Giants fans celebrate their ‘Super’ evening (with photo gallery)

PHOTOGRAPHER: Michael Goot

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The Super Bowl champion Giants may have to thank Frank Spooner of Broadalbin.

Spooner was wearing his lucky red-and-blue Giants Santa-style hat at the Super Bowl party Sunday at Saratoga Casino and Raceway’s Vapor nightclub. His wife asked him if he was going to still wear his “stupid” hat for the Super Bowl and of course, he did.

“I’ve put this hat on; they won their last five games,” he said.

Make that six. The Giants topped the Patriots, 21-17, in a thrilling fashion, as a Hail Mary pass by Patriots quarterback Tom Brady failed to connect to either one of two receivers in the end zone on the final play of the game.

Vapor was very much a Giants room Sunday, although some Patriots fans were in attendance and there was a smattering Steelers, Dolphins, Cowboys and even Redskins fans.

Some have come every Sunday during football season to watch their beloved Giants play.

“It’s kind of our second home,” said Brian McDermott of Warrensburg.

The chance to watch a rematch of the 2008 title game on a large screen was enough of an incentive. People also enjoyed a buffet, drinks and the chance to win prizes by playing a bingo-type game. People won if a certain score came up. The NFC champion Giants grabbed an early 9-0 lead with a safety and a touchdown, much to the delight of Tricia Adams of Latham. Not only is she a Giants fan but she had 9-0 as a winning number.

Paul Dudka of Saratoga thought the Giants looked sharp early. He said he liked the chance to watch the game with friends in a nice atmosphere. “It’s a lot easier than cleaning up at home. The big screen is nice,” he said.

Brian Joch of Hudson was among the Patriots fans who were sitting quietly in the game’s early going.

“I grew up in Massachusetts. So it’s in my blood,” he said.

He did not lose hope. “Long game. All we have to do is get more than one play,” he said.

Quarterback Tom Brady strung 16 of them together during the second and third quarters — a Super Bowl record for consecutive completed passes — leading two touchdown drives that put the Patriots ahead 17-9.

Mary Gousko of Watervliet shrieked when Brady completed a touchdown drive early in the second quarter.

“I’m just cheering to keep it close,” she said.

Don Pratt of Mechanicville was also cheering on the Patriots. He had season tickets for 14 years in the 1970s and 1980s after falling in love with the team when he tailgated at one game.

“I predict the Patriots will win 31-21. I don’t think they can stop Brady,” he said.

Brady’s magic was temporarily interrupted by a halftime show, which also entertained the Vapor crowd. Judy Powers of Clifton Park was tapping her foot and swaying with the music of Madonna.

“She’s Madonna and she really gave it her all,” Powers said.

With the halftime show over, the Giants had to recapture the momentum to please people such as Mike Leto of Rotterdam, even if he was fan by default.

Leto is a Steelers fan and was dressed in his Troy Polamalu jersey.

“I don’t like that the Patriots cheated so many years ago and won those Super Bowls,” he said, referring to the “Spygate” scandal where a Patriots offensive coordinator was taping the signals of an opposing teams.

The fact that the Patriots have knocked the Steelers out of the playoffs in two previous occasions was also motivation.

New Zealand native Ray Sharpe, who now trains horses in Saratoga, was also a relatively new Giants fan.

“I know nothing about football and I said six weeks ago the Giants could win it and they laughed at me,” he said.

The Giants, who were a .500 team, won their final two games and rolled into the playoffs. And they didn’t look back.

Terry Nielsen of Milton works at the casino but was enjoying the night off to watch the game. He is really a Cowboys fan, but was going to cheer for the Patriots of the AFC.

“I think both teams deserve it but only one team can win, unfortunately,” he said.

And that team was the Giants.