Third in a series of Post exclusive Super Bowl XLVI diaries by Giants star receiver Victor Cruz, as told to Steve Serby.
INDIANAPOLIS — Tonight’s the night!
We’re more than ready. We all understand the task that’s at hand and we know the time is now.
I could look in people’s eyes and tell we want this more than anything in the world, and we’re gonna take advantage of the opportunity. All of us want it so bad, we don’t take failure as an option.
We plan on bringing it home.
I’m big on visualization, and I see confetti falling down from the sky onto all the players, a sea of confetti … wearing the Super Bowl championship hat … we’re all going up on that stage… holding up the Lombardi Trophy, and just celebrating with my teammates. That’ll be a surreal moment for me, coming from where I came from — getting sent home twice from college, not getting drafted, all that adversity I had to overcome over the course of my life.
I don’t like to feel too full on gameday so breakfast will be a little cereal — usually Cinnamon Toast Crunch — and then I’ll chill and watch TV before the pregame meal. That’s when I’ll have some rice and pasta, probably some chicken, some salmon, some broccoli. Then at the stadium, I’ll get in the hot tub and get my mind and body ready to play. About an hour-and-a-half before the game, I’ll throw with Eli.
And then, after warmups, when we come back onto the field, I’ll talk with my father.
I know he’s looking down on me. I’ll kneel in the end zone like I always do and just pray to him and talk to him a little bit. Let him know I’m doing it for him, I’m playing for him. He was the one who taught me to play every play like it’s your last, and play hard, and play physical.
I know if he was there he’d be going crazy!
And I’ll be thinking about my mom, my girlfriend, my daughter, my coaches … just everybody.
Just to get in the end zone would be tremendous, but to be able to do my salsa in the Super Bowl with the world — and Madonna — watching would be amazing.
I think there’ll be plenty of opportunities for me to make big plays. I always envision myself having a big game no matter whom we’re playing.
Eli’s been killing it in practice all week, just hitting everybody that’s open at the right time.
If there has been one quote this week from Coach Coughlin that resonates with me, it’s “Humble enough to prepare, but confident enough to perform.” If we humble ourselves and prepare like we’re underdogs — which we always are — if we prepare that way, we can perform confidently.
And have it rain confetti on us back home. I remember watching the Canyon of Heroes parade four years ago on television. It looked like a ton of fun.
I’d like to thank Giants fans for always being behind us. Thank you for always believing in us.
Now let’s dance.