For some, ring ceremony is one last Super stop

For Dave Tollefson, it wasn't about the ring.

The former Giants defensive end who won a Super Bowl with the team but has since signed with the Raiders was at Tiffany's in Manhattan Wednesday night to collect his hardware, but he said his appearance was more about closing a chapter in his life than it was about jewelry.

"It's just a chance to be with the guys," he said. "The story behind us getting the ring, that's why I wanted to come back."

Tollefson was one of a handful of former Giants who were on hand. Devin Thomas (Bears) was one of the first to arrive. Jonathan Goff (Redskins) also came. Kareem McKenzie, the starting tackle on two Super Bowl teams who was not re-signed by the Giants, was also on hand. "No doubt at all," McKenzie said if there was ever any time when he thought about not coming. "You always want to be able to go ahead and enjoy it with all the guys and be able to celebrate and, you know, get that coveted ring. It's always something that, you're really anxious at first but when you get down to it, I'm just excited."

Not all of the former Giants were able to make it. Mario Manningham and Brandon Jacobs (both with 49ers) were not in attendance (although Jacobs' wife, Kim, did show up). Aaron Ross (Jaguars) did not come, nor did veteran Deon Grant.

"It's tough, but you've got to keep moving," Ahmad Bradshaw said of celebrating without his close friend Jacobs. "We had a lot of fun together and life goes on but we'll always be buddies on and off the field."

Tollefson said he had no reservations about attending, but he was not looking forward to leaving it when the night ended. That, he knew, would be the last time he could consider himself a Giant. "That's the hard part, closing this chapter, because it was a fun deal," he said. "This will be like the last New York Giants big shebang."

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