Plaxico Burress didn’t phone, so it’s now Giant hang-up
Plaxico Burress had one of the all-time best championship games last January with 11 catches in ice-cold Green Bay and two weeks later caught the winning TD pass in the Super Bowl. He’s the best wide receiver signing in the 15 years of free agency and was rewarded with a big, new contract three weeks ago.
Perhaps he should have used some of the $11million he’s guaranteed to get from the Giants on a new cell phone. Or at least put Tom Coughlin on speed dial on his old one to avoid the two-week, $250,000 suspension he was nailed with Wednesday.
Selfishness is what usually brings down Super Bowl champions. This is the me-first regular-season crisis for the Giants. Who’s to say it won’t be the last?
Burress is an elite wideout, which in the NFL today means part of the job description is he’s got some diva in him. Certainly not like Chad Ocho Cinco, who sets the standard for goofiness, and he’s not a drama queen like Terrell Owens or temperamental like Randy Moss. And nobody can question his heart after he played last season on one leg. But there’s something missing from Burress’ thought process. He didn’t show up for work Monday, he didn’t call the Giants to give them a heads-up that he had a family issue or return their calls. And they suspended him until Oct.6, which works out to be only one game because they have a bye this weekend. Obviously the Giants weren’t buying the excuse Burress was selling them when he met with Tom Coughlin and GM Jerry Reese Wednesday morning.
nydailynews.com
9/24/08
