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Plaxico could learn a lesson from Giants' Tyree

Shaun Powell

October 5, 2008

He will not catch any passes for the Giants this afternoon, but then, you knew that already. He will not play. He will not even suit up. He's a receiver with a history of getting in trouble who nonetheless helped restore glory to the Giants. But he needs to get himself straightened out, and fast, in order to restore his personal glory.

Plaxico Burress is so vain, he probably thinks this story is about him. Well, it is, but not entirely. True, he's not playing against the Seahawks today because of a team-issued one-game suspension for being irresponsible, as usual. But the above description also fits David Tyree, the Super Bowl hero who's still mending from knee surgery. And the difference between the two players is a case study in what's right and wrong with today's athlete.

Let's just say one of these receivers has earned your sympathy, your admiration and hopefully your prayers that he regains his health and gets back on the field and plays for the Giants, which is not guaranteed to happen this season or ever again.

The other one? He needs to make a left turn from his locker when he returns tomorrow, take a hard look at Tyree and get a grip.

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There's really no comparison between the two. Burress is far more talented, was blessed with better physical gifts, makes roughly eight times as much money and is one of three or four players the Giants can't do without. He's a handful on the field for any defender and can turn a game around at any time.

The Giants chased hard after Burress when he was a free agent a few years ago despite his history of being an irritant to anyone who coached or paid him.

He was always a star: in high school, at Michigan State, then the Steelers and now the Giants as the favorite target of Eli Manning.

But he gives it to the Giants both ways: as a prime-time player on Sundays and a big-time migraine almost every other day of the week.

He's a rebel without a cause, someone who hasn't seen a rule he can't break or a coach he can't drive nuts. His teammates like him, mainly because he makes plays and also because he's funny and engaging and not exactly a threat to society. At the same time, they wouldn't trust him to do anything for them except catch a football.

As a Giant, in no particular order, he has shown up late, chosen not to attend voluntary spring sessions, griped about his contract, pouted when he didn't get the ball, been accused (rightly) of taking plays off ... and those are just the things we know about.

For the most part, until they finally said enough and told him to stay home for two weeks, his penalty for going AWOL, the Giants put up with Burress for one reason: He can play.

That's how it goes in sports and everywhere else. You can be a jerk or high maintenance as long as you bring it for your company. That's not fair, but that's life.

Something else isn't fair. As proof, we present Tyree. He wasn't considered anything special in high school, college or his first few years in the NFL. He was, by his own admission, a dope-smoking troublemaker for much of his football-playing life until he found religion and went straight.

The light bulb came on for Tyree just in time; unlike Burress, he wasn't good enough to be reckless and stay employed in the NFL for very long. He was a special-teamer, a backup receiver, a guy with the will and grit to survive, nothing more.

Then came the Super Bowl, and The Catch, and life changed.

Or at least to a point. He should be with Burress in the starting lineup, if the football gods were righteous. But with the injury and the simple fact that he's no better than any other receiver on the roster, Tyree must sit anxiously and await his fate, whatever that may be, once he's brought back to the roster. If he's brought back to the roster.

"I'm just taking it day by day," he said recently. "Who knows what's in store for me?"

Two receivers. Two separate situations. Two fates, to be sure.

Burress will suit up a week from tomorrow and race through the Cleveland secondary for catches and all will seem right again.

But don't you wish that were Tyree instead?

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