Is Plax turning into Manny?

by Ed Valentine on Oct 7, 2008 6:00 AM EDT in News Comment 23 comments

So, I was reading through the transcripts Monday of Plaxico Burress's odd statements regarding his suspension by the New York Giants when I realized what it was that really bugged me about the whole thing.

Here it is. I think Burress is turning into Manny Ramirez. I don't want to think that. I hate myself for thinking it. I hate writing it. With the Giants cruising at 4-0 I don't want any bad thoughts at all messing with the karma.

But, I can't help it. Ramirez is a tremendously talented guy, yet moody, aloof, seemingly oblivious and unpredictable. Same as Burress.

There is one essential difference. Ramirez famously quit on the Boston Red Sox, more than once it seems, before Boston got tired of his act and shipped him to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Burress has never quit on the Giants. Once they get him on the field he is a great asset -- a great player who will take the field hurt, never complains about not getting enough passes thrown to him and makes big plays when they are needed. I hope it stays that way.

Yet, there is the other side. The Plax being Plax side. Like Manny being Manny.

How else do you explain Burress saying he was "cool with" being suspended?

How do you explain this reaction to a question about the suspension changing his behavior?

It hasn’t affected my behavior. It happened, I don’t have any regrets about the situation, I feel good, I am ready to go, I am ready to play, and I don’t see how it is going to affect me. Like I said, I am just going to get back out there and pick up where I left off and then I guess we can let everybody make their assessment and see what they want to say after the game on Monday night. I am ready to go, I am ready to roll, I get to practice for a week before the game, so I am not worried about me performing on the field, that is one thing I am definitely not worried about. I am just ready to get back on the field.

How do you explain this reaction to being asked about reportedly having been fined 40-50 times?

I really don’t know the amount of times, but I do know that I have been fined quite a bit and some things and some of the demands that they ask me to do, I just don’t meet. Do I have an excuse for them? No. Maybe I have a problem with time or something, I don’t know. I haven’t been able to quite put my finger on it, but yeah, I have been fined quite a few times. It hasn’t really bothered me or affected me though. Like I said. when I step on the field it is time to play and that is what I do. If I don’t do things the right way as far as getting there on time or treatments so to speak, I deal with it and get over it and concentrate on my job.

Very odd. No remorse. Seemingly unaffected by the whole thing. Like he can't understand why anyone thinks it's a big deal, or thinks anything should change.

Just the way Manny would have reacted.

I just hope this isn't the beginning of a road that leads to the same kind of acrimonious divorce between Burress and the Giants that the Red Sox and Ramirez suffered through this summer.

I have this nagging feeling that, eventually, that is where this is heading. And I really, really want to be wrong.

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Comments

I'm not reading much into it

I think that Plaxico is trying to save face. Let’s not forget, getting fined during the first 3 years of the Coughlin Era wasn’t a very tough thing, he could have got fined for showing up 2 minutes early to a meeting. I’m not concerned. If he turns into Manny as in one of the greatest clutch performers in the history of his sport, i’m perfectly fine with it and I don’t believe that Plax will sell out the team.

by Hoyadestroya85 on Oct 7, 2008 6:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think he already is one of the best clutch players

look at his performance in the playoffs last year. He was unbelievable in the NFC Championship game, and even though he had a quiet Super Bowl by his standards, he still managed to get wide open and catch the game winning pass.

by cjmulrain on Oct 7, 2008 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who cares?

This is really an issue created by the media who (1) don’t have anything really negative to report on this team and (2) are probably a little miffed that he’s been fined 40 times and they didn’t know about it. Until it affects Plax’s and the team’s play on the field this “issue” doesn’t really exist.

by da cut on Oct 7, 2008 8:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Created by the media?

Are you kidding? Did he not fail to show up? Did he not get suspended? Did the words from his press conference not come out of his mouth? I am hoping it doesn’t become an issue, but there are lots of warning signs that Plax won’t see the end of that 5-year deal he just signed as a Giant.

by Ed Valentine on Oct 7, 2008 8:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I misspoke

Not created by the media, but blown out of proportion by the media. I think it is like the middle of last season when the Giants and Eli weren’t playing well. They said Eli would never be good — his aw shucks, emotion-less mannerisms were bad … Now he’s a Super Bowl MVP so he’s an unflappable, cool customer.

by da cut on Oct 7, 2008 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gotcha

I just hope he continues to play hard.

by Ed Valentine on Oct 7, 2008 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with "da cut"

whoever was doing the interview or questions, they just keep pounding and pounding regarding of why he took his son to school. They wanted to create something or provoke him, he just gave his own answer in it’s own way. I think the rest of the team does not see Plax as a problematic guy. The guy can play and like you said, he does not complain for not getting the ball enough, he does not “cry” on the sidelines with a towel in his head, he is not saying that he will kiss the start at the Cowgirls stadium. He just plays. I think the team will embrace him and he will be even better.

by Bajaserge on Oct 7, 2008 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Daily News on Saturday

Ran these two articles:

It definitely sounds like there is a “Plax being Plax” attitude among the players, but they won’t let it get in the way of their goal.

