Plaxico’s pain

Staff writer Paul Dottino filed this item while spelling Giants beat writer Vinny DiTrani, who is taking some time off.

Just how badly was Plaxico Burress injured in that fall in the shower before the Super Bowl? Burress had what looked like “a golf ball attached to the inner side of my left knee,” a day after the accident and nearly five days before kickoff.

That’s what the wide receiver writes (with Florida-based writer Jason Cole) in his forthcoming book, “Giants: The Road to the Super Bowl.” A quick read through the Giants-related chapters in a review copy reveals how he suffered the sprained MCL in his left knee; that his various injuries were worse than what he admitted following the game; and that he’s never been happy with the six-year, $26 million contract (with an $8 million bonus) he signed with the Giants - whom he chose over the Vikings or Eagles - in 2005.

Keep in mind that Burress declined to practice during the team’s recent minicamp because he said he’s looking for a raise/extension, although he sounded more optimistic last week that a new deal will be in place before training camp. Another thing to remember when reviewing Burress’ injuries is that he strongly prefers not to take injections.

Burress on the shower injury, which he suffered Tuesday morning (on media day):
“As I’m stepping out of the shower, there are a couple of steps up and then you step out. As I push the door open and step out, my foot slides and gets caught under the door and I start to fall backward.
“I’m trying to catch myself, but there’s nothing to grab, so I fall and my foot gets caught under the door as I fall back.”

He writes the effects of the fall got progressively worse and the full extent wasn’t known until the next morning. Burress also writes that he has a very close relationship with receivers coach Mike Sullivan, who told him after warming up for the Super Bowl, “I care more about you than this football game. I know you want to play. But I don’t want you to go out here and hurt yourself seriously later on down the road.”

Burress’ list of injuries going into the Super Bowl:
Left knee - sprained MCL, see above; requires a pain-killing injection two days before the Super Bowl, before kickoff and again at halftime.
Right ankle - deltoid ligament torn from the inside part of the bone in Week 2 vs. Packers and lingers all season; sprain on the outside part as a cumulative effect from the initial injury.
Left pinky – shredded ligament in Week 2 vs. Packers Right shoulder - between a first- and second-degree separation early in the NFC championship game vs. Packers; requires a pain-killing injection before the second half of the game.

Why he joined the Giants:
Burress was impressed with GM Ernie Accorsi and didn’t want to follow Randy Moss’ tenure in Minnesota or be the No. 2 receiver to Terrell Owens in Philadelphia.

On his contract with the Giants:
“I was way underpaid on my contract. … It was like my rookie deal, it was like I played on two rookie deals.”
Not exactly the same, though. Burress reportedly signed a five-year deal worth an estimated $8.5 million (with a $5.5 million bonus) as the Steelers’ first-round pick in 2000.

That’s it for now.