Giants, Indy the big winners at Super Bowl
By Mark Lazerus 648-3140 or mlazerus@post-trib.com February 6, 2012 9:04AM
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning reacts in the closing minutes of the NFL Super Bowl XLVI football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012, in Indianapolis. The Giants won 21-17. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Updated: March 8, 2012 8:07AM
INDIANAPOLIS — As the New York Giants celebrated their 21-17 victory over New England in Super Bowl XLVI, Eli Manning finally got a chance to spend a moment with his brother, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.
And while most people were asking about Eli’s second Super Bowl MVP, about his game-winning drive, about Mario Manningham’s 38-yard toe-tapping reception along the sideline, Peyton took a more critical eye.
“A quarterback like Peyton, he knows the game well and he asks questions a lot of people won’t ask,” Eli said Monday morning after celebrating into the wee hours. “Like on the (first-quarter) touchdown to Victor Cruz, he asked if I saw that middle linebacker running out there. And I didn’t.”
Of course, Peyton also told his kid brother how happy he was for him to win the Super Bowl, which he did in Indianapolis, of all places.
“He was just proud of me, proud of the team,” Eli said. “He talked about the throw to (Mario) Manningham. He was mad because he said everyone was talking about what a great catch it was; he said it was a pretty good throw, also. That’s my brother looking out for me.”
Peyton’s city did itself proud this week, and was as big a winner as the Giants were. Fans and media were skeptical of the small, cold-weather city pulling off an enjoyable Super Bowl week, but the game went off without a hitch, and the whole experience was well received by the tens of thousands of fans who poured into the crowded but raucous downtown area.
The eyes of the nation and the world truly were on the Circle City, as the game was the most-watched television program in American history.
“Let me start by thanking the people of Indianapolis, starting with Jim Irsay and the Colts organization for pursuing the Super Bowl here in Indianapolis and for their great leadership,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said. “The people did a fantastic job here, from the Super Bowl host committee to all the volunteers to all the leadership, starting with Gov. Daniels and Mayor Ballard. We can’t say enough about the tremendous work that everybody did. It was just an extraordinary effort and a great event.”
Manning and Giants coach Tom Coughlin arrived at Monday morning’s 8:30 a.m. (eastern time) press conference a little weary — Coughlin joked that he got “15 minutes” of sleep — but still basking in the glow of their second unlikely Super Bowl victory over the Patriots in five seasons.
Seven weeks ago, the Giants were 7-7 and in serious danger of missing the playoffs. They never lost again.
“I don’t know if you can explain it,” Coughlin said, before giving it his best shot. “Mental toughness, resilience, resolve. Great trust in each other and great belief that we will find a way to win.”
Coughlin was particularly excited for Tuesday’s trip down the famed Canyon of Heroes in Manhattan, where so many teams, military heroes and astronauts have enjoyed ticker-tape parades — including the 2007-08 Giants.
“If you’re any kind of a historian and you have any recollection of this parade, the Canyon of Heroes, you don’t want to miss this,” Coughlin said.
As for Eli Manning, he shrugged off any legacy talk, and deflected any of the credit to his team as a whole.
And no, there wasn’t any brotherly rubbing in of the fact that he now has twice as many Super Bowl rings as Peyton.
“This isn’t about bragging rights, this is a lot bigger,” Eli said. “This is about a team and an organization being named world champions.”
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