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      Plaxico Burress vows to return to NFL

      February 3, 2010 /

      In an interview with former Steelers coach Bill Cowher that will air Sunday on CBS, imprisoned receiver Plaxico Burress vowed to return to the NFL. He also apologized to the Giants for tarnishing their organization.

      From ESPN.com:

      “I will play again,” Burress said in the interview with his former Steelers coach, Bill Cowher, scheduled to air on CBS’ “NFL Today.”

      Burress said he wrote a letter to Giants owners John Mara and Steve Tisch apologizing for his actions.

      “I told them how sorry I was about bringing all this bad publicity to such a stand-up organization,” Burress said in the interview with Cowher.

      Cowher, who was Burress’ coach for five years in Pittsburgh, told the New York Post that he believed the receiver was sincere in the interview.

      “He looked me in the eye. I believe he was sincere,” Cowher told the newspaper. “I think I know him well enough to know that …

      “He admittedly blames no one except himself. He’s had a lot of time to reflect. He’s had great, unwavering support from his wife. … It’s been an eye-awakening situation for him. He had a daughter born when he was in prison. It’s very sobering to be in there. When you walk through the door, and you listen to him talk, you can see it’s very genuine.”

      Personally, I believe everyone deserves a second chance in life, but they have to earn it. It’s not uncommon that a man in person shows regret for the actions he took to get their and reach out to the people that he harmed. But what happens when Plax gets out of jail will be the true measure of whether or not he learned from the mistake he made.

      Burress could be released as early as 2011 but he’ll be two years removed from playing and will also be 34. I’m sure some team will give him a shot as their third or fourth receiver, but he shouldn’t expect anything more than a tryout.


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      NFL

      Eagles to keep Michael Vick now?

      February 3, 2010 /

      According to the NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi, the Eagles fully intend to retain Michael Vick’s services for the 2010 season, as they see it being a luxury to having three starter-quality quarterbacks on their roster.

      While I don’t disagree that the Eagles told Lombardi this, it’s highly doubtful that the team will pay Vick the $5.25 million he’s due next season with Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb’s contracts also coming up at the end of the year. Vick attempted just 13 passes and 24 rushing attempts for Philly last season, which is hardly worth paying over $5 million again for next year.

      The Eagles likely sold Lombardi a bill of goods in hopes of generating trade value for Vick this offseason. The Rams and Bills are two teams that may be interested in the former starter and you never know who else will get into the mix (the Raiders?).

      I’d be shocked if the Eagles kept Vick for 2010, pay him $5.25 million and then wind up getting nothing for him when his contract comes up at the end of the season. There would be no point and I highly expect Philly to trade him for a fourth or fifth rounder before April’s draft.


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      NFL

      Lincecum, Giants headed to arbitration hearing?

      February 3, 2010 /

      The Giants are likely headed toward an arbitration hearing with their ace Tim Lincecum, as the sides remain far apart on the pitcher’s 2010 salary.

      From the San Jose Mercury News:

      The Giants and Lincecum exchanged salary offers two weeks ago; the Giants filed at $8 million, the highest number offered by a club to a player with less than three years of service time. Lincecum’s camp filed at $13 million, a record-setting number that many in the industry still considered low.

      Industry sources said that it made sense for Thurman to file a “winnable” number if he expected the case to reach a hearing. Once at that stage, an arbiter considers the evidence, hears arguments and chooses one salary or another — with no middle ground.

      I’d be shocked if an arbiter sided with the Giants at $8 million. Lincecum already has two Cy Young awards, is a two-time All-Star and the Giants finished with a winning record last season, which are all things an arbiter looks at.

      The Giants have an interesting situation on their hands in regards to Lincecum’s long-term future. He has four more years of arbitration and if they wanted to, the club could go year to year and continue to pay him in the $13-20 million range (assuming his arbitration number continues to rise). Assuming he doesn’t get hurt and leaves via free agency at the end of those four years, then the Giants would have had him for four years at around $80 million.

      Now, if they wanted to buy out his remaining arbitration years with a long-term contract, then the Giants will guarantee Lincecum upwards of $100 million. If he gets hurt, then they’re screwed but at least he’s locked in and they don’t have to worry about going year to year with arbitration and getting embarrassed with offers like $8 million for one of baseball’s best pitchers.

      With the way he’s looked the past two seasons, I would hurry to lock Lincecum up to a four or five year deal if I were the Giants. But he’s only 25 and no matter great he’s pitched over the last two years, there’s no guarantee for future success. If his arm fails off in a year, the Giants would have made the right decision to take things year by year.

      Either way, “The Franchise” is under the Giants’ control for the next four years.


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      MLB

      Celtics’ Pierce may be looking at broken foot

      February 2, 2010 /

      During Boston’s 99-88 victory over Washington on Monday, the Wizards’ Caron Butler landed on Paul Pierce’s foot while the two were chasing a loose ball. Pierce said after the game that he thought he had sprained his ankle. As recent X-rays were inconclusive, Pierce will have to undergo more tests to determine the severity of the injury.

      From NBA.com:

      The team does not know for sure if Pierce’s foot is broken after X-rays taken Tuesday; more tests are scheduled. But it “looks that way,” the league source said.

      Another league source, while acknowledging that Pierce hurt his foot Monday, also said there was not yet definitive word that Pierce broke his foot and that the injury “might be a lot less serious” than that. Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss said Tuesday evening that the team’s medical staff had yet to make a determination of the extent of Pierce’s injury.

      The Celtics are hopeful that even if the foot is broken that Pierce won’t be out of the lineup for long. But they are not yet certain of that.

      This is bad news for the Celtics, who have been dealing with injuries to key players all season. It’s unclear how long Pierce could be out, but they’re deep enough to cope for the time being. However, they’ll need their All-Star forward back at full strength for the playoffs if they have any hope at beating teams such as the Cavaliers and Hawks.


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      NBA

      Patriots to stay away from Peppers?

      February 2, 2010 /

      One of the biggest rumors that made its rounds during the NFL offseason last year was the Patriots potentially acquiring defensive end Julius Peppers from the Panthers. Now that he’s an unrestricted free agent, those same Peppers-to-New England rumors are starting to pop up again.

      It’s highly unlikely that the Panthers will pay the absurd $20.1 million in order to place the franchise tag on Peppers and keep him in Carolina for 2010. And if they don’t, Peppers is free to sign with any team of his choosing – including the Patriots.

      But as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com notes, New England was burned in March of 2007 when they signed free agent Adalius Thomas to a hefty five-year, $35 million contract, which also included $20 million in guaranteed money. At the time, Thomas was coming off an 11-sack, 83-tackle season in Baltimore and he was supposed to team up with Richard Seymour to give New England a fierce pass rush.

      But in three seasons with the Patriots, Thomas has just 14.5 sacks and even managed to get into Bill Belichick’s doghouse last year by showing up late to a team meeting. Considering that Peppers is 30 and would break the bank as the biggest free agent name available this year, New England might be gun shy to acquire another Thomas in the making.

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      NFL

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