Only a handful of nations have known the pure joy of winning a World Cup soccer championship. Cities whose teams win a league championship in any sport are more common, but nonetheless rare. On Sunday, the New York Giants won the Super Bowl, the championship of American-style football, creating the thrill of victory recognized by sports fans everywhere.
An estimated one million New York Giants fans lined the streets of Lower Manhattan Tuesday for a ticker tape parade up Broadway. With confetti, office and toilet paper raining from skyscrapers, the winning team paraded on floats amid the din of diehard fans. Danny, a local security officer, says the thrill of victory is a reward for loyalty to a team.
“There’s a sense of pride for those who love the winning team and for those who just love the sport,” Danny said.
Marching bands and bagpipers gave the festivities a musical soundtrack. Friends and families of players paraded on tourist buses whose electronic destination signs were reprogrammed with messages underscoring victory. George took a day off from college classes and responded to a question about what he has in common with an overseas soccer fan.
“We’re both huge sports fans. We’d probably die for our teams, I know I would. And I guess we both just love the game,” George said.
Many a child in the crowd took a day off from school to watch the parade. As for Danny, a soon-to-be-father - he says his baby daughter will be a Giants fan.
