2012 Super Bowl Champions – the New York Giants

Big Blue did it! The New York Giants are your 2012 Super Bowl XLVI Champs! In what became known as “The Rematch,” Eli Manning and the Giants, once again, defeated Tom Brady and the New England Patriots just as they did the first time they met in Super Bowl XLII. The Tom Coughlin-coached 2011 New York Giants squad capped off an amazing football season culminating in an unexpected Super Bowl XLVI win from a team that went 9-7 during the regular season. Find all your New York Giants Super Bowl Champs gear at Fanatics.

New York Giants Championship T-Shirts

New York Giants Championship Hats

New York Giants Championship Sweatshirts

New York Giants Championship Gear

How did they get here?

2011 started off with a goodbye to the New Meadowlands stadium and a hello to MetLife Stadium. The Giants lost many key players due to free agency, including Center Shaun O’Hara, Tight End Kevin Boss and Wide Receiver Steve Smith—all three Pro Bowlers. Many speculated the loss of such elite players would do much damage to a team that had just managed to eke out 9 wins the previous season and miss the playoffs for the second year in a row. But, soon, the sports world would be touting the play of a new hero in New York – a hero by the name of Victor Cruz.

Cruzing into action

UMass wide receiver Victor Cruz went undrafted in the 2010 NFL Draft only to join the Giants later as a walk-on to their practice squad. It was after Steve Smith’s departure that Cruz’s catching abilities would be put to the test as the team’s fourth wide receiver option. Injuries to the G-Men’s receiving core catapulted Cruz into the spotlight and he made the most of his chances, becoming the go-to receiving option for Manning. Cruz ended the 2011 regular season with 82 receptions and 1,536 receiving yards-a single season franchise record for the NY Giants. Not bad for a practice squad player.

A 9-7 team wins the Super Bowl?

No one handed the 2011 New York Giants this Super Bowl—they most definitely fought for it. In fact, they fought all year just to get here. The Giants began the season with an away game loss to the Washington Redskins on Sept. 11.  They went on to win their next three games, including two away games, only to fall into a skid of four straight losses midseason. The Giants lost 49-24 to the New Orleans Saints and 38-35 to the Green Bay Packers and ended the regular season with an unimpressive 9-7 record. But, with invigoration from Eli Manning and his gutsy young receiving corps, the Giants defeated the Packers in their Divisional rematch and walked out of Candlestick victorious at the following week’s Conference Championship. They topped off the postseason with a Super Bowl XLVI win In indianapolis over the New England Patriots. Woo! What a season!

Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, FL

December 29th / 5:30pm EST / ESPN

Florida State Seminoles vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, GA

December 31st / 7:30pm EST / ESPN

Virginia Cavaliers vs. Auburn Tigers

Outback Bowl in Tampa, FL

January 2nd / 1pm EST / ABC

Michigan State Spartans vs. Georgia Bulldogs

Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, FL

January 2nd / 1pm EST / ESPN

Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks

Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, FL presented by Taxslayer.com

January 2nd / 1pm EST / ESPN2

Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Florida Gators

Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA presented by Vizio

January 2nd / 5pm EST / ESPN

Wisconsin Badgers vs. Oregon Ducks

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ

January 2nd / 8:30pm EST / ESPN

Stanford Cardinal vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, LA presented by Allstate

January 3rd / 8:30pm EST / ESPN

Michigan Wolverines vs. Virginia Tech Hokies

Orange Bowl in Miami, FL presented by Discover

January 4th / 8:30pm EST / ESPN

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Clemson Tigers

Cotton Bowl in Arlington, TX presented by AT&T

January 6th / 8pm EST / FOX

Kansas State Wildcats vs. Arkansas Razorbacks

Compass Bowl in Birmingham, AL presented by BBVA

January 7th / 1pm EST / ESPN

SMU Mustangs vs. Pittsburgh Panthers

BCS National Championship Game in New Orleans, LA presented by Allstate

January 9th / 8:30pm EST / ESPN

LSU Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

No need to worry about the hassle of high shipping cost with free holiday shipping of $50 or more. Thousands of online retailers are participating in Free Shipping Day, but only one has the Largest Assortment of officially licensed team merchandise for the sports fan in one destination. Fanatics has apparel and gear for every fan of every league: NFL, NCAA, MLB, NHL, NBA, NASCAR, Soccer, Olympics, MMA, Skateboarding, Motocross, and others.