I found the GM’s comments that Gary Myers had interesting. It really sounds like teams are in a tight spot when it comes to disciplining players.

Giants fan from the womb to the tomb

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Oct 7, 2008 8:38 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

stupid firewall at work

I forgot it prevents me from posting links, thank God for my laptop

here are the links

Giants fan from the womb to the tomb

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Oct 7, 2008 8:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ok, maybe its the site?

This is the last time I am trying this, LOL

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/2008/10/04/2008-10-04_if_tom_coughlins_being_himself_plaxico_b.html

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/2008/10/04/2008-10-04_giants_hope_missing_sundays_game_makes_p.html

Giants fan from the womb to the tomb

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Oct 7, 2008 8:43 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The transcript

I’ve read the whole transcript and I have to agree that I don’t think this is going to blow up. He said a few times that he should have called. Everyone keeps quoting him as “having no regrets”, but that’s in the context of him feeling he needed to be home for his family. Does Plax get treated differently than the rest of his teammates? Yes. But this instance went a long way to show the rest of the team that he’s not above them. Is he aloof? Yes. But Ed hit the nail right on the head when he said that he goes out and plays his a&% off every sunday. If we was dogging it, then I think it’d be a problem to other members of the team. He gives it his all during the battle and that’s the bottom line.

Also, I agree that those fines don’t mean a whole lot. He was probably 5 minutes late to meetings he was supposed to be 10 minutes early to. We know how TC is. And then Plax just tried to gloss that over by saying that he doesn’t know why he’s late. He could have caused more trouble than he did.

by potroast on Oct 7, 2008 9:16 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ed, I sjhare your nagging feeling.

Eli says he thinks Plax, “…has learned his lesson.” Plax’s words don’t seem to confirm that he has.

by george cronin on Oct 7, 2008 9:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

but hes better than everybody else

i know its wrong on principle but because plax is so awesome he will get treated and act differently to stuff like this. i he sucked theyd just cut him. but he kicks ass, so he gets away with it. i’m ok with that. plax is the effing man. you go do it bro.

by kendynamo on Oct 7, 2008 9:37 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well, Tuna let LT

Make his own rules. Is Plax as much better than everyone else as LT was?

by george cronin on Oct 7, 2008 10:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Good point

Hadn’t thought about LT. As long as the rest of the team can live with it, and as long as Plax continues to play hard on the field, I guess there isn’t a problem. I’m just afraid that the Giants and Burress have started down a slippery slope.

by Ed Valentine on Oct 7, 2008 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Slippery Slope

Aye, there’s the rub.

by george cronin on Oct 7, 2008 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

At the risk...

…of sounding like Loyd Bentsen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-7gpgXNWYI) , Plaxico is no LT.

by drunkUncle on Oct 7, 2008 10:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think

All he’s saying is that his family comes first. Even when he said, he’d do it again, he does say he would call first. The only thing that worries me is that he gets offended that the team thinks they can win without him, like what happened to TO in Philly. You never, with WRs. If I remember correctly, Plax has some kind of personality disorder too. Anyone else remember something about that? Maybe I’m confusing him with someone else.

by queler on Oct 7, 2008 11:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Personality disorder?

I’ve never heard that, but based on his behavior I don’t doubt it. If he does, it raises another question. Where do you draw the line with an obvious talent vs what’s best for the team?

by george cronin on Oct 7, 2008 11:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

OK, I'll say it if nobody else will...

A case could be made that the Giants have a more balanced offense without Plaxico. Just saying…….

by giant fan since 57 on Oct 7, 2008 5:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well

You could make that case. But I still want a healthy, happy Plax when it comes to the big games.

by Ed Valentine on Oct 7, 2008 7:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

absolutely

He is unstoppable single covered with that read routes he’s running. Ask Al Harris. Basically the only way to stop him is to dedicate a safety and bracket him. Otherwise in the offense we have now, Plax runs an option route. If he gets pressed, he’s got long arms, beats the press and goes down field where he’s just about unstoppable if the balls up for grabs. If they play off, he runs a comeback. GB got annihilated by this offense. When it doesn’t work, I bet you’ll see less safety coverage on everyone else, and less blitzing too, because their taking it away from the Giants, but it costs them two players. Especially, the games he doesn’t have a statistical impact, I guarantee he’s helping the team.

by queler on Oct 8, 2008 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is a dificult call....

Don’t get me wrong. He has come up big when games were on the line. And he can certainly shred a defense. I just have this aversion to relying too much on one guy game after game.

How can I put this? I just have a better feeling about a win like last week when the offense was so diversified that it operated like a steam roller with the defense not knowing what was coming. When our game plan features too much pitch and toss to Plaxico I think sooner or later defenses will catch up.

I guess in the end we should be happy that we are now in the position of having so many offensive threats that we have to figure a way to get them all involved. I like the notion that teams can’t just prepare for one style of offense when they play us.

by giant fan since 57 on Oct 8, 2008 6:10 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs