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A couple of years ago, the talented - and funny - Michael Strahan appeared in one of those Jared "SUBWAY" commercials and the two became friends.
On Tuesday, Strahan was in the city to support Jared's foundation to help kids fight obesity and I caught up with the both of them - on a city bus no less - to find out if they really like each other behind the camera and whether or not Strahan will return next season. MORE:
You know, usually I get a celebrity in the front row of Knicks games to "Gimme a Minute," but I'll have to make an exception today.
Fresh off the Giants Super Bowl victory, Plaxico Burress was among the players courtside of Wednesday's Knicks game against Indiana. At halftime, I had the pleasure of talking to Plax, one of the key players to the Giants Super Bowl run (and the conversataion was much longer than a minute)!
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For the first time in history, the city of New York held a ticker-tape parade for an NFL franchise yesterday and it was nothing short of amazing. Around one-million people showed up to honor the New York football Giants after their historic upset of the New England Cheatriots Patriots.
Of all the people who turned out yesterday, Giants defensive end Michael Strahan certainly seemed the most celebratory.
 After a 15-year long years, the future Hall of Famer partied like it was 1999 ... or like it was 2008 and the Giants just defeated the 18-0 Patriots -- whichever works for you.
When the parade finally reached City Hall, after traveling 15-block through the Canyon of Heroes, it was finally time to hear from the Giants themselves. And first up, to absolutely no one's surprise, was always-smiling, gap-toothed Texas native.
In typical Strahan-fashion, he pumped every bit of emotion he had into the speech. He talked about what an incredible journey it has been, how happy he was to finally win the big one and how appreciative he is of his teammates and the fans.
Then came "the message."
Prior to handing it off to Eli Manning, Strahan decided he had one last thing to say. With thousands upon thousands of fans cheering and all of his teammates standing behind him, No. 92 sent one final message to the New England Patriots. "We stomped you out," Strahan said as he jumped wildly in the air along with 30-40 other players. "We stomped you out!"
I'd say that sums it up nicely.
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Although Plaxico Burress only caught two passes during the New York Giants historic Super Bowl victory on Sunday night, both were extremely significant for different reasons.
The first, which helped spark the longest drive (time wise) in Super Bowl history, eventually led to a field goal -- three points that would ultimately determine the outcome of the game.
 The second, and easily the more important of the two, came with only 35 seconds left on the clock and gave the Giants a lead they would not relinquish.
Big players make big plays in big games, and by all accounts, Burress is a huge player.
But there is more than meets the eye here. Not only did Burress haul in two of the more clutch catches of his career, he did so during a game he should not have been participating in.
As it turns out, Burress' knee injury wasn't a reverse mind-game -- it was very real. In fact, a trainer said after the game that Giants fans will "never know how close he came to not playing."
Apparently Burress suffered an untimely and freak MCL sprain after slipping in a hotel shower back on January 8. However, and in his own words, Burress prayed to God to give him the strength to play -- and strength he was given.
In a post-game interview, the Giants star wide receiver was unable to keep his composure and broke down after one of the most emotionally charged experiences of his entire life.
Hats off to Plax; you don't get much tougher than that.
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I've been covering the Giants for a long time and I've never seen anything like this before. I almost can't believe it, the 2007-08 New York Football Giants are the Super Bowl Champions.
After taking it all in overnight, I caught up with Newsday's Neil Best on Monday to try to explain how the Giants pulled off one of the biggest upsets in sports history. MORE:
There will be no championship celebration this time in New England, thanks to our Giants!
But was this Super Bowl victory made even sweeter because of where the Patriots hail from?
We hit the streets to get New Yorkers' take on the dramatic win.
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The New York Giants are Super Bowl champions!
Is it possible to even put into words what the Giants did last night? Has it really sunk in yet? Just think about it -- they beat the unbeatable! They pulled the biggest upset in National Football League history! They brought the mighty New England Patriots to their knees.
 By all accounts, this Super Bowl victory will go down as the greatest moment in New York Sports history. For the rest of their lives and beyond, those 53 players will be immortalized.
If you're a Giants' fan or even a Patriots hater, it could not possibly get any better than this.
In fact, there are absolutely no words in the English dictionary -- or any other for that matter -- that can describe what was felt last night and what's being felt this morning.
The only thing you can do at this point is bask in the glow of greatness.
Who wanted it more? The New York Giants wanted it more!
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Wasn't it Tom Brady who chuckled when Plaxico Burress predicted a 23-17 Giants Super Bowl win?
Remember how the media just giggled along with the stud New England QB ...
 "We're only going to score 17 points?" Brady said of Burress' bold claim last Wednesday.
"OK. Is Plax playing defense? I wish he had said 45,42 and gave us a little credit for more points."
