Since When Did Eli Manning Owe Plaxico Burress Anything?

Since when did Eli Manning become the villain when it comes to his relationship with Plaxico Burress?  There was a lot of talk criticizing the Giants quarterback for not reaching out to his former-wideout after Burress was released from prison and looking hook up in the NFL again.  Get over it, Manning owed Burress nothing.

Last night, the New York Giants and New York Jets played for the first MetLife trophy at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands, although most fans were billing it as The Plaxico Bowl as if the former-Giant is the real prize.

The MetLife Trophy has cute Snoopy wearing an old-school helmet on top of it.   The comic strip seemed appropriate because the game was as flat as Charlie Brown on his back after trying to kick the seductive football yanked away by Lucy.  It's like a Matt Dodge punt.

Manning threw two interceptions and Burress was a non-factor while being held to zero catches.

The Plaxico Comeback Tour stalled against his former team.

Final score of the game, Jets 17-3.  Final score of The Plaxico Bowl, 0-0.

Even Jets coach Rex Ryan tried to hype the yawner afterwards.

"It was a fun game, man.  It was two good football teams going at it," he said of the game after his team was outgained 239-113 in total yards during the 17-3 win.  "Obviously, it's a preseason game, but it's good competition."

Much was made of what the first face-to-face between Manning and Burress, leading up to the game and since the latter was sprung from the joint, would be like.  Well the meeting last night was anti-climatic.

Funny thing, they unexpectedly reunited two days earlier outside a movie theater where Burress was coming out of "The Smurfs" (no Big Blue there) with his family and he ran into Manning and former-Giants center Shaun O'Hara.  Burress said they laughed about the coincidence last night.

The highly-publicized preseason tug-of-war for the services of Burress was ultimately won by the Jets. Many Giants fans faulted Manning for not reaching out to Burress when he was a free-agent.

Sure, it's easy to make fun of Manning's "Aw, shucks" interviews, his less than flashy play on the field and how he tucks his jersey into his pants, but don't lay the blame on him.

So Manning didn't visit Burress when he was in stir or call him once he got out.  Some Giants fans thought that Manning's cold shoulder contributed to the former-Giants player to jumping over to the Jets.  He had no obligation to guide Burress.  That's what parole officers do.

Plax went to the Jets was all money--plain and simple.  A guaranteed paycheck, after you haven't worked in almost three years, will do that to a man.

While Manning represents team play and character, Burress is the prototype of how fans perceive pro athletes these days-- and it ain't all good-- unless he's pulling in touchdown passes.

Burress was Manning's favorite go-to guy leading up to their Super Bowl XLII upset victory over the New England Patriots and the wideout  caught the game-winning touchdown, but a lot of bumps came on that ride.

There were too many instances, with the Giants, where Burress boycotted practices over contract demands, didn't show up on Monday or answer his phone for days at a time.  It all culminated with the self-inflicted gun-shot incident outside a Manhattan nightclub in November 2008.  After 20 months of three squares and a bunk, Burress was ready to make his comeback and the MetLife Stadium roommates were first in line.

Suddenly, it was up to Manning to do what head coach Tom Coughlin and owner John Mara's little dinner party couldn't do-- convince Burress he was coveted by the Giants.

Maybe Manning didn't want the 34 year-old Burress and the baggage he drags along.  Even though the Giants lost All-Pro receiver Steve Smith right after Burress' defection, Manning seems happy throwing to his youthful and talented receiving corps of Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks and Domenik Hixon.  Burress, so far, seems like a good decoy for Santonio Holmes.

Manning has to back up this boast of being in Tom Brady's class and prove he isn't the 25-interception quarterback of last season.  He has done little this pre-season to prove or disprove any of that so far this summer.

Meanwhile, Burress has to keep on the straight and narrow and the Jets hope he doesn't revert back to his gangsta persona.  Michael Vick's second chance $100 million contract has to be a good incentive.

The "real" MetLife Trophy will be awarded when the two teams meet on Christmas Eve.  Hopefully, all the hype about Eli vs. Plaxico will have passed by then.

"I don't know if there are any tickets available for that Dec. 24 game," said Ryan.  "But I think we just sold them because that was typical Jets-Giants slugfest right there."

Rex Ryan Tells Jets To Behave. Antonio and Santonio Don't Get Message.

Rex Ryan said yesterday he wants his players to tone it down during the off-season and even cited his own naughty behavior as what not to do.  The gentler, kinder head coach of the New York Jets, who last year was fined by the Jets for flipping off Dolphins fans at an MMA event in Florida, "challenged" his team to play nice when they are away from the team.

In December, a foot-fetish video the coach allegedly made with his wife hit the Internet and caused a stir.

"I told them to hold each other accountable and you represent yourself, you also represent this organization on and off the field," Ryan said.  "I have to be mindful of that as well, obviously, with my past history.  Be proud to be a Jet because I know I am."

Ryan may have been feeling contrite the day after the Jets fell short in a valiant come-from-behind effort against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game and and wanted to send his team to the off-season with those precarious words.

Apparently, wide-receiver Santonio Holmes and cornerback Antonio Cromartie didn't get the head coach's edict.

The two players, who are both free agents, didn't waste time before calling out the team and their union reps, respectively.  Boy, that feel-good Jets feeling lasted a whole day.

Cromartie used the same seven-letter word he called Tom Brady to describe both the NFL management and Player's Association leaders in their dealing with their unsettled labor meetings concerning the collective bargaining agreement.

"You got our head union rep acting like an ass----," said the controversial Cromartie.  "They got their guys acting like ass-----.  So they need to get their s--- together and just get it done.  Honestly, I don't care if they get mad at me or not," he added.

"To me, you need to stop b------- about it.  If you want to say that you want to get into a room and meet, then do it," he continued.  "Don't just talk about it."

Losing the AFC Championship Game for the second year in-a-row must have gotten to the the soon-to-be restricted free-agent Holmes as well.  He wasn't so happy with the Jets offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer.

Holmes openly questioned the Schott's questionable play calling and use of the wide receiver after Sunday's loss..

"Ask Coach Schottenheimer what was the reason behind [me sitting out the start of the game]," said the disgruntled Holmes.  "I had to just go with the game plan.  That's the way things were called at the time, and that's what I had to do."

Ryan backed up his OC by saying Holmes' comments were out of order but understood the receivers anger.

"That's not the way I like to operate,"  the head coach said,  "But [Holmes' comments] were just raw.  That's the emotion of the time."  Dr. Phil couldn't have handled it better.

Ryan may have a harder time explaining Schottenheimer's major fail with his rally-killing calls at the Steelers' two-yard line, trailing 24-10 with four downs in hand.

Three downs later, with a fourth and goal from the one, Schottsie gives the ball to LaDanian Tomlinson--who had already rushed for a grand total of 12 yards--instead of the power back Shonn Greene.  Greene stands on the sideline and watches LT get stuffed at the line.  Momentum gone for the Jets and ball back to the Steelers.

The soft-spoken Greene must have gotten Ryan's New Age Jets tweet.  He didn't say anything.

While the Jets put on a new happy face and put all their sex scandals,  DUI's,  trash talking and "Hard Knocks" behind them,  New Yorkers gets bored.

The Giants folded like...well the Giants in December and the Knicks are regressing back into the Nets. And hockey, who cares?

The 2010 Jets will be missed especially Rex Ryan.  No more giving fingers in bars or tickling feet on YouTube.  It's a sadder world to think that we'll only have the new thinner and pacifying version of Rex Ryan playing patty-cake with everyone.

From "Hard Knocks" to "Love Taps."