Ex-Giant QB shreds Plaxico Burress

by Ed Valentine on Jun 17, 2009 12:00 PM EDT in News Comment 23 comments

I know you are all tired of Plaxico Burress stories (me, too) but this amazing rip job by Tim Hasselbeck, ex-Giants backup QB and current ESPN talking head, is too good not to comment on.

"When you're looking at Plaxico Burress, there's no doubt that he can be a dominant receiver at times on Sundays," Hasselbeck said. "We've seen it. But with that being said, I played with the guy. I was in the locker room with him for two years. He's a disaster as a teammate. He's a disaster as a guy that you have to coach.

"And what do I mean by that? If you want to wait for a guy to show up to meetings, if you want to have to beg a guy to run full-speed in practice, if you want a guy that would disappear in games because he doesn't get the ball early -- then look, Plaxico Burress is your guy.

"But if you don't want those distractions, and you don't want to deal with the other headaches that come along with Plaxico Burress, then you better stay away from him."

There might be some 'failed NFL QB trying to make a name for himself as an analyst' in Hasselbeck's remarks. I love them, anyway.

Good luck to the Jets, or anyone else who takes on Plax. You will need it.

0 recs | Comment 23 comments | Share

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

I wish guys like Hasselback (including Tiki here too) had the guts to say stuff like this when they are still players and aren’t hiding in a studio.

Still pretty damning though.

Blueshirt Banter: Covering the New York Rangers

Big Blue View: Unofficial New York Giants blog

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Jun 17, 2009 12:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I get your point.

But it’s really a losing proposition for any player to bring up this kind of stuff while the team is in the middle of the season — it would just create a distraction, which is one thing the Gi never needed involving Plax. Coaches probably much prefer this is kept in house or dealt with through coaches than brought up through the media by active players.

by prov2002 on Jun 18, 2009 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

Even if it is a backup, someone should call these “stars” out when they are just loafing and not giving 100%. Think of how dangerous the guy would be if he completely sold out for his team. I get the guy is talented and feels like he may not have to work as hard but that’s what seperates the Plaxes of the worlds from the Rices of the world.

by njgiant on Jun 17, 2009 12:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Me tired ? ... I think this site should be "All Plaxico, all the time"

But now you see why Parcells always had to have “his guys” in the locker room to police things for him. Too much of the peer pressure in the NFL is to defend (enable) guys who are potential cancers. The guys with the cred and guts to take on a Shockey or Plax publicly while on their team are few and far between.

by Shofner85 on Jun 17, 2009 4:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

anyone else hoping

dallas seriously pursues him?

World F#$king Champions

by psudrozz on Jun 17, 2009 4:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Be careful what you wish for

Could you imaging Dallas getting Plax and Marshall. The balance of power would take a quick shift.

by njgiant on Jun 17, 2009 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i don't think so

yeah, the talent differential would shift.

but it’s still a team game.

then again, plax got himself a ring, and marshall is in a contract year.

but the good side would be that brett farvre news would take backseat for about 3 days.

World F#$king Champions

by psudrozz on Jun 17, 2009 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What does anyone think Plax can command ...

$$-wise for a 1-year deal, since he may not get the sweet plea bargain if he delays his legal issues beyond the 2009 season, and it could be “career over” after that. Wouldn’t a team have to feel he was the one guy to put them over the top to take on that baggage ? Are the Jets, Bucs and Bears really one freakish WR away from the Big Dance ??

by Shofner85 on Jun 17, 2009 4:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Who is Tim

Tim was a career backup QB in NY and as the backup almost NEVER had the chance to be on the field with Plax….so his views are basically like the scouting dummy pontificating about what kind of person the star WR is…lol…Why is it always the most underachieving players that have the most to say when they get a job as an analysts…

by Kane3 on Jun 17, 2009 5:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

"Why is it always the most underachieving players that have the most to say when they get a job as an analysts…?"

Because the benchwarmers have the most time to sharpen their stage acts.

Actually, in seriousness, I don’t think his bench status should discount his opinions on Plax. His comments are based on observation from the sideline and meeting room, not on interaction with him in the huddle on Sundays. And I don’t hear anyone rallying to Plax’s support as a “get there early, play hard all the time” guy. I’m guessing Hasselbeck is right.

by prov2002 on Jun 18, 2009 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I mean

Is there anything incorrect about what hes saying? I don’t care if it’s Tim Hasselbeck or Michael Strahan. Tim still had to work with him occasionally in practice and had to show up on time (early) to team meetings only to witness Plax either not at the meeting or showing up late. It could be someone even lower on the totem pole than him and i still wouldn’t care. The fact is, if you were on the team you knew what the deal with Plax was. After all, there are 53 guys on a football team and Plaxico was definitely the type that would stick out like a sore thumb onTom Coughlin’s team. The guy is a flake and talent or not, I’m glad that Jerry Reese washed his hands of Plax.