Take advantage of Free Shipping Friday and make everyone green with envy. Football Fanatics carries merchandise for every championship and bowl game from all teams including the most popular this year: LSU Tigers, Green Bay Packers, St Louis Cardinals, Alabama Crimson Tide,  Texas Rangers, San Francisco 49ers, Tony Stewart, Denver Broncos, Team USA, L.A. Lakers, Tim Tebow, New Orleans Saints, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Chicago Blackhawks, and many more. Shop Today and Save Big with this Exclusive Free Shipping Friday Offer!

Also, check out the Football Fanatics Outlet with Sales and Savings!

Enjoy quick and easy online shopping including an outstanding 365-Day Return Policy, Unconditional Satisfaction Guarantee, and Industry Leading Customer Service. Sale ends soon, so don’t miss out on HUGE Savings! Football Fanatics provides all fans with a premium and secure e-commerce experience while offering the best quality merchandise from top name brands all in one location. With over 200,000 officially licensed products across multiple leagues including College, NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, MMA, Olympics and more, check off everyone on your holiday list in just a few clicks!

Find all sorts of goodies and holiday gifts for sports fans around the world - LSU Tigers, St Louis Cardinals, Chicago Blackhawks, Alabama Crimson Tide, Green Bay Packers, Texas Rangers, San Francisco 49ers, Tony Stewart, Denver Broncos, Team USA, L.A. Lakers, Tim Tebow, New Orleans Saints, Oklahoma State Cowboys, and many others. Also, check out our large assortment of Championship and Bowl Game Gear such as BCS National Championship Sportswear, MLB World Series Apparel, New NBA Merchandise, 2012 NHL Winter Classic Wear, World Cup of Soccer Clothing, Super Bowl Champs Gear, Championship Collectibles and more. Shop Now and Save Big with this Exclusive Promo!  

Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game

Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 8pm EST on ESPN

Watch the #5 Virginia Tech Hokies, 2010 ACC Champs, take on the #20 Clemson Tigers at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Atlantic Coast Conference Champion will play in the Orange Bowl. The ACC is split into two divisions – Coastal: Duke Blue Devils, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Miami Hurricanes, North Carolina Tar Heels, Virginia Cavaliers, Virginia Tech Hokies – Atlantic: Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Boston College Eagles, Clemson Tigers, Florida State Seminoles, Maryland Terrapins, and North Carolina State Wolfpack.

Big Ten Conference Football Championship Game

Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 8:17pm EST on FOX

#15 Wisconsin Badgers compete for the Big Ten championship against the 2010 Big Ten Champs #13 Michigan State Spartans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The winner will attend the Rose Bowl or Bowl Champs Series National Championship Game. Members of the Big Ten include the Legends: Iowa Hawkeyes, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Northwestern Wildcats, and the Leaders: Illinois Fighting Illini, Indiana Hoosiers, Ohio State Buckeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, Purdue Boilermakers, and the Wisconsin Badgers.

Pac-12 Conference Football Championship Game

Friday, December 2, 2011 at 8pm EST on FOX

The #9 Oregon Ducks face the UCLA Bruins at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, OR, in hopes of attending the Rose Bowl. Pacific-12 is divided into North teams: California Bears, Oregon Ducks, Oregon State Beavers, Stanford Cardinal, Washington Huskies, Washington State Cougars, and South teams: Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils, Colorado Buffaloes, UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans and the Utah Utes.

SEC Football Championship Game

Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 4pm EST on CBS

Look out for this SEC throwdown as the #1 LSU Tigers defend their football domination as they face the #14 Georgia Bulldogs in the Atlanta Georgia Dome. If LSU wins, they will be selected to play in the BCS Championship game and if GA beats the odds, the Bulldogs will go to the Sugar Bowl.  In 2010, #1 Auburn beat #19 South Carolina with a score of 56-17. The SEC encompasses the Western division: Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers, Arkansas Razorbacks, Mississippi State Bulldogs, LSU Tigers, Ole Miss Rebels, and the Eastern division: Florida Gators, Tennessee Volunteers, Georgia Bulldogs, South Carolina Gamecocks, Kentucky Wildcats, and Vanderbilt Commodores.

And tune into ABC as the #10 Oklahoma Sooners face off against the #3 Oklahoma State Cowboys, Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 8pm EST.

