NFL

Giants hope to visit D.C. again

WASHINGTON — The Super Bowl XLVI champion Giants already had stepped down stairs onto the stage when the President of the United States, Barack Obama, and the Commander in Chief of football Sundays, Tom Coughlin, the Red, White and Big Blue coach of the New York Football Giants, emerged from the Palm Room and walked side by side toward the South Lawn celebration.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the emcee announced, “the President of the United States, accompanied by coach Tom Coughlin.”

Obama smiled and waved with his right hand, then Coughlin did the same as a warm sun and warm applause from champions wearing their priceless rings and Wounded Warriors wearing their trademark courage and honor and loyalty greeted them.

You should know the Giants acted like they had been here before, because they had four short years ago.

And you should know they expect to be back here again as early as next year at this time, whether Obama gets a longer extension than the one Coughlin just received or is asked to leave the building.

“Yeah, I do expect to be back,” Justin Tuck said. “But, like I said, it’s a lot of work for us to do. Just because we got here this year doesn’t mean that we’re going get back here next year. We got a tough schedule, a lot of great teams in this league, a lot of great teams vying to be in this position next year. I don’t see why we don’t have the same shot that any other team hasPlus we have the experience and who I think is the best quarterback playing right now.”

And arguably the best coach coaching right now.

“I told [Coughlin] I’m just going to start calling him ‘Cheese’ for two reasons — one, because he has a lot of it now,” Tuck said, “and every time I saw him since then, he’s just been smiling. It’s been a good time for him, and obviously he deserves it.”

“I think he deserves to be the No. 1-highest-paid coach in this league. Had the opportunity to only play for him my whole career, and hopefully that stays the same.”

Obama had said all the sappy things presidents reserve for these occasions, and Coughlin, Eli Manning seated to his left, had talked of how his latest Team to Believe In had worked in harmony for the good of everyone.

“Would be nice if Congress operated the same way,” Coughlin said.

Here Obama had to do everything in his presidential power to resist the urge to unveil his own end-zone dance.

The Red, White and Big Blue coach of the football Giants was only warming up.

“Two short years ago, I said that I hoped that this experience today was not a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” he said. “Now I’m saying, ‘I hope, Mr. President, it’s not a twice-in-a-lifetime experience.’ ”

Now came the money line from the $20 Million Man.

“We both have a goal to get back here next year,” Coughlin said, and Obama loved that one, too.

A year ago, no one knew who Victor Cruz was. Now the President of the United States knows.

“He gave me a little point when he first came out and I shook his hand on the way out. He said he was happy to see me,” Cruz said.

Manning said he actually remembered the lay of the White House land.

“To be here with my ring on at the White House … it ranks high up there in my moments,” he said.

George W. Bush was the host the last time. Coughlin can’t wait to share this experience with his grandchildren.

“He [Obama] stood there and shook hands with everybody on our team … everybody said their name and did all those things,” Coughlin said. “It was very meaningful, very significant.”

Then he repeated: “I hope it’s more than twice in a lifetime.”

Ann Mara, Wellington’s widow, was positively beaming the franchise was back on top.

“Now if we can only do it when it’s in our stadium [2014] — that would be perfect, wouldn’t it?” she said.

This was perfect enough. Giants in the White House. Again. Rex Ryan and the Jets on the outside looking in. Again.

“I hope they make it to the Super Bowl every year,” Tuck said, “and lose to us.”