A ring for Greg Jones, and one for his fiancee too
New York Giants Jacquian williams and Greg Jones celebrates recovering a 49ers fumble in overtime of the NFC Championship game. (Jan. 22, 2012) Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
INDIANAPOLIS -- The players weren't the only ones to get a ring on Sunday night.
Giants linebacker Greg Jones took the opportunity of a lifetime to propose to his girlfriend on the field following the team's 21-17 win in Super Bowl XLVI. What girl could say no to confetti and the Lombardi Trophy? So of course Mandy Piechowski said yes.
She ran onto the field after the game and cried when she found Jones, she told ESPN. They embraced but Jones pushed her away a little.
"I was like, 'Oh, OK,' " she said. "And then he is digging in his pants and I am like, 'What are you doing?' "
Next thing, Jones was taking a knee -- like Ahmad Bradshaw should have done at the 1-yard line -- and proposing.
Practice squad tight end Christian Hopkins held the ring throughout the game and then passed it to Jones for the big moment. But even as he presented it to Piechowski, she still didn't grasp what was happening.
"He pulls out a box and I am still not comprehending what he was about to do," she said. "First thing I thought of was their [Super Bowl] ring and that doesn't make sense. Then he opened it."
Manning about town
Eli Manning won his second Super Bowl -- and second MVP -- in the stadium where his brother Peyton had so much success. But Peyton has only one championship. Does that mean the younger brother has bragging rights?
"This isn't about bragging rights," he said. "This is a lot bigger. This is about a team, an organization being named world champions, and that was the ultimate goal. That's the only thing that's important . . . That's the only thing I care about and Peyton and I both know that's what the goal is every year. It's not about anything else."
Giant steps
TEs Travis Beckum (ACL) and Jake Ballard (knee) both left the game with injuries, leaving the Giants with only one tight end in Bear Pascoe. "Hate to see that happen to Travis and Jake," Pascoe said, "but they're tough, they'll bounce back." . . . Kevin Boothe said Vince Wilfork winked at him after Boothe was called for holding in the second quarter, a costly penalty that cost the Giants a first down and set up a Patriots touchdown drive. "He's a savvy vet," Boothe said of the questionable call . . . Most players soak in the atmosphere in the post-game locker room. DT Linval Joseph said he had to get out of there as quickly as possible. "I couldn't breathe," the claustrophobic Joseph said. "I needed to get out of the locker room." . . . Punter Steve Weatherford was so sure he was going to have to hold for the game-winning field goal that he was preparing himself for the celebration. He reminded himself to watch his language, he said, following some colorful lip-reading that took place on the game-winner in San Francisco two weeks ago.
