GIANTS: New York has a bigger concern than wide receiver Plaxico Burress’ mouth. Now, it’s his left knee.
Burress, who earlier this week predicted the Giants would beat New England, missed his second straight Super Bowl practice Thursday because of swelling and soreness in his knee.
“He has an ankle that always has been a problem, but he also has some issues with a knee that off and on in the past has bothered him,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “That’s the thing right now. Between the two of them, that’s why he’s not working. He comes out and tries to go and can’t go.”
Coughlin is hopeful Burress will work out today.
“It’s a matter of how fast the swelling goes down so he can deal with it,” Coughlin said.
PATRIOTS: Quarterback Tom Brady looked sharp, his ankle was fine and the Patriots had a crisp practice. According to the Chicago Tribune’s Dan Pompei, the designated pool reporter, Brady’s high ankle sprain again seemed a non-factor in practice. He didn’t appear to limp and the ankle wasn’t taped over his shoe for the second straight day.
“Am I cured? I don’t think it’s a problem going into the game,” Brady said of the ankle before practice. “I think the right shoulder is probable. A little fatigued, so, going to be going out and trying to move around the best I can and make all the throws. I don’t think the ankle is truly a problem. If it was, I’m sure coach would have listed it.”
STUPID QUESTION: The question was ridiculous, but Coughlin answered it anyway.
Because teams that win the coin toss have a losing record in Super Bowls, would he consider kicking off if the Giants win the toss?
“So we’re going to give the Patriots the ball one more time?” Coughlin said as a roomful of reporters broke into laughter. “That’s what we’re setting out to do? They don’t do well enough with their drives, so they need another one.”
New England scored an NFL-record 589 points this year and set a record with 75 touchdowns.
Coughlin also noted that by kicking off to start the game, the Giants wouldn’t get the ball to start the second half.
“I don’t mean to belittle the question, but you’re not going to give someone else the ball, and that’s why you see, even in a gale or a hurricane, people take the ball,” Coughlin said. “It’s because, quite frankly, you don’t have enough opportunities. You’re only going to get an average of 11 drives per game.”
BELICHICK’S FAVORITE QB: New England coach Bill Belichick was asked to name the best quarterback he ever saw.
His answer might come as a surprise, especially from a coach who has watched Tom Brady this season.
Hint: The quarterback played for the Colts, but it’s not Peyton Manning.
“As a pure passer, I don’t think I could put anybody ahead of Bert Jones,” Belichick said. “I know he had a short career and the shoulder injury, but when I was there (in Baltimore) and he was just starting his career, the success that he had, and his ability to throw the ball as a pure passer and as an athlete, it would be hard to put anybody ahead of Bert Jones at that point in time.”
Jones, a former Pro Bowler, threw 124 touchdown passes and 101 interceptions in a nine-year career that ended in 1982. He completed 56 percent of his passes for 18,190 yards. He was the No. 2 overall draft pick in 1973 out of LSU.
QUOTE, UNQUOTE: Former NFL stars were asked to introduce themselves at the Gridiron Greats news conference, which called attention to the plight of some NFL alumni. Former New York Jet Don Maynard, a Hall of Fame receiver, called himself “the only plumber ever to catch a pass.”
WORLD EVENT: The Super Bowl will be broadcast in 223 countries and territories and 30 languages. Sixty international broadcasters, including the the United Kingdom’s BBC and Canada’s CTV for the first time, will carry the game.
Associated Press
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