In the quiet of a 26th-floor office of Goodwin Proctor LLP in midtown Manhattan Tuesday, two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning sat with the Daily News for a brief interview, before the Giants quarterback attended a March of Dimes reception, for which he is a celebrity chairman.
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There was no media mosh pit, unlike 24 hours earlier when reporters descended upon the Jets' Florham Park, N.J. facility like vultures to take in the hyped press conference for Gang Green's newly acquired backup quarterback, Tim Tebow. Tuesday, it was only Manning, a News reporter, a March of Dimes representative, one photographer and a security guard.
Tebow's name inevitably came up, however.
While the soft-spoken Manning admitted to "not reading the paper," nor "watching 'SportsCenter' to see where Tim's going," he did make a point — unprompted —to remind everyone out there which New York signal caller will receive the latest Super Bowl bauble.
"I've got a little bit more down time before we start our (football) spring training in mid-April," said Manning. "I'll continue to enjoy this and when we get our rings, I'll continue to celebrate our championship season."
Tebowmania and the Jets' over-the-top presser Monday to introduce Tebow — where there were more than 200 credentialed media members — are not news items that entered Manning's radar.
"I had a feeling he wasn't going to the Giants," said Manning. "I kind of like to see who the Giants are bringing in, which players that we might lose. That's kind of what I thought."
Of the Jets' addition of Tebow, Manning said simply, "It should be interesting how that works out." He added that he was certain the southpaw QB and former Heisman Trophy winner "would continue to have great success" as a Jet.
"Tim's had a great career at every level," said Manning. But Manning did not suggest a Jets' quarterback controversy is brewing between Sanchez — the alleged starter — and Tebow, or that the two QBs now have even greater pressure to succeed.
"Pressure is something you feel when you're unprepared," said Manning, who as a rookie had to sit behind veteran Kurt Warner. "I think there's a mind-set for any player, whether a backup quarterback, a rookie, or if you're signed to a new team — whether you have a specialized role, you want to try to do your best."
Of course, Tebow's hyped New York arrival came only after he became expendable in Denver, where Eli's older brother Peyton signed to become Broncos executive John Elway's QB savior.
The younger Manning is thrilled Peyton is playing again and added, "I think he picked a good spot in Denver.
"I'm just happy he's playing football this year," said Eli, referring to Peyton being out all of 2011 after numerous neck surgeries. "Last year, not being able to watch him on Sundays, on highlights, it was different. It was really the first time since I've been playing football that he wasn't."
Eli will participate in next month's charity March for Babies walk — something he's done the past four years and which is of even greater importance to him now that he's a new father to daughter Ava. Then it's back to work, back to gearing up for a new season, hoping to add to his trophy case.
"I'm looking forward to getting back to work, getting with my teammates and to start preparing for another big year," said Manning.
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