It's June -- get off the panic button

by Ed Valentine on Jun 12, 2008 7:00 AM EDT in News Comment 21 comments

To put it mildly, this is hardly the ideal way to start a Super Bowl title defense.

In less than a week, the Giants have dealt with the retirement of Michael Strahan, the unhappy rantings of disgruntled Jeremy Shockey, and now the demands for a new contract by Plaxico Burress.

So much for peace, love, harmony and a lack of distractions.

Burress apparently wants to be paid TO/Randy Moss/Javon Walker money . Shockey is ticked off at the Giants for God knows what, so he spent yesterday, the first day of mini-camp, ticking off his head coach. Strahan just wants to make millions without sweating and having 300-pound guys beat on him every Sunday.

It seems like a mess.

In reality, though, we should have seen all of this coming.

Burress played tremendously on one leg last season, proving himself to be among the half-dozen elite receivers in the league. Now he wants to be paid like it.

In today's NFL, that's how it works. You win, the stars demand to cash in.

TO recently signed a four-year, $34 million deal, and Walker got six years and $55 million from Oakland.

I don't know exactly what Burress wants, but he's earned some type of raise.

As for Shockey, we've known since before the Super Bowl that he wasn't exactly thrilled with the Giants. And you had to know it was a strong possibility Strahan would not come back.

So, none of what is going on right now should be considered an "out of left field" type shocker.

To be honest, the one that worries me the most is the Shockey situation. The Giants missed a draft-day opportunity to trade him, so now the two sides are stuck with each other. Since Shockey does a better imitation of a pouty 5-year-old than an adult we know this one could get even uglier.

I visited some of the various Giants message boards yesterday, and fans seemed to be in a panic over the number of players sitting out with "injuries."

Relax, people. It's the second week of June. Many of those guys are still re-habbing injuries, so you wouldn't expect them to practice now.

The same really goes for Burress and Shockey. If it's two weeks before the season-opener, Burress is holding out, Shockey is holding the Giants hostage, a dozen players are sitting out with injuries and the Giants simply aren't ready then I'll panic.

Right now, though, it's time to relax. The weather is gorgeous, there's time for all these things to work out and the Giants are still DEFENDING SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS.

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Thank You

That is needed.. i think this team is better off than all those idiots at ESPN are saying

by Hoyadestroya85 on Jun 12, 2008 7:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No-practice-O

Have to agree with your take ,Ed on this one as the Giants have a proven history of taking care of most of the men deserving a raise. That they are currently talking and it’s just not happening as fast as Plax would like ,I suspect the agent is behind this”holdout” as it’s been part of his other clients M.O. ’s.
Shockey on the other hand needs to get his head straight. Talent wise he’s as good as any but apparently he didn’t buy in to the team first mentality that without which I’m pretty sure the Giants would have been defending SUPERBOWL CHAMPS.

We're only gonna score 17 points?

by big blue wrecking crew on Jun 12, 2008 7:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Exactly, ET

Let’s remember last year at this time and all the hand wringing about things like replacing Tiki and Petitgout, etc.

All will be well.

I have mixed feelings about Plax. Sure. last year was a great one for him, but how about the previous two years with the history of whing and malingering? How about the fact that after his years at Pittsburgh no one wanted him? The Giants gave him the chance to redeem himself. Does one great year justify paying him money comparable to that received by guys who’re being paid for great careers? How about the money needed to sign rookies and guys approaching FA status, like Snee, etc.? If Reese caves now, will it open the door down the road for more of the same from others halfway through their contracted time who’ve enjoyed one great year? How does Plax (and Shockey) fit into any wheeling and dealing Reese may be contemplating? What’s best for the Giants long-term? Rosenhaus is notorious for playing games. Should Reese establish himself as a GM you can’t play games with?

