery was gone. When I finally got home and was able to see all
the games with my own eyes, it just blew me away. The fury of the defense and the absolute mastery
of the offense by Eli. It was truly a sight to behold.

When I see the videos on YouTube of fans celebrating at the stadium and in their living rooms, I get
choked up like everyone else on BBI. For me it's not because I'm reminded of that same personal experience.
I get choked up because I missed out on that with my family. I live through those people's shaky videos
of them jumping up and down like a bunch of idiots, hugging and throwing each other around the room.
I also have all the stories I've read from other Giants fans on BBI and the ones I got from the Giants fans
in my family that passed down the tradition to me. That win was for all of us, and the best thing is,
the Giants recognize that better than any other team. That's why I'll pass the tradition down to my kids too.

Any relation to Eric who covers the LA Lakers?

Game 3 against Washington: I was ready to give up on the season by halftime. After 2 losses, and this game looking to be a third loss, I thought the pundits must be right. Am I glad they turned it around in the second half, and was excited to see that great goal line stop at the end of the game.

About halfway through the season, I had the feeling that the Giants would be a playoff team. I told coworkers (a Saints fan and a Falcons fan) this, and they thought I was crazy.

Championship Game: I probably wasn't the only one who thought that the Giants had blown the game after the second missed field goal. I had flashbacks to the Seattle game a year ago, when Feeley missed 3 times.

Superbowl: I used to where my Tiki jersey in the playoffs, but they never did very good. This year, I changed it up a little; I wore a Giants t shirt underneath a sweater. Once the Giants won, I took off the sweater, showing the t shirt off.

I had my sister (a Giants fan), and her husband (an Eagles fan), over at my house for the Superbowl. The Eagles fan was quiet for most of the game.

When Brady took the lead, I looked at the clock and saw the time left (just over 2 and a half minutes). I said, " There's still time left for the Giants to score. They left too much time." This was based on watching Eli pull some comeback victories and two minute drills.

After Plax scored what was to be the winning touchdown, I took off the sweater, and jumped around the room. My Eagles fan brother in law says, "The game isn't over yet.", which immediately tempered my enthusiasm. After all, Tom Brady and Moss are hall of fame players. I got nervous at this point, and hoped they could hold on.

After it was over, I called my Dad, who is in New York. I can tell it was exciting over there as it was here. It felt great to hear my 4 year old daughter say, "Giants rule!", and know that it's true this year. The Giants do rule!

I may retract my offer, since it involves name and phone number. I ned to think about it another day or so.

If there's a better story out there, I certainly haven't seen it:

In Superbowl XI, 1986, Phil Simms, Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson, Mark Bavaro and other Giant greats led our team out of the darkness of twenty five years of “lousy football” to its first Super Bowl win. At the end of the game I saw in the stands across the Pasadena field a young man holding up a sign that said, “Dad, this one’s for you.”

Those five words sum up what it means to be in the Giants family. A Giants fan is part of a long and hallowed tradition handed down from grandfather to father, to son, to grandchildren. It’s the love and loyalty for a team that’s passed down the generations like a precious heirloom. It’s the kind of spiritual connection created when a sports franchise has its roots deep in the soul and guts of its city. The franchise is part of its psyche, as gritty as its streets, as beautiful as its skyline. Giants fans don’t just announce the birth of a son or daughter, they call it the arrival of a new Giants fan. Dad, this one’s for you.

I suppose the same continuum exists among fans of the original franchises — the Packers, Steelers, Browns, Lions, Bills and Redskins, to name a few. But as economic changes and population shifts damaged some of those cities, I would imagine that critical family links in nurturing their team legacies might have been interrupted and short circuited as well. I don’t know! I just know that New York is still there and our link is as strong as ever. The Mara family has seen to that.

Giants fans carry the genes of those original fans. It’s a characteristic of storied franchises such as ours. The youngest of us seem to feel the aches and disappointments experienced by our fathers and grandfathers even though they may not even have been alive for Alan Ameche, Joe Pisarcik, Flipper Anderson or the coach-who-shall-never-be-named. These moments are the archtypes of our legacy, part of our collective unconscious. It’s why moving such a franchise is so destructive. Not only does it take away a beloved team, it rips out a chunk of the city’s spirit. It mutates the DNA of the the city and its people. Its wound never heals. The pain of the Brooklyn Dodgers stands as testimony to this.

The Colts of Baltimore were such a tradition, a team as hopelessly beloved by its fans as the Giants are of ours. But their owner left in the middle of the night, like rats scurrying to the next feed bin, and the team was gone upon first light of day. Giants fans will be forever grateful that the family Mara, and now Tisch, never thought to inflict this mortal wound upon their team’s fans and city. Thanks in no small part to their decency and sense of loyalty, the Giants tradition will continue uninterrupted.

A part of that tradition was a man we knew as Bob In Annapolis.

Bob In Annapolis
Since 1995, I’ve been a member of a fantastic, privately run Giants website called BigBlueInteractive. Started and maintained through the years by Eric K., BBI has been the source of great friendship and camaraderie among Giant fans throughout the world, a place to connect and stay up to date with our team. I joined with the handle, Montreal Man, which I’ve kept even though I moved back to the States and now live in Durham. Thanks to BBI, I’ve met many Giants fans.

BBI was especially comforting when I found myself that year in Montreal, where I worked until 2003. While there, I saw that the Giants had moved their training camp to Albany, a mere three hour drive from Montreal. With my six year old son, Mario, in tow, I went to camp and met Eric and a number of other posters whom I only knew through their handles — David B., Old Timer, Lunatic Fringe, Bama Bish, Mike in Raleigh, Ben in the Adirondacks, D in Lakeville, Oliver, Slefrak, CathyL, and BBI camp reporter, Marty In Albany. That first year also brought Alaistair in England, Tony in Ninerland and regular, WalterB, from Paris. Yes, they came from that far.

We started a tradition of gathering the second week of each camp and each year more “regulars” joined the group — Larry In Pennsylvania, Atar, CCV & RockyThompson, Gary From the East End and many others. We have grown to twenty to forty (and more) compatriots who congregate to watch our team practice, see the draft picks, worry about injuries, argue about the players, the offense, the defense, the management, the coaches, everything Giants. We joke, kibbitz , eat dinner and drink beer.

Between camps many of us meet at home games to tailgate, watch our Giants and meet new fans like tailgate cooking veterans Mike M and his brother as well as the brothers, fathers, uncles, sisters and girlfriends of everyone mentioned in this piece. There’s that generational tradition again.

Among the original “regulars” and also a tailgater was Bob In Annapolis. As a Giants fan, Bob goes way back, part of that Giants’ tradition that lives on and on. He and his wife Linda were often gracious enough to let me crash at their home when I drove to a game from Durham to the Meadowlands and back. Bob and I sometimes drove to games together form Annapolis. More often we just met at the Meadowlands tailgate.

When we talk about Bob, we say lovable, friendly, witty, easygoing and so many other positive things. But they’re just words. The feelings are what counted and when Bob was with us it felt good. We were happy that he was there. I can’t think of a better thing to say about a person. We were always glad to see him with us.

But this year, in mid-season, Bob died. All of us who knew him were heartbroken and mourned his passing. Ironically, our sadness increased with the joy we felt as the Giants got closer to the Super Bowl. Each win was bittersweet and seemed to compound our sense of loss. Our team’s success was as much poignant as it was jubilant and after each seemingly improbable victory we all thought if only Bob could see this.

Those of us who are romantics believed that Bob was watching and guiding the team from above. True or not, the thought eased somewhat the pain of his absence. With each playoff win, wins that defied all odds, the media, even ourselves, we who knew Bob wanted him to be there watching from on high.

A few BBI’ers did something about it, though. They wanted to be sure Bob made it to the big game and brought some of his ashes to Arizona and sprinkled them on the field at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

You saw the game. It was in the fourth quarter that our defensive heroics took control and Eli engineered two drives for touchdowns, the second drive featuring the extraordinary, miraculous Eli-to-Tyree play that kept the chains moving. As someone who is romantically inclined, is there any doubt as to what unseen force was operating when the quarter began? Not for me. It was Bob.

When the estimable Paulie Walnuts, (the handle of a West Coast BBI’er) learned about the ashes he wrote:

“It made sense now. That fourth quarter was a throwback quarter, one worthy of the Conerly/Huff/Tittle Giants of Bob’s youth and the Simms/LT/Banks/Carson Giants of his later years.

