Victor Cruz (pictured) and all the Giants got the chance to meet the president.
WASHINGTON — With President Barack Obama standing alongside him and listening intently, Giants coach Tom Coughlin stood behind a podium on a sun-splashed afternoon on the South Lawn of the White House and offered a reminder and a wish for the future.
“A few short years ago, I said I hoped this experience was not a once-in-a lifetime experience,’’ Coughlin said yesterday during the Super Bowl champion Giants visit to meet the President. “Now I’m saying I hope, Mr. President, it’s not a twice-in-a-lifetime experience. We both have a goal to get back here next year.’’
With that, Obama smiled, clearly approving Coughlin’s message.
For the second time in four years, the Giants made this trip, the last time meeting President George W. Bush and this time getting to hear Obama laud them for their improbable 2011 season.
“Last year’s Giants were obviously a special one,’’ Obama said. “Not just because of where they ended up, but because of how they got there.’’
The President mentioned Coughlin’s toughness, recalling last season’s game against the Jets when he was run over on the sideline, suffered a knee injury but didn’t leave the field.
“That is a tough guy and you can see that toughness reflected on everybody else on this team,’’ Obama said. “The Giants took a whole bunch of hits this season but they never went down. They followed a simple motto: Finish.’’
Obama busted on Justin Tuck choosing as his good luck song “In The Air Tonight’’ and that song being used in the highlight film the Giants watched the night before Super Bowl XLVI.
“I don’t know about a little Phil Collins before a big game,’’ Obama cracked. “I may try that before a big meeting with Congress. But apparently it worked. The next night Eli Manning led the way and earned his second Super Bowl MVP.’’
Manning, Tuck and Zak DeOssie as the tri-captains presented Obama with a blue No. 44 (signifying the 44th President of the United States) Giants jersey.
“I just told him he looks good in blue,’’ Tuck said. “He was like, ‘You’re right, but I’d rather have that Chicago Bears [jersey] on me.’ He’s being true to it and he’s not being a politician when it comes to that. That’s something you have to have a lot of respect for him.’’
Obama chided sportswriters, advising them, “The next time Eli says he thinks he is an elite quarterback, you may just want to be quiet.’’
Obama also saluted Tuck’s ability to get to the opposing quarterback and mentioned Victor Cruz, who “scored and salsa-ed.’’ The President also saluted Mario Manningham, now with the 49ers and not in attendance, for “the biggest catch of his life’’ in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl comeback.
Before the brief ceremony, the Giants visited with a group of Wounded Warriors at the White House.
Manning did not travel with his team by train from New Jersey, as he flew in earlier in the day from Tennessee and arrived early enough to get a private two-hour tour of the White House, seeing the West Wing and Oval Office.
“It’s great just to see and think about all the important meetings, all the leaders of this country, the decision makers, all in certain rooms where things were decided,’’ Manning said. “It really is special to think about whose company, who has been in those rooms you are standing in.’’
Manning had a one-on-one meeting with Vice President Biden, shook hands with many Giants fans working inside the White House and even noticed that in all meeting rooms the seat reserved for the president was higher than all others.
“I’m going to start doing that … it’s a good idea,’’ Manning said of the elevating the quarterback seat in team meetings. He also took a picture of himself behind a presidential podium and sent it to his friends with the words “A glimpse of the future.’’
Eli Manning for President?
“I was joking,’’ he said. “That would be scary, a nightmare.’’
With the White House ceremony behind them, this officially ends five months of Super Bowl celebratory events.
“It’s come to a close now,’’ Antrel Rolle said. “This is the final hour of 2011 and that Super Bowl run. We’re looking to bigger and better things. They say when you give a shark a little bit of blood he’s going to keep hunting. That’s the way I look at it.’’