How about Plax? Isn’t he concerned that the Giants are loaded at WR? Howabout guys like Hixon and Manningham breathing down his neck? Hixon had a great practice the other day, exhibiting great hands and an ability to run routes. If this is an indication of what he can do consistently, combined with his speed and elusiveness, would he be a bigger threat than Plax? How about Manningham, the so-called steal of the draft?

It ain’t easy being a GM.

That said, I’m not averse to Reese making some kind of a reasonable accommodation with Plax, but let’s face it, he’ll never be the threat that a Moss, TO or Fitz is.

Hey, this reminds me George Young’s attitude(are you kidding me?) toward defensive players who wanted the kind of $ approaching what he paid LT.

by george cronin on Jun 12, 2008 8:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

if Plax wasn't so grossly underpaid

i would agree with you. but the fact is that these days $4 mil for a player of his caliber is a slap in the face (so is comparing him to Hixon and Manningham). i don’t think he deserves $9 mil like TO and Moss, but as a gesture of goodwill for his performance during last year’s Super Bowl run, the Giants owe it to Plax to at least boost his deal into the $6-7 mil range.

as for Osi and some of the other players that have grumbled over their contracts, they weren’t in the same situation as Plax. Just to put it in perspective, Bernard freakin’ Berrian will make double ($7M) what Plaxico Burress makes ($3.5M) this season.

by SBakerTheTouchdownMaker on Jun 12, 2008 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

As I said, I'm not averse to a reasonable accommodation.

As for Hixon and Manningham, what comparison? Neither has proven anything yet. They’re potential threats, that’s all, but with Plax sitting, they’ll have plenty of opportunity to strut their stuff (or not.) It’s a classic situation of youth battling age. It’s something both Plax and his agent have to consider. If one or both start looking like viable options in training camp, it should serve to soften the position of Plax and his agent. On the other hand…

by george cronin on Jun 12, 2008 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

speaking of Hixon

i think he’s going to end up winning a roster spot.

by SBakerTheTouchdownMaker on Jun 12, 2008 9:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree, george

They will have their chances to strut their stuff…...but I don’t know if Plax is thinking about the “youth vs. age” battle – he’s thinking about “youth vs. experience”...being in the system and having already been on the same page repeatedly with the QB, well, that is something that can only be gained through time. It’s an advantage that he will have no matter what the rookies do.

I know what you mean about whether or not one season can justify greater cash. For some reason, and a number of people have told me this: they feel that Plax has finally grown up. I didn’t say that, now. But I do believe that he isn’t the same person he was when he was in Pittsburgh. And the Steeler fans that I know would take him back in a second.

Drew is a driving force behind this I think. Interestingly enough, his name almost always surfaces when these kinds of situations arise, doesn’t it?!

We didn't even have a chance for the "perfect season", but we did have the perfect ending.

by GAgiantfan on Jun 12, 2008 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Drew? How true.

Something Reese has to factor into making a tough decision. You know that if he gets what he wants he’ll come knocking on the door again for more $ for another client given big money upfront with time left on the existing contract. As for Plax’s growing up, based on last year, one would think so. Still, it’s hard to say from a fan’s perspective. We’re too distant from the situation. Reese and company will have a much better feel for it. I personally feel that R will make a decision that’s in the long term interests of the team. He could make a mistake, but if anyone deserves slack cut for a few mistakes he does.

by george cronin on Jun 12, 2008 6:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I pretty much said

The same thing on nj.com yesterday. Injuries in June don’t worry me, injuries in September do

Giants fan from the womb to the tomb

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Jun 12, 2008 9:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i have no problem with plaxico's demands

were he dogging it on the field, has he has in the past, i would be pissed, bu this is how he makes his living and im not about to start bitching yet.

its like if a senior executive for some company you own stock in tries to renegotiate his contract. its business, and its personal. plus plax probably has some legitimate points. as long as it gets worked out in time for the season and doesnt prove a distraction. plax has earned plenty enough slack from me to do this.

by kendynamo on Jun 12, 2008 9:43 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Give the man a new contract

but this time load it with performance incentives. That way if he performs like Randy Moss, he can get paid that way, but if he performs like the Plaxico we were worried about signing 3 years ago, he’ll get paid that way too.

by rzor on Jun 12, 2008 9:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Performance incentives

Good idea

by george cronin on Jun 12, 2008 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

"As long as..."

