Giants Make Statements of Fashion and Confidence

Most of the Giants wore their white jerseys with big, red numerals Thursday morning when they met with the news media for the final time before Super Bowl XLII.

But defensive end Osi Umenyiora wore a new, white T-shirt that displayed the Giants’ slogan for this season: “Talk is cheap. Play the game.” The words were in the team’s colors of red and blue with a Super Bowl logo above them and a “NY” logo below.

“This is my motto from here on out,” Umenyiora said at the media availability at the team’s hotel. He appeared to be the only Giants player wearing the shirt, which was distributed throughout the locker room on Wednesday.

Umenyiora quickly added that he had said too much recently when he labeled Patriots offensive tackle Matt Light a dirty player.

“Matter of fact, I want to apologize to Matt Light for calling him a dirty player,” Umenyiora said. “He’s really not a dirty player at all. I apologize. That’s my fault.”

Umenyiora had a serious expression on his face, but it was hard to tell whether he was being serious or playful. When a reporter said he was from a Boston television station, Umenyiora turned toward the camera.

“I’m sorry, Matt Light,” he said. “I didn’t mean anything by that to cause this whole ruckus. We’ll see each other on Sunday and settle all our differences. Sorry. I love you. Take care, buddy.”

Words — some casual or flippant — can take on exaggerated meanings before a game of this magnitude. Such was the case earlier in the week when Giants receiver Plaxico Burress answered a question by saying that he thought the Giants would win the game.

Quotations like that merge with fashion statements and become issues. When all the Giants players wore black clothing on the plane trip to Arizona, a few Patriots players wondered why they would dress as if they were attending a funeral.

Reuben Droughns, a Giants running back who was one of the few players not wearing his jersey Thursday, wore a brown designer shirt with a dragon’s head on it. He held his uniform in his hands.

“I better put this jersey on,” he said, before defending Burress.

“I agree with Plax,” Droughns said. “We’re not going to go out there and say we’re going to lose. We’re here to win.”

Said linebacker Kawika Mitchell, who was wearing a dark, hooded sweatshirt: “I’ve been wearing dark clothing all week. I’ll brighten up on Sunday. I’ll have my whites on.”

Among the Giants who were wearing their jerseys was Michael Strahan, the veteran defensive end who is a member of the team’s leadership council and one of its most frequently quoted players. He said the new editions of the T-shirt were collectors’ items because of the Super Bowl logo.

“Everybody has one,” he said of the players. “They were free, so I asked for three of them. Mine are in my locker.”