The sprirt of ‘56 and ‘86 seemed to suddenly grip that team. The defense played with a zeal and power we’ve attributed to our teams from another era, as did the offense. On both sides of the ball the Giants played throwback football in that 4th quarter, football we thought was gone for good, but we believe it was Bob in Annapolis, representing all those old time fans who are gone but not forgotten, that made it happen.”

Indeed, Paulie. A throwback quarter, a team reaching back into its history to resurrect a slice of how they played the game, just as we fans reached back into our own history to bring back long gone fathers, dads, sons, wives, uncles, brothers and sisters into the present to join them in savoring the sweetness of victory. This one’s for all of you.

Berrylish2, the handle of the young lady who spread the ashes, with help from HopeJ and other stalwart BBI’ers and Giants fans, Ed in FWB and Dean P, puts it like this:

During the game my mind was on it at all times. When? When?
Before? Halftime? When? When? Also How?
At the end of the third quarter, I knew it was time. I left my seat
and arranged it just so it could be done and inconspicuously. Uncannily
enough, my seat at the stadium was VERY similar, to Bob’s seats at
Giants stadium. Same corner, same tier, same yard line, same view.
Except this time, it was in AZ, it was the Superbowl, and I, no,
WE, were surrounded by families of the team.
I told him… “Help them out Bob, you and Wellington and Mr.
Tisch and all the other Giants fans with you, help them out”
Every now and then I looked at the dwindling remains and said,
“come on Bob…let’s go”. Then it came to every offensive play on that
last drive….”Let’s get it in the end zone, let’s do it.”
We all know the rest. And it didn’t go unnoticed. John Mara, in a post game interview, said he thought he saw someone spreading ashes on the field. Yep, you saw it, John. The people who loved Bob, the fans of that long tradition of Giants supporters, were the ones who did it. The ashes were a sign of life, not death.


As a post script to this story,after the game, I went to a supermarket. A woman there saw me in my Giants gear and gave me a joyous hug. She asked how long I had been a fan. “Since 1958,” I replied. She asked if I remembered Troy Archer. Indeed I did. He was an excellent defensive end whose life and career was cut short in an auto accident after only three years with the team. He was a fan favorite and many of us thought he would become a fixture in the Giants D-line.

She then took out a few pictures of her and Troy as young adults and had dated him. She told me she held those pictures through the whole game. If there was a moment for tears, that was it, and they came.

On the BigBlueInteractive website after the game so many posters talked about “tears.” They were unabashedly crying about the win. For young fans and old, weeping was a release for all the bad years, bad games, bad drafts, bad picks, bad coaches, bad officiating, bad bounces and bad luck we’ve experienced over the years, a release from those decades-old hurts and a joyful pride in the accomplishment of the team we love. Plaxico cried, too.

So, besides the legitimately historic win that this was, setting aside the remarkable achievement this Giants team accomplished, this SuperBowl holds a special place in our hearts. And as we remember Super Bowl XLII and Bob, we must take a moment to remember Giant fans in Iraq, Ronnie and JOrthman and others serving our country, Bob’s wife Linda, his colleague and friend, Big Blue ‘56, HopeJ, Eric, BigBlue26, Jlukes, Brian, Chopper, Berrylish, Bill2, Schnitzie, RNargi, Ed in FWB, Raze, Gary From the East End, Joey in VA,TTB, very close friend, Steve in Maryland, Larry in Pennsylvania, T-Bone, Manh George, Ray in Arlington, Old Timer, Lunatic, Carpoon, Anak, JohnG, Britt in Va, DC Pollaro, Gidefor, Sal in Yonkers, Beez, young Ryan, and so many others I’ve left out — join me in saying, “Bob, this one’s for you.”

Postscript: Incidentally, Bob was born in 1942.


Adding to this, early this spring BBI lost another great man and stalwart of the Training Camp contingent, ATar...a kind man, a good man, a great husband and father, and a true Giants fan.

Both are missed immeasurably

for reposting MM's writings on it. I would like to take one moment to correct something. I was offered help by a family member of one of the defensive players, to get down on the field with Bob after the game.


I looked around and declined with a most appreciative 'thank you, but this will do just fine'.

I also thought at the same time, that it couldn't wait until the end of the game.

Strange thing... I looked around the stadium during the end of the third quarter with the binoculars that Hope lent me, and in one luxury box, I saw a group of nuns praying, some holding a rosary, some not, some genuflecting (sp). etc.

I kept looking around and I thought.... a moment of prayer..... Help from above? Help from all the Giants fans , you know, up there?

Call it a semi-religious experience, a romantic experience, call it whatever you like. To me, time was of the essence. I had to act fast. There was no question in my mind.

I had realized that my seat at that Superbowl was, as I stated, uncannily similar to Bob's seats at the stadium.

The location of the seat, and some strange dire need, but not for myself, came over me and thats when I let the breeze at the top of that stadium carry Bob through the 4th quarter.

That's when I felt the need to silently cheer with Bob and others. That's when the Giants needed ALL of their fans. It simply couldn't wait. The breeze would get Bob on the field eventually, but it simply could not wait. He had to be there to see it unfold, not just to celebrate.

I am a season ticket holder for 44 years. I have been attending games with my Dad since 1965. I'm 48 years old and now take my 3 boys to the games. We sit in section 111 and have seen so many great games and so many bad games.

Last year we started off 0-2 and many fans were throwing in the towel. I'm a fan that sticks by my guys no matter what. Every week I call in to the post game show and try to put a positive spin on things.

Last year the fans were killing Lawrence Tynes. Many fans and media people had him cut from the team after the London game.

I always believed that Tynes was a very good kicker. I knew he was going through difficult times with the birth of his new twins during training camp.

We were playing Dallas at home in November when Lawrence lined up right before the half and he made a 48 yard field goal. I was so glad he banged it threw, because the fans would have killed him for the rest of the year.

We lost the game anyway, but that night I went home and knew that we still had the team to make some noise in the playoffs. I wrote Lawrence Tynes a letter on how I felt about him.

I told him that I was so glad he made that kick and that sometimes Giants fans can be tough on players. I told him to keep banging away because I knew he was going to make a big kick this year in the playoffs and get us to the next level.
I told him that his teammates, his coaches and "Danny Section 111" believe in him. I told him he will be our kicker for many years to come.
That letter was sent to him in November.

Well, I was at home watching the Green bay game with my Boys when Tynes lined up for the game winner and the snap was bad and he missed the kick, I looked at my 3 sons and said, don't worry, he will get another chance.

Well, after Webster’s interception, I knew Lawrence chance would come. He went out there and kicked a frozen ball 47 yards and history was made.

One week before the Super bowl I received a letter in my mail box with a return address from L. Tynes, Giants Stadium.

It was a letter from Lawrence Tynes thanking me for my letter I wrote him, he sent me back my original letter and circled the part where I said "You will make a big kick in the playoffs" and wrote "You were right"

He wrote me a hand written letter saying that he kept my letter in his locker and he promised me he will bring us back the Lombardi Trophy.

I have that letter framed on my wall with the rest of my many Giants memories.

I also went to the Dallas playoff game with "SAL from YONKERS" We witnessed the best game ever that day. That was my first away game ever, I have been to over 300 home games in my life but that Dallas game was the best experience I ever had at a Giants game.

We had seats in section 113 with "Big Blue Travel” We sat right under the Maras’s press box. Right after the game, The Maras opened the window and let us celebrate the victory with them. We shared many hugs with Mrs. Maras and her daughters, Kathy and Susan and the rest of the Family.

We have pictures of that celebration, and they are also on my wall in my sports room. "SAL from YONKERS" also sits with me in section 111. We witnessed the best season in Giants history. I thought the Championship game in 1986 was the best. The best part of all this is that I believe 2008 will be better.

Danny Section 111 (season ticket holder 44 years)

uncle Dave. This was in the days of YAT, when the Gmen were the offensive innovators, the greatest show on turf, the Brady show of their time. Although I enjoyed the defensive championships of the 80's offense has been my passion almost from the cradle.

Than came the miracle catch, no not Tyree but Eli in 04. A franchise quarterback of the decade type combined with a coach who likes to outscore the opposition. Bad Lewis defenses meant big scores were required, yes Eli was up to the task with miracle comebacks against Dallas, Denver, Philly etc. One question remained would the rest of the league stand a chance with a competitive defense? The answer became too obvious in 07. Wait til next year.

