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You can't stop a Giants fan

Jennifer Barrios; Pervaiz Shallwani

February 6, 2008

Work, school and a morning of dreary skies couldn't keep many Giants fans away from celebrating in the Canyon of Heroes. They painted their faces, donned their Giants jerseys, and waited for hours to see the Giants parade up Broadway with the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Jen and Rob Maher, both 27, wanted to avoid a crowded ride into Manhattan on the Long Island Rail Road, so the couple woke up at 3 a.m. to catch an early morning train from their home in Hauppauge.

They arrived on Broadway just north of Battery Park at 6:30 a.m., 4 1/2 hours early.

Rob Maher wore a bright blue wig and face paint along with his Brandon Jacobs jersey, honoring his favorite player. His wife, meanwhile, hopped up and down with excitement.

Both Mahers skipped work to celebrate - he took a personal day; she called in ill.

"I'm very sick," Jen Maher explained, producing a tepid "cough" and fanning herself with a gloved hand. "I look sick."

Both were too happy to be tired, but Rob Maher admitted that the early morning wake-up call would take its toll later.

"I think we're not going to make the pep rally," he said, laughing.

While some parade-goers made signs with freshly purchased poster board and markers from Broadway drugstores, Omar Owens, 24, of Staten Island, got a little more creative. He ripped up the box from his cough-syrup bottle to hastily pen his own sign: "18-1," referring to the Patriots' less-than-perfect record.

"I took it from Robitussin," he said, holding up the small box. "I've got a sore throat."

Dan Duryea has season tickets to the Giants' games.

"Section 307," he said. "Otherwise known as 'Superfan in 307.'"

That probably explains why the Wappingers Falls resident was walking down Broadway yesterday carrying a fake severed head labeled "Brady." As in Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. The head wore a Patriots football helmet and a football was sticking out of its face mask.

Duryea, 41, said he bought the head about 20 years ago, and he stayed up Monday night adapting it to the current circumstances.

He drove an hour to get to Manhattan, wearing the same lucky outfit he wore while watching the Super Bowl: the same football jersey, sweatshirt - even the same underwear. He also was sporting a Mohawk that happened to be Giants-related, too. Duryea said he had promised that he would shave his head if the Giants won the Super Bowl.

"Two minutes after the game, my friend started hacking away at it," he said. "It's a mess."

- Jennifer Barrios

Eight-year-old Nicholas Romanello of Staten Island "eats, breathes and sleeps football," according to his mother.

So Joanna Romanello waited until it was time to get ready for school before telling him she was letting him cut class and taking him to the parade.

As usual, she went to his room to wake him. And as usual, he resisted, choosing to retreat under the covers.