Giants' rookie has relatives in Leelanau

By MARK URBAN
murban@record-eagle.com

February 01, 2008 04:00 am

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TRAVERSE CITY -- Sure, they're double-digit underdogs to the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

But a group of fans at Art's Tavern will be hoping the New York Giants will show who's the Boss.

That's because several people watching Sunday's game at the Glen Arbor bar will have a direct rooting interest for the underdogs and specifically New York rookie tight end Kevin Boss.

Glen Arbor's KB Sutton, a massage therapist, is Boss' aunt. The Western Oregon product is the son of Sutton's only sibling, Bob Boss Jr.

So naturally Sutton thinks the Giants can prevail against the 18-0 Patriots, who are favored by 12 points and who beat the Giants 38-35 in the regular-season finale.

"Oh yeah," KB Sutton said with confidence.

Kienan Sutton, a junior at Lake Leelanau St. Mary's, also thinks his cousin can deliver on the biggest stage of all.

"It's amazing," he said. "It was totally unexpected. At the beginning of the season, I thought they were going to lose most of their games. Somehow they turned it around."

The Giants opened the 2007 season with losses to Dallas (45-35) and Green Bay (35-13). New York righted the ship with six straight wins and closed the regular season with a 10-6 record.

A fifth seed in the NFC playoffs, the Giants won three straight on the road -- 24-14 over Tampa Bay; 21-17 over Dallas, a team that beat the Giants twice in the regular season; and a 23-20 overtime decision over Green Bay at frigid Lambeau Field in the NFC Championship game.

In the NFC title game, the temperature at kickoff was minus-1 with the windchill at minus-23. That earned KB Sutton a mention from Fox reporter Pam Oliver, who said Boss put cayenne pepper in his shoes to stay warm, crediting his aunt in northern Michigan with the tip.

"It works," KB Sutton said. "I put it in my ski boots. I used to do it when I was at Sugar Loaf and wanted to ski all day. Eating it is good, too. It keeps you warm."

The win over Green Bay sets up another rematch for the Giants, who lost to New England in late December.

That first meeting with the Patriots -- the Giants led 28-16 late in the third quarter -- may have fueled New York's run in the playoffs. At least Kienan Sutton is hoping so.

"They gave them the closest game in the regular season," he said. "They should be able to hang with them again.

"Anybody can beat any team any day."

Katie Sutton had a chance to work with Boss in Orlando prior to the scouting combine in Indianapolis. Boss went into his professional career with a shoulder injury that she was able to work on.

Boss was a fifth round draft pick by the Giants, the 153rd overall player in the draft. In 33 games at Division II Western Oregon, Boss caught 134 passes for 19 touchdowns in 33 games.

With the Giants, Boss played behind All-Pro tight end Jeremy Shockey. But when Shockey went down late in the season with a broken fibula, Boss was thrust into the spotlight and the starting lineup.

The 6-foot-6, 253-pounder finished the regular season with nine catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games. Most of that success was in the first meeting with the Patriots when Boss had four catches for 50 yards and one score.

In the playoffs, Boss has four catches for 45 yards.

Besides his accomplishments on the field, Sutton is happy the way her nephew has turned out as a person.

"He's got such a great demeanor," she said. "That's the great thing about him. We always call him the 'Gentle Giant.' He's just so kind."

One of the Giants' 10 regular-season victories came against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. That gave the Boss family an earlier opportunity to get together,

Boss' increased exposure and the team's run through the playoffs have brought the family even closer.

"It's amazing," Katie Sutton said. "It's brought the family closer together, even though we're coast to coast."

And the Boss family will be as one on Sunday, rooting for the Giants to hand New England its first loss of the season.

Some of the family will be there in person, some will be watching on television and at least one will probably have the best view of all. Bob Boss Sr., Katie Sutton's father, died a year ago.

"We think he's out there helping," she said.

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