Giant Royalty

the Fifth Hour, each and every week. And about this time, well it really when you download the podcast, not about this time, because you can listen to the podcast any point. This is the Friday podcast because four hours a night or not enough. This is a spinoff of the overnight show, The Ben Maller Show. But you already knew that we do this eight days a week, but this being Friday, we try to bring somebody in, uh that we we like or somebody that we know, and and this is

an interview podist. We're joined again by David guestcon this week he's back. He's decided to show up this week. It was um yeah, and I'm I'm excited. I think they're gonna get a lot of downloads. I think this is gonna be a popular podcast and it will have nothing to do with us. It will have nothing to do with us. Not a single man, woman, or child that finds this podcast is gonna want to hear a word that we have to say. But that's my prediction.

But we get to reminisce a little bit about the year two thousand seven, and we're thousands seven, Where you were, where I was, and what was going on? Because I'll tell you this much, Las Vegas sports books clean fucking up. Yeah, it is one of the defining moments as a sports fan in in my life. I did not expect this outcome. I was very upset with this outcome. Yeah, well yeah

I was. And when we're talking about the Super Bowl forty two, and if you remember, that was the Giants playing the unbeaten, big mighty New England Patriots, that great Patriot team that had run the table and they played the Giants in Super Bowl forty two. And the person we are going to have on here is gonna join us in a second, is the player that caught the game winning touchdown and Super Bowl forty two with less than a minute to go. Plaxico Birst, who's now our teammate.

Guest guys, this is our teammate here at Fox Sports Radio. Plaxico host the show on the weekends with LaVar Arrington, t J. Houshman Zada. It's called up on game. I believe it's what it's called, right and for the Saturday's on Saturday's right has one to three eastern. Yeah. And for the record, he was wide the fuck open in the end zone. I still gotta catch him. I still

gotta catch him. But it was It was wild because working with Plexico a couple of weeks ago, he actually said this live on the show where he was watching tape the week prior to the Super Bowl and just prepping on the coverages and what the alignments were gonna be, and he knew in that given sequence that he would be open in the corner of the end zone because the corner he was going up against typically sat on the goal line, so he knew if Manning made a

perfect throw to him, he'd be why the funk open? And he was, I mean, there's plenty of room. It wasn't like a Santonio Holmes catch against Arizona. But man, hell of a play. Yeah, it was in insane and I just did not I thought, there's no the Pictures might play a close game, but they're not gonna lose. I mean, they're not gonna lose the Giants. And sure enough, Blaxico's team got it done. And so congratulations to them.

All these years later, and he's now he's a talk show host at Fox Sports Radio, so he's he's in our little world here. And I got to ask him at some point about because when I was a kid, you know, fat kid, you know, I tossed the up all up and you imagine it's like in basketball, hit the game winning shot, right game when you're shot in basketball, baseball game winning walk off home run like a Joe

Carter moment in the World Series and or Max Munsey. Uh. But or in football's it's either throwing the game winning touchdown or often catching the game. For me, it was like catching the game winning touchdown back in the end zone, you know, do a little toe tap and that whole thing. And Plaxico got to live that out. So I got to ask him about that at some point. But why don't we begin, Plaxico. Welcome in, Plaxico Burrs here joining

us our colleague at Fox Sports Radio. So why don't we start with the fact that you are a sports talk radio host. How is the sports talk radio life

treating you, Plaxico? Oh man, it's fun. Man. I enjoy it. Man, Um, you know, I'm just you know, I'm grateful for the volume tej and reaching out to me and the wanted to include me, and you know what those guys haven't have going on, and you know, it's just you know, uh, I love it, man, just getting on the radio and and and speaking the truth and and you know, just just trying to remain relevant out here and give people, you know, the you know, the knowledge of what we

have experienced over time over our careers, which have well obviously teaching myself and meet me playing thirteen years and and being able to accomplish some special things. You know, it's just good to reach out to the audience and just speak to him. Now, were you guys friends when you you played obviously a long time in the NFL. Were you you guys, what kind of relationship did you have with those guys when you were playing in the NFL. Oh Man uh meil of We were drafted together back

in two thousands. Obviously came a Penn State. I was at Michigan State, and and in me him developed a pretty special bond, even though that we didn't play together, and you know, just recognizing the talents and read and I as in, uh, you know, the work ethic of you know, what we possessed, and we just kind of

just came together. And me being in Pittsburgh and competing against t J. Obviously I didn't get a chance to tackle him or get an interception, but just a respect factor of him, you know, watching him, how he went about his business, how he conducted hself owner off the field. You know, he was a tremendous competitor that I had nothing but the most respect for him. Now, I have to ask you, as a former professional athlete, Plexico, I'm

a lifetimes I'm a lifetime sports radio guy. So did you did you listen to sports talk radio when you were younger, when you were playing or is this all the new world to you? Well, uh, I think you're older than me. Correct, So there wasn't a lot of sports talk radio growing up, especially when I was growing up in Virginia Beach, Virginia, I think, one of the few states that doesn't even have a professional team. But from a from a sports radio perspective, it's just, you know,

