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Light Drizzle Fog/Mist Long Beach Giants fans gear up for the big game
Batchagaloop boys going to the Super Bowl
When Long Beach resident Mike Maglione, 32, and his brother Rich, 29, had an opportunity to grab tickets to the Giants’ NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons last month, the diehard Giants fans didn’t hesitate.
“We had never been to a Giants playoffs game before, and we didn’t have season tickets,” said Maglione, who moved to Long Beach with his brother a year ago.
The celebratory atmosphere at MetLife Stadium after the Giants crushed the Falcons 24-2, Maglione recalled, was contagious, and sparked a determination to cheer their favorite team on during the playoffs — and to see more games in person.
“It started from there,” Maglione said. “… [W]e said, ‘We have to keep this going.’”
Mike, Rich and a group of friends managed to get tickets to Big Blue’s Divisional Playoff game against the Packers, won by the Giants 37-20, as well as the NFC Championship game in San Francisco, where the Giants defeated the 49ers 20-17 and earned a rematch against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
“We feel like we represent big-time fans of the Giants, guys that are willing to be out there and be part of all this,” Maglione said.
During the season, he was a regular caller to the “Boomer & Carton” show on WFAN, hosted by former NFL star quarterback Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton. “Being a big Giants fan, I’m also a fan of the show,” Maglione said. “I call in and made my points about the Giants.”
The hosts eventually dubbed the guys the “Batchagaloop Crew,” named after a fictional player created by the show during the playoffs and inspired by former Giants offensive guard David Diehl, who Maglione said was dubbed a “batchagaloop” by the media.
“It’s someone who’s a mess,” Maglione explained.
The hosts gave the Magliones a batchagaloop jersey to wear during the game against the Packers. “We were sending pictures and Tweeting them,” Mike said.
Maglione, a Massapequa Park native, said that when he, Rich and four friends returned from Wisconsin, they appeared on “Boomer & Carton” a few days before their trip to San Francisco, where they shared highlights of the game.
