The old saying is, you give them an inch and they’ll take a mile. Another saying, not so old, is, From the penthouse to the outhouse.
Both of those sayings – and many more that I could think of – apply well to Plaxico Burress, the star wide receiver for the New York Football Giants. Pardon the pun, but it appears that he’s shot himself in the, uh…the leg on this one.
It seems so long since Plax was the hero of New York, the singly-most feted sportsman since Mark Messier guaranteed a Stanley Cup playoff victory and ended up bringing Lord Stanley to the Big Apple. Arguably, it was Plaxico whose incredible heroics on a gimpy leg in January’s NFC Championship Game against Green Bay at Lambeau Field – 151 yards receiving against Al Harris, one of the NFL’s better corners – sent the Giants to Glendale, Arizona and to their date with the New England Patriots and destiny in Super Bowl XLII. Sure, Corey Webster picked Favre off in overtime, but Plaxico Burress was a deep threat every single time Eli Manning took a snap from centre and looked to hurl the pigskin.
Two weeks after beating Al Harris to a pulp at frozen Lambeau Field, Burress found himself in much warmer conditions, playing New England in the Super Bowl. He famously predicted a victory, by 23-17. People thought he was crazy. No one thought the Giants had a chance. Even this ardent Big Blue man wondered what the Giants D could possibly do to slow down the Brady-Moss-Welker juggernaut that had rolled – correction: stomped – over the rest of the NFL.
Burress was there when it counted. He guaranteed a victory, Messier style, and provided. He burned Ellis Hobbs in the same sort of way he’d burnt Al Harris the week before. Except the stakes were much higher here. There were less than 5 minutes to play in a tense Super Bowl. And Burress, breezing past Hobbs, found himself alone in the upper corner of the endzone. Eli Manning saw him there. Eli, who had come into his own through the remarkable playoff run that had seen the Giants record road victories against Tampa Bay, Dallas and Green Bay, floated the ball perfectly. It was caught by Burress. Touchdown. Giants 17-14. Unbelievable.
Ten minutes later, Bill Belichick had left the field. The Patriots perfect season had come to it’s end at the final hurdle. Manning was the VMP, but in so many ways, Plaxico Burress had won the game with his burning route past Hobbs and his TD reception. He was on top of the world. No doubt about it. He was in the penthouse.
It turned out that that Sunday night inside University of Phoenix Stadium was the beginning of so many troubles for Plaxico. He went out seeking a new contract. He held out at mini camp, and knew the Giants would budge because, after all, Eli Manning and the Giants needed someone reliable on the far side of the field from Amani Toomer. Jeremy Shockey had moved on to New Orleans. Burress saw Eli seeking him out, just like Eli had looked for Shockey on those big third- and fourth-down conversions.
As Plaxico had doubtless expected, the Giants caved and offered him a huge new contract just hours before the opening game of the new season. Burress responded well. He went out and torched the Redskins as he had torched Al Harris and Ellis Hobbs during the playoffs earlier that year. The Giants won. Plaxico had his new contract. It all seemed perfect –
Until Burress was suspended for not attending a meeting. He missed the game against Seattle where the Giants put up 44 against the hapless ‘Hawks. He wasn’t missed. Domenik Hixon, another playoff hero, filled in ably. Following Burress’ enforced layoff, word emerged that, in a career in New York that had only just topped 50 games, Plax had been fined some 40-50 times. Amazing. No wonder he needed that new contract. Half of it was going to charities across New York.
We thought that was the end of things. Anyone with any sense thought that Plax would lay low, attend training, meetings, film studies, whatever. We all thought he’d do whatever it took to stay in Coach Tom Coughlin’s good books. No one wanted to think about mentioning Plaxico Burress and Pacman Jones or Tank Johnson or anyone from the Cincinnati Bengals – sorry, Carson Palmer – in the same sentence, but it’s slowly getting that way.
Friday night, Plaxico after being ruled out of the Redskins game due to a bad hamstring, was with his team mate, Giants linebacker (and defensive captain) Antonio Pierce at what could only be described as a disreputable place, the Latin Quarter (or LQ) Nightclub. God knows exactly what went on there, but the night ended with Burress in hospital being treated for an accidental gunshot wound. The NYPD investigated further. Burress was charged with criminal possession of a weapon – his gun, the gun he shot himself with, was unlicensed – and pleaded not guilty. Bail was set at $100k.
Now, at this early stage we cannot even begin to call Burress guilty. He’s always going to be innocent until proven otherwise, but one thing that we can examine here and now is what the Giants can do. What they should do. He needs to be cut. Don’t get me wrong, like every other Giants fan, I love Burress for scoring the winning Super Bowl touchdown and for his huge performance two weeks previous against Green Bay. But he is NOT the sort of person the Giants organisation needs.
