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Bucs need to maintain a strict No-Plax Zone

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By MARTIN FENNELLY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 20, 2009

We just wrapped up Bucs mandatory minicamp, where one mandatory non-story was lone gunman Plaxico Burress and the possibility the Bucs might be interested in a receiver of his caliber.

So far, the Bucs claim no interest, the best minicamp news outside of Kellen Winslow Jr. and Stylez G. White dropping their idea to switch motorcycles, and names, in midair as they jump the Jungala exhibit at Busch Gardens, though there are weeks and weeks before training camp. Yes, this franchise needs to stay far away from "Harris Smith."

Harris Smith, of course, is the alias Burress used when he popped into a New York City emergency room in November after his Glock slipped down his sweat pants (who hasn't had that happen?) and shot him in the leg at a nightclub, launching criminal proceedings as well as the inevitable "Say, is that a Glock in your pants or Drew Rosenhaus?"

The Bucs' head coach, who answers to Raheem Morris, said, "To be honest with you, there was never really any discussion about bringing him in."

The Bucs should stay so honest.

There are sound football reasons to want Burress, who two years ago was the best player on the tundra the frigid night the Giants beat Brett Flip-Flop and the Packers for the NFC title. In Burress' next game, his touchdown, caught on tape, beat the perfect Patriots.

And then his brain turned to feta.

Honest, you can't touch a guy who still faces second-degree felony charges and the NFL woodshed stemming from his self-inflicted shooting spree with an unlicensed firearm, which, by the way, could have just as easily accidentally shot someone else.

The other day, Burress had a court hearing - and was reportedly 25 minutes late. What chance would the Bucs have with this cat?

"He's a disaster as a teammate," says ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck, who was Burress' teammate in New York. Then again, so was new Bucs running back Derrick Ward.

"I think he just dropped some of Tim's balls maybe," Ward said with a smile. "Plaxico was a good teammate. Game day, he gives it his all."

Ward said he talks to Burress every couple of days and added, "We talk about him being here."

Maybe someone gives Burress another chance, but the Bucs don't need the migraines. They are going young, so why a 32-year-old receiver? More to the point, Morris talks of reconnecting with the community. Signing Burress would signal a severe disconnect. Derrick Brooks out, Plaxico Burress in? Why, some Bucs fans would be outraged right up until Plax caught his first game-winner.

I'll admit to weakness myself, to the idea that Burress the Buc would give this team one of the great brigades of current and former dysfunctional receivers when you throw in the likes of Antonio Bryant and Jerramy Stevens. We'd throw in Winslow, but stupid vehicle tricks and statements don't begin to crack these power rankings. If the Bucs did grab Plax, would it be too late to re-sign Ryan Leaf at quarterback? Whatever happened to Rhino, anyway?

Burress isn't worth the trouble he'd bring, and bring it he would. He's not for this franchise, though he did cross my mind the other day, when the Bucs ended minicamp with a team outing: They went and played paintball.

Just as well Plax wasn't here. He'd have painted the town red - or at least himself.

Stay honest, Bucs, avoid Plaxico Burress and Harris Smith, both of them.

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