Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbooks) - Remember when the
New York Giants had little problems?
You know, like Michael Strahan not showing up to training camp, or Tiki Barber talking about how Tom Coughlin got outcoached?
Those now seem like episodes of your favorite cartoon compared to the Law and Order-style events that have unfolded regarding Plaxico Burress in the past 72 hours.
Here's what we now think we know, compiled from various reports on the matter:
-On Friday night/Saturday morning, while partying at the Latin Quarter nightclub in Manhattan with Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce and perhaps one other member of the team, Burress accidentally shoots himself in the right thigh. Reports indicate that Burress, who was drinking, was attempting to unload his handgun in a secure area of the club after being confronted by security personnel about the weapon.
-Burress refuses an attempt by nightclub personnel to call an ambulance. Instead, Burress is driven to Cornell Medical Center by a friend, where an examination reveals that the .40 caliber bullet went through skin and muscle tissue but did not strike an artery or bone. Burress is released early Saturday afternoon.
-A police investigation begins surrounding the discovery that Burress does not have a license to carry a firearm in New York. A conviction on a charge of illegal possession of a firearm in New York City carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 3.5 years, thanks to strict gun legislation passed in 2006 and proposed by NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration. Reports surface that the weapon in question was removed from the scene by Pierce, an act that could come with an obstruction of justice charge for the linebacker.
-After catching wind of the situation, the Giants release a statement on Saturday afternoon: "We are aware of the fact that Plaxico was involved in an apparent accidental shooting last night. We have been in contact with Plaxico since shortly after the incident. Plaxico suffered a wound to his right thigh. Obviously, our primary concern is for Plaxico's health and well-being, and given the circumstances, we are relieved to say he was released from a New York City hospital at approximately 2 p.m. today. We have been in touch with NFL Security on this matter. At this point, we are attempting to gather all the facts surrounding this incident. This incident could become a matter for law enforcement officials, and because of that, we have no comment on any of the details."
-On Sunday afternoon, Burress' attorney, Benjamin Brafman, announces in an e- mail to the Associated Press that the wide receiver will surrender to authorities and enter a "not guilty" plea on a charge of criminal possession of a weapon. Brafman, who formerly represented high-profile clients such as Sean "Diddy" Combs and Michael Jackson, writes, "I would hope that fans of the New York Giants will give Plaxico the benefit of the doubt and the presumption of innocence - something we're all supposed to be given in this country."
Now, although Burress is facing much more serious questions about his future, the question of what the Giants and the league will do from a football standpoint becomes pertinent.
Burress was already ruled out of Sunday's game due to a hamstring problem, and though the injury from the gunshot wound is apparently not serious, it stands to reason that it would sideline the team's No. 1 receiver for at least a couple more weeks. It is possible that the club could place him on the Non- Football- Injury (NFI) list for the remainder of the season, which could allow the Giants to recover some of the signing bonus Burress earned when he inked a $35 million deal in September.
If the team doesn't act by the time Burress is ready to return, his improving health might not matter anyway. If Burress is facing a felony weapons charge, the NFL could seek to suspend him indefinitely in accordance with the league's personal conduct policy. The league's policy on guns also forbids the carrying of a gun without a proper license, another stipulation by which it could keep him off the field until further notice.
And, though the Giants would miss the 6-foot-5 Burress' field-stretching abilities, the team would probably quietly applaud the league if it does them the favor of separating him from the roster.
Burress, who has already this season dealt with domestic violence issues and been suspended a game for not showing up to practice back in September, has been a constant distraction for the team that signed him as a free agent prior to the 2005 season.
A Fox Sports report at the time of the September suspension revealed that Burress, who was re-signed by the team after catching the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl XLII this past February, had been fined by the team 40-50 times during his four-year tenure with the Giants.
Tom Coughlin's team is 11-1 after defeating the Redskins, 23-7, on Sunday, a game in which Eli Manning threw for 305 yards minus Burress' services.
Without the former first-rounder in the lineup, players like Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, and veteran Amani Toomer will have to take on a greater role for a club that also happens to possess the most prolific ground game in the league.
Any potential suspension to Pierce - the team's leading tackler and the literal centerpiece of the defense - could be more problematic for Big Blue, though Pierce played Sunday and is unlikely to be subject to a multi-game suspension given what appears to be his minor involvement in the incident.
Again, however, the subject of football should be furthest from the mind of Burress, who could be about to pay for Friday night's transgression with his career if the full measure of law is applied.
The New York authorities about to bring charges on Burress will be under immense public pressure to prosecute the high-profile figure to the full extent of the law. If they don't, the recently enacted handgun laws in New York will be rendered toothless by those watching from both near and far.
Should he serve the mandatory minimum of 3.5 years, the now-31-year-old Burress would be unlikely to get a meaningful chance to play again once he returns.
Whether he is ultimately remembered more for his Super Bowl heroics, or for a Friday night of reveling gone awry, is now up in the air like one of the jump- ball passes Burress previously made a name catching.