That's right, Mr. Brady, Plax said 17 points. And guess what? You and your arrogant Patriots couldn't even muster that many against Steve Spagnuolo's swarming Giants defense that had you scrambling and confused throughout Super Bowl XLII.
And what a sweet coincidence it turned out to be when Plax pulled down that winning touchdown with just 35 seconds remaining to shock all the naysayers who claimed the best team in NFL history could not be defeated, especially by these blue-collar Giants.
The scoreboard told a different story: Giants 17, Patriots 14.
I bet this morning Plaxico Burress and the Super Bowl champion New York Giants are the ones chuckling now, while Tom Brady and the 18-1 New England Patriots try to figure out what went wrong in their "patented perfect season."
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The Giants won Super Bowl XLII, 17-14, ending the New England Patriots' bid for a perfect season.
See photos of the game, pre-game entertainment, halftime show and Super Bowl celebration.
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This is it!
The Giants road to the Super Bowl ends today when Big Blue plays New England for the NFL title in Glendale, Arizona at Super Bowl XLII.
Click the picture to feel some nostalgia from the Giants' previous Super Bowl appearances ...
Post your memories in the comments section below.
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By the time January 20th rolled around, the only thing standing between the New York Giants and their fourth Super Bowl appearance was the Green Bay Packers and -1 degree weather.
Throughout the week, the focus had been on Brett Favre and his Cinderella story. Every NFL expert not named Terry Bradshaw had already concluded the Packers were on their way to the Super Bowl and that it would be the feel great story. Unfortunately for those experts, the Giants didn't feel like taking the predetermined path.
Courtesy of two Lawrence Tynes field goals, New York had a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter -- a lead that seemed significant because of the way the two defenses were playing. But on the ensuing Packers drive, Favre hit a wide open Donald Driver for a 90-yard touchdown that seemed to break the Giants' backs. Mason Crosby later added a field goal, and Green Bay went into halftime with a 10-6 lead.
 But as the Giants had done all season, they went into halftime and made the proper adjustments. They went on to outscore Green Bay 14-7 in the third quarter and suddenly found themselves only 15 minutes away from the Super Bowl.
However, in almost heartbreaking fashion, Tynes would miss two fourth quarter field goals that would have secured the game for New York. So instead of celebrating early, the Giants would be forced into overtime where the Packers would ultimately win the toss.
Despite dominating the entire game in every aspect but the score, it was beginning to look like the Giants' dream season was over. What were the odds of the legendary Brett Favre failing to deliver with so much on the line?
Apparently, they were pretty good ...
On the second play of overtime, Favre attempted to hit Donald Driver for the first down, but cornerback Corey Webster jumped the route and miraculously picked off the pass. Suddenly, the Giants were alive again. And in almost storybook fashion, the game would come down to another Lawrence Tynes field goal.
Could Tynes gather himself and make the most improbable field goal of the night, or would he be the goat in New York for the rest of his life?
As the 47-yard field goal sailed toward the uprights, it quickly became apparent that the third was indeed the charm. Tynes would not be the goat; he would be the hero.
The New York football Giants were headed to the Super Bowl.
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A touchdown and a field goal? 5-1? 14?
Those were just some of the answers we got when we asked New Yorkers, "What's your score prediction for Super Bowl XLII?"
Not every prediction was wacky though. See for yourself:
What's your prediction? Tell us in the comments section.
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The Giants have experienced their fair share of highs and lows in their postseason history.
Click the picture to see some of the more memorable moments ...
Post your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Yesterday, we unveiled the Giants' best offensive players. Today, it's the defense's turn.
Click the picture to see who made the cut...
Post your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Getcha popcorn ready!
Going into the divisional round of the playoffs, that was Terrell Owens slogan. After a week filled with drama and finger-pointing, he figured the Dallas Cowboys were due for some good fortune.
He could not have been more wrong.
 Although the Cowboys would carry a 14-7 lead into halftime, there was no denying the Giants on this day. New York came out and completely shut down Tony Romo & Co. in the second half en route to a 21-17 upset that cut so deep, the mighty T.O. was brought to tears.
Would it get any sweeter than that? Could the Giants possibly win a more meaningful game?
At the time, Big Blue fans were on top of the world -- that was their Super Bowl. But that feeling would change over the next few days as fans began to realize what was on the horizon.
When the initial thrill of knocking the 13-3 Cowboys out of the playoffs began to wear off, the thrill of possibly reaching the Super Bowl began to build. Fans and players alike began to realize that one more win would catapult the franchise into the Super Bowl for the first time in seven ... long ... years.
There was one problem, however. The Cinderella story known as the Green Bay Packers, led by the legendary Brett Favre, stood in their way.
