If Plaxico Burress gets what he wants, which is to keep delaying punishment for the gun charges he currently faces, and ends up able to play in the NFL this season, that will be an injustice.
Now, I know I call this particular weekly column 'Valentine's Views,' but John Rowe of The Record recently summarized exactly how I feel about the Burress situation. So, I am going to let him speak for me here.
The latest example of how celebrity players are treated differently from you and I is the speculation that Plaxico Burress' attorney could have a deal in place by as early as Monday in which the wide receiver's trial on charges of possessing and illegal discharging a handgun will be delayed until after he plays the 2009 season.
This isn't about him being guilty or not guilty. Let a jury decide that.
This is about special treatment that Burress doesn't deserve. If one of us was charged with the same offense, the case would have been long decided. Burress was arrested last November, not last week.
After all the tough talk by Mayor Bloomberg that the talented wide receiver would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, we have another player trying to milk the system to his advantage.
Burress has only so many seasons left in him and delaying the trial will be to his benefit, especially financially.
And don't expect NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to step in and suspend Burress. How can he if Burress has not been found guilty of anything? If you don't count complete stupidity.
Now, ultimately, I understand that the primary thing Plax is guilty of here is stupidity. Ultimately, he didn't hurt anyone but himself -- at least physically. You can argue that he put a bullet in the Giants' chances to repeat as Super Bowl champions, but that really has nothing to do with this whole mess.
I just hope Plax doesn't end up manipulating the system and getting what he wants. He shouldn't end up being rewarded for being unwilling to be a grownup and face his punishment.
- I think James Dukes' contention on NFL.com that Brett Favre is the real victim in the never-ending 'will he or won't he play,' soap opera of the last couple of seasons is one of the stupidest things I have read in my life. Favre has brought all of the jokes, the criticism and the nomadic path of his career upon himself. He is now holding his third franchise hostage within the past two seasons. Favre's selfishness and inability to make a decision -- he's about as decisive as a 3-year-old at the toy store -- are to blame. No one else.
- I think that since my first two items today were about Burress and Favre, our least-favorite topics, you guys are probably ready to kill me. Either that, or you already got bored and stopped reading.
Here are a few non-football thoughts.
- You guys know I am not a hockey fan. I think, however, there is no better sporting event to watch than Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. I actually forfeited some of the Yankee game the other night, and barely watched the NBA game at all, to catch the Detroit-Pittsburgh penultimate game. Yes, it was worth it.
- The Yankees may have gotten it all wrong years ago when the signed Jason Giambi. But, they have gotten it right with the signing of Mark Teixeira. I am impressed by Teixiera's bat, his glove, his hustle, his demeanor. Pretty much everything he does.
- I think that if you offered me Tiger Woods against the field in the upcoming U.S. Open I would be willing to take Tiger. As great as he is, it's bee a long time since I have been willing to climb out on that limb.