Click Here to View Merchandise for All 500+ NCAA Teams

We are your source for the largest selection of St Louis Cardinals World Series merchandise and Locker Room Gear available anywhere online. Fanatics features a huge assortment of World Series hats, T-shirts, sweatshirts and more for men, women and kids of all ages and sizes. World Series DVDs, apparel, and collectibles are all available for one low, flat rate for shipping. Commemorate the 2011 World Series Championship with the following:

St Louis Cardinals Championship T-shirts

St Louis Cardinals Championship Hats

St Louis Cardinals Championship Sweatshirts

St Louis Cardinals Locker Room Champs Gear

World Series Merchandise

Recap of the 2011 World Series of Baseball

After being defeated during the 2010 World Series against the San Francisco Giants, the Texas Rangers, American League Champions (ALCS), were eager to take home a World Series Championship, but the Cardinals pulled out the big trophy. Led by Tony La Russa, the St Louis Cardinals have not been in the World Series since 2006 when they won the trophy against the Detroit Tigers. During the games, there were emotions stirred, confusing miscommunications, key players who wowed the crowd, and teeth clinching plays that made you want to jump through your TV screen. All-in-all, the Texas Rangers and St Louis Cardinals match-up was one of the best in history during the 2011 World Series games.

And let’s not forget the squirrel mishap that made headline news. During the National League Division Series, a squirrel ran across the infield during Game 3 and across home plate during Game 4 at Busch Stadium in St Louis, Missouri. You may ask: was it the same squirrel? That has yet to be determined, but don’t forget that this isn’t the first time the Cardinals have gone squirrely. In 2007, a squirrel leaped from the Cardinals bullpen and rushed the field. The squirrel is formally known as the Rally Squirrel.

A story that had a sad ending was the death of firefighter Shannon Stone who fell 20 feet from the Rangers bleachers in an attempt to catch a ball for his son, thrown to him by Texas outfielder Josh Hamilton. This tragedy wounded the hearts of millions. Americans felt a great deal of sentiment toward the Texas Rangers during the World Series. Yet, the St Louis Cardinals also received sentiment after being the underdogs during the 2011 playoffs. The Cardinals barely made it into the tournament, shocking many when they took out the team with the best record in all of baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies. St Louis went on to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers (second-best record in the NL) and made it to the World Series.

Beginning October 19, 2011, the 107th World Series started its best of seven games.

Day 1 of the World Series: October 19th – The St Louis Cardinals received home-field advantage due to the NLCS winning this year’s All-Star Game. With over 46,000 in attendance at Busch Stadium, the Cardinals took the victory with a 3-2 win over the Rangers. Combine Chris Carpenter, starting pitcher for the Cards, going six innings straight with Allen Craig’s pinch-hit single and you have the recipe for a Cardinals Game 1 win.

Day 2 of the World Series: October 20th – Tides turned during Game 2 and the Texas Rangers had the higher score for a 2-1 win. Although low scoring, this dramatic ninth-inning victory gave the Rangers hope. The Texas offense was led by Ian Kinsler’s hits that could not be reached by Cardinals infielders.

Day 3 of the World Series: October 22nd – During the third game at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Rangers 16-7 with over 51,000 fans in attendance. Game 3 was an outstanding night for the Cardinals first baseman, Albert Pujols. Pujols slammed three homeruns with six RBI during the game. Albert Pujols, Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson are the only three MLB players in history to connect with three dingers in the World Series. Since Pujols is a free agent, the World Series games could be his last time in a Cardinals uniform.

Day 4 of the World Series: October 23rd – The Texas Rangers fought back in Game 4 with a 4-0 victory. This was basically due to Derek Holland, the left-handed Texas pitcher who eliminated the Rangers from two hits in the ninth inning. Josh Hamilton scored with an RBI double during the first inning and Mike Napoli hit a three-run homer during the sixth. Going into Game 5, score is tied 2-2.

Day 5 of the World Series: October 24th – The Rangers stole a 4-2 triumph over the Cardinals during a very strange chain of events during this World Series game. First off, Mike Napoli got a two-run double. But that wasn’t any strange feat. Apparently, there was a “miscommunication” in the Cardinals bullpen. Using the bullpen phone, La Russa says he told the guys to get closer Jason Motte ready. Cardinals bullpen coach Derek Lilliquist thought La Russa asked for Marc Rzepczynski to start throwing. La Russa saw the error when Rzepczynski was put in and Motte wasn’t warming up, so he called back on the bullpen phone and asked for Motte again. However, Lance Lynn was told to start throwing by Lilliquist although he was only used in emergencies. Due to these “miscommunications” Rzepczynski was left to pitch against Mike Napoli, a lefty and righty going head-to-head. This is when Napoli delivered his two-run double and the Rangers won Game 5.

