Like his dad, Giants president John Mara is a modest man. So when he saw the first version of the Giants' championship ring, his immediate thought was, "It's kind of big."
Then, he said, Sean O'Hara told him, "Well, it was a big win."
It sure was. Last night the Giants got their last and just reward, some $25,000 worth of jewelry (apiece), although word is that they got an 80 percent discount. That answers the question: why did they have their ceremony at Tiffany's?
So, while it was unusual that the Giants did the whole "Blue Carpet" thing, it was an evening they'll ever forget.
"It's very special,"
Eli Manning said. "To win the game and you go through all those emotions, and you kind of relive it today with all your teammates and coaches and owners and everybody here. It's great to finally get it."
The Giants handed out approximately 85 rings to players and staff, Tom Coughlin proudly presenting each one. There were a few no-shows, including Antonio Pierce, who is on his honeymoon, and Jeremy Shockey. But among those present were former GM Ernie Accorsi, and Lt. Col. Greg Gadson, the wounded war hero who was their honorary captain during the playoffs, and two free agents who left after the season, Kawika Mitchell and Gibril Wilson. They were all here to pick up their rings.
Lt. Col. Gadson said he was "honored to be part of this."
Manning was on a small committee of those who helped design the rings, and he beamed when he said, "It came out the way we thought it would: Perfect."
So was the night. Some players arrived in buses with a police escort from Giants Stadium. Some came in limos. Some had more diamonds on them than were inside the store.
But they all left wearing that special piece.
"It's a really exciting night,"
Coughlin said. "I know everyone's been waiting for this."
"The thing that's important to recognize in terms of our players and our organization is tonight we'll spend a lot of time talking about the ring and what the ring symbolizes, but really what it is, you're going to carry this in your heart forever. That's what's important. We're world champions and you never get tired of hearing about that."
That forms a permanent bond, and that's why Mitchell and Wilson felt at home, even though they are now members of Buffalo and Oakland, respectively.
"We're going to be linked together forever,"
Wilson said. Mitchell said he was emotional.
"Definitely,"
he said. "This seals the deal. Winning a championship was great, obviously, and it was a dream come true, but once you put that ring on your finger it's a whole 'nother story."
Of course, nobody celebrated more loudly than Michael Strahan, who was miffed at a question on the Blue Carpet about his future with the team ("We're not going to go there,"
he said).
"Incredible. Incredible,"
Strahan said later, clutching the Vince Lombardi Trophy in one hand and flashing his "10-table stunner"
on the other.
"I waited a long time to get it. Everybody's so proud and this is a heck of an accomplishment. I mean, you win the game, and that is phenomenal. I think this just solidifies it. This allows us to go back and think about the past."
What a past it was. What a big win.
