She nearly made a Giant mistake!
Big Blue diehard Maryann Villa of Nutley, NJ, thought about punting the four season tickets she’s had for a half-century following the team’s disastrous 4-13 record last year.
The 85-year-old even aired her disgust publicly in an interview with a local paper, saying “I can’t stand the torture anymore!”
Giants co-owner John Mara read the damning declaration and tossed the grandmother a Hail Mary to win her back: an invitation to the team’s East Rutherford training facility in April.
Mara scored big. Villa is back in the fold, and this Sunday she’ll will be glued to her television set as the underdog Giants travel to Minnesota to take on the 13-4 Vikings at 4:30 p.m. Villa believes Big Blue will avenge their last-second 27-24 loss on Christmas Eve to the Vikes. She predicts a 20-14 final.
If the Giants should host a playoff game this winter, Villa will be there leading the cheers. APAnd whenever the Giants do return to MetLife Stadium, she’ll be in her seat in Section 35, Row 16, cheering her team on.
Villa’s family has been attending Giants games dating back to the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Conn., in 1974 when the team went winless at home. She’s watched every Giants quarterback from Norm Snead to Daniel Jones.
“I feel like Eli [Manning}. I’ve never missed a game,” she said.
Villa’s favorite Giant is two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning. J.C.RiceNow, after a seven-year drought, the Giants, with a respectable 9-7-1 record, are back in the playoffs.
“It was torture sitting there when they were losing,” Villa confessed. “That’s what I told Mr. Mara. First, it was cold. Then they were losing. And it was just torture,” she said.
At the April shindig, the Giants treated Villa like a blue-chip college recruit. Three generations of Villa fans — Maryann, her son John, and grandson Jett — toured team headquarters and met in the boardroom with general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll, who promised change.
Villa’s family has been attending Giants games dating back to the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Conn. in 1974. J.C.Rice
Villa’s grandson, Jack, and son, Gerald, are two of the family members who attend Giants games with her. J.C.Rice“I met with the new coaches … the Giants were gracious and they had great food,” Villa recalled. “Steaks, meats, pasta, vegetables, salad, desserts.”
The icing on the cake?
“Eli was there,” Villa gushed, referring to her favorite player, who delivered the last-minute bomb to save the day.
“He was afraid I was going to give up my tickets,” Villa explained. “He said, ‘We can’t lose you.'”
