Sharpe’s 96-yard catch-and-run touchdown play was even...

Sharpe’s 96-yard catch-and-run touchdown play was even more remarkable when one considers that his best friend, Sharon Parrish, died of a heart attack Tuesday night.

“When I talked to her Tuesday, she said, ‘See you in Oakland,’ ” he said. “That’s the last thing she said to me.”

Sharpe attended her funeral and did not join the team in Oakland until late Friday night.

One of his first visitors was the team chaplain.

“He told me it was OK to cry about it,” Sharpe said. “He also told me that she was watching over me. I knew when I caught that ball that he was right. I felt her running with me.”

*

The life of the Super Bowl party in Tampa, Fla., undoubtedly will be Tony Siragusa, the Ravens’ 340-pound veteran defensive tackle.

“I’m going to enjoy every moment I’m in Tampa, trust me,” he said.

He quickly noted that he actually grew up a Giant fan.

“My dad was a huge Giant fan, so I became the same thing, pretending to be Giants when I was playing in the street,” he said.

He was asked if his family is still Giant fans.

“No way. They better not be. Not if they want any Super Bowl tickets,” he said.

When he was asked whether Raider quarterback Rich Gannon looked sharp, he said, “I don’t know. I thought he was dressed fine.”

When he was asked about the second-quarter tackle that injured Gannon’s shoulder, he said, “I don’t get many chances to get my hands on the quarterback, so when I do, I make the most of it. I figured something was up when, after I tackled him, he started screaming. You never want to see that happen.”

He shrugged. “But it was a humongous play.”