We’ve all seen the sort of disruption that Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones, Tank Johnson and all the Bengals players who’ve been arrested have been to their team. Look it what it’s done to those teams. Dallas are only just pulling itself out of a hole this year and the Bengals have endured years of hell after their playoff appearance following the 2005 season. The Giants are in the midst of a big season, and are primed for a Super Bowl run. They do not need this sort of distraction at this end of the season, and they need only look at the Bengals or Dallas if they are even considering keeping Burress around.
Sad to say, but it seems that Plax is more trouble than he’s worth. The Giants management, aided by Couch Coughlin have some tough decisions to make as to Burress’ continued status with the team. Of course, Commissioner Roger Goodell, who has been notoriously hard on players who get mixed up with the wrong side of the law, may take the decision out of the Giants hands. So might the NYPD. If found guilty, Burress faces 3 ½ to 5 years behind bars.
If neither the law or Commissioner Goodell step in, it will be up to the Giants. I say let Burress go. The team does not need his distractions this close to the playoffs. In fact, they don’t need it at all. His replacement, Domenik Hixon, has been incredible in the two games – vs. Seattle and Arizona – that he’s filled in. He does it for probably about half the coin and certainly half the trouble, and, most importantly, Eli Manning likes throwing to him. Reference the handful of big third-down catches that Hixon made vs. the Redskins on Sunday. From where I sit and type – which is, admittedly, a long way from the turf of Giants Stadium – it seems like a good deal all around.
Hixon is Plaxico Lite. About as good on the field, and certainly much less trouble off of it. For that reason and many others not least of which is that every day you open the paper of log onto NFL.com and there’s a Plaxico Burress story, I believe that we’ve seen the last of #17 in New York Giants blue.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Charlie Weis AKA The Problem at Notre Dame
Much has been written about the sad state and rapid decline of the football program at Notre Dame. What was once a program with national prominence has become something of an after-thought. Not even a MASSIVE television and internetoutput contract with NBC can save them from mediocrity, from fading into nothingness, about as relevant in college football as, say, any team from the state of Washington.
They're nothing but a blip on the radar these days.And there are two words you can use, two simple words, to explain the suddenfall from grace and relevance of a storied university: Charlie Weis.
I remember the Super Bowl Media Day, the one where Charlie Weis wanted totalk more about his brand-new contract with Notre Dame University than whathis New England Patriot offense was going to do to combat the Jim Johnson-inspired Philadelphia Eagles defense in the upcoming NFL decider. You honestly could have believed that you were watching some sort of Notre Dame love-in, notthe presser for the biggest and best football event in North America.
Flat-out, Weis hijacked the day. Instead of making it about Brady, Bruschi and Belichick, it was all about Charlie and what he was going to do at Notre Dame. He boasted of a "pro-style offense" that no college team in the landcould possibly stand up to. I guess that much is true, one truth among plenty of lies; no one?s stood up to the Irish offense. They've all rolled rightover the top. He brazenly predicted an avalanche of wins. He told anyone who would listen that he was going to revolutionise college football. He hasn't done any of that. He hasn't even come close.
To be honest, the first season went okay. With Brady Quinn under centre, the Irish nearlybeat a USC team ranked #1 in the nation and taking all before it with starslike Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush. Following that close four-point loss,the Athletic Director at South Bend clearly started drinking the Kool Aid.He offered Charlie a ten year contract allegedly - though never publicly confirmed by Notre Dame University - worth between $30 and $40 million dollars. After a loss. Okay, granted he took the best team in the land to the very edge and almost came away with the chocolates, but still? Come on! That's a serious amount of coin.
That was 2005. Fast forward to 2008. The Irish were just pounded by the same team, USC, that they played to the wire in Charlie's first year. It was amiserable performance. The Irish had 91 total yards of offense. They didn'tpick up a first down until the final play of the third quarter and their quarterback, Jimmy Clausen, threw for a measly 30 yards. The USC defenseis mean. They are mean and nasty. They had a field day with Notre Dame. This wasn't close. The 38-3 score line didn't accurately indicate just how comprehensive the victory was. It was nationally-televised and nationally embarrassing for the Irish. It did one thing, though, and that is shine a national light on Notre Dame's problems. It was a beat down in the best sense of the word.
People say that Charlie Weis shouldn't be blamed for any of Notre Dame's current woes. Why, they ask, should he be blamed when the recruiting classes aren't good. Except that they are. They're excellent. Did you know that Notre Dame has had the 2nd, 1st and 2nd best recruiting classes in the nation overthe last 3 years? And Charlie makes a point of telling us that at every opportunity.
It is as simple as this: Charlie's record is 21-28. Tyrone Willingham, hispredecessor, had a worse record than that. So did Bob Davie who coached at ND before Willingham. If they can be fired, so can Weis, whose record is worse. At least Davie and Willingham didn't lose to Navy. Or Syracuse. Weisdid. Time to go. Except that they are. Notre Dame has had the 2nd, 1st and2nd best recruiting classes in the nation over the last 3 years. And Charlie makes a point of telling us that at every opportunity. Especially after a particularly bad loss, which is often. It's what he falls back on when he gets uncomfortableunder the spotlight in the post-match press conference.
So, if the talent is so good in South Bend - and it is; Clausen could be a good QB and Golden Tate has enough speed to be a better-than-even running back - one needs to point the finger in another direction. Perhaps in the direction of the Head Coach. Definitely in the direction of the play-caller. Oh. Silly me. That's Charlie Weis. He relieved his offensive coordinator of the job and announced that he would call the plays himself. Then, next time out ofthe gate, promptly lost to Syracuse.
It's that sort of arrogance, Charlie's ridiculous confidence in himself that he can do the job when others can't, that has angered a lot of people. People like me who want to see Notre Dame a national power once again. And, more importantly, school alum like Joe Montana, who must be hurting like crazy each time the Fighting Irish take to the field.
If you're reading this and thinking that this has me more than a little irate, you'd be correct. It annoys me that a guy comes rolling in and makes these amazing, outlandish promises - and fails to deliver on any of them. Charlie Weis has always been rude and obnoxious. He says it's New Jersey thing. What, he thinks he's some sort of Tony Soprano? I happen to think it's just a Charlie Weis thing. People dealt with it when he was winning. He's not winning anymore.The gloss is starting to wear off.
You look at a guy like Pete Carroll at USC or Urban Meyer at Florida. Great coaches, both of them. Better coaches than Charlie Weis could ever hope to be. They didn't come into their jobs in a blaze of glory, outlandishly predicting this and that. They rocked up one day, got to work and their records speak for themselves. Both Florida and USC have won a national championship this decade and both Carroll and Meyer helm programs that seldom leave the Top 5. What has Charlie Weis delivered? Not much. A couple of blow-out BCS losses, a loss to Navy anda loss to Syracuse. Oh, and plenty of pain, too.
It is as simple as this: Charlie's record is 21-28 after starting out a promising15-9. Tyrone Willingham, his predecessor, had a worse record than that. So did Bob Davie who coached at ND before Willingham. If they can be fired, so can Weis, whose record is worse. At least Davie and Willingham didn't lose to Navy. Or Syracuse. Weis did. Time to go.
Coach Willingham was African-American. He tried and failed. They got rid of him, as is their want. In sports these days, you're hired to be fired.But if Weis, whose record is worse, doesn't get the chop this week, you are going to hear people come out of the woodwork and complain about unfair treatment and discrimination. Yeah, even that dreaded "R" word is going to get bandied about. I'm sure it's got nothing to do with the colour of Charlie's skin, as compared to Willingham's, but people are going to add 1 and 2 and come up with 7. I don't like it, but it's bound to happen.
Okay, call me crazy if you must, but I happen to think that if you're paying a guy $30-$40 million over ten seasons and if he's bringing in some of the best recruits from around the country - Charlie continually tells us that he is - you have a right to expect results. Not a squeak-by win against Navy, but a victory against USC. Or Ohio State. Or Florida. Someone who is a legitimate national contender. Charlie hasn't delivered that. All he's delivered areembarrassing losses to Navy and Syracuse. Oh. He's also delivered lots of promises. But he hasn't made good on ANY of them.
He has to go.
They're nothing but a blip on the radar these days.And there are two words you can use, two simple words, to explain the suddenfall from grace and relevance of a storied university: Charlie Weis.
I remember the Super Bowl Media Day, the one where Charlie Weis wanted totalk more about his brand-new contract with Notre Dame University than whathis New England Patriot offense was going to do to combat the Jim Johnson-inspired Philadelphia Eagles defense in the upcoming NFL decider. You honestly could have believed that you were watching some sort of Notre Dame love-in, notthe presser for the biggest and best football event in North America.
Flat-out, Weis hijacked the day. Instead of making it about Brady, Bruschi and Belichick, it was all about Charlie and what he was going to do at Notre Dame. He boasted of a "pro-style offense" that no college team in the landcould possibly stand up to. I guess that much is true, one truth among plenty of lies; no one?s stood up to the Irish offense. They've all rolled rightover the top. He brazenly predicted an avalanche of wins. He told anyone who would listen that he was going to revolutionise college football. He hasn't done any of that. He hasn't even come close.
To be honest, the first season went okay. With Brady Quinn under centre, the Irish nearlybeat a USC team ranked #1 in the nation and taking all before it with starslike Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush. Following that close four-point loss,the Athletic Director at South Bend clearly started drinking the Kool Aid.He offered Charlie a ten year contract allegedly - though never publicly confirmed by Notre Dame University - worth between $30 and $40 million dollars. After a loss. Okay, granted he took the best team in the land to the very edge and almost came away with the chocolates, but still? Come on! That's a serious amount of coin.
