Photograph of President Bush and members of the Giants organization by Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Before being feted at the White House, the New York Giants visited the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and met soldiers wounded in Iraq. Coach Tom Coughlin said to one 31-year-old U.S. Marine whose lost both his legs in Falluja, "You are the real heroes." One soldier, Michael Cain, who lost his right leg five years ago and is a......

After the first day of the NFL Draft, the Jets and Giants wrapped up their drafts yesterday by filling some needs and taking some chances. The Jets added Dwight Lowery a cornerback, Marcus Henry a wide receiver, Nate Garner an offensive tackle and Erik Ainge, the QB from Tennessee and the nephew of Danny Ainge. In many ways, Ainge is similar to Chad Pennington, so it is an interesting pick to say the least. The......

Photograph, above, of Vernon Gholston, 6th NFL Draft pick overall, at Radio City Music Hall by Jason DeCrow/AP; photograph, below, of Jets fans cheering the pick by Julie Jacobson/AP Being the sixth-worst team in the NFL has its advantages come April. The Jets had the sixth pick in this weekend's NFL Draft, and, despite hopes that Arkansas running back Darren McFadden would fall to them, ended up taking talented Ohio State defensive end Vernon......

The Jets made a big splash in free agency and they hope to make a big splash in the draft. Sitting at number six, the Jets could go in a number of interesting directions. Darren McFadden, the great running back from Arkansas could be the selection, as could Matt Ryan, the QB from Boston College. Ryan is the top-rated QB in the draft. If the Jets don’t select him, the Patriots (picking at 7)......

Giants quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning married his Ole Miss sweetheart Abby McGraw in Mexico last night. The couple, who got engaged during a date in Hoboken, had a sunset beach ceremony at the One&Only; Palmilla resort in Cabo San Lucas. Manning's brothers Cooper and Peyton shared best man duties, while McGrew's sisters shared maid-of-honor duties. About 60 people attended the intimate wedding, which the minister called "one of the most beautiful...I have......

For the Giants, the opening of free agency saw them lose three players. Kawika Mitchell went to the Bills, Reggie Torbor to the Dolphins and Gibril Wilson to the Raiders. The loss of Wilson will hurt the most, but remember he was once a fifth-round pick. GM Jerry Reese proved last year that he is very good drafting players and won’t overpay in the free agent market, so don’t panic the Super Bowl champs will......

Photograph of a vacant lot on the Lower East Side by p0psharlow on Flickr Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a bicyclist struck on Queens Blvd. and 55th St. a smoke condition at the Heartland Brewery & Rotisserie At 350 5th Ave & East 34th St. Your name is Leila. You're a Verizon customer. You are receiving every text msg. addressed to Leila across the planet. A science teacher at a Staten Island H.S. along......

If you can't get enough of the Giants winning Super Bowl XLII, we've got some good news for you...the Super Bowl XLII DVD is out today! While the DVD has a runtime of nearly three hours, it doesn't contain the whole game. What you do get from the DVD is a recap of the entire Giants season, culminating with highlights from the Super Bowl (without Joe Buck, if that's how you like it). The DVD......

The football season is over, but news about the Giants and their Super Bowl win never gets old. Here's what's been happening since the ticker tape parade: Boston Mayor Thomas Menino made good and delivered the Boston items he promised - like 100 cups of New England Clam Chowder from Legal Sea Foods; 42 pounds of coffee from Dunkin' Donuts (in honor of Super Bowl XLII); 12 dozen Boston Cream Pie (Tom Brady is #12)......

Ooh, a fun update about the remake of The Taking of Pelham One-Two-Three. AMNY's Subway Tracker reports that location scouting is well under way, "Crews were at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station today...crews will be doing a camera test near Jerome and Tremont in the Bronx tomorrow some time (near the 4 line)." Transit officials even confirmed that crews were scouting today! Last September, the remake plans were announced, with Tony Scott directing and Denzel Washington reprising......

Put any thoughts of the new Giants-Jets Stadium being named Mara Field (after the recently deceased and beloved Giants owner Wellington Mara) far from your heads. Sports marketing experts believe that the value of slapping a corporation's name on the arena, which is expected to be completed in 2010 and cost $1.3 billion, could generate revenues of $25 million to $30 million annually for the two teams. In comparison, the Mets are charging Citigroup $20......

Photograph of Michael Strahan, coach Tom Coughin (holding the Vince Lombardi trophy) and quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning by Tien Mao Gothamist was amazed after the Giants won the Super Bowl, the city went wild, and it witnessed a ticker-tape parade.Barack Obama drew 20,000+ ahead of Seattle’s Saturday caucus.Londonist had Super Tuesday too.Elusive guerrilla street artist Banksy revisits Los Angeles.After the Patriots lost the Super Bowl and came this close to making......

Get ready to groan: "I look forward to 'Phase Two' of the 'blinging up' of the Parachute Jump," said inveterate cornball Marty Markowitz during his recent State of the Borough speech. The 262-foot Coney Island landmark was retrofitted with a lighting system two years ago, but borough president Markowitz and others deemed the effect too subdued and “artsy.” Now the city is soliciting proposals from companies to create a flashier effect. $1.5 million has been......

The Mets introduced Johan Santana, their newest player and best attempt at getting back to the World Series, in Flushing yesterday. Just last week, the Mets and Santana agreed to a six-year $137.5 million contract that makes the Mets a favorite in the National League. Scores of press were on hand for the introduction, as well as David Wright, Omar Minaya, owners Fred and Jeff Wilpon, and Willie Randolph. Before his official introduction, the Mets......

Photos of David Tyree catching the ball with Rodney Harrison defending in the 4th quarter of Super Bowl XLII by AP/Charlie Riedel (left) and AP/Gene Puskar (right) You’ve seen it a thousand times by now and it’s clearly the biggest play in Giants history. Eli Manning drops back, somehow escapes three different Patriots from sacking him and then heaves the ball downfield. David Tyree jumps up, pins the ball against his forehead and somehow......

Entrance and Exit Only, by coifmo66 at flickr Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a serious trauma at East 16th St. and Moore Pl. in Brooklyn, a water search at Kosciusko Bridge in Brooklyn, and a bank robbery on Lexington Ave. in Manhattan, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who popularized transcendentalism in the West with the support of The Beatles, died yesterday at an undetermined age. Postmodern reality at its best: Silvercup Studios, where "Gossip Girl," is......

Left in the midst of Super Tuesday and the Giants ticker tape parade local news coverage is an intriguing story about a 14-year-old Long Island boy's suspension. Last November, Ethan Mirenberg was suspended after, per Newsday, "a former teacher accused him of putting her in a chokehold and grinding his knuckles into her scalp." In other words, a noogie from hell. Which is probably why the WNBC graphics department went the "Nightmare Noogie" route.......

Photograph by forklift on Flickr An estimated three million people assembled along Broadway during yesterday's ticker tape parade to celebrate the Giants' 17-14 Super Bowl XLII win over the New England Patriots. After the many floats with Giants players (and cars with some dignitaries, like Governor Spitzer, Senator Chuck Schumer, and Assembly Leader Sheldon Silver) rolled up the Canyon of Heroes, Mayor Bloomberg presented the team with keys to the city. When David Tyree,......

Confetti, by Swifty at flickr Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a large fight at an election on Eldert Ln. in Brooklyn, a stolen DHL truck on Crown St. in Brooklyn, and a child stabbed on 220th St. and 133th Ave. in Queens. Brownstoner notes that the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce is looking for nominations for the best buildings in Brooklyn. Staten Island Assemblyman Michael Cusick wants 17-year-olds to have the right to vote in......

Photograph of Michael Strahan, coach Tom Coughin (holding the Vince Lombardi trophy) and quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning by Tien Mao Update: Here are some of our photographs from the parade route - it look us a few hours to download the photos and decompress/shake out the confetti from the parade. We'll be adding a slideshow later. Photograph of NFC Championship hero, kicker Lawrence Tynes, by Tien Mao Photograph looking down the......

Moments after the Giants won, visitors to www.giants.com were greeted to this page about getting Super Bowl gear; of course, it wouldn't ship in time for today's parade Commemorative sweatshirts and hats haven't been so popular since... the Yankees won the World Series in 2000! All around the region, Giants Super Bowl XLII Champions clothing and doodads attracted long waits and some empty hands. Trucks delivered the Super Bowl Champions-emblazoned items to stores at......

Photograph John McCain surrounded by New York Republicans by Kathy Willens/AP John McCain's Straight Talk Express headed into Manhattan today, taking him to Grand Central Terminal where he got the endorsement of former governor George Pataki. McCain, along with wife Cindy, appeared with Pataki, Alphonse D'Amato, Joseph Lieberman and Rudy Giuliani as the Republican candidate appears to be leading in many Super Tuesday polls over rivals Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul. Pataki,......

Photograph of Sam Madison, left, Kevin Dockery, center, and R.W. McQuarters at the Knicks-Clippers game by Ed Betz/AP Clippers 103 Knicks 94: New York Giants Sam Madison, Kevin Dockery and R.W. McQuarters showed up for the game, which provided a great diversion from what happened on the floor. Leading 60-51 at halftime, the Knicks were blown away in the third quarter, getting outscored 28-14 as the Clippers cruised to the win. The Knicks actually......

Photograph of a Giants fan in Times Square by Johnia! on Flickr After the stunning Giants' Super Bowl win, people cheered like they hadn't seen a Super Bowl victory in 17 years! Throughout the city, folks were stumbling onto streets, chanting the names of players and even getting arrested. A thousand people flooded Times Square, reportedly jumping on cars and sitting on top of phone kiosks, but the Post says no one was arrested.......

Photograph of the Vote/Love stencil by dietrich on Flickr Tomorrow is the Presidential Primary, where registered Democrats and Republicans can select a presidential candidate. Polling places are open between 6AM and 9PM - you can find out where to go by checking with the Board of Elections. If you're still undecided about a candidate, we direct you to Gotham Gazette's excellent guides - Democratic Candidates on the Issues and Republican Candidate on the Issues......

As we mentioned over the weekend, Staten Island Chuck predicted a Giants Super Bowl victory as well as an early spring. He got the football prediction right, but what's the deal with the snow, Chuck? We tried to talk to him but his publicist would not return our calls! That forced us to look at a few weather maps, which led us to see that the snow shower was actually a harbinger of warmer weather......

Photos of David Tyree catching the ball with Rodney Harrison defending in the 4th quarter of Super Bowl XLII by AP/Charlie Riedel (left) and AP/Gene Puskar (right) History will place the 2007 Giants among the most unlikely champions ever. 0-2 to start the season, down 17-3 at halftime of their third game, bad losses to Minnesota and Washington, down 14-0 off the bat in Buffalo, a comeback in Dallas, an OT winner in Green......

After the Giants' wild underdog Super Bowl win last night, it's no surprise that New York area papers are reveling in this victory. The Daily News give its readers a special commemorative Super Bowl victory cover (inside, there's a traditional front and sports back cover - sans Giants mention). Both the News and the NY Post feature Eli Manning holding the Vince Lombardi trophy. Maybe this is their way of apologizing for ragging on......

Photograph at left of David Diehl, Guy Whimper and Kevin Booth touching the Vince Lombardi trophy by David J. Philip/AP; photograph at right of Michael Strahan kissing the trophy by Eric Gay/AP 11:27PM: We're enjoying the postgame coverage of the Giants' victory, with sad Tom Brady, really excited Michael Strahan (singing Eli's praises), Peyton Manning being thrilled with his brother's success (aw!) and thoughts from the 1972 Dolpins, secure with their undefeated record for......

Photo of one of the 72 game balls for the Super Bowl by AP/Charlie Riedel So, the Giants making the Super Bowl has you preparing to watch a football game and you don’t know much about the sport. Let us help you with some pointers about the game. The weird thing about football is very little of it is done with your foot. Teams take the ball and either run it or throw it......