The first sign of the blue flu was at Hawthorne station this morning–two groups of teens that probably should’ve been in school, wearing their Giants colors and hopping the train for the parade in the city.

Neither Valhalla nor North White Plains offered up any noticeable parade-goers, but dozens streamed on in White Plains. The requisite uniform appeared to be brand new Giants-World Champions baseball cap hiding some severe bedhead, Giants jersey of some sort, sweatpants and giant white sneakers.

Just as few could’ve predicted Manning and the lads pulling off the mammoth upset three days ago, few would’ve predicted a 55 degree day in February–meaning fans can wear their jerseys proudly, without a big clunky coat covering them.

I made a note of all the jerseys I saw. I guess it’s not that surprising, considering that half of New York wanted to hang Eli from the Astor Place cube and beat him senseless with wifflebats just a few months ago, but Manning jerseys are few and far between. It’s hard to fathom–the quarterback on the Super Bowl champs–the MVP, no less–and you’re hard-pressed to find a fan in his jersey.

Equally interesting is that the most common jersey I saw was a guy that didn’t even play in the Bowl–Jeremy Shockey. Nearly every woman I saw today in a jersey sported Shockey’s #80 on the back, indicated that some, in fact, find the big, dopey galoot handsome.

I saw Strahan shirts, an old-school Lawrence Taylor shirt, even a shirt representing #97 Mathias Kiwanuka. I saw one dork in Grand Central, a rotund man of about 60, wearing a shirt with, simply, ‘STEVE’ on the back. What’re we, 11?

strahan.jpg

Brilliant marketing idea of the day–sell fake teeth sporting Strahan’s trademark gap-toothed grin. Buy ‘em wholesale from China for a nickel, sell ‘em for a fiver.

Giant fans were jamming the aisles of the 8:16, looking at each other for help once the train pulled into Grand Central, then making their way up the ramp, wondering if there was time for a quick beer before heading down by City Hall.

Sure beats working.

[photo: Fox News]