President of the Ramses Barden Fan Club

Fact on Villanova Sports

by Hoyadestroya85 on Jun 17, 2009 10:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Other side

Hasselbeck’s quote about running full speed in practice reminded me, Plax is a guy who went out there game after game hurting, unable to practice. Came up big so many times, and while he did have his moments of loafing, also had times where he flat-out dominated, absolutely uncoverable. I think everyone should just remember how easy it is to rip on a guy who’s already down, and at least try to consider just how important he has been to the Giants for a few years. After all, he’s an integral part of our super bowl team, and I don’t see any chance we get there without him. Whatever problems he was causing sure didn’t seem to hurt the team too bad when he was on the field, given that they’ve been 22-7 the last two years in games he played (including playoffs.)

by yellomellojello on Jun 18, 2009 3:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Just to point out

Whatever problems he was causing sure didn’t seem to hurt the team too bad when he was on the field

To keep it simple, nobody is perfect, but some are more reliable than others. For instance, you could’ve relied on a Jerry Rice every day. Plax, or of the types, you just hope. It’s the types of things they do that prevent them from being on the field. I would rather have someone hurting opposing teams rather than hurting the team!

by Hootman on Jun 18, 2009 7:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You really like what he said, Ed?

If Plax was as bad during practice as hasselbeck is making him out to be, he wouldn’t have been so well-liked among other Giants… you don’t hang out with guys who you think doesn’t put in effort, teammates hate that. just look at your most recent post, how do you think other guys on the team feel about the lazy guys sitting out? you can’t respect that, and I know plax was respected in that locker room. I know he sometimes gave up on routes but I don’t believe that he’s a “disaster” at all. And when it comes down to it, you, I, anybody would get frustrated with pointless meeting after pointless meeting, and NFL teams have plenty of them. When you perform on a high level like him, do those meetings really help? Either way I don’t think he’s a disaster to coach, or as a teammate, and I believe he’s an asset to any team, even at this point. The worse thing he ever did was take the Giants to court to get his extra money or whatever it was, a bonus maybe. I can never rip on the guy after he gave it his all in the last 2 games of the season and during the playoffs, while injured with a high ankle sprain which KILLS, especially in cold weather. And he DOMINATED in green bay. Without him, we don’t win the NFC championship, or the Superbowl. We are a MUCH better team with Plax, if he hadn’t shot himself it would have been stupid to cut him from the team. I’m confident in our receivers now, I think we’ll surprise the entire NFL with how well they play and the MVP-ish #s Eli will put up (my prediction, at least), but regardless Plax on the Giants is a much better Giants team. He’s not Shockey yelling at Eli in the huddle, or Shockey trash-talking to the media. THAT you have to get rid of regardless of talent level. Complete difference though between him and Plax and its unfair to him that as a fanbase we lump them together and rip on him after got us to the Super Bowl. I would love to see him in a Giants uniform if it wasn’t for him shooting himself. I don’t blame him for us choking in the playoffs, our game planning was retarded and Gilbride wouldn’t adjust his game plan to the reality of that game. Completely our fault.

by mahmoodzaky on Jun 18, 2009 10:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

also

hasselbeck and schlereth will say anything for attention, schlereth just had a segment on “why the cowboys will win the NFC east, and why the Giants will sink and miss the playoffs”… he thinks the REDSKINS are a better team than us, that they have a better defense contingent on how our new free agents play, and that Jason Campbell will have a breakout year. That is all so stupid, our D will absolutely dominate, and our secondary will be much better than anybody expects. Aaron Ross, Kenny Philips, and Terell Thomas will all be much improved, and I don’t know if anyone remembers but Terell Thomas made clutch stops on special teams all year round… and if Tyree makes the roster, he makes that unit alot better. point. anyway, hasselbeck and schlereth both suck, trey wingo and marcellus wiley are the only guys with any brains on NFL live. all schlereth can do is talk about the o-line and how he has two rings thanks to elway… doesn’t truly know the teams in the league well.

by mahmoodzaky on Jun 18, 2009 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

See

I agree with your basic view of Plax’s quality but think your view of Plax is not inconsistent with Hasselbeck’s.

Yes, Plax was mostly a gamer, and the Giants were, at some point and on balance, better with him (minus these gun related issues and the incumbent uncertainty (which is a huge variable)) than without. So I’m guessing that when Eli said he’d take Plax back in a second, he meant it, but meant that, on balance, the good (on the field, big game stuff) outweighed the bad (all the Hasselbeck stuff). Plax probably is also a pretty good guy personally, which allowed teammates to give him more slack than a T.O.-type jerk would get.

But for Reese and TC, as the gun issues lingered, the calculation became:

(talent + likely production + generally decent relationship with teammates and team attitude)

MINUS

(major uncertainty re gun charges + likelihood of future problems + likelihood of continuing resistance to staying with the team program (missing meetings, being late, minor attitude issues)

EQUALS

“Let Him Go”.

by prov2002 on Jun 18, 2009 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs