Plaxico Burress showed up at Giants Stadium on Tuesday for team practice -- which normally might be news in itself, given his lengthy history of missed team meetings and practices.

But of course this arrival was particularly noteworthy because of the gun incident in New York last Friday night that will likely end his career as a Giant and an NFL player. Burress was charged Monday with illegal gun possession, which came to light after he reportedly accidently shot himself in the leg in a Manhattan nightclub.

He is in deep, deep trouble.

The law for illegal gun possession in New York is among the toughest in the country. It has an automatic three and a half year sentence, and I don't see how Burress wiggles his way out of this one. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg already has Burress in his sights. He told reporters that it would be an outrage “if we didn’t prosecute to the fullest extent of the law." At the very least, the Giants and the NFL have to cut their losses with Burress right now. 

I will be curious to see how the supporters and detractors of Burress line up in the coming days ahead. I will be curious to see if it was like the divisions that lined up the backers and critics in the Michael Vick case. I will be curious to see how Plaxico Burress is defensible in this.

Radio

I will be on The Sports Reporters on ESPN 980 AM on Thursday, Dec. 4, from 4 to 7 p.m.

To learn more about Thom Loverro, go to www.thomloverro.com

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