Talent Wasted: The Plaxico Burress Story
Plaxico Burress was the most physically gifted offensive player the Giants have had in my lifetime.
I've been a Giants fan since I was six years old in 1985, and at no point during that time has any Giants offensive player possessed the skills Burress did. Tall (6'5"), fast, agile, shifty, with phenomenal hands and the ability to catch the ball in traffic. Certainly no Giants receiver of the last 25 years comes close from a physical standpoint.
http://newyorksportsjerk.blogspot.com/2009/08/talent-wasted.html
Sadly, Plaxico Burress never reached his full potential as a player, and thanks to his own recklessness - in addition to his questionable work ethic - never will. He could have been an all-time great, and Giants legend, and instead he's going to jail. You can debate the "fairness" of the two-year prison sentence Burress will serve for bringing a loaded gun into a Manhattan nightclub last November, and it's a discussion I've had all day.
You can make the case the Plax was the only victim of his crime, and also a victim of his own stupidity. Fact is, if he was going to carry a gun into a club in any city in the United States, he picked the wrong city. There is no gray area in New York City gun laws, and what gray area there is, Plax's attorney found in getting his client only two years, when he was facing three or more if convicted.
I've heard all day about how Donte Stallworth only served 24 days for DUI manslaughter in Florida, and to that I say, "so what?"
That's Florida's problem. Go talk to them about letting celebrities buy their way out of legal trouble. It's a joke and something should be done to make sure people like Stallworth and Leonard Little get more than a slap on the wrist for literally killing people, but that argument is totally irrelevant to the discussion of Plaxico's crime and New York City gun laws.
Even before last November's arrest, Burress had the incredibly vexing ability to waste his talent, and was doing his best to throw his career down the toilet at every opportunity.
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12 comments
Comments
Never forget proverbs..
Pride goeth before a fall. That’s the real lesson out of all of this.
by scotty2129 on Aug 21, 2009 12:28 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
It is sad.
Who knows if he’ll have what it takes to come back after two years in prison.
If he even wants to, that is.
2009 Dallas Cowboys: 10-6
by Grady90 on Aug 21, 2009 11:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
This was a good commentary..
Hopefully, Plax will use this time to straighten out these deep issues he has lived with. Maybe, he’ll realize that authority is not always a bad thing..and being a good Father and Husband is a good thing. I’ll maintain my opinion that the punishment was too harsh, but perhaps it will help him..It’s at a point with him where you need to say “Screw football, I need to come to grips with my life”. I think he will be back and be a better person and a more dedicated player.
by Bobbiblue on Aug 22, 2009 4:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Your first sentence
It’s only my opinion, but Mark Bavaro was the most gifted offensive weapon the Giants have had in the last 25 years. He could catch, get yards after the catch, and block better than any tight end in football. He had a great football IQ, and most of all…
He wasn’t a knucklehead! You didn’t need a team of psychologists around to try to get through to him.
Had he not gotten hurt, I honestly believe he could have been in the Hall of Fame.
by TonyManero on Aug 26, 2009 2:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
AND
he used his helmet to deflect a SB touchdown pass to the inimitable Phil McConkey. From the inimitable Phil Simms.
You play to win the game!
by Simms-McConkey on Aug 27, 2009 8:15 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I know people don't want to hear this
cause of how he left here, but the best offensive weapon I’ve seen here in about the 20 years I’ve been watching football is Tiki Barber.
by DoctorK16 on Aug 31, 2009 5:19 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The words "most physically gifted"
Bavaro is my favorite Giant player of all-time, but he got the most out of his ability.
Tiki is one of my least favorite players, and he got the most out of his size and ability.
Plax was given the most physical gifts of any offensive player the Giants have had in my lifetime, and he wasted it.
And for the record, the most physically gifted Giant ever was Lawrence Taylor, obviously.
by New York Sports Jerk on Aug 31, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can buy this
I like Tiki still more than most people in Giants nation and I don’t wanna see what he did here diminished on the field because of the stuff with Coughlin.
by DoctorK16 on Aug 31, 2009 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah,
he was a regular Thurman Thomas
You play to win the game!
by Simms-McConkey on Aug 31, 2009 8:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Not surprised..
…this happened to Plax, as there were a number of events around him prior to the nightclub gun incident. Shame too, because while he was on the field, he seemed like a good team player, blocking, not complaining about getting passes, etc.
What is it with top receivers and the mental instability – TO, Moss, Plax?
by coops2001 on Sep 1, 2009 10:49 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Sorry coop,
hit the Flag button by mistake. I was just going to disagree with you about Moss, usless for some reason you were referring to Santana and I’ve heard nothing bad about him and I know you’re not talking about Sonorice because you did say “top receivers”. A coworker and myself were discussing Moss the other day and talking about how Moss has done a 180. He has been on his best behavior since being in NE. The only pic or none football story I’ve heard about Moss is about a bass he caught while fishing. Shows what winning and a class orginization can do for a player. That said, still don’t know why Plax couldn’t follow that lead. I’d rather have Plax fishing than out clubbing.
by njgiant on Sep 2, 2009 7:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I completely agree
that Moss has since turned it around. And my thought is off a very biased sample based on only three star receivers, but just wonderin’ if it’s a trend.
Good point about Sonorice and "top recievers"!
by coops2001 on Sep 2, 2009 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

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