NFL

Giants have chance to join New York’s most beloved teams

NY ♥ BIG BLUE: Big Apple fans love a winner, some more than others. The 2011 Giants have captivated the city, and could win eternal glory with a win over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. (Paul J. Bereswill)

New York is a tough town that demands tough teams. Teams that get knocked down, get back up, and stand tall as a tower again. But we’re romantics, too. We can fall head over heels for the long shot that came out of nowhere against all odds. Teams that believed, when no one else believed in them. They can capture our imaginations and steal our hearts too.

My message for these Giants is this: Win this last game. Beat Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in Super Bowl XLVI and leave one of those forever footprints on the soul of this city.

Because there is no better place to win than New York.

And no worse place to lose. No one remembers the loser. Ask the Super Bowl XXXV Giants about that.

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This is the game that gets you a parade up the Canyon of Heroes. This is the game that gets you that precious Super Bowl ring. This is the game that changes lives.

Your chance to make history. Don’t blow it. Seize the moment. Let New York embrace you as only New York can, and has. Of the 55 New York teams that have won championships, some stand above the rest:

1955 BROOKLYN DODGERS

Johnny Podres shuts out Yankees in Game 7, and it’s no more “wait till next” year for Dem Bums.

1968 JETS

Broadway Joe Namath guaranteed the monumental upset that changed his life, and the course of pro football. The AFL joined the NFL establishment. Men immediately began growing Fu Manchus, or rushed out to purchase fur coats and were no longer afraid to wear white shoes, even in the dead of winter. If you were a Jets fan on Jan. 12, 1969, you don’t have to be reminded that you still are waiting for your second championship.

1969-70 KNICKS

The Team of Teams, offering a clinic on the right way to play the game. Share the ball. Hit the open man. An inspirational Willis Reed hobbling onto the court and the Garden rising as one and Goliath Wilt Chamberlain sagging. Clyde Frazier seizing the inspiration and dominating Game 7.

1969 METS

Cubs fans, and Ron Santo, were certain this was going to be the year. The Amazin’s had other ideas. Only seven years after Casey Stengel kept asking, “Can’t anyone here play this game?” the Mets became lovable for something other than the misadventures of Marvelous Marv Throneberry. The Franchise, Tom Seaver … Tommie Agee’s Game 3 World Series catches against the Orioles … Ron Swoboda’s Game 4 catch … Cleon Jones catching Davey Johnson’s flyball in left field and kneeling with the championship in his glove.

1977 YANKEES

The Bronx Zoo … Reggie Jackson vs. Thurman Munson … Billy Martin vs. Reggie Jackson … George Steinbrenner, aka The Boss, opened his checkbook and hired — and fired and hired and fired — Martin as his manager, and The Bronx was rewarded with its first championship in 15 years, when Mr. October bashed three home runs on three successive pitches in Game 6 of the Series against the Dodgers, and another the following season, when The Bronx was burning with both excellence and turmoil.

1980-83 ISLANDERS

Dynasty.

1986 METS

You had to hide the women and children when this wild bunch came to town. They were our Bad Boys, reeking of arrogance and alcohol and in more than a few celebrated cases, cocaine. They didn’t try to beat opponents, they tried to humiliate them. Dwight Gooden’s fastball. Darryl Strawberry’s longball. Mookie Wilson’s groundball, gets by Buckner, gets by Buckner!

1986 GIANTS

Joe Montana’s worst nightmare. Joe Gibbs’ worst nightmare. Force of nature Lawrence Taylor … Bill Parcells … Harry Carson … Mark Bavaro … Phil Simms in Pasadena.

1990 GIANTS

Montana’s second-worst nightmare. Matt Bahr in the NFC Championship game at Candlestick. Jeff Hostetler and Ottis Anderson in Tampa. Scott Norwood, wide right.

1993-94 RANGERS

“Matteau, Matteau, Matteau!” … Mark Messier’s guarantee. Messier giddy as he hoists the Stanley Cup at a euphoric Garden. … No more taunting choruses of “1940, 1940 …”

1996 YANKEES

Joe Torre and Derek Jeter end the 18-year championship drought. Remember Charlie Hayes catching that foul pop and jumping for joy?

1998 YANKEES

A 125-win machine. One of the all-time great teams.

2007 GIANTS

The Road Warriors … who conquered the hated Cowboys … leapt past Brett Favre and the Packers at Lambeau … and crowned their Cinderella run by spoiling the Patriots’ perfect season with the greatest Super Bowl upset since Namath’s Jets.

2011 GIANTS

It’s Eli Manning, no longer The Other Manning, greatest quarterback in Giants history. It’s Tom Coughlin making Wellington Mara shed tears of joy up in Big Blue heaven for the second time in four years. It’s Victor Cruz, coming out of Paterson, N.J., coming out of nowhere, really, to teach us the salsa. It’s Osi Umenyiora, coming out of the summer of his discontent, flying around the corner again in a way that maybe only LT could back in the day. It’s Hakeem Nicks, who speaks softly and carries a big game. It’s Antrel Rolle, who doesn’t take no for an answer. It’s Jason Pierre-Paul, whose arms are not too short to box with God, or to torment offensive tackles, or to ring quarterbacks’ necks. It’s Justin Tuck remembering how to be Justin Tuck again.

Your time. Your turn.

steve.serby@nypost.com