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INDIANAPOLIS — Eli Manning and the Giants board their United charter today from Newark Airport for their Super Rematch with Tom Brady and the Patriots, fly across Big Blue heaven and touch down this afternoon in Peyton’s Place.
They have seen and heard and felt how badly and how madly New York burns for another world champion, how fervently they have been embraced by the city that never sleeps and absolutely cannot now in the days leading up to Super Bowl XLVI.
And the word today from the Giants, their dreams packed inside their suitcases and in their imaginations, is keep rooting, keep cheering, we are here to make you proud.
VIDEO: GIANTS CHAMPIONSHIP MEMORIES
Eli Manning, seated at his locker the other day, was asked what his message would be to Giants fans.
“Thank you for the support you’ve given us so far,” he began, “and hopefully we have a big crowd in Indianapolis supporting us, but the ones that can’t make it there, we’re going to try to do our best and make you proud.”
Tom Coughlin lost his starting middle linebacker (Jonathan Goff) and his best cornerback (Terrell Thomas). He lost Steve Smith to the Eagles, and tight end Kevin Boss to the Raiders. He lost left tackle Will Beatty. Next Man Up. And now, when we least expected it, it is Next Team Up. Next Champion Up.
Tight end Jake Ballard, a significant Next Man Up, was asked what his message would be today to Giants fans.
“Tune in on Sunday, and we’ll bring it home for you,” Ballard said.
Giants fans are afraid to pinch themselves. The Giants had been out of the playoffs two years in a row, were 7-7 and looking three years in a row straight in the eye. They rose up. They believed.
Dave Tollefson was asked what his message would be to Giants fans.
“Stick with us man, it’s been a wild ride, and we’re going to try to finish it the right way,” Tollefson said. No Toughness, No Championship! ALL IN. Against all odds.
Victor Cruz, nearly cut in the summer, dancing his way to stardom. Jason Pierre-Paul making Coughlin and GM Jerry Reese do backflips over his ascension to stardom. Chase Blackburn signed off the street to play middle linebacker. Antrel Rolle emerging as a defiant leader. Most of all, Manning walking the talk of the elite quarterback.
Osi Umenyiora was asked if he had a message for Giants fans.
“We’re going to fight,” Umenyiora said.
In the euphoric aftermath of Super Bowl XLII, Peyton Manning predicted his little brother would win multiple Super Bowls.
“It’s not all about the ring, it’s about all the hard work, everything we’ve done to get to this point,” Eli said. “It’s about finishing the job that we started. We’ve worked hard, we’ve gone through a lot, we stuck together, and we’ve gotten this far. Now it’s a matter of continue this ride and go out and end the season playing our best football with a win.”
A win that would make history.
A win that would make New York proud.