The Giants 2007 Playoff Run

I have been a Giant Fan for 47 years. I first started rooting with my Dad in the late 60’s, so I had MANY lean years in the beginning. I remember ticket burning, the unknown fan, the fumble, etc. When the G – Men became a force in the mid 80’s it was worth all the pain and suffering that I lived through in my youth. Since the early days I was the king of superstition, I would not let anyone move or eat something when things were going good. I still believe the Giants won the 86’ Superbowl because I wouldn’t let Aunt Dinah go to the bathroom. The 90’ Superbowl win was because my brother-in-law Rob and I stood in the same corner two weeks in a row as Giants needed to make a field goal and the Bills needed to miss one.

The craziness continued during the 07’ playoff run. I wasn’t stressed out about the Tampa Bay game, so decided to have a nice leisurely meal. It started with shrimp from Costco during the first half and barbeque chicken and white rice for the dinner. The Chicken and Rice happens to be my younger son Jake’s favorite meal. My drink of choice was Glenlivet 12 year old scotch on the rocks. So there we were, Lisa, my wife, Jake and I watching the Tampa game. The three of us, our dog Casper, Max our Cat and my Touchdown towel I had from the old days of WNEW – AM 1130. In addition, I talked to my older son Josh on the phone periodically during the game. Well the next Sunday comes and we start the same “tradition” with the Dallas game. What do you know, it worked again. I added one more wrinkle to the mix for the NFC Championship Game versus the Packers, I started to wear the same outfit. After Tynes missed the field goal, we all reverted back going to the corner to make sure the field goals were going our way. Another wining combination, the next weekend during the bye week, we had the same meal with just the three of us.

Building up to Superbowl was tough. Living in the DC area all our friends and acquaintances wanted to know what I was doing for Super Sunday. I was asked - “are you having a party to celebrate the G – Men Superbowl appearance”, we were invited to parties to be the token Giant Fan. I made the mistake once before, in the 2000 Superbowl versus the Ravens. We invited people over, we had some fair weather Ravens fans blow the karma. I felt responsible for the Giants Loss. I was not going to make the same mistake twice. So there we were, Lisa, Jake, the pets and I with Costco shrimp, barbeque chicken, white rice, the touchdown towel, scotch and communication silence (except with Josh). The winning Combination worked for one more week and won a championship for The New York Football Giants

Friends on BBI:
We are thrilled with the posts you have offered, both here and through your emails to me. Over the next few days we will be going through them as we decide which ones to use. By Thursday, July 17, we will have finished that process.

The ones that are used will probably appear in shorter form than you sent them, in part to get your best stuff in the book and in part to make room for many stories. But you should know that your stories have made us laugh a lot, probably cry a little and remind us what being a sports fan is all about.

So you all know: we will not publish phone numbers in the book. That is merely for us to have your story verified by our editors. The stories we do use will have your name and hometown--for several reasons. First, we want the other readers of the book to know whose memories they're reading; second, we'll use hometowns because it's a remarkably diverse group of fans who have responded and the hometowns help show that.

We will be in touch with those whose stories we use and we will be back regularly on BBI to keep you all updated on publication dates, etc.

Thanks again.
Arthur Pincus

Wasn't sure if you were done yet or not but figured I would share

-The Miracle-

I have been a Giants fan since 17 March 1982. That is the day my father passed at the age of 36. I was 10 years old and a cowboys fan to spite my father.

I have been True Blue since that day. I am in the process of passing on that love to my three children. I even painted my son’s room(he is 2) all Giants colors and put up a fathead helmet.

I am in the military and was not deployed in 2007. A rarity. Even though I am from Albany this was also the first year I got to take time to go to camp. I even got a picture of my son in Giants gear signed by over 40 players. It hangs proudly in his room.

After the Giants beat the Bucs I turned to the Wife and told her if the Giants are going to the Superbowl then so am I. I put in my leave paperwork the next day and started looking for travel and tickets.

By the Sunday before the game I had exhausted all my resources and decided I would just drive out to Arizona from Virginia and sleep in the car and get a ticket at the game. That night around 6pm My Mother calls and tells me the Center for Disabled is having a drawing for an all expense paid trip to the game for all those that donate $100 dollars. I did and I WON!!! I couldn't believe it.

So I am at the game with just under 3 minutes to go. I turn to my Brother-in-law a say "I don't know whether to cry or puke" His response "don't puke on me" Well after Plax caught the TD I started to well up. After Alford Crushed Brady I let it all out(tears, no solids). I will never forget the look of Brady's body bouncing of the ground. I looked up and said a thanks to my Dad and felt pure joy.

Let me start by saying that the Giants are in my DNA. I was born a Giants fan. I was raised a Giants fan. One of my first memories of the Giants was the Fumble. My Dad taught me that no matter how bad the Giants played….they are “OUR TEAM”. Live and Die with the Giants!!!! Those of you that sit in Section 323 you know what I mean. Just FIRE IT UP!!!!!

I’ll start with the making of a Giants fan:

Wild Card Game in Tampa:

I had just bought a new house and decided to invite some of the guys I go to the games with by to watch the game. My daughter (4 years old) was very excited to have people coming by to watch the game. “Uncle Rob” and “Uncle Ray” came by and Emma had a ball jumping up and down and screaming every time the Gmen did something good.

The whole next week she kept asking me if Uncle Rob and Uncle Ray are coming back next week. I told her absolutely! We are very superstitious people. We all have to sit in the same spots and do the same things….


Game in Dallas:

Uncle Rob, Ray, Dad and Emma in their respective spots and everything turn out well.

Emma is now hooked. I did my job!!!!!!


Game in GB:

The crew was in place and Emma had a ball.

Super Bowl:

She watched the first half and then fell asleep…….. HEY If TYOU WERE 4 YOU WOULD HAVE TOO……

How do I know she is hooked? About once a month she asks me if we could watch the Giants game again!


Now to the passing of:

My dad had been fighting the big C for some two years. And towards December it was looking bleak. The doctors gave him days.
Now a little background:

My Dad was born and raised a Giant fan by his Dad. He grew up during the hard times of the late 60’s and 70’s. Because of this he became the typical negative Giant fan. He was always looking for the bad in things.

I believe in being positive so as time passed I could no longer watch the game with my Dad because he was always looking for the next shoe to drop. But we both knew each other loved the Gmen and would always talk about the game the next day.

Now the playoffs:

Tampa game:

Nice effort but there is no way we lose this game!



Dallas game:

Now this is the game!!!!

My Dad always taught me this as far as the NFC East goes:

Washington Class Organization ( pre Snyder) DISLIKE

Phili: HATE: Low life’s….Don’t take seriously

Dallas: Despise!!!!!!! They stole Landry!!!!!!!


The win at Dallas was the most gratifying win of my life. I had never seen my Dad happier then that night. I sat and cried that night. My wife asked me why I was crying and I told her my Dad is going to die this week…..but now he is going to die happy.


The next day I got the dreaded call. Come by the hospital… Dad is dying.


I went to the emergency room and found my Dad’s room. I went in and the first words out of his mouth was HOW BOUT THEM GMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He had a smile from ear to ear!!!!!!!


I approached him and he said, “ I now have to live another week. I have to see the game in Green Bay.”
I told him…. Dad, you have to live another three weeks. We are going to win the Super Bowl.”

He nodded at me in agreement.

The next day the doctors sent him home to die. They told us that he wouldn’t last a day or two.

Well Dad’s attitude was that as long as the Giants are alive I will be too.

He fought on to watch both the NFC Championship game and the Super bowl.


I took that Tuesday off to go to the parade with some friends. But before I left I got that dreaded call again…. I went by Dads house and he was in bad shape. We watched the parade together on TV.

He died that Thursday after the Super Bowl. He died a very HAPPY MAN!!!!!


Wherever Dad is now he is wearing his Super Bowl Championship hat proudly!!!!


I would like to thank all of the Giants players and everyone in the organization providing joy to my Dad in his last days.



Thanks


FIRE IT UP

SEC 323

I was born a Giant fan, thanks to a Dad who had the foresight in 1946 to get season tickets to see the NY Fooball Giants at the Polo Grounds. My mother relates the prenuptual agreement she entered into just before their marriage in 1954..."even if we cannot put food on the table, we are not getting rid of the Giant Tickets." She kept her word and they were married 40 years - with me and my brother now attending the games the way my parents once did.

Superstitions in relation to the outcome of Giant games were always a part of my game experience. I forgot to tape the game, wore the wrong watch, sat in the wrong seat at home, switched seats at the game etc -- something I did caused a Giant loss. Usually this was met with the reaction from my brother that NOTHING I did caused the Giants to lose. NOTHING.