Agreed.

by george cronin on Jun 12, 2008 9:51 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

A further thought re Reese and Plax

Plax’s contract ,like Stray’s last, was front loaded. Reese wouldn’t consider renegotiating Stray’s. One reason for Reese’s obduracy given much credence by observers was that using Stray’s gross pay in his last contract year as a measure to comparie to what other DEs were making in ‘07 was not viable because of the upfront money already paid. Was he establishing a precedent for negotiations with other players in the future? If so, it would seem that the only accommodation available for Plax would be a performance-loaded contract extension as rzor suggested.

by george cronin on Jun 12, 2008 3:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hi George

I thought I heard it all before but, had to look up “obduracy”.............I guess if your going to be a GM hard hearted /headed business decisions are part of the game. Still if I’m the GM Plax, Snee and Jacobs get some, Osi is out of luck. Agreed at this point that performance based is the way to go…...............This performance includes catching the SUPER BOWL WINNING pass. At that moment we all would have thrown Fort Knox to the guy.

We're only gonna score 17 points?

by big blue wrecking crew on Jun 12, 2008 5:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm going to have to read G's book to find out what happened on that play.

It boggles the mind that no one was covering him in the end zone

by george cronin on Jun 12, 2008 6:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

actually

I heard Simms on WFAN a few days after the bowl. If you watch the play Hobbs bites on Plax’s inside move, I believe Eli looks off the safety at that point to freeze the safety and possibly to draw Hobbs as well. Plax had said it was the only play of the game they left him single covered. Now what Simms said was, although it looks like Plax fakes Hobbs out of his shoes, Simms said that on plays like that near the end zone when the defensive call is a blitz, the defenders are supposed to go for the first move on the assumption that the pass rush will disrupt the play quick enough to prevent a double move from having any effect.

On another note, I rewatched that play, the crowd nice is just electric. As soon as Eli throws it up, the crowd goes nuts. When Plax catches it, the crowd goes even louder. It’s obscene the volume on that play.

by queler on Jun 12, 2008 7:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks, queler.

So simple. I missed Plax’s fake inside. There was probaly a slo-mo replay, but I was so exuberant after the TD, I must have missed that, too. What I remember (and this could be secondary elaboration) is Plax all alone in the end zone waiting for the ball.

by george cronin on Jun 12, 2008 9:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

in dc

I’m so removed, i did nothing but learn how podcasts work so i could do nothing but listen to Giant’s analysises for the next two weeks after the super bowl. I hate to possibly appear like I was showing you up George, so as act of contrition I will post in the diaries for all to see…. how stupid I was during the Super Bowl.

by queler on Jun 13, 2008 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

As I posted yesterday on a different thread ....

If I were the guy writing the check for Plaxico I wouldn’t mind upping the anty since he went he went the extra mile last year, surpasing expectations even while injured. He was so good that a lot of teams have gone looking for the next Plaxico. That’s a pretty good vote of confidence.

It would sure grate me though, knowing I would be helping to line the pockets of his sleazeball agent. If Drew wasn’t such an a**hole this would probably already have been a done deal.

by giant fan since 57 on Jun 12, 2008 6:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

As a Mets fan

the Giants are my rock of stability right now, so I’m not letting any of this petty stuff bother me one bit. Once the season starts, if this stuff is affecting the performance on the field and the team is losing, then I’ll be worried, but until then, this is still the Super Bowl Champion Giants, and I’m not too worried (although I am sick of Shockey, as I’ve mentioned multiple times, I’m just not too worried about him now. Either he’ll get in line or he won’t, but I don’t think it will hurt the team too much either way.)

by cjmulrain on Jun 12, 2008 11:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs