Been wondering what's new with Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress? He's down in Florida and, according to TMZ, getting into hot water behind the wheel of his SUV. Burress was pulled over by cops on March 1st, and was cited for four seperate violations.
He was charged for speeding (going 60 in a 45 miles per hour zone), improper display of tags, improper lane change and improper window tinting. The Broward County Court hasn't set a date for Burress to appear on the charges.
None of those infractions seems particularly serious, and would probably result in a few points on the license and a fine. If it were 99% of the players on the Giants, it wouldn't even be worthy of a mention. Burress isn't being judged by the same yardstick as the rest of his teammates, however. The Giants have been very clear that his continued employment is contingent on remaining on the straight and narrow. Burress may not have stepped way over the line, but the line's been clearly drawn.
That means the ball is in the court of the team, particularly general manager Jerry Reese. The team has already sullied their image a bit this offseason by signing Rocky Bernard and Michael Boley, each of whom has faced charges of domestic violence, and looking the other way on Burress would further muddy what was once a pristine record. Is that worth more to the team than having a high-powered offense? We'll soon find out.
Josh Alper is a writer living in New York City and is a contributor to FanHouse.com and ProFootballTalk.com in addition to his duties for NBCNewYork.com.