That was 2005. Fast forward to 2008. The Irish were just pounded by the same team, USC, that they played to the wire in Charlie's first year. It was amiserable performance. The Irish had 91 total yards of offense. They didn'tpick up a first down until the final play of the third quarter and their quarterback, Jimmy Clausen, threw for a measly 30 yards. The USC defenseis mean. They are mean and nasty. They had a field day with Notre Dame. This wasn't close. The 38-3 score line didn't accurately indicate just how comprehensive the victory was. It was nationally-televised and nationally embarrassing for the Irish. It did one thing, though, and that is shine a national light on Notre Dame's problems. It was a beat down in the best sense of the word.
People say that Charlie Weis shouldn't be blamed for any of Notre Dame's current woes. Why, they ask, should he be blamed when the recruiting classes aren't good. Except that they are. They're excellent. Did you know that Notre Dame has had the 2nd, 1st and 2nd best recruiting classes in the nation overthe last 3 years? And Charlie makes a point of telling us that at every opportunity.
It is as simple as this: Charlie's record is 21-28. Tyrone Willingham, hispredecessor, had a worse record than that. So did Bob Davie who coached at ND before Willingham. If they can be fired, so can Weis, whose record is worse. At least Davie and Willingham didn't lose to Navy. Or Syracuse. Weisdid. Time to go. Except that they are. Notre Dame has had the 2nd, 1st and2nd best recruiting classes in the nation over the last 3 years. And Charlie makes a point of telling us that at every opportunity. Especially after a particularly bad loss, which is often. It's what he falls back on when he gets uncomfortableunder the spotlight in the post-match press conference.
So, if the talent is so good in South Bend - and it is; Clausen could be a good QB and Golden Tate has enough speed to be a better-than-even running back - one needs to point the finger in another direction. Perhaps in the direction of the Head Coach. Definitely in the direction of the play-caller. Oh. Silly me. That's Charlie Weis. He relieved his offensive coordinator of the job and announced that he would call the plays himself. Then, next time out ofthe gate, promptly lost to Syracuse.
It's that sort of arrogance, Charlie's ridiculous confidence in himself that he can do the job when others can't, that has angered a lot of people. People like me who want to see Notre Dame a national power once again. And, more importantly, school alum like Joe Montana, who must be hurting like crazy each time the Fighting Irish take to the field.
If you're reading this and thinking that this has me more than a little irate, you'd be correct. It annoys me that a guy comes rolling in and makes these amazing, outlandish promises - and fails to deliver on any of them. Charlie Weis has always been rude and obnoxious. He says it's New Jersey thing. What, he thinks he's some sort of Tony Soprano? I happen to think it's just a Charlie Weis thing. People dealt with it when he was winning. He's not winning anymore.The gloss is starting to wear off.
You look at a guy like Pete Carroll at USC or Urban Meyer at Florida. Great coaches, both of them. Better coaches than Charlie Weis could ever hope to be. They didn't come into their jobs in a blaze of glory, outlandishly predicting this and that. They rocked up one day, got to work and their records speak for themselves. Both Florida and USC have won a national championship this decade and both Carroll and Meyer helm programs that seldom leave the Top 5. What has Charlie Weis delivered? Not much. A couple of blow-out BCS losses, a loss to Navy anda loss to Syracuse. Oh, and plenty of pain, too.
It is as simple as this: Charlie's record is 21-28 after starting out a promising15-9. Tyrone Willingham, his predecessor, had a worse record than that. So did Bob Davie who coached at ND before Willingham. If they can be fired, so can Weis, whose record is worse. At least Davie and Willingham didn't lose to Navy. Or Syracuse. Weis did. Time to go.
Coach Willingham was African-American. He tried and failed. They got rid of him, as is their want. In sports these days, you're hired to be fired.But if Weis, whose record is worse, doesn't get the chop this week, you are going to hear people come out of the woodwork and complain about unfair treatment and discrimination. Yeah, even that dreaded "R" word is going to get bandied about. I'm sure it's got nothing to do with the colour of Charlie's skin, as compared to Willingham's, but people are going to add 1 and 2 and come up with 7. I don't like it, but it's bound to happen.
Okay, call me crazy if you must, but I happen to think that if you're paying a guy $30-$40 million over ten seasons and if he's bringing in some of the best recruits from around the country - Charlie continually tells us that he is - you have a right to expect results. Not a squeak-by win against Navy, but a victory against USC. Or Ohio State. Or Florida. Someone who is a legitimate national contender. Charlie hasn't delivered that. All he's delivered areembarrassing losses to Navy and Syracuse. Oh. He's also delivered lots of promises. But he hasn't made good on ANY of them.
He has to go.
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