Thoughts From The Upper Deck

A few thoughts and stories from Sundays game from someone who was there:

I live in the Phoenix area, and have been an on and off resident here for 14 years. I've now attended seven Giants-Cardinal games in Arizona, and at every one of them, my friends and I have been asked, "If you live here, why don't you support the home team?", and I explain it like this:

My father was a Giants fan, his father was a Giants fan, and my children are Giants fans. I wouldn't know two of my best friends if not for the Giants (I met them in a bar years ago where we gathered to watch them). You just don't turn all of that off because your address changes. Being a Giants fan is like being in the mafia: once you are in, there is no getting out. And so it goes this thing of ours.

• David Diehl, Victor Cruz and Steve Weatherford all commented on Twitter last night about how many Giants fans there were at the game yesterday. The Giants may not "travel" as well as the Steelers and Packers, but I think they are close. The stadium was not full, and I would say the ratio was 70/30 Cardinals to Giants fans, which isn't bad at all. We met Giants fans yesterday who had traveled not just from NY/NJ, but from California, Las Vegas, and even Florida to see this game.
• With about six minutes to go, and the Giants on the ropes, they played this silly song on the PA at University of Phoenix Stadium, "This is our house"; all these Cardinal fans were singing it, taunting the Giants fans. As the Giants lined up in "victory formation" five minutes later, I started the chant "This is OUR house" as the Cardinal fans streamed for the exits. Two of the best Giant victories I've ever seen have taken place in that stadium. Our house, indeed.
• Since I'm a transplant, I usually wind up seeing my teams on the road, and as I get older I've learned to shut my mouth until the game is over. I usually sit pretty quietly; I let the home team fans have their fun. There is nothing a fan can say to me that I haven't heard before, so I just take it all in. I've been jumped, cursed at, spit at, and had more things thrown at me than you can imagine. You can taunt me all you want in the third quarter, but you better believe I'm giving it back when the game is actually over, and I did.
• I got to meet Jerry Reese Saturday night, and got a picture. Very nice guy and it's starting to look more and more like he really knows what he is doing, huh?
• The Cowboys, Eagles, and Jets all lose, and the Giants have a thrilling comeback win against the Cardinals. If the question is "What happens on a perfect football Sunday", the answer is "D. All of the Above."
• One more thing: Does Gary Myers in the Daily News want to tell me again how this is a "Jets town"?