you speaking from experience. I think that's the best teacher for for myself. And obviously Lava has been in you know, TV and sports radio talking and along with t J. But you know, for me, it's just really just getting

out there speaking from personal experiences. Uh, you know what I've learned and the people that I came to come in contact with, my friendships, relationships, which I take, you know, very seriously, and it's just been a culmination of all those things that's coming together for myself and the show up on Game You can check it out on Saturdays between one and three pm. And uh, it's a new avenue for me. But at the same time, it's just

it's just me speaking from personal experience. Other than that album, I don't have a story to tell. I got you, I got you, you know, I just I Over the years, I've heard for some guys and when you were when you were playing, you were in the the arena, as they say, and you know, some guys would listen and get you know, lathered up by the stupid stuff people on sports radio would say or the hot takes, and other guys just kind of kind of ignored it, you know.

So it was it was. It was that kind of deal. Now, I want I want to get into some of the stories you got. You had a great career in college. You were at Michigan State for a couple of years, in the NFL and all that, But but at Michigan State, you played for Nick Saban at Michigan State, and at that time, he was not you know, football royalty like he has become, you know the years since then, he

was on his way to becoming that. What was What was it like back in those days at Michigan State with with sa was he was he the same way he apparently is today? And what was that relationship like from the coaching standpoint? Uh, you know, I've said on countless of cages that he's one of the He's one of the best brilliant football minds that I've ever came across, and uh, you know, I would never back down for that.

But at the same time, you know, me and him has to run in But I was going in college and I didn't agree with some of the things that that that that he Uh, you know, I was coming from a different place. But I've always had a great mind of respect for Nick and uh, you know, I've always said, you know, he's never been a people person to me, you know, coming from a different environment, and you know he was he was one of those coaches

that always yellow yellow Aaron screaming. And I came from a coach in Virginia, Virginia who my high school coach just retired a few like a week ago. You know, he was more of a teacher. He was more pulling to the side, put your arm around you in really just you know, you know, tell you certain things that you were doing wrong. Not much, not less, not more of the screaming. But you know, going back to Nick Saban, I think when when I was in Michigan State that

he was laying his foundation. If you look at the records that we have my first year ninety eight, we went six and six, and then we came back in ninety nine and we went nine and two, and you look at the teams that we beat. We beat Oregon, Uh, we beat Ohio State, we beat Notre Dame, we beat Penn State and we beat Florida all in one season

and those are all top ten programs. And we're talking about back in nineteen so obviously, you know he ended the end of the season, uh, not coaching us and leaving to go to l s U and Bobby Williams was our coach and the Citrus bowling when the sable

in two thousand. But I think he was laying his foundation then, you know, back in ninety nine and at one time we were I believe number four or five in the country in and uh, you know, uh, and his record just what he's accomplished has just uh you know, you know, it's been it's been phenomenal. Absolutely. So what did he played with a lot of different coaches? You I think you've kind of let the cat out of

the back. You like the coach who's not a Lohard oh type, right, more of you If you were to make the perfect coach plastical for a football team, what would that what ingredients with that coach? Half? Um, you know, I came across so many great coaches and great minds and and great teachures and coaches. Uh. I had a great opportunity to play for Mike Tomlins for two years.

I had a great opportunity to play for Bill Kaward for five years, great opportunity to play for US Cofflin for four years, and my high school coach Nick Saban, and a couple of games under Bobby Williams. But just those culmination of people I've all learned from. They've They've all taught the game from a different perspective, which you have nothing but the utmost respectful because why you were trying to pursue your dreams or after raches or whatever.

You learn something along the way from each one. And I think that's the that's the thing that sticks out to me most about them all, you know, Mike Tomlin and Bill Cole and coach Couflan, Nick Saban. I learned something from them all that I would take with me throughout life beyond football. And I think it's pretty special that I got the chance to learn a little. Guys. And I'm not gonna take Rex Ryan out of the picture either, because he's a great, great coach, great personality.

You know, he loves his guys, he's loyal to him, great defensive coach, and when you put all those guys into a bag and say that you can you learn from all of those great man and personalities. You know, it's been none but a blessing for me. Black. So what about your favorite teammate or guy that you played with in the league during your tenure in the National who's your favorite my favorite team? Man? I can't single one guy out. Man, Come on, you know I played

with so many characters. Man, you know, wow, what do I begin? Well, let me ask what was your relationship with the guy like I don't know, like Steve Smith or somebody like that. SMI yeah, oh, man, Smithie was Smittie was one of the and I'm and I don't vote these words around, you know, kindly, Smithie was one of the greatest like ball actors that I haven't been around. You put the ball up in the air and he will find him, will come down of his hands. But you know, he was just you know, he was a

goofy guy from from usc where. I can say that because he understands that. And he was a young cat coming in, but he was so smart and he could get out of a break like no other. And our relationship in the locker room was just you know, it was incredible. Obviously you know human your and you know Earl Holmes and uh, you know straight hand and just a plethora of guys that was just incredible to me as people Antonio piss and when we went out and we you know, we put the chanch drop on. It

was all about business. But you know some of these guys, man, that you get that you get to know on a personal level off of the football, Richie Soy but who was probably arguably the funniest teammate, I don't play with the mind tired of life and uh, you know, this is a lot of guys. Man. I can't say I have a favorite, but you know those are some of the guys on my list. Well, you played such a long period of time in the NFL looking back now on it, and I know it's it's kind of you know, hinds.

