FanHouse Interview: Plaxico Writes a Book

I don't expect a lot when I hear that an athlete is coming out with a book. I don't have much to base this on, as I've never read an athlete's book before, but I find the general assumption that the majority of these memoirs are written by ghost writers is a deterrent for a lot of people, not just me. It's with that bias in mind that I picked up Plaxico Burress' book, Giant: The Road to the Super Bowl, written with Jason Cole.

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

Within moments of beginning the first paragraph, it was obvious that Burress had put pen to paper himself. A bit painful, but obvious and refreshing. And honestly, I didn't mind it. He wrote his story himself, and Cole was around mainly for the editing process. It's not exactly a masterpiece, but Burress isn't exactly an author. I kept that in mind when I got to sit down with him Tuesday during his media rounds.

It's amazing how quickly 10 minutes goes by, especially when charmed between the lines and the slow drawl of this 6-foot-5 Super Bowl hero's speech. I wasn't able to ask all of the questions I had hoped, but what I did ask, he answered honestly.

You wrote the book with Jason Cole. How big of a role did you have in writing it?

Plaxico Burress: Actually, the book is really in the first person. I took notes from a lot of things that I saw, put them down on paper - everything that I could remember. Everything that's in that book is factual. I played a big part in it. I was basically the author of it. You know, Jason Cole was the one that wrote the book. I just came out and put everything down on paper. Everything that I remember to the tee. And it's really in first person. I mean, it's me speaking.

So you did actually put pen to paper and write a lot of this and he went back and edited it?

PB : Ya, he went back and edited it and we did it in person.

What made you decide to write the book? Was it after winning the Super Bowl or had you thought about doing it before that?

PB: Ya, I had thought about doing it before. I remember sitting down with Jerome Bettis one time when I was in Pittsburgh and talking to him about it. And it was just something that I wanted to do. People would get to hear my side of the story, which I thought would be a great piece, and it actually turned out to be a great book. I think when people read it, they'll be happy about it.

You have a lot of great things to say about your teammates - past and present - but was there anyone that you played with who you didn't particularly get along with?

PB: Not really, to be honest with you. I really haven't played with anybody that I haven't liked. How can you go out and, you know, give somebody your all - your sweat and blood - and not like the person? [Even when I got to New York], me and coach didn't see eye-to-eye on certain things, but we learned how to coexist, how to work with each other. He understands me, I understand him. You know, there has to be some give and take in the relationship if you want to succeed. And I think that as far as me playing with anybody, I don't think I'm a bad teammate. I get along pretty much with everybody that I perform with, work with every day and I haven't had any problems with anybody, to be honest with you.

[Side note: Burress touches in the book on "issues" he's had with teammates, i.e. Michael Strahan calling him a quitter, and explains - to the best of his writing ability - that they're much less an issue than the media likes to make it seem. I'm shocked and appalled.]

The book is called The Road to the Super Bowl. Before reading it I thought, it being 17 chapters, that it would mainly chronicle the 2007 season. You didn't take that approach. How did you attack writing the book?

PB: I started the book off talking about the Super Bowl and my journey those two weeks leading up to the game, my injuries and things like that. And I ended the first chapter talking about, you know, catching the football and winning the game and saying, you know, "How did I get here?" And then I take you back to how everything started - my mom and how I was raised and everything that I encountered in my life. And I thought that was a great way to start it off. Start it off at the high, bring you back through, and then end it back on the high. That's really what I tried to accomplish with it.

During part of your life long trip to the 'Bowl, your story certainly touches on a bit of cockiness on your part. For example, you refused to take the Giants' 400-question test - [At this point, he started laughing and took off with the story from there]

PB: Ya, I remember that like yesterday. I remember being there, man, I was young - just two years out of high school. I was the guy, I just thought that I had nothing to worry about. I just thought that I was better than everybody, that I didn't have to work hard. I just thought I was so talented that everything I touched turned to gold at that point. But you know, it kinda brought me back down to reality real quick.

I remember walking into that Giants' test, it was like 9 o'clock at night and they had, like, the 26^th or 27^th pick. I opened the scantron up and there was like 400 question. I said, "What pick do you guys have?" They were like, "27^th." I gave it back to them and was like, "Well, I'm going in the top 10 so I don't need to take this test." The guy was like, "You know, you shouldn't do that." And I was like, "Well, I'll talk to you guys later," and I went back to my room.

That was just an old view of how I was, you know, coming into this league and growing up in it. And look where I'm at. I ended up becoming a Giant and winning the world championship, so all that stuff is like water under the bridge.

Ah, the irony.

PB: Tell me about it.

Another big part of the book is the story of how you met your wife, Tiffany. Now, she thought you were a drug dealer when you two first met.

PB: Oh, it was hilarious.

How many dates did you go on before she found out what you really did?

PB: I think maybe two or three. You know, we actually started off at Red Lobster and that's still our favorite restaurant to this day [And, yes, he laughed at himself when he said that]. I remember getting out of the shower that night and I'm getting dressed to go meet her for our first date. So I put this nice shirt on, some jeans, and I was like, man screw this. I'm going as I am. So I threw my little t-shirt on, put my jewelry back on, and my du-rag back over my braids and showed up and she never asked me what I did. And so I forgot it myself. I didn't tell her what I did until she asked.

Was she in law school at the time? Because it fascinates me that you can get a budding lawyer to still date you when she thinks you're a drug dealer.

PB: Well, you know, I'm a pretty charming fellow.

Okay, so you also talk a lot about the birth of your son, Elijah. What do you think came more naturally to you: being a father or a football player?

PB: Being a father. I mean, it's not even close. I would drop what I'm doing right now to do anything for my son. He changed my life overnight. Seeing life happen in front of you, it just does this weird thing to you. I remember when he was born, cutting his umbilical cord and just standing over this tray that he was in with that heated light and I was like, "Wow, man. This little guy's breathing oxygen." I had to stand over him for at least two hours. I was amazed and it was the best feeling I've ever had. I mean ever.

[Knee-slapping side note: Burress says in the book that Eli Manning originally thought Plaxico named his son after him. Um, no. The name was chosen for one of Burress' favorite coaches. That's some sports bar trivia night info for you, is what that is.]

I have time for just one more question and the big story right now is your contract situation. There's a lot of people out there who look at you as just another professional athlete who's unhappy with the millions of dollars he already has. Can you explain it to those people so that they can see it from your point of view?

PB: It's just like anybody else in the work field. It doesn't matter what you do, everybody wants to get promoted. Everybody wants to make more. So what's the difference between a guy like myself who goes out and does everything that he can to help my organization, help my team and play hard. Why can't I be a guy that gets a promotion or gets a raise? That's the way I look at it. I guess, when people look at it as a business and not just football, then I think everybody will have a better understanding of what really goes on.

Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to get deeper into that conversation. Just after Burress talked about his son - which was the only time in the interview he fumbled over his words (out of sheer emotion), I was given the "last question" flag-down. I had to skip most of what I wanted to ask regarding his contract situation. I said before, 10 minutes goes by fast you talk to him. He wasn't lying when he said he's one charming fellow.

Overall, the biggest fault I find with Road to the Super Bowl is that it doesn't do Burress' stories justice. I suggest that, while reading the book, you picture Burress telling most of the stories at half the normal pace and with a smirk on his face. It'll help you get to see the real Plaxico Burress that he's trying to show you.