Day 6 of the World Series: October 27th – After Game 6 was postponed on the 26th due to rainy weather, the Cardinals pulled out a big win over the Rangers at Busch stadium on the 27th. This was the first World Series game to go into extra innings since 2005 when the Chicago White Sox took out the Houston Astros. Mike Napoli, Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre knocked it out of the park with consistent plays for the Rangers. But Lance Berkman and David Freese made key hits that ultimately won the game for the Cards. Overall, the Cardinals had a very inconsistent and ineffective night with misplays from Matt Holiday and Rafael Furcal, and La Russa removed Jaime Garcia who was replaced by Fernando Salas. Regardless of the errors from both teams during Game 6, it’s as simple as the Cardinals stepping it up during the 9th, 10th and 11th innings and outplaying the Rangers. Final score of Game 6 = 10-9 .

Day 7 of the World Series: October 28th – Final game of the World Series and the St Louis Cardinals became the 2011 World Series Champions, defeating  the Texas Rangers. Chris Carpenter pitched a stellar and consistent game throughout while Allen Craig, David Freese, Yadier Molina, Lance Berkman and Rafael Furcal scored major plays for the Cards. The Rangers made a few errors and in the end the Cardinals were the better team during the final game of the World Series. Game 7 = 6-2.

What a game! What a World Series! Congratulations to your new 2011 World Series Champions, the St Louis Cardinals.

#1: Hot Dogs – Mustard and Relish? Ketchup and onions? Covered in chili and cheese? However you like your hot dog, this game day grub makes it onto just about every tailgate menu. Keep your grill in top shape with a grill cover.

#2: Chips and Salsa – This tailgate staple never goes out of style. Spicy or mild, chunky or saucy, serve it with chips and it’s sure to be a crowd pleaser.

#3: Pizza – Who doesn’t love a freshly baked pizza with all its cheesey goodness? Apply these edible team image decorations to your pizza for the ultimate tailgating surprise that’ll have every fan talking.

#4: Fruit - Is there anything better than a juicy piece of watermelon to cool off during your pre-game? Or to help cool your mouth off after a bowl of fiery chili? Cut up some fresh fruit and store it in your favorite team’s water cooler.

#5: Hot Chocolate - As the season progresses, so does the need to stay warm. This delectable drink will keep you warm and cozy until kickoff. And one of our travel mugs will help you keep it hot.

#6: Brownies – Pop some of these in the oven game day morning and enjoy for the entire afternoon. Our cookie jars are perfect to transport them to the big game.

#7: Subs – Sometimes you just want to let someone else do the work. Pick up a sub platter on your way to the game and you’ll be sure to make everyone happy. Just make sure to get a variety of meat and cheese, and the condiments on the side. Try serving it on our serving platters.

#8: Steak - For those veteran tailgaters, grilling up steaks for your tailgate guests will surely keep the party going. Check out our logo steak branding to impress your pals with team dedication.

#9: Boiled Peanuts - Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks… for football! Fill up our team logo cups with boiled peanuts for a fun and festive way to serve your guests.

#10: Chili – Nothing goes better with football than chili. Period. Grab a bowl and dig in. Just don’t forget a spoon!

#11: Wings – Sure, they are a little messy, but deliciously worth it if you’re stocked up on your team’s napkins, plates, and cups. Check out our Tailgate Party Packs for an all-in-one purchase. 

#12: Ribs – What’s the secret to your ribs? Hours of smoking? A secret family sauce recipe? Before you baste, throw on an apron to keep yourself clean while simmering this tailgate classic. 

#13: Veggies and Dip – If you’re in the mood for a healthy snack, nosh on some fresh veggies and dip. Our veggie platters are great for serving up carrots, celery, and tomatoes galore. 

#14: Beer – It may not be food, but for those over 21, it’s a refreshing way to wash down tailgating treats. Check out our huge assortment of coozies to hold your favorite cold one. 

#15: Mac ‘n’ Cheese - This sensational side item is perfect as a snack, a side, or a full meal. Scoop some into our large serving bowl for all of your guests.

#16: Burgers - A thick juicy burger is almost as synonymous with football as a first down. Score some major points with your fellow tailgaters by throwing some on the grill. For help with your grilling, grab our four-piece BBQ set.

#17: Potato Salad- This makes for the perfect side item, no matter what you’re serving. Try using our team storage containers for both serving and stowing away.

#18: Nachos – Why wait to be inside the stadium to enjoy this football game classic? We’d recommend sitting down to enjoy this one, so grab some chips drizzled with cheese and chow down in one of our folding chairs.

#19: Spinach and Artichoke Dip - Take it straight from the oven to your tailgating teammates. With tortilla or pita chips for dipping, be ready to refill frequently and don’t forget the salt and pepper.  

#20: Pigs in a Blanket - Who knew that only two ingredients could make such an amazing game time snack? This one is perfect for pint-sized fans. Looking for a real blanket? Search no further!