HONOLULU -- It can be lonely for champions.
Osi Umenyiora certainly knows that. The star defensive end for
the Super Bowl-winning New York Giants is the only member of the
team at the Pro Bowl. Yes, the champs have all of one Pro Bowler.
"It sounds incredible. There's no better feeling than being
world champions," OUenyiora said after the NFC's practice Tuesday.
"I'm a little sad that no teammates made it with me, but I'll
represent for New York."
The Giants were only 10-6 and a wild card for the playoffs.
While they had several other worthy Pro Bowlers, only Umenyiora and
his 13 sacks -- six in one game, against Philadelphia -- got here.
Umenyiora's dislike for flying made the decision to skip the
victory parade in New York an easy one. The was no way he wanted to
fly back home, then over to Hawaii for Sunday's all-star game.
"If I flew to New York, I wouldn't have come back here," he
said. "It's only six hours -- only six, ha -- from Phoenix.
"I watched it on TV this morning and I cried when I saw them
celebrating. Saw Mike (Strahan) and the coaches. I love those guys
so much."
Umenyiora was awake at 4 a.m. Tuesday because of jet lag, so
tuning into the celebration in Manhattan hardly was a problem, even
with the five-hour time difference. By proxy, he did take part in
it, text-messaging fellow defensive end Strahan and DT Barry
Cofield, and also speaking to Cofield by phone during the parade.
This is Umenyiora's second Pro Bowl. He was selected in 2005,
when he was an All-Pro and led the NFC with 14 1/2 sacks. But he
didn't have a championship in his resume then. He has the 17-14
victory over previously unbeaten New England now.
He's certain the Giants wouldn't have won their third Super Bowl
without the overwhelming performance by the defense, which had five
sacks and put Patriots quarterback Tom Brady on the ground more
than a dozen times. The line was the key to that domination against
the most prolific offense in NFL history, one that scored 38 points
on New York in the season finale, then managed just two touchdowns,
its smallest output in 19 games, in the title game.
"Before the game, I went to Michael and to Justin (Tuck, who
had two sacks) and said, `Listen, this is the Super Bowl right now
and there's no way we win if we don't perform," Umenyiora said.
"That was the type of pressure we put on ourselves, that we had to
get it done."
Umenyiora didn't have a sack in the big game, but he was a
consistent force working against All-Pro tackle Matt Light. At one
point, Umenyiora said he, Strahan, Tuck, Cofield and the other
defenders sensed that Brady was distracted by them.
"Hey, I can understand that," he said. "We're out there
trying to kill him.
"Brady didn't say much to me. He's cool out there, calm and
cool, but everyone else said he was bothered by us."
Brady begged off the Pro Bowl, citing injuries. But six Patriots
are on hand: Light, guard Logan Mankins, center Dan Koppen,
linebacker Mike Vrabel, defensive tackle Vince Wilfork and
cornerback Asante Samuel. Umenyiora hadn't run into them yet -- not
that the three offensive linemen want to see any more of him.
"It sounds crazy, but I told Cofield a week before the game:
`This team can't beat us if we play the way we're supposed to,"
Umenyiora recalled. "Get pressure on the quarterback and you can
make Superman look ordinary."