Stop Whining, Plax

It became the catch heard, well in this case, the catch seen around the world, that made New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress a hero in New York. Just a short three months ago in Super Bowl 42, Eli Manning connected with Burress for the game-winning touchdown against heavily favored (and heavily hated), New England Patriots. That catch made him the hero in many Giants fans hearts and will be lived down as one of the greatest clutch moments in Super Bowl history.

Burress not only was huge in the Super Bowl, but was an essential reason why the Giants even made it to the Super Bowl. In the NFC Championship game, Burress had 11 catches for 154 yards receiving. His outburst throughout the playoffs was uncharacteristic of him, as he's never been known for a 'big-time' player. Sure he's had all the potential in the world to become a dominant wide receiver, but he usually never shows up.

So the usual person would think that he'd be happily willing to back to the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants right? To come back and play with Eli Manning, who might've moved into elite status by his play in the playoffs right? Well Plaxico Burress proves once again why NFL wide recievers are the biggest primma donna's in sports.

"Me and my agent are trying to get a deal done so I can stay a New York Giant for a long time," Burress said. "I, personally, don't like the waythey're going and I am not happy about it. I am choosing not to participate," per ESPN.com.

This is coming from a so-called, "professional" player? I thought most "professionals" in any job carry their business and complaints like mature adults instead crying about it. His frustrations and comments are that of a 12 year old. Burress is making $4.1 million a year and he's unsatisfied about his contract? Unfortunately players like Burress grow the biggest ego ever which makes everyone else suffer. Burress has his one shining moment in the Super Bowl, and now all of a sudden, he thinks he's a lock for the Hall-of-Fame.

This is why the NFL is starting to turn into a soap opera. Instead of hearing daily reports on how the rookies are looking in the Giants mini-camp or what players suffered injuries, you're hearing the constant whining of Burress and how he's going to sit out of mini-camp until he gets a new contract. Burress has not only made himself to be a distraction to the New York Giants front office, but he's made a distraction to his team. Right now the Giants should be celebrating and rejoicing at mini-camp after the Super Bowl win. No, no, that can't happen because Plax has put a sour taste upon the Giants camp. As days go by, he'll continue to act like a child, instead of a professional until he gets what he wants for his own benefit.

To be honest, what has Plaxico Burress accomplished to be worthy of a big pay-day? Yes, he was instrumental in the playoffs and without Burress, I doubt the Giants make it to the Super Bowl, let alone win it. So for the first time in maybe his career, Burress actually came up big in important games.That's the problem though, except for last year's playoffs, he's never shown that he can be capable of making a clutch catch to win a game or show any leadership whatsoever to will his team to victory.

Throughout his whole career in New York, Burress has caught passes from Eli Manning. Manning early on in his career struggled quite a bit and it showed. Quarterbacks like Manning need a wide receiver that can be his "go-to guy". Tom Brady has Randy Moss, Peyton Manning has Marvin Harrison, Carson Palmer has Chad Johnson, etc Unfortunately though for Eli, he never had that guy that he can depend on, which forced the idea that Manning was a bust because he couldn't come up in clutch situations.

This is where Plaxico Burress comes in. Burress was easily the best play-maker the Giants had the past couple years. His height, hands, and elusiveness were evidence of it. But at the end of close games, he would curl up like a cat and be so non-existent, you wouldn't even know he was on the field.

Last year was Burress's seventh season as an NFL player. At about the fifth season, I consider wide receivers like Burress to be able to rise up to the challenge of being that 'go-to guy'. However, Plax didn't want to be that guy. For Burress, in those situations would be the right time for him to be selfish. Selfish enough to want the ball, just like the great ones do. Manning needed Burress to be selfish and want the ball, but he never delivered.

So many times the Giants have been in situations where they could've collected a better seed in the playoffs to up their chances of going to the Super Bowl, but couldn't because they would lose in the end. A big part of this blame goes to Burress. Wide receivers in today's game have to play hero at the end. So do quarterbacks, but they must depend on the play of their wide receiver. Sadly though for the number 10 quarterback that could've really benefited from Burress, didn't benefit his presence in tight games.

Burress never had the killer instinct to play 'Superman', and win a game or two for the Giants. Now I'm not saying everything was on him. Of course others could've stepped up, but like I said before, Burress was easily the most athletic player on the Giants offense. He's the type of guy you'd expect to make the game-winning catch.

Even with the way he came up clutch and helped Manning immensely in last year's playoffs, I doubt Burress can keep coming up clutch in the future. It's not like fairy dust has been magically sprinkled on him, and now he'll be the next Jerry Rice at the end of games. Yes, his play in the playoffs and Super Bowl could turn him around but we still don't know yet and judging by his past performances, there's still some serious doubt he can keep that up. Sometimes players have a 'flash in a pan' time period where they're excellent and can't be stopped. Soon after though, they set right back into reality and are the same players they always have been.

Plaxico Burress will have to prove to not only me, but to others he can maintain the play he had during the playoffs and Super Bowl. Right now many people are doubting him, and for good reason. He hasn't reached his full potential yet and is sometimes lazy (see his effort against "Pac Man" Jones in 2006). Instead of complaining so much about how he wants money or how he doesn't like the way the Giants are running things, how about he just goes out there and shows them that he deserves more than he's getting. If next season Burress plays the way we all know he can, then he'll have something to gripe about. But until then, please Plaxico Burress, just 'hush-hush' and play your game.

It's Not Over For 'The Kid' Yet

It happened so quickly. Three years after drafting #1 pick, Sidney Crosby, the Pittsburgh Penguins are back in the Stanley Cup Finals. But it wasn't easy, not even close.

For the better part of the decade, the Penguins were rebuilding for the future. Stock piling on top draft picks and were supposedly 'tanking', in order to receive those top picks. In 2003, they selected Marc-Andre Fleury, who was dubbed as their 'franchise goalie'. Then the year after, Pittsburgh welcomed Russian superstar and world-class talent, Evgeni Malkin. But then in 2005, the Pittsburgh Penguins hit the jackpot. Miraculously in the NHL lottery, the ball came up as a Penguins logo and they won the 'Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes'. Crosby, who was dubbed as "The Next One", would forever change the hockey culture in the 'Steel City'.

As noted before, the rebuilding wasn't easy, in fact, it was down right painful sometimes. For years, the franchise had to deal with several threats for them to move to another city. This sometimes took the focus off hockey which derailed some seasons for the lowly Penguins. Attendance was real low at the time and it seemed like the city of Pittsburgh, except for die-hard Penguins fans, really didn't cared if the Penguins moved. Sure when the Penguins were good they loved them, but Pittsburgh was more about their beloved Pittsburgh Steelers and to an extent, the Pittsburgh Pirates. Yes, times for hardcore Penguins fans were rough. Not only did they have to suffer watching players such as Rico Fata, Milan Kraft, Dick Tarnstrom and so many others stink up the ice for many years. But they had to deal with the possibility, that the city of Pittsburgh might lose their hockey team.

However, one man or better yet, one 'kid' has transformed the Pittsburgh Penguins into an elite team and is a major reason why the Penguins are staying in Pittsburgh. He's given life to a city that hasn't had this much significant interest in hockey since the Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr days. In Mellon Arena, where they've sold out 67 straight times, jerseys of Sidney Crosby are everywhere. He's made the Penguins to one of the worst teams in the league year in year out, to one of the best. The Penguins turn around in the 2006/2007 season, was the biggest turnaround in NHL history. Then, in only his third season, #87 led his Pittsburgh Penguins back into the Stanley Cup Finals.

For the NHL, this was a dream match-up. The young, explosive Pittsburgh Penguins against the old, experienced Detroit Red Wings. On one end, you've got superstars in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. On the other end, you've got future hall-of-famer Nikolas Lidstrom and elite playoff performer, Henrik Zetterberg. Many of the experts and fans from both sides predicted this series to go six or seven games. It was supposed to be a classic series with stars all over the ice.

In the end though, the Penguins showed their youth by losing to the Red Wings in six games. Yes, the series went out to six games as expected. Yes, the Penguins were never out of it, until they were truly out of it. However, the Wings just dispatched everything the Penguins did. Every game the Penguins struggled to get a solid offensive shift going unless they were on the power play. While on the other side, the Wings had the puck in the Penguins zone for most of every game and out-shot the Pens by a staggering 212-142. For the whole series, it seemed like the Wings had more players on the ice than the Pens. The Wings were better in all phases of the game. They played tough, aggressive hockey while their offense was still finesse like - the perfect combo to beat the Penguins.

Crosby and company were no match for the Wings. They put up a strong effort and that game 5 where they won in three overtimes, will remain in their minds forever. However, it's simple, Detroit had that killer instinct that all championship teams show, while the Penguins were just happy to be there.

If you think this will be the last time that Crosby plays in a Stanley Cup Finals though, oh how wrong you will be.

When Crosby came into the league, he was hyped up for his astonishing and incredible master piece, that is his hockey skills and hockey smarts. But what Crosby was also hyped for, which went unnoticed by many, was how he was and still is so insanely driven to be the best. For Crosby, it isn't about wanting to be the best. No, it's more of needing to be the best, not only for himself, but his team around him. Sure Crosby makes his team much better with his play, that sometimes no one can stop. More importantly though, Crosby makes his team much better by his leadership. The way he has the ability to literally will his team to victory will make him one of the greats in the game. This desire, hunger and ability he possess will also make him a Stanley Cup champion as well.

His answer is the same every year. He wants to feel what it's like. He wants to kiss it over and over again. He wants to raise that 35 pound, big silver object with thousands of names on it. Yes Sidney Crosby's main goal year in and year out, is to win possibly the most glorified trophy in all of sports, that is the Stanley Cup.

Now any hockey player can have that goal, in fact, most players do have that goal. But it's different with Crosby. The look in his eye and the presence he possess about winning is out of the ordinary. He wants to know how Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr felt in their 'hay day'. He's grown up watching the greats, now he wants to be one of the greats. Only true champions have this trait about them. The trait to dream and believe to the highest. Gretzky, Lemieux, and Orr all had those dreams. Now Sidney Crosby has had that dream since the day he was born, and it'll be tough to try to stop that dream of his.

Crosby is so poised to win it all, that he's even stated that he would take a pay-cut in order to win the Stanley Cup. Talk about being unselfish. Most players dream about winning the Stanley Cup, but most would rather take the big pay-check. Do you really think that someone with that much hunger will get shut out in his career? Do you really believe that someone with that mindset, that motor that keeps him going, will go down as a playoff-bust? No, I don't think so either. He's too good of a player and leader on and off the ice for that to happen. For a 'kid' that is only in his third season, is already thinking about winning the Stanley Cup now, I'm sure somehow, someway with his abilities he'll get there. Whether it's in Pittsburgh, or it's in another city, I don't know, but he has all the tools to get there and win.

There's no doubt in my mind that Sidney Crosby can lead a team all the way. He has everything, the play-making ability, the smarts, the leadership, etc. He doesn't need to be the 'go-to-guy' though in Pittsburgh. Crosby's team is full of young guns that will eventually turn into elite players. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury can already make a case as an elite goaltender. Evgeni Malkin is already one of the top five players in the league, Staal is turning into a solid third line centre, and other players such as Kris Letang and Ryan Whitney are developing well for the young Pens. So in a way, Crosby never needs to do it all for them, even though he will try anyway. Crosby can depend other players like Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal and even Marian Hossa, if GM Ray Shero decides to keep him, to step up if he's struggling. How does he know that he can depend on others? When Crosby was out for three months, due to a high ankle sprain, Malkin went on a tear and it seemed like Crosby was never even out.

With the Penguins roster already stacked as it is for the coming years, Crosby should have plenty of opportunities.

The Detroit Red Wings were just way too strong for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals. They couldn't be stopped and it took the Penguins a full 110% effort in order to win a game. However, this is a great learning experience for Crosby. All this will do is fuel him for next year to win it. After having that sour taste in his mouth for the next several months, look for Sid 'the Kid' to be on a roll next year, along with his team.

The Red Wings showed why they're champions, Crosby and his band of Penguins showed why they will be champions in the near future.

We Wish It Was You, Ken Griffey

Last year at this time the baseball world was patiently waiting for Barry Bonds to hit his 756th home run, which ended up passing Hank Aaron on the all-time home run list. Baseball fans had to endure the soap opera that was Barry Bonds career. We had to hear about the steroid controversy with Bonds and his comments about how 'the record wasn't tainted', in his own words. Then every once in a while, the media reports how Bonds is a locker room cancer and reports his always silly, immature comments. The end-less drama happened for a a string of years over and over again.

Now that Cincinnati Reds outfielder, Ken Griffey Jr. is silently on the brink of hitting his 600th home run, fans wish it was Griffey, not Bonds, that would have the all-time home run record.

At the beginning of Griffey's career, he appeared to be a lock for the Hall of Fame. Griffey was on a roll in the 90s and hit his 400th career home run at only 29 years old. Griffey's career seemed like it would last for a long time and there were already premature talks of Griffey passing Aaron for the all-time home run leader. The sweet stroke that Griffey possessed in the 90s, feared pitchers every time he came up to bat. His personality and character made him a fan favorite by everyone. He never seemed to possess the cockyness and arrogance that some players do. Mostly humble and quiet, Griffey let his game do the talking, and boy did he ever let his game do the talking. Griffey was tearing the league up in the 90s, right before he started to tear up his own body....

The only way to keep a player like Griffey out of the game is injury. Throughout his young career in Seattle, Griffey never had any significant injuries that kept him out of the game. Lack of injuries in his career enabled Griffey to get on a fast start at the home run record that many were predicting him to take over.

However, the decline of his career was when he was traded to Cincinatti. From 2000-2004, Griffey was plagued by a string of injuries. From 2002-2004, Griffey suffered season-ending injuries. Griffey wasn't the same player throughout the 2000's because of the reoccuring injuries he sustained and it was evident. His bad speed was lowered, resulting in less power and fewer home runs. The effortless swing that bombed so many homers in his career before wasn't as effective. The way everybody was on the edge of their seats, waiting for what Griffey was going to do next with his bat didn't happen nearly as much. Of course Griffey was still a fan favorite for what he did in Seattle and what he could still do (it's not like he's a terrible player). Unfortunately for Griffey, his career was held back significantly by parts of his bodies turning an awkward way or failing on him.

Let's play 'make believe'. Let's make believe that from 2000-2004, Griffey was healthy and he never suffered those painful-to-watch-injuries. Let's make believe that Griffey stayed on his tremendous run through those years and kept climbing the all-time home run list.

If all of that occurred, the famous title, "Home run King", wouldn't belong to Barry Bonds, but instead to Ken Griffey Jr.

Unfortunately though for baseball, we couldn't have an exciting player chase the record as baseball would watch and anticipate a new leader. No, instead, we had a giant maniac that cared more about his ego than the game of baseball. Someone that always put himself over others, even if that meant the expense of his own team. Someone that was always a ticking bomb, just ready to explode. Let's face it, other than his teammates and fans, no one liked Bonds. With Bonds, the hatred was beyond baseball and culminated from him being arrogant. In a way, baseball fans weren't watching the memorable home run chase, they were watching the steroid controversy and his comments about how the record isn't 'tainted', when we all know it is.

This time though, wrong prevailed right. Ken Griffey Jr. could've been the one that the 'media darling'. With Griffey, there would've been no mention of steroid use. Baseball could've have a player that they could hang their hat on and use Griffey as an example that baseball isn't all that screwed up. The new 'home run king', would've actually been clean, which is what the baseball world exactly needed at the time.

The nation commends Griffey for not using steroids. They commend him for not cheating the system to make himself better. They commend him for not disgracing himself and the game of baseball, only for his own selfish needs and pleasures. Sure, with steroids, Griffey probably would've healed from all those injuries much faster, but he didn't. He played the game fair which is something you don't see now-a-days. Griffey knew he didn't have to load up on HGH or anything like that because he knew he didn't need it. Griffey had an eye for the ball that was greater than the muscles inside his body. Ken Griffey Jr. was everything that Barry Bonds was not in baseball. He was a student of the game and didn't take the 'easy route' by using steroids or HGH. Instead, Griffey actually worked hard and put the extra effort. Oh and I guess it can be assumed that Griffey got stronger in the weight room too, instead of some guy putting needles into him.

In a recent poll conducted by Sports Illustrated, they asked 495 MLB players who their all-time favorite baseball player was. Griffey, not surprisingly, was the second most popular player, only beaten out by Nolan Ryan. There's a reason for that. Griffey's personality, character and most importantly, class, has made him a fan and player favorite. The way he represents himself on and off the field makes him a role model for younger players. Rarely does Griffey show off for the camera or is cocky about his game, even though he has all the right to do so. Instead, Griffey is always humble and giving credit to other players on his team.

This is what separates Griffey from Bonds. Bonds was a headcase that couldn't control himself over any situation. Griffey, on the other hand, was always calm and never let anything get to him. Griffey never sought out to bash a teammate if they did something wrong, other than Bonds when he would rip not only teammates, but his own managers. Honestly, who decides to rip the guy who makes the decision on whether or not to play you that night? Who decides to rip the guy who could have you off the team like that. This is why Griffey is such a lovable guy in baseball. Regardless of what happens, Griffey has his head on straight and doesn't say inappropriate and incorrect things. Unfortunately for Bonds, he did, which is why every time he came up to plate in a away stadium, he got booed.

After so many years Griffey has been trying to capture that World Series ring he's been striving for. In the 90s, year after year, the Mariners were considered one of the top teams in the league. However, the farthest they've got was the ALCS, which they lost to the Cleveland Indians. What's so interesting about the post-season failures that Griffey had was that stuff like that never got to him. The next year he was in spring training and preparing for another eventful season. During the off-season, his name was rarely mentioned unless it was for a new video game he would be sponsoring. That's the type of guy that Griffey is and was. Never shining in the spotlight in the negative way. Even now, with the Cincinatti Reds, a team that Griffey has never made the post-season with, he still plays 100%.

Let's compare that with Barry Bonds, who literally handicapped the San Fransico Giants organization himself. Always making stuff bigger than it really is and always had the 'world against me' tenacity. It even goes all the way back to when Bonds played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and got in a heated argument with the Pirates manager, Jim Leyland. Bonds, for his whole career has always acted like everyone was against him. 'Woe is me' could've been the slogan for his career. Whether that came from the media making comments about his play or the steroid scandal, he always had the wrong thing to say.

For decades upon decades from now, baseball fans will see Barry Bonds 756th home run on their television sets, wishing it was you Griffey. We'll imagine what you could've done with your career, if not for those consistent injuries. Young players will look up to Griffey forever now, seeing the perfect example of a hard worker and teammate. No matter what the record books say, in our hearts we wish it was you, Ken Griffey Jr.