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A car, facial hair and even a toilet were some of the responses given when we asked New Yorkers, "What would you give up to see the Giants win the Super Bowl?"
I think some of the answers may just surprise you. See for yourself:
What would you give up to see the Giants claim Super Bowl XLII? Tell us in the comments section.
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Former Giants QB, Phil Simms, knows a thing or two about winning a Super Bowl; earning the MVP honor in Super Bowl XXI.
So, I figured he would have the perfect answer to my perfect question about whether or not the Giants need to play a perfect game to beat the Patriots this Sunday. His response? ...
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Throughout the years, the Giants have had numerous premier players don the Big Blue jerseys.
Click the picture to see the most memorable offensive players in franchise history.
Did we miss anyone? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.
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The New York Giants took a rocky road, but when the calendar flipped over into 2008, they were one of 12 teams still playing football. And although it marked their third consecutive playoff appearance, there was a desire demand for better results this time around.
The second-season journey began down in Tampa Bay, where Ronde Barber and the Buccaneers were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Man(ning) they so desperately wanted to see.
In their minds, they had gotten exactly what they asked for. And for the first 15 minutes of the game, it was beginning to look like Barber and company had it all figured out. The Giants couldn't move the ball, they couldn't stop Tampa Bay and Eli Manning was floundering.
 Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, things were about to change.
On their very first drive of the second quarter, New York found its way to the endzone with ease. In what seemed like a blink of the eye, the Giants had tied up the game and the momentum was beginning to shift.
The ensuing drive was more of the same.
After a three and out, courtesy of a revamped and rested defense, Manning was back out on the field and promptly back into the endzone. In a matter of two offensive series and a total of 15 plays, the Giants had a 14-7 lead -- something they would not relinquish.
New York tacked on 10 more points before Jeff Garcia and Tampa Bay finally scored another touchdown with 3:00 to go, but by that time, it was already over. The Giants were celebrating their first playoff victory since the 2000 NFC Championship game, while the Barber brothers tried to vanish as quickly as possible.
The team had taken their first step, but they had a lot more work to do. Next up were the dreaded Dallas Cowboys; a team that had already beaten New York twice during the season.
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Get the word from the street on the Giants' chances against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
This time around, New Yorkers were asked, "What's the worst thing about the Patriots?"
Did someone just call Bill Belichick an obnoxious fool? Check it out:
Let's hear what you think. Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Many former Giant greats are in Phoenix to watch their old team play in the Super Bowl and to enjoy the atmosphere.
I caught up with one member of the Giants championship teams, Carl Banks, to get his take on Big Blue's chances against the Patriots and also to hear what he thought of Plaxico Burress' prediction. MORE:
When asked about Plaxico Burress' 23-17 Super Bowl prediction, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady couldn't help, but laugh. "We're only going to score 17 points?" Brady said Wednesday morning before chuckling. "OK. Is Plax playing defense? I wish he had said 45, 42 and gave us a little credit for more points."
 To Brady's credit, it is unlikely the Giants will hold such a high powered offense under 20 points. The Patriots haven't lost all year and outside of a few hiccups, their offense has run up and down the field on the best of them.
That said, nothing is impossible.
Is it likely the Giants defense will shut down one of the best offensive units of all time? No, but that's not to say it couldn't happen.
Look no further than Super Bowl XXV as proof that anything is possible.
The bottom line here is that Plax did nothing wrong and the media just made something out of nothing. What's the guy supposed to say when he's asked for a prediction/winner? Is he supposed to say, "Well, we made it this far, but there's no beating those Patriots?"
The Giants have come to win and they've made that clear.
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NFL players often pair up with famous women, but is every hookup a match made in heaven or a curse from hell?
See some of the more high-profile couples here.
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Here are the top stories on the wires tonight ...
- Roger Clemens showed up at the Houston Astros' minicamp on Wednesday and sidestepped a question about his upcoming appearance before a House committee investigation performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.
- Tom Brady was puzzled by Plaxico Burress' prediction that the New York Giants would beat the New England Patriots 23-17 in Sunday's Super Bowl. The fact Burress picked the Giants hardly surprised the league's MVP. The score certainly did.
- Knicks forward Renaldo Balkman was suspended without pay for Wednesday night's game against the Utah Jazz for committing a flagrant foul against the Los Angeles Lakers' Sasha Vujacic.
Forget the "experts."
Our Alex Iglesias hit the streets of New York to find out that one reason why the Giants will win Super Bowl XLII.
Take a look:
What's YOUR reason why the Giants will beat the Patriots? Leave your mark in the comments section below.
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Mike Carey will head the officiating crew for Sunday's Super Bowl between the New York Giants and New England Patriots on Sunday, the