Hugs, disbelief as triumph sinks in for New York Giants

By Tim Gaynor

GLENDALE, Arizona (Reuters) - The first moments after recording one of the greatest upsets in Super Bowl history, the New York Giants spent hugging, high-fiving and shaking their heads in disbelief at what they had pulled off.

Clear underdogs going into the game, the Giants scored a last-minute 17-14 victory over the New England Patriots, breaking the AFC champions' seemingly unstoppable momentum from a season with 18 straight wins.

For wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who scored the winning touchdown with 35 seconds of play left, inspiration from competing in the event overcame his nerves.

"The whole game is like you are floating, playing on air, you try to settle yourself down and say, 'ah! it's just a football game,' but at the back of your mind you hear 'it's the Super Bowl,' and you've got (to) fight that demon," he said, perched on a chair in the locker room.

"This is a dream come true for me, I never imagined I was going to win a ...championship," he added, shaking his head, as his team mates danced and chanted "Champions! Champions! Champions!"

The fast-paced game kept the fans on the edge of their seats until the final minute, and the players themselves counting down the seconds to claim victory over the Patriots.

"When that clock hit 000 and we knew that we did it, and that confetti came pouring out, that was the greatest moment ever," said safety Gibril Wilson, standing in a throng of reporters at University of Phoenix Stadium.

"We are ...champions. No one can ever take this away from us, it's a great accomplishment for us, and for the whole city of New York," he added.