Plaxico Burress- A Story We’ve Read Far Too Many Times.

(Pictured right- Ryan Boatright committed to USC and then picked a high school. He is 14 years old. The next Plaxico Burress?)

The biggest headline in the world of sports has been Mr. Plaxico Burress. Just a short while ago this was a man who set a Giants franchise record going for 11 receptions and 154 yards in the NFC title game. He followed that effort in the Superbowl catching the winning touchdown to propel his team to the most improbable upset in NFL history. And now this: Friday, November 28, 2008- Burress suffered an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to the right thigh in a New York City nightclub when his gun, tucked in the waistband of his sweatpants, began sliding down his leg. You may ask, “What in the world was he thinking?” My response: he wasn’t. Plaxico Burress has never had to think a day in his life and this was certainly not the first time he “shot himself in the foot.”

At 6’6, 235lbs, Plaxico Burress is as athletically gifted as anyone in the game. He seamlessly glides through a football field, snatching balls out of the air with a grace and balance that only few possess. He’s special. And it’s that immense talent that has gotten him where he is today-- An NFL star lacking boundaries headed for prison.

Growing up fatherless in the streets of Virginia Beach, Burress led a life that he describes as similar to the stereotypical black kid from the inner city. Spending his teenage years in a gang and selling drugs, Plax may have been destined for a life filled ONLY with violence and drugs if not for his uncanny ability to run and leap, and catch. His gift gave him a chance to make his way out of the streets of Virginia Beach, but his miserable grades prevented him from signing on to any reputable college program. And so he was forced to pursue a post-graduate high school career at Fork Union Military Academy. He was given this chance because… Plax was special. He could run and leap and catch.

And so he went to Michigan State and broke nearly every receiving record imaginable in only two seasons. On national TV, America could see that this kid was special. NFL teams set up meetings. Plax didn’t show. The night before he was supposed to visit the Pittsburgh Steelers, Burress attended a hotel party in which he admitted that he partied “too hard”. As a result he missed his scheduled meeting with the Steelers coaching staff.

It didn’t matter. He was taken 8^th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2000 NFL draft. After all, Plax was special. He could run and leap and catch. Eventually, Pittsburgh had enough and Plaxico signed on with the Giants. There he helped the Giants reach and win a Superbowl. Plax was special.

And after the season, Plaxico didn’t feel he was being compensated appropriately. And so he sat out. Plaxico wasn’t going to play if he wasn’t going to get paid like a superstar. Sure, he had had personal problems. In August and September of 2008, New Jersey police responded to two domestic disturbance calls at the Burress household. Both times temporary restraining orders were issued. But that didn’t stop the Giants from giving him a six-year, $25 million deal, which included $8.25 million in guaranteed bonuses, and an initial signing bonus of $5. After all, Plax was special. He could run and leap and catch.

So is it really such a surprise we are where we are today? This is a man who has been coddled since he was a kid- a kid who grew-up without rules. When college recruiters and NFL scouts drool over your ability, there are no boundaries … until you go too far. It appears as though shooting yourself in the leg at a NYC nightclub, lying about your name on legal documents, paying off hospitals, and carrying an unlicensed concealed weapon may have been too far.

So when I listen to sports radio or when I’m watching ESPN, and I hear that same question over and over again, “What was Plaxico thinking?” I can’t help but chuckle. He wasn’t. Like Michael Vick, Maurice Clarett, Lawrence Phillips, and countless others, Plaxico Burress has never had to think a day in his life. My question is, “What were Fork Union Military Academy, Michigan State, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and New York Giants thinking?”

On December 2, 2008, Burress posted bail of $100,000. He is scheduled to return to court on March 31, 2009 to enter a plea.