So here starts the playoff run of the 2007 season. We were invited to a friends house to watch the Tampa Bay game on their HD TV. Seemed OK - they were big Giant fans, we had watched a road game there during the season and the Giants won. We watched the game - cheered on the Gmen - and we won!

Immediately after the game I realized -- we have to watch the Dallas game here next week or I will think it is our fault if we lose.Suprisingly, the non superstitious brother was now in agreement! So -- we invited ourselves back to their house for the Dallas game. Same people, same seat location in the living room.

Giants win and beat Dallas! Guess what -- we have to come back next week! One of the hosts had to work that day -- no problem, we'll bring all the food and stay with the rest of the family. (Luckily she managed to get the day off, or it would have been her fault if the Giants lost to Green Bay)

Green Bay -- same people, same seats. Chaos when the Giants win -- and then a collective thought.... SUPER BOWL -- same place!!!

We alienated a more than a few friends who heard about our Super Bowl party and wanted to come. Sorry. Absolutely not. They couldn't believe it and were more than a little ticked off. This party was only for those who attended the previous three playoff games. A serious, football watching, Giants Super Bowl experience. Same people, same seats, same food. We had to add a bucket in front of my brother who thought he was going to get sick when the Patriots got the ball back with 35 seconds left. (he came close) But other than that, one of the best experiences of my life.

8:00 am- The day started out promising enough. My dad, brothers and neighbors rented a party bus, boarded it, and headed down to East Rutherford from Albany, New York, eagerly anticipating the great game that we figured lied ahead. The playoff contending New York Giants were taking on the seemingly down and out Minnesota Vikings. Seemed like a great opportunity to pick up a win. The Vikes were missing their stud rookie Adrian Peterson. This seemed to be shaping up to be a great day for Giants fans. Three of our friends traveling with us were vikings fans. We had no qualms about giving them a hard time, telling them they had a long day ahead of them. Little did we know the cruel karma that was coming our way.

As we would find out, our confidence level was far too high. Working against us that day was the Giants propensity for playing down to the level of their competition. This is a trait that has plagued this team for as long as I've been watching. Another thing working against us was a frustrating streak for may family. We haven't seen a Giants win at a game we've been to since 2001 (The first home game after 9/11 against the Saints). Nevertheless, we were confident.

5:00 pm- What had just happened? What happened to our team? Our Quarterback? Was that really the Minnesota Vikings we had just played? As I sat on the suddenly quiet and downtrodden bus, I pondered these questions. I don't expect a ton from my Giants teams. I'm a young guy, I've only been following the team since the mid 90s. But I've certainly seen my fair share of heartbreaking losses, enough to last a lifetime, all packed into a 15 year stretch. Because of this, I don't usually aspire for the Super Bowl. I'm usually just hopeful the team will make the playoffs and then we'll take it from there. I figure there's enough that could go wrong with this team that may just end up breaking my heart if I'm so hopeful. Besides, the few times I've entered the year with thoughts of a super bowl title (2001, 2003, 2006) the season has just ended in disappointment. So like I said, I was just hopeful that this team would make the playoffs, which would be excellent considering the expectations for this team heading into the season. But now I was beginning to wonder if this was even a playoff team. I was legitimately concerned about where this team was going. The majority of my concerns originated from one spot: The Quarterback position.

I've always believed in Eli Manning. Even through two and a half inconsistent seasons filled with just as many bad games as good, I've always remained hopeful that Eli would fulfill the promise that he had when he came into this league. After that game against the Vikings, for the first time, I began to wonder if Eli would be able to get it done in this league and lead this franchise to the places he was drafted to take them. I'm not going to go through his performance in that game, we all know what happened. But this performance proposed some very serious questions as to whether Eli was the man for this job, whether he could fulfill the lofty expectations set for him when Ernie Accorsi gave up multiple draft picks to get him. I was genuinely concerned for my team, for this year and the foreseeable future. I was just hopeful we could make the playoffs, I wasn't even thinking about the Super Bowl.

February 3, 2008 11:30 pm- As I sat on my couch, watching highlight after highlight of the Giants improbable Super Bowl Victory, I thought back to that Vikings game. How did we get from that horrible game to this? This was all I could think about. How did we go from a 41-17 drubbing at the hands of the Vikings that left us wondering if Eli Manning could get it done to an incredible playoff run in which Eli's performance rivaled those of Joe Montana in his day. It was truly remarkable the progress that this team and it's quarterback had made in a little over two months. We went from the mistake prone passer who made us cringe every time he threw a pass off his back foot into coverage to a calm and collected leader that inspired confidence in all of us as he lead his team on to the field for one final drive. It's unfathomable the progress that this entire team made as they improved and came together as a team, taking to the road and beating foe after foe in their own place. I just couldn't grasp that this team, that had just accomplished an incredible task in winning the Super Bowl and defeating the previously undefeated Patriots, was the same team that I had watched play a truly horrible game in November that left all of us wondering where this season was going.

I left Giants Stadium on November 25 wondering if Eli Manning could lead this team to the promised land and if this Giants team was even playoff material. I went to bed February 3 having no doubt that Eli Manning was the Quarterback for this team and that the 2007 Giants were more than just playoff material, they were a team for the ages.


Hopefully, my story isn't too late. This should be a great book. Thanks guys.

This season was filled with ups and downs, highs and lows, depression and euphoria. How else could it be described. We opened up with a scorcher of a game against Dallas but we could not hold it in the end. Then on to GB to take on the Pack. A flukey game if I had ever seen one. But then, the season was saved on the 1 yard line in Washington, my brother and I got to watch it live at FedEx Field and we both knew we were about to get rolling.

So we rolled off 5 more wins and took our record to 6-2, all is well. The season progressed, some solid wins, some heart breaking losses. Fast forward to Week 15 when the Skins came to NY. The QB I defended these past 4 years was throwing darts all night in Giants stadium like I had never seen him, problem was, we threw too many and our receivers could not catch a cold that night. I was furious, we had our chance to clinch, and we botched it. Another low. But hey, my semester just ended and it was home to Jersey to be with the family the rest of the way, I just did not realize that then football was put on hold.

A routine hysterectomy for my mom was scheduled December 21st, the day after I got back from school, she told me everything was fine. The surgery seemed to last forever and something in my stomach just did not feel right. The surgeon finally appeared, but then he took my brothers, myself, and my stepfather into this closet of a patient consultation room. He explained something about residue around the ovaries he was able to scrape away. That did not sound right, everything else he was saying was a blur, the stomach pain just grew the longer he spoke. That was when my stepfather asked, "What's next?"

"Well, this is how we treat this type of Cancer."

My heart sunk.

Life stopped.

It could not be true. My Mom? The strongest woman I know? After all she has been through and such a great job she did raising her 4 children basically on her own, she deserves this? I could not fathom her not being by my side.

I came home from the hospital that Friday and had nowhere to turn really but BBI. I was at a loss and in panic, but I knew for some reason, this community would help lift my spirits in some form. The support was more than I could have ever hoped for. Countless diehard fans like myself came to my rescue in that time of uncertainty, the words and prayers of kindness and support were second to none. I will never forget it. My Mom and I shared tears when reading the thread containing those words when she got back from the hospital that Sunday, right before we got to enjoy the Buffalo game together.

She taught me my Giants love, she was your prototype soccer mom, involved in all of our athletics, and of course, a Giant fan for life. Sports have been a connection for our family since it began.

So we relished in that Buffalo win, finally, we came through when we needed to clinch, our house was rocking when Ahmad took that long run to the house. And when the clock struck :00, she knew it, "Playoffs again, it's time we do some damage this year," she said. I agreed.

So another week passed and we would play the unbeatables. I had only been to the Washington game at FedEx but my buddy called early in the morning before the game and told me had an extra ticket. I was not sure though if I could go though, I wanted to enjoy the game with Mom again, I had not watched many games with her all season. Being herself though, she told me to go and have fun, we'd have the whole playoffs to enjoy. Little did I know she was playing prophet.

So we lost, but something was different. We looked possessed, we let NE off the hook, Eli looked to be in total control like he was in week 1, inconsistency? This was the Manning I defended all along. If he plays like this, and his teammates the same, we will see NE again, I thought.

Of course leading up to Tampa, I was still nervous as can be, I mean, we kept choking in the first round the past two years, what if it happened again? Eli would be lambasted, Coughlin, ridiculed. It would be difficult to continue to defend these guys.

I had to watch the game in Towson away from home though, I needed to work. We simply looked beat in that first quarter but after that, we were dishing out a beat down. The long drive orchestrated by Eli to ice the game followed by RW's incredible INT to end it were great. But it was not the same at the bar without Mom. I vowed to watch the rest of the games in Jersey, this team was going far and I needed to enjoy the run with Mom and the family.

So onward to Dallas. What is there to say, our enemies, we had to beat that cocky team. I'll never forget the pregame, every fox broadcaster picked Dallas, they had those stars running across the bottom of the screen, Terry, Howie, JB, Jimmy. All Dallas. Mom said screw it, they always pick against us, nothing new. When RW caught the pick, an incredible weight was lifted, we screamed we hugged, and right after, the post-game came on, once the faces showed up, "Screw you all!! You all picked us to lose!" Mom proclaimed. Priceless.

OK, we had to lose in GB, right? Favre? In the tundra? Possibly his final go? Eli cannot play in the cold, right?

Wrong.

Eli was the cold weather QB that night. Brett looked like he wanted to go home. The concern set in a little bit when RW kept fumbling but thankfully Michael Johnson saved the day. Then Tynes had the chance. Crap! The snap is off. Yep, it misses. It's ok, he'll get in overtime, he will not let his teammates down again. And that was my favorite thing shown by this team time and time again this season, they epitomized what it meant to be a TEAM. When Eli put us in position for a 48 yarder in OT but could not convert 3rd down, Tynes ran right on the field knowing he would make it. I knew it was in the moment he kicked it, ran right to mom and kissed her, "We're going to the SB!"

"We're gonna get you one," Eli said to Strahan after that game. I interpreted the comment though as Eli saying it to all the fans, we'd been through a lot in Giants history and Eli was going to bring us back into the limelight.

What a long two weeks. My mom should have went in 1990 but my father sold her tickets, she always jokes that it was a factor in the divorce. So the plan was to get Mom to Glendale, my brother and I frantically scoured for ways to get tickets and by way of incredible kindness, we had them. But Mom knew it was not in her best interest to get on a plane with a weakened immune system from chemo, risking infection, and in my heart, I knew she was right. My brother still wanted to go, but I reassured him, being with Mom to watch this is something we will never forget, more importantly, she will enjoy it the most.

The game was a ball of nerves for me, I knew we had it, but I just did not want us to lose. It was our time, the Giants worked so hard, it would bring our family such happiness in a time when happiness was just uncertain, and some way, some how, we were going to get help from above. So the fourth quarter came, and we were still down by 4. Eli would have none of it. A perfect dart to Boss for a catch and run to put us in NE territory, my brother and I are jumping around in excitement, I could see Mom reveling in our joy. Then the TD to Tyree, the man who lost his mother just weeks before, just made the biggest catch of his career, well, at the time. But crap, defense, damn, they were tired, it happens after you just abuse the best QB in the league for 3+ quarters. It is ok though, Eli still has 2+ minutes to work with, this is what he does. The stage was set. I was confident as can be, but I could not stop shaking. Mom had to grab my hand to make it stop tapping before the drive started.

OK, Toomer, first down, good start. Alright, we are moving the ball, crap, Amani, got to roll to get that extra yard. 4th and 1, we got the beast, Brandon Jacobs, to get 1 yard. He gets it, a little close, but we got it. Great, how did it get to 3rd and 5? Come on E, we got this. He drops back, bodies all around but he steps up with authority, a shirt tug was not going to deny this man, then he just tossed it up, almost like he was throwing it to the heavens. TYREE!!!!! How did he??? What?? It is stuck on his helmet! If there was ever a time in my life when I though Divine intervention had taken place, "The Catch" was it. And I am sure Tyree felt the same, but I am sure Tyree's mother was helping to keep the ball pinned to his helmet. There were some Giants fan up there doing there part to help.

So, whew, back to reality, we still need to score. We caught a break with Samuels dropping an interception, we now faced 3rd and 11, time to take advantage, STEVE SMITH the rookie!! What a play to get out of bounds. At this point, I look over at Mom and she just nodded her head at me, it was time right here. Seconds later, "Manning, lobs it... Burress ALONE... TOUCHDOWN NEW YORK!!!!!" My brother and I went absolutely wild, chest bumping, screaming, my sister jumping up and down, and then I looked back at my mom, just sitting there on the couch grinning with the biggest smile you could possibly imagine. I just went right over to hug her, it was unforgettable.

But we knew there was still time left. The last 4 plays were a blur, Alford's sack, euphoric, Webster's tip, heart-wrenching, then the final deflection, relief for Giants fans worldwide. Eli takes a knee, and the Giants, have won the SB! They did it. And never in my life did I think sports could bring such happiness to families but that night, it was unquestionable, the Giants brought my family infinite happiness. A gift I could never replace, the memories were just too great. Just 3 weeks earlier, my mom's hair had all fallen out, I could tell she was distraught, the smile after each win was the perfect pick me up, she loved our smiles and we loved seeing her smile. This playoff run gave her something to look forward to each week to keep her mind off the terrible disease and her suffering. And she knew it would do so when she told me to enjoy the NE game in Week 17, "We will have the WHOLE playoffs to enjoy."

Man was she right. And we enjoyed it to the fullest. I cannot imagine how we all might have functioned without it. It almost felt like we needed this run to keep us looking up, and it feels like someone upstairs knew that as well.

Thank you Giants for such an important season for my family, for all Giants fan families.

Lyle Silverman

... and if you don't know where that is, that's fine, I get that a lot. Basically, I'm in Patriots' territory and all I heard for two weeks after the NFC Championship Game was "Do you really think the Giants stand a chance?" or "Belichick has had two weeks to plan for the Giants... Pats are gonna win 56-3! BLOWOUT!" and the one that really blew my mind was "The Giants just got lucky... but it's over now, 19-0 BABY!"

Needless to say, after the Giants won, the atmosphere was a lot different. Lots of long faces bad attitudes. Pats fans would cringe at the sight of my Eli Manning jersey (the away jersey, of course) like vampires pulling back from a crucifix. The comments changed as well. To this day I hear nothing but excuses. "Brady wasn't 100%." (When just before the game the consensus was that he was faking the ankle injury) or "Belichick was wearing a red hoody, that's why we lost!" and the best one yet "They held the Pats D-line, like, 5 times on that 'miracle play'! That game was fixed!".

The entire 16 years of crap I had to put up with from Pats fans has all paid off... It is absolutely fantastic to listen to all of the excuses, the groans, the guarantees that the Giants will suck in 08 and the Pats will once again make it to the Big Dance. I never thought it could happen, but Hell has transformed into my own personal Heaven. Thank you Big Blue!

I am 48 years old in those 48 years there have been 3 constants: Gods Love, the Love of my Family and Giants Football. Through all of lifes ups, downs and curious twists, those 3 elements have always been there to lean on.

The absolute earliest memory I have of life is siiting with my father on Sunday, in his big red chair watching the Giants. Always, always, with a package of genoa salami from Andy Wahila's Meat Market to snack on through the game. The salami was his contibution to gameday superstitious rituals - he'd laugh thoughout those years of lousy football and call it his good luck charm.

Saturdays, back then, included the ritual of taking the TV tubes to the local Drug store to test on their tube tester. Any weak or malfunctioning tubes were replace so that there would be no need to bang on the sides or top of the TV to correct malfunctions during the game.

Tvs with tubes and Andy Wahilas Meat Market are gone - meat market has taken on a different connotation too - but
as the years passed we never missed a game via radio or TV, and over the years the good luck of the genoa salami began to take effect.....culminating in the 1986 Superbowl victory....an event that at times over the 60's and 70's, we never thought we'd see in our lifetimes. Foregoing all of the Superbowl party invites, Dad and I sat in the same family room of my childhood to watch the game, the good luck genoa salami working its magic along with our Giants.

Two more Superbowls and many up and down seasons later, Dad is gone, passed away in 2002. As his heart failed him the last week of his life, he wore his newest Giant sweatshirt to keep warm.

I watch the latest Giants Superbowl with my 2 year old daughter Hannah - she is dressed in her toddler Giants outfit among the few word she has learned are "Giants" and "Shalami". Grandpa would have loved her. She has watched every Giants game with me since she was born. My son Jordan,10,is not with us as he is with his mother, my first wife, but he is watching the game at his mothers with his Giant shirt on and a snack of genoa salami. At my house the good luck genoa salami is present along with some new good luck items that were added during the latest playoff run - my Giants slippers added by my son Jordan, my Dads last Giants sweatshirt drapes the couch and I wear the Giants t-shirt that matches the color of the uniform for the game - this has been the good luck combo that has worked through the incredible playoff run.

Jordan calls many times during the game, Hannah jumps and shouts with me at every exciting turn, and by the last few minutes of the game I have lost my voice, my daughter is in a toddler tizzy, Jordan is yelling in the phone and my wife Sue thinks I have lost my mind. She has watched all the previous games this year with me but has never seen me like this. The clock hit zero after the final play and we all erupt. Tears fill my eye as I thank God for blessing me with his Love all my life, My Father, my Family, and the Giants.

The only games I missed were the the game in London and at Washington. I was at Glendale but did not get a ticket. Should there be a game that you do not have something written about, please let me know!

I remember waiting in line to get into the stadium that day and there was a rowdy fan with a thick Boston accent wearing a Brady Patriots jersey and a Cowboys hat. He was telling everyone that he was a walking preview for the super bowl. That really pumped me up as I walked through the ticket checkers. In general I dislike Boston fans, but I really hate the Cowboys!

I took my seat, nodded to familiar friends and fellow ticket holders, and could see that this game was going to be as serious as a playoff game. Everyone was standing. As the Giants started their first drive, I could feel the electricity in the stadium building to a crescendo. It reached it's peak when Plax ripped a deep pass out from the sky in the middle of the field. It was directly across from where I was sitting and had a birds-eye view. I thought I blew out my eardrum, the crowd was deafening. At that point I think everyone in that stadium knew the giants were going to make a super bowl run.

As most GIANTS fans (at least the ones that have survived for the 35 plus years that I have), I started out the season with certain reservations....first and foremost, was the precarolous position of our head coach, Tom Coughlin. I was very nervous about the possibility of starting out in the 2-4, or 1-5 range, and having to endure an entire season of wondering when/if Tom would be replaced.

At the same time, I could not believe how many publications had us finishing 4th in the NFC East. We were young, and had talent that was gaining experience. Living in Virginia Beach at the time, I was inundated with skins information, and news as to how good the cowboys and eagles would be. (sorry, it's a superstition, I just can't capitalize the names of any teams in our division) I'd say at least half of the preseason publications that I read had the GIANTS finishing last in the NFC East.

In looking at our schedule, I anticipated more than a few bumps. I felt a little more comfortable after the Dallas loss, at least we could score. I was thinking, our D would come around. The GB game was a close contest, at least until the second half. I was disappointed at that point, and will readily admit that I would have taken 8 - 8.

Things got progressivly worse during the first half of week 3, as I remember, we were down 19 -3 to the skins.

The saving point of our season was the 2nd half of the third game.....not just the goal line stand. The second half is where our D stepped up.....

% wins in a row after that....with the D playing ferocious...loving it.

Minn debacle....a scare with Detroit...at least for me.....

skins beat us in a critical game.....

And all of the sudden we are faced with winningon eout of our last two....with Buffalo, and NE......

Buffalo game......I was never really nervous....yes, we were down, but all of the sudden, the tide turned, and it was as if all the luck in Vegas was on our side.....especially the D.....

At that point, we're in....loving it.

Pats game...week 17. I'll be one of fthe few to admit, I though we should have rested our guys.....if anyone would have been injured in that game, I think history would be giving us all a little different take....but....aside from a minor setback, we played great.....

And without question, that game gave the GIANTS the confidence they needed to get through the playoffs and win the Super Bowl.

Living in Tampa, I was lucky enough to have watched the first playoff game live. Lucky that is, in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters.....because in the 1st quarter, the GIANTS were held to -1 yards, and were getting their collective butts handed to them.

The better team won that day. And on to Dallas we went. As a GIANTS fan, I can honestly say that I'm not entirely convinced that the better team won in Dallas. Thank God Crayton can't catch....and that Romo is human (can't wait to torment him for the next 10 years or so)....regardless, we move on.

GB.....lend my cold weather gear to a buddy who is flying out from Tampa to meet his Pop at the game...they are both from Vermont, but his Pop is GB fan...I watch the game alone in my home....unreal. Missed field goal at the end of the game does not even have me down...not sure why not...FAITH????

Webster makes his play, the kick is good, and on to the Super Bowl.

I watch the Super Bowl alone. Just like I did in '86 (while I was living in skins country), and in '90, and in 2000. My neighbors at this point are used to my excessive profanity, although I do my best to keep it down. At about the 4 minute mark of the game, there is complete silence from my residence......time didn't stand still, but I sure did. I could not move. I had walked a beaten path between my living room and kitchen the whole game, but for the last 4 minutes or so, I was glued to one spot. As the game see-sawed back and forth, I swear I stopped breathing.....no blinking, no breathing...almost comotose....

Tyree's catch ignited me for a breif moment, but even then, my celebration was muted...everything was in slow motion......I watched the Burress catch, and didn't even scream, or move.....I couldn't breath. Still time on the clock...

As the D stuffed the last hopes of the pats down the drain, I still could not move....

...only when my phone blew up with text messages letting me know that the party had already begun, there were red, white, and blue shots waiting for me at the corner bar, did I feel the blood flow through me again.....

Hopefully it is not too late to submit this. I had written it the day after the Super Bowl and have kept it in my archives ever since as a keepsake.

ONE NIGHT TO REMEMBER FOREVER

Perhaps one day, when I am not really thinking about much of anything, I will be able to sit down for a fleeting second and just reflect back on what we all witnessed on Sunday.

I still do not believe it. I do not believe it even today. I will not believe it a week from now or maybe even a month from now. It is going to take a long time before it really sinks in that the Giants….my New York Football Giants are World Champions!

Let me make sure I have this correct…..The New York Football Giants are World Champions!

To be truthful, there was s no way any Giants fan of any reasonable intelligence could have predicted this would happen. If you happen to be one of those, not only do I request you provide video or audio evidence that can be verified by the FBI. But to provide me lottery numbers for the next year. Surely, with that kind of luck, I am bound to hit the jackpot at least once in the next 365 days.

You think back to the moment when it was finally over. When Tom Brady’s fourth down and 20 pass was knocked away and fell harmlessly to the ground out of bounds. Tom Coughlin given the Gatorade shower and celebration began to commence. Think about the people that you were watching the game with, your fellow Giants fans or a casual fan in general. When it was going to be official, to see the joy and the smiles on people’s faces and emotion that came flowing out was priceless.

The referees stepped in and said that one more play had to be run, but it was only for cosmetic purposes. I can remember myself having my hands on my head just soaking it all in. I was unable to let out a large amount of emotional joy. Rather, just trying to savior the moment. Admittedly, I wanted to shed a tear or two, but then I realized my eyes were itching for other reasons. As they went to the victory formation to run the final kneel down, I stayed on two knees with my head down to the ground thinking that I had seen perhaps not only the greatest upset in the history of football, but the greatest game in my life.

I only remember the New York Jets beating the Baltimore Colts from watching documentaries. I wasn’t born to watch the Miracle on Ice. I was only two when Villanova played the perfect game and upset Georgetown. My parents didn’t fork up $40 to watch Buster Douglas knock out Mike Tyson. And even if they did, I probably wouldn’t have understood it anyway. Great upsets were things that only hear about and watch retrospectives on later.

But here it was. The New England Patriots, at 18-0, were playing to become the greatest team in the history of professional sports. They had arguably the greatest coach and potentially the greatest quarterback of all time on the same team. Unstoppable was the phrase given to them. Indomitable to some. Impregnable to others. No way could it be possible that this team of superstars and All-Pro’s would be able to lose what Antonio Pierce described a few weeks ago as “All-Joe’s”.

The coronation was set. The parade route was planned. The DVD was in production. The book “19-0” was ready for one’s buying pleasure. NFL Films had filmed the most amount of tape ever on one team. They were set to put that tape to good use, ready to gouge its consumer for what ungodly amount they could get.

The Giants were to be nothing more than a mere formality. A fly ready to be swatted and left for dead by the Patriots and sent into that hell and infamy that accompanies Super Bowl losers. To see and hear talking heads supposedly using intelligence to discuss this game, I wondered to others and myself if the Giants should even show up for this game. Why even fly down to Arizona for festivities and the game just to see a loss and being out of several thousand dollars? I could find better ways to waste money.

I needed to see for myself if this was true. Were the Patriots that much better than the Giants? That is why I set out to find out for myself. Using my remote, I went to my DVR, re-watched the first Patriots-Giants game, and looked at each play. Coming away from it, nothing drew the conclusion that the Giants couldn’t win. I articulated this point to my very good friends who are both fans of the Pats and they simply dismissed it. However, they admitted to me that they were slightly nervous about the game.

They were right to be nervous.

And I was (about to be) right.

When game time approached, there was no sense of nervousness. This wasn’t the Tampa game where I didn’t know what to expect. This was not the Green Bay, where I was fearful that fatigue was going to catch up with them and reality would set in.

Not this time.

I looked at the score at halftime and it was 7-3. No shoot out had taken place. Everything was holding steady and we all wondered to each other how long this would be able to last.

3 quarters were down and score was still 7-3. Who could have predicted this? It was odd to see a Super Bowl devoid of points. As a Giants fan, you were waiting for the other shoe to drop. For the Patriots to turn on the gas and speed right past them. Then, things began to change. Kevin Boss was running up the field for 45 yards. A few plays later, on a play they have run near the goal line for the last three years, Manning play faked a run into a touchdown pass to David Tyree to make it 10-7. Excitement filled the air. The possibility now suddenly existed.

Now there were less than five minutes to go and the Patriots had the ball. It was precisely at this moment when the last 17 years of Giants football started entering my head. Methodically, as Brady was marching his team down the field and defensive players one by one either having cramping issues or simply having their gas tanks on empty, I harkened back to all the moments when your sports heart would be ripped out by this team.

The loss in 1993 to the Cowboys at Giants Stadium.

The loss in 1997 to the Vikings, blowing a 19-0 lead.

The Super Bowl XXXV loss to the Ravens.

The playoff loss in 2002 to San Francisco.

So all of these memories were in play. And here was New England, now with the ball at the six-yard line trying to if not tie, but go-ahead. It took three attempts, but when Corey Webster slipped and Randy Moss caught the touchdown pass in the end zone, it was a deflating feeling. While cheers throughout different spots of the bar filled the air, the feeling of deflation reemerged. For as gallant as they had played to that point, with 2:45 left, they were trailing and set to be laid six feet under.

As Dominic Hixon was drilled at the 17-yard line on the kickoff return, it was not a remarkable sight. But it was at this moment, when I recalled something that Manning told his teammates in Dallas with 48 seconds left in the half and the team trailing 14-7:

“We’re going to take the ball and we’re going to score. And we’re going to leave time on the clock.”

I told the people around me the same Eli quote. Now, we were hoping to see it play out.

Now, there was no excitement from me. Things began to slow down rather than speed up. One first down. One fourth down conversion. A scramble. Now it was third down and five. Eli miraculously avoids three defenders and finds space to throw downfield. David Tyree, a little used wide receiver, found himself in the air. His hands outstretched reaching for the ball with Rodney Harrison on him like glue. The hands find the ball, but the ball is hanging on his helmet with his hands as he is going to the ground. Somehow, someway, like scripted out of a movie (and even a movie wouldn’t be able create this), he made the catch without the ball touching the ground.

Incredible.

The place erupts. I was not sure that the play was good so I couldn’t react for a moment. But when the referees signaled “good catch” and “first down”, stunned disbelief overtook that moment of joy. More game was left to be played, but time was on their side and the belief that this could really happen started to emerge.

Now third and 11 was up. A miss and the percentages would not be in their favor. Steve Smith would this time play a heroic role. He made the catch. Then, having awareness, got the extra yards necessary for the first down.

It was there to be taken now.

15 yards away from taking it.

With an all out blitz coming, Manning floated the ball into the end zone. Plaxico Burress, playing on one good leg, badly beat his defender Ellis Hobbs and was all alone in the end zone for the touchdown to give the Giants the lead.

Euphoria ensued. The closest thing I could compared this too was when Jorge Posada’s shallow flare into centerfield landed in front of Todd Walker and Johnny Damon in Game 7 in the 2003 LCS. As Bernie Williams and Hideki Matsui were rounding the bases to score the tying runs as Posada made it to second bases uncontested, I remembered Yankee Stadium erupting. It bordered on Joe Girardi’s triple in Game 6 in 1996.

Add this one to those memorable moments.

I looked at the TV and saw there was 35 seconds to go. I began to tell people not to look ahead. “THIS IS NOT OVER!” I remember saying, “This is still the Patriots.” A team able to snatch victory from defeat. But as the ball rested on the 20 yard line, this was one final chance to win this thing and create history.

First and 10 – Incomplete. One down, three to go.

Second and 10 – Sacked for a 10 yard loss.

At this exact moment, I knew they had it. It was only a matter of time now. Two down, two to go.

Third and 20 – Incomplete. Three down, one to go.

Fourth and 20 – Incomplete. Ballgame.

It was over. The miracle had been accomplished. The celebration was on. Hugging and jumping around screaming, “We’re World Champions!” History had been derailed and a different kind of history had been written. This was our Miracle on Ice. Our Villanova-Georgetown. Our Douglas-Tyson. Now, the Giants had pulled off a victory that ranks with all of those.

No one could really still believe it. Perhaps the dream would end like most do, the sun would be up, and it would all be for nothing. Just some wacky thought that you never think would happen. But to realize that it was real and it could never be taken away from you.

People that you didn’t know now coming up to congratulate you. To say, “Thank you”. To give you a hug and a few nice parting words. Suddenly, your fan base had expanded to more than just a few of your newly found friends. Bonds were formed linking everyone.

It’s why we watch sports. It’s why it so fun and sometimes why the people who don’t play in it take it to an extreme. To watch grown people acting like kids again. Watching an old man cry or a young kid scream in celebration. It has something for everyone.
There will be other championship teams. Some were better than this 2007 World Champion Giants team. But nothing, ever, ever will replicate what they did.

That’s the fun in it.

'07-'08 Giants. A team that can't get out of it's own way for the first 15 games of the season beats a team that is aiming to go down as the greatest team of all time for the Championship. Come on, I still don't believe it.

Going into the season I wasn't happy that we had kept Coughlin and promoted Gilbride, nor was I ever fond of Eli. After preseason, I liked what I saw, however, and predicted 11-5.

By the 14th game of the season, I was ready for change.

Living in Upstate NY, I don't get many chances to see my Giants, but as soon as I saw the schedule come out and had the chance to get tickets for the Buffalo game, we got tickets. As I was heading down to game 15 against the Bills, I didn't know what I wanted. If the Giants beat a mediocre Bills team, they get into the playoffs again, but with no head of steam, and the likelihood of no changes in the off season.

My wife's car was the better car for a long drive, but as soon as I got started I noticed a slip or 2 when I was shifting. I figured between the snow, and not having driven the car for a while, it just felt that way. Half way to Buffalo, pulled off on the side of the NYS Thruway, I knew it wasn't my imagination anymore.

My wife was generous enough to drop the kids at grandma's and drive down to where the tow truck dropped me and switch cars, while she waited for another tow back to Rochester.

Finally got down to the stadium, but because I had tipped the tow truck driver I didn't have enough to pay for parking at the stadium. All the spots along the road in people's yards were full, the Giants were already loosing by 14, it was a driving rain, 40 degrees and dropping, and high winds. Forget it, I wasn't going to park a mile away and walk back.

Called home to let them know I was heading back, again my wife convinced me to find a ATM and try the stadium parking again. Well, when I got back to the stadium there was no-one taking money anymore, so I along with a few other cars drove in.

As I walked into the stadium where I could see the field, Brandon Jacobs broke off his longest TD run of his career to tie the game. I turned to a Bills fan and said, "You guys can't do this, I need you to win this one so we can clean house."

Sometime in the 3rd quarter a wind came through. You could see it. We were huddled in the rain, and at the far end of the stadium you could see snow. As that wind blew across, the rain changed instantly to snow as the temperature dropped 5 degrees in an instant.

We left high fiving, and I stumbled out to the car, not drunk, frozen. Even through all the layers, there was no protection in weather like that. We were soaked through. I couldn't even press the button to unlock the door. I felt like the guy in "To Build a Fire."

Well we won, but Eli was awful, and the defense only shut the Bills down, when their All-Pro left tackle got injured. What did this game prove other than I'm a ridiculous fan.

Going into the last week I felt we had to play that game against NE to win it. Not that I thought we could, but what use would resting do, just to limp into the playoffs again.

After going toe to toe with NE in that game, I wasn't sure what the future held, but I felt like "DAMN, if we can continue to play that way we CAN beat anybody!"

If anyone tells you they saw this coming at any other point in the season, they are lying. Even the most ardent Eli supporters had given up on him. Whether Gilbride simplified the offense, or the absence of Shockey's Ego, or the return of Smith and Bradshaw, who knows, but they started playing like the team I had envisioned before the first 2 loses of the season, and the 5 interception game against the Vikings or the 5 fumbles against the Bills...

As far as THE GAME itself. It just felt great to have the team that I grew up loving (my families from NYC), in the only sport that matters, was playing in one of the most historic games of all time. I just wanted a good showing. Win or lose, I just wanted a good showing. We had already knocked of the Cowboys, anything else was gravy.

Not only did we get a good showing we got the Greatest Game of All Time. To have an astounding game like that for the championship, had to rival the great games of years past including the Colts vs. Giants '58 Championship game previously labeled the Greatest Game.

I am an atheist, but when Tyree, who had just lost his mother, made that catch, after Eli's miraculous escape, it had be wondering about angels.

When Plax scored, we jumped and screamed like everyone else (except my 4 year old daughter, who hid under the table). I couldn't believe what we were watching. But there were 35 seconds, 3 Timeouts, Wes Welker, Randy Moss and Tom Brady. One good kickoff return, 3 complete passes, and we were going to OT. The team had to be as spent as we were. NE was playing for history.

History belongs to us now.

Simply put, I was there for the beginning and I was there for end.

Having been a Giants fan for almost 30 years, I had never attended a game in person. When I was younger it was money. As I grew older, it was location. I'm a military broadcaster, like in "Good Morning, Vietnam", and spent the last 20 years overseas or on the West Coast.

Finally, I received orders to Washington, DC. When the season began, I bought tickets for the Giants-Redskins game. Finally, I would be attending a New York Giants game in person.

For most of the game, I put up with an obnoxious Redskins fan. The Giants were 0-2 and had the worst defense in the league. He would turn and say, "All day...all day" every time Washington did anything of note. Late in the 4th quarter, the Giants put on a dramatic 4th and goal stop to win the game. My obnoxious "friend" disappeared very quickly. This is what I consider to be "the beginning".

My job in DC is at the Pentagon Channel. Part of our job is covering big events which have a military tie. Super Bowls always have some tie to them. Military members who attend the game. Fighter jet fly-overs. There's always something.

We also collect troop shout-outs which air on the American Forces Network during the game. "I'm Eli Manning and I want to thank you for everything you're doing."

It was early November and the Giants were playing what one could call "inconsistent" football. I needed to assign a team to cover the 2008 Super Bowl because this is when media credentials are processed for the game. The reporters who attended in 2007, before I arrived at the Pentagon Channel, were not football savvy. They actually conducted an interview with a man who they thought was Lovie Smith. This man was not Lovie Smith. He was just some guy who pretended to be Lovie when the reporters misidentified him. Pretty damn funny actually.

One other thing. The troop shout-outs never made it back in time to air during the game. Not so funny.

Like I said, it was my job to pick a competent team for this year's game. Being in this unique position, I decided to send one of our young sailors to shoot video because he had worked hard and he was a Pats fan. Then I made what we in the military call a "command decision".

I watched the Super Bowl from Baghdad in 2005 on the American Forces Network. I was determined the guys in Baghdad and Afghanistan would see Tom Brady thanking them for their service while they watched the game at 3 am.

The guys in the fight are dealing with an enemy who knows no limits. They force retarded children to be suicide bombers. They rape women and kill children who accept food or water from US troops. The mental and physical stress is immense. I wanted to ensure they had a few hours of distraction to decompress and feel appreciated.

I assigned myself to go to the Super Bowl. Those troop shout-outs would air during the game. I would see to it.

At this point in the season, the thought of the Giants going to Glendale, AZ in February never crossed my mind. It was completely beyond any logical reasoning that these up and down Giants could suddenly get hot.

Fast forward to the final week of the regular season. The Giants have clinched a playoff spot and will play the undefeated and seemingly unstoppable New England Patriots. Like everyone else in the world, I wondered which Giants would show up.

As I watched Big Blue go toe-to-toe with this New England team on the fast track to destiny, the strangest thought crossed my mind. Foolishness. I pushed any thought of such a thing right out of my mind.

Tampa Bay. Encouraging, but the road ahead is still way too difficult. Some pretty good teams lie ahead.

Dallas. Unbelievable. Just an incredible win. Eli looked like the quarterback we always hoped he could be. But......

Green Bay is next. The weather forecast calls for extremely cold conditions in Lambeau Field. It's been a fun run, but surely this will be too much to overcome. But.....

The entire Giant team is playing great football. A thought and a hope I'm almost too afraid to speak aloud. Could the Giants actually go into Lambeau and get lucky?

I decided to go home to Toms River, NJ for the weekend and watch the game with friends that I've known since childhood. I begin to have the feeling that something truly special was about to happen. I wanted to watch the game with other people who would appreciate the moment as much I would.

Plax completely dominated. The defense allowed nearly nothing on the ground. Interception then a fumble right back! Missed field goals late in the game! The Packers were ripe but the Giants just kept failing to take advantage. Seattle all over again?!

Overtime. Lost the coin flip. Another interception! Then an impossible 47 yard field goal!!

I WAS GOING TO A NEW YORK GIANTS SUPER BOWL. It was a thought that just washed over me. It was surreal. It was a moment I will never forget.

The Pentagon Channel did a story on Lt Col Greg Gadson during the season. He is a wounded warrior who spoke to the Giants before the Redskins game which I attended earlier in the year. He lost both legs in Iraq.

He provided inspiration to the team in Washington and at several games during the season. Lt Col Gadson would be one of the stories I would pursue while in Arizona.

The week leading up to the game was just incredible. Media events with the players. I got to talk directly to Eli, Plax, Jacobs, Amani, Stray, etc. Yes, even those other guys like Tom and Junior.

I asked Bill Bellicheck during one of his press conferences if playing the Giants just a few shorts week ago would be an issue. He got a funny look on his face when I asked. :-)

i attended a media party with free cigars, hot models giving away free drinks, all the BBQ you can eat, all topped off with a free concert from the Gin Blossoms.

I asked each of the players to give a shout-out to the troops. Whether you personally agree with this war or not, everyone one of the guys on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan volunteered to join the military because they felt it was the right thing to do.

I volunteered to go to Baghdad myself because I wanted to do my part to ensure the United States will never suffer another 9/11.

Every single player from both sides were very appreciative of the troops and of the opportunity to tell them so. I was truly inspired by the fact, for a few short moments, they were no longer gladiators about to battle on the gridiron. They were each Americans wanting to do their part for the guys carrying the heaviest burden of all.

I also asked every Giant I spoke to about Lt Col Greg Gadson.

Even the jaded media were doing their part. At each player event, the other reporters let the Pentagon Channel ask the first question(get our shout-out) and move on to the next player.

Then came Game Day.

The Super Bowl Committee set us up overlooking the end zone where Plax would be catching the game winning touchdown in about 3 and 1/2 hours.

We had already fed the troop shout-outs back to Washington and they would be airing during the game. We planned to interview Lt Col Gadson and we were given permission to go down near the locker room immediately following the game.

Translation....we were free to just relax and enjoy the game.

As the game transpired, I felt confident the Giants would find a way to win. They would find a way to do the impossible. Until Randy Moss caught that touchdown with less than 3 minutes on the clock. My confidence waned, but there was still dumb foolish hope.

Little did I know I was about the witness the single greatest 2 minute drill in NFL history. Like every other Giant fan around the world, I couldn't believe what was unfolding before my eyes. And there it was, right in front of me.
Words cannot describe it.

Eli. Tyree. Plax.

Simply put, I was there for the beginning and now, here I was, for the end.

It was time to get into the tunnel. I was outside the Giants locker room and missed the post game activities on the field. Lt Col Gadson came by. I interviewed him. He was his usual modest self.

Then Steve Tisch came walking down the hall. I called out to him. Asked him about the game. He had the usual comments for a team owner who just watched his team make history. Then I said, "Mr. Tisch, every single Giants player feels that Greg Gadson is a member of this team. Will he get a Super Bowl ring like everyone else?" He replied, "That is a very cool idea." (I still have video)

Now, I don't if I was the first person to ask that question or if I was even the first person to ask Steve Tisch that question, but he acted like it was the first he heard of it.

When the team received their rings a few months later, Lt Col Greg Gadson, wounded warrior and inspirational co-captain for the 2008 NY Giants, received one as well.