Keys, street names, and toilet seat covers. The celebrations around the county continue as newly anointed Super Bowl champions return to their hometowns as heroes.
On Thursday, Will Blackmon traveled home to Patriots country where he was honored in Providence, R.I. and given the key to the city by mayor Angel Taveras.
"I will not speak about the team he beat in the Super Bowl," the mayor was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
The mayor referred to the 27-year-old cornerback and punt returner as a "son of Providence" and declared Thursday was "Will Blackmon Day" in the capital city.
Earlier in the day, Blackmon visited Bishop Hendricken High School, where his number was retired in 2008 for a standout prep career before playing at Boston College.
Last week, Deon Grant returned to his hometown of Augusta, Ga. and was honored during a Friday-night basketball game at T.W. Josey High School.
Helping his alma mater to a state title in 1995, Grant has won at every level with a BCS Championship at Tennessee in 1998 and, after 12 years in the NFL, a Super Bowl victory.
Henry Hynoski, who recovered a critical fumble in the third quarter of Super Bowl XLVI, had a homecoming party and then some in Elysburg, Pa.
At a town supervisors meeting, it was announced that the fullback will have a street at the Municipal Building named after him. It will be called Henry Hynoski Boulevard.
At the meeting, Hynoski, ninth on the state's all-time rushing list from his career at Southern Columbia High School, was overwhelmed by the reception he received.
"My friends have been unbelievable," he said. "The guys I went to high school with, I saw the other night. They were telling me that as they watched the Super Bowl, they had tears in their eyes, remembering how we were all together at Southern Columbia. They said they lived the rest of their football years through me. It all started here. I've truly been fortunate to have been surrounded by great people in my hometown area."
Meanwhile, Jake Ballard needed some rest and relaxation back in the Buckeye state on his injured knee. The tight end from Springboro returned home to visit former high school teachers and sign autographs on both Ohio state and New York Giants paraphernalia, including shirts that say "'Boro's Own Giant" with his name and No. 85 on the back.
But you can thank his alma mater for providing the most prized autographed item around.
"I signed a toilet seat cover one time. That's when I was making my Ohio State rounds," Ballard told the Dayton Daily News. "That's the strangest thing. He said it was new, he said it wasn't used. I said, okay since it hasn't been used I'll sign it."
TWEET IT UP
CLICK SIX>>Top 5 New York Giants 2011 Theme Songs. [Yahoo!]
VIDEO: NY Giants star [Brandon Jacobs
Makes an IMPACT...on IMPACT.[YouTube – TNAwrestling]
Super Bowl champion Giants' [Antrel Rolle
inspires Guttenberg students with pep talk. [The Jersey Journal]
Giants' [David Diehl
playfully gives WWE star, Pats fan John Cena a 'hard time.' [The Star-Ledger]
Giants Captain Tuck Visits LI for Pizza Friday. [Floral Park Dispatch]
Five NFL Players Who Deserve to Be on the Madden 2013 Game Cover, Tuck included. [Yahoo!]
For more exclusive coverage, follow the Giants on Twitter and LIKE US the Giants on Facebook!
