Wayne Lucier is warning you now.

Don't hate Michael Strahan. He's really a good guy.

"Strah is a good dude, I'm telling," said Salem's Lucier, a veteran of two seasons with Strahan and the now Super Bowl-bound New York Giants. "People think he might look like a jerk or say something stupid. Most of the time, he's just playing with the media, seeing how far he can push it. The guy just likes to hold court."

Lucier, now retired from football and living about 10 minutes from Giants Stadium in northern New Jersey, still keeps close contact with many of his Giants ex-mates, including the occasional chat with QB Eli Manning.

With the hype of Super Bowl XLII set to begin, Lucier, the former St. John's Prep great, admits he's torn.

"I'm a New England guy, believe me," said Lucier, who backs that up by sporting a Patriots tattoo. "But I know those guys, especially on the offensive line pretty well. They're friends. For me, it's hard to root one way or another."

A seventh-round pick of the Giants in 2003, Lucier started 20 games in a New York uniform over two seasons at guard and center.

He was there for the early days of Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning, who showed his enigmatic side even back as a rookie in '04.

"He's a great guy, but sometimes I wondered about the kid," admitted Lucier, a Colorado grad now working in commercial development in the metro New York area. "He's such a different personality than you see from his brother (Peyton). You see him make a mistake and then his reaction. You just wonder if the fire is really there.

"The one thing I can say is he has the tools to make all the throws. He's got the arm. He's got the head. It's just, in the past, his mistakes have seemed to snowball."

Not recently though, on this Giants run.

The two major differences between the tough days Lucier endured in New York and now?

First, it's the continuity.

"These guys, especially where it counts on the line, have been together three or four years," said Lucier. "It's pretty much the way it is with the Pats, too."

And second, it's the attitude. Even Coughlin in 2004 couldn't shake the club of what Lucier called a losing attitude as a team.

The ex-Giant points to that wild Saturday night regular season finale with the Pats as a cure-all, even though they still lost.

"That game with New England got this team over the hump. They played hard and finally believed they could be a good football team," said Lucier. "Funny, the Patriots provided the Giants the confidence. From there, I knew they could do this, too. Once they got past Tampa, the Giants always play Dallas tough. And I played with a lot of those guys in Green Bay, too. I knew the Giants talent was better."

As for the big one a week from Sunday, all Lucier will say is that things might be interesting.

"I don't know what the sports bettors are thinking with that point spread (12)," he said. "The Giants are not rolling over to play dead. It's going to be a great football game."

...

Is it a resurgence of boxing?

An outgrowth of an economy spiralling downward, forcing more young adults to ponder fighting for their livelihoods?

Regardless, the recently-opened Lowell Golden Gloves has seen a resurgence in activity that hasn't been seen in recent years. Last night, the second Tuesday of action, there were 16 bouts contested in the novice ranks.

Young trainer Sean Farley says he and Mel Peabody at the Lawrence Boxing Club on Haverhill Street have witnessed the ground swell of interest first-hand.

"We've gone from one fighter at the Gloves last year to seven this year," said Farley, who along with all his amateurs also trains undefeated (2-0) pro Eddie Caminero. "There's a lot more interest, and it's the kind of interest you're looking for, mostly young guys looking for something to keep them busy in a positive way."

A pair of LBC fighters saw action at the Gloves last night with Hector Rosario earning a decision win in the 141-pound ranks. The other Lawrence competitor was heavyweight Billy Herrocks, who took a tough decision in his Lowell debut.

Farley is pretty happy with the team he and Peabody have assembled.

Nick Peralta won his opener in the 132 novice ranks a week ago. Israel Carillo, 126 pounds novice, is also in the mix.

One tough newcomer to watch may be former Lawrence High football standout Jesse Fabian in the super heavyweight division.

Of course, the two show horses in the LBC stable, heavyweight Alexis Santos and 141-pounder Agustine Mauras are slated for the open division at Lowell.

Both have national experience behind them.

The slugger Santos, now 10-1 fresh off winning the Northeast Regional event in Portland, Me., will most likely go uncontested at Lowell. Anyone who watched Santos devour the novice group last year understands why challengers are hard to come by.

Santos is probably headed straight to the New England Championships, also in Lowell, where the going will be tough.

"Alexis is ready," said Farley. "He's in great shape and has trained better than he ever has in the past."

Mauras will have a slightly tougher road with an Olympic alternate standing in his way at Lowell.

"Agustine is ready to take on all comers," said Farley. "After the competition he's already seen, he's ready to fight anyone."

...

Some random thoughts while waiting for the action in Arizona to heat up:

The inequity among officials in the NFL was just so evident over the weekend. The Chargers-Pats crew did a great job of letting the teams play and decide it among themselves. There were at least five borderline, potential personal fouls - including several on the Pats - but the crew led by Jeff Triplette used discretion well.

Then there was the flag-crazed bunch in Green Bay that kept hitting the Giants time and time again - Hmm. Wonder if Brett Favre's presence had anything to do with it. If New York lost that game, it would have been a severe miscarriage of justice. ...

Do you think Bill Belichick is upset at the fact he doesn't have to coach the Pro Bowl this year? The loser in the title game goes on to Hawaii. The Pro Bowl, eh. Now, that's Norv Turner's speed. ...

Finally, allow me to be the latest to chime in and congratulate former Haverhill High Eagle-Tribune All-Star first baseman Carlos Pena on his megabucks deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. Checking out some of the Tampa blog sites, the Rays faithful are ecstatic about the Pena deal.

He's a great player and citizen. Of course, Valley folks knew that a long time ago.

Myself, I had Pena pegged to cash in for three years at about $18 million total. He ended up pulling down three for $24 million.

I know what A-Rod's been saying, but as far as I'm concerned, their agent Scott Boras is an absolute genius.

Great job, Carlos.