Glancing around the Giants car park, there were certain shirts that stood out among the raucous tailgaters enjoying the first day of a season of barbecues and arguing about whether this is going to be a play-off year.

A lot of people seemed to be wearing Jeremy Shockey?s number 80 shirt, there were more than a few ?Barber 22? jerseys and the a few optimistic fans were sporting the ?Manning 10? version.

A few people had gone for Michael Strahan jerseys and there were a few Plaxico Burress ones but that was about all being displayed by the Giants faithful.

And then there was the Antonio Pierce enclave.

Sitting behind the goalposts were at least a dozen fans of the new Giant, proudly wearing the ?Pierce 58? shirt or varieties of it ? the ?Mom Pierce? shirt was somewhat of a giveaway that this was the players? families section of the ground.

Father Cleo Burrows flew over from Bermuda ? as he has faithfully done since his 26-year-old son?s Arizona College days ? and the rest had come up from LA to see ?their boy? in action.

?Did you see him out there? He was great,? said cousin Kevin Baker, born in Bermuda where his mother still lives, but now a resident of LA.

?He is doing real well. We all thought he had a great game and are all proud of him. It was well worth the trip.?

Baker, who returned home to the Island last year, was one of the more vocal members of the Pierce fan club which included the linebacker?s girlfriend and daughter, mother and plenty of cousins.

?We are all so proud,? chirped his mother.

?We get all the newspapers sent over, we?re pleased people in Bermuda care about how he?s getting on.?

Before the family departed with the new superstar into his souped-up over-the-top white Hummer, father Burrows added his praise for his son?s achievements.

?It was a proud moment for me watching him out there,? said the devoted father.

?Wherever the ball is, you just find yourself drawn to him, focusing on what he?s doing.

?I thought he had a great game. Like I said, I am so proud.?

Before he left to celebrate with his extended family, a now-smiling Pierce, who was twice back on the Island this past summer, offered some choice parting words.

?Say hello to Bermuda for me.? And then he was gone into the New Jersey night.