It’s safe to say that most fans of the New York Giants believed their beloved Big Blue would have been done by mid-January, especially the way the Giants floundered around during the early part of November.
Rabid fans wanted quarterback Eli Manning’s head on a platter. They were also calling for the scalp of head coach Tom Coughlin. The Giants were blown out by Dallas and Minnesota in Giants Stadium, of all places. They also suffered a loss to Washington at home. Their playoff hopes were teetering toward destruction.
But somehow, the Giants became the best version of road warriors in the NFL and won big games at Chicago, Philadelphia, and Buffalo, clinching their wild card playoff berth in the process.
Then, having to play on the road in the beginning of the playoffs, they defeated Tampa Bay to set up a showdown with the NFC’s top seed – the Dallas Cowboys – who had trounced Big Blue twice in the regular season.
In fact, since 1990, the top seed in the NFC had never lost a divisional playoff game, a stretch of 17 straight games.
That was before last week, when the local heroes upset the Cowboys, 21-17, to advance to today’s NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers on the frozen tundra at Lambeau Field in frigid Wisconsin.
35 TV’s geared up at local bar
Now, since the Giants will still be playing in the NFL’s Final Four, local bars and restaurants are gearing up for the onslaught of football fans who will root for Big Blue as the Giants try to make it to the Super Bowl in Arizona in two weeks.
In case you live in a cave and didn’t know, kickoff for the Giants-Packers championship game is slated for 6:30 p.m. tonight (Sunday, Jan. 20).
At the Plank Road Inn on Paterson Plank Road, owner Brian Rennie is geared up for a huge turnout.
“We’ll have a full house of Giants fans,” Rennie said. “We kept everyone here last week and those superstitious people will be back again, because they don’t want to jinx the Giants. Everyone is looking forward to it.”
Rennie said that the Plank Road Inn has 35 televisions and all will have the big game on.
“We’ll have nothing else on,” Rennie said.
Except clothes, of course.
At Bazooka’s in Secaucus, the premier sports bar is pumped for the festivities.
“It’s going to get crazy in here,” said Mike Heidenthal, the manager at Bazooka’s. “It was crazy last week for the Dallas game, and it’s going to get crazier for this one. The 6:30 start helps. I think more people will come out and watch it. We’re prepared for a big crowd.”
Bazooka’s will offer $2 domestic pints and $6.50 domestic pitchers of beer. The Coors Light Girls will make an appearance, along with the fabulous beauties that already work at Bazooka’s.
“There will also be beer and liquor Happy Hour prices and free chicken wings at halftime of both games,” Heidenthal said.
That’s right, there is a New England-San Diego game before the Giants tilt that will determine the Giants’ foe in the Super Bowl. And every good Giant fan knows that they want revenge on the undefeated Patriots after dropping that tough 38-35 loss Dec. 29.
“We’ll probably get about 200 people here,” Heidenthal said. “And all 50 televisions will be tuned in to the one game. We usually get the one guy who wants to watch golf, but not this week.”
Heidenthal said that Bazooka’s does bop with excitement when the Giants advance in the playoffs.
“Business does generally pick up when the Giants do well,” Heidenthal said. “After all, the Giants play so close to us. We’re not even three miles from Giants Stadium. It’s an exciting time for us.”
But not so exciting for Heidenthal’s personal preferences.
“I’m a Cowboy fan,” he admitted. “I died last week. It got to me big time.”
At Houlihan’s at 700 Plaza Drive, there will be regular happy hour specials and appetizers on sale for $5 between 4-7 p.m., which means Giants fans better eat up before kickoff.
Heading south
At Texas Arizona, located at 76 River St. in Hoboken, there will be $2 pints of all kinds of domestic light beers and $8 pitchers. There will also be chicken wing specials as well. There are also buckets of Bud Light and Coors Light for $11.
“This place was bananas during the game last week and we’re expecting the same this week,” said manager Anthony Perez. “When you’re considered a sports bar, that’s how it goes.”
Even though Texas Arizona is the regular hangout for the Pittsburgh Steelers Fan Club in New Jersey, the Steelers will be home watching the game along with 28 other teams.
“No doubt, we will have Giants fans here,” Perez said. “After all, we’re in Jersey, not Pittsburgh. It will be a fun day.”
At Black Bear Bar and Grill on Washington Street, there will be the typical Sunday NFL specials of Blue Moon and Smithwick’s draft pints and pitchers of Bud Light for $9.99. Black Bear is also gearing up for its 11th annual Super Bowl party. Wouldn’t it be great if that party included the Giants?
At Willie McBride’s on Grand Street in Hoboken, there will be $2 pints of Bud Light and Coors Light, $8 pitchers of the same and $5 plates of chicken wings. The same goes for its sister establishment, Busker’s Bar and Grill on Bloomfield Street and First.
“Everyone wants the Giants to win here,” said the pretty bartender at Willie McBride’s. “It was mobbed here last Sunday and it will probably be the case again this week. It was packed and it was great, because the Giants won.”
Now, if Big Blue can just keep that road magic for another week. Just imagine what Super Bowl Sunday will be like in the area?
Needless to say, it would be a major boon to all bars and restaurants showing the game.
Jim Hague can be reached via e-mail at either OGSMAR@aol.com or jhague@hudsonreporter.com