If you were to give yourself advice from when you got into the league with what you know now, what would that be, Oh man, you know to the young guys just coming in, just don't be afraid to say no. I think that's one of the things that as a young man you try to, you know, make everybody happy and put it and put us some on everybody's faces.

But a lot of people in your corner that don't have your uh you know, your best for you and uh, perfect your craft, work out, train, understand what you're doing, because you know, if you're not playing at at full speed, if you don't understand what's going on, then you then your full potential as as the player as an athlete won't be able to show. And you know, take care

your body. I was in I was in a ice tub every day for twelve years, and I think that's one of the main reasons why I was so lucky to play so long. Take care of your body, To take care of yourself, don't be afraid to say no, perfect your craft, whatever that may be, and and uh

you know, just take care yourself. Yeah, I want to ask you about that plaques when you say say the word no, did you have a sense coming out of college or even when you got after your rookie deal, your first big paid day, did you get the sense that there'd be some quote unquote new friends and new people hanging on your little you know, sense of it because it's right there in front of you, and and you as the person has to be the one to

different deventiate between you know, the people who really cared about them that people have really don't And you know, I kind of I fell into that situation a little bit coming out of the draft, and and uh and and different people. But you know, I think today that a lot of these guys are a lot smarter, and a lot of these guys are doing great things in the community and you know, building their brands and different

things of that nature. But uh, yeah, I think a lot of these guys today are doing a great job with themselves. And and Brandon twenty years ago, I got drafted in uh two thousands, myself and Tom Brady were the last two guys playing for my draft. There was just me and him, and two thousand and thirteen there was nobody left but me and him, so I called him ball. But uh so it's just me and him,

and I was lucky to fortunately pay that long. And I think the uh, a lot of young stars in this league right now who are going down the right path and doing the right thing. And actually, when I was a kid, most you know, kids, when they're growing up, they you got to live something out that pretty much every kid imagined at one point or another, where you know, I was a fat kid, but I was like, I'm gonna catch the game winning touchdown in the Super Bowl

and it's gonna be the crowd's gonna go wild. You did that, though, You did that, and it was when you were a kid. Did you did you imagine kind of play that on your head? And and if you did, did it live up to what you thought it was gonna be when you were growing up? I mean, you can't even write the story because I think every kid that is nine, ten, eleven, twelve years old, like myself, walking down the street with a football, talking it up in the edge, just counting down the clock, saying three

to one. You know, you win the game and you just take off running with the ball in your hands. And and you know how many kids can actually say that, you know, they were fortunate as myself to live out that kind of dream. And it's still surreal to me every day. And you know, for me to be walking down the street talking that ball up in and applies the park manship Peak and gardens and Twinket Nail and

all these neighborhoods that I lived in. But I a'll be fortunate, love, you know, to live out a dream and and to me, you know, all dreams can come true as long as you just you know, you stay focused and you really believe it and and go out and chasing what it is you want to do. And you know, obviously you know, I'm in the New Jersey area, and you know New York Giant football is, uh, it

is very prevalent in this area, so to speak. And I don't think that there's one day that I go by where you know, I have a kid who was you know, twenty one or twenty two or three that were in ten eleven years old at that time saying that you know, it was the greatest moment of life, and you know that it's one of the things that you know, is just a part of me. And uh, you know, it's it's just a dream come true for

any kid. Now. When you were doing it, though, plaxically, did did you know you see in the movies you hear stories like kind of things slowed down? Did they slow down? There was there was like thirty something seconds left in the game when you caught the game winning touchdown, Like what do you remember was it? Did it seem at the time you were doing it, did you realize in the moment what you were doing, or was it like later on where it kind of all hits you. Absolutely,

you know it's on the line. The ship is on the line, so you know what, you know that whole drive we want to too many drive. And I could promise you that every body on on that on that office side of that ball, all other and others, we were so dug tired, but it never mattered. You never felt it because the adrenaline outweighed the fatigue. It was like, you can't let your guys down right now, this is the this is the biggest moment in life at this time.

And I don't even think I even breathe during the whole thing that's going on. But obviously you know what's going on because you're trying to win the World Championship. All the fatigue goes out of the window and you're just trying to have success, you know, down in and down out to get to win the World Championship, and and and you know, when the player is called, I think everybody is just so focused and just locked in. You're not even thinking about anything that's going on on

the outside. You know, you just want to win the game. Blacks was there. I mean, the conversations after that beating New England, was that like around the league amongst the players, because obviously social media, sports, talk, radio, and television we're all completely different animals. But you know what I really did know because you know, obviously there wasn't a lot of social media. I believe the Twitter had just came up. We were on my Space, then we were on my Space.

There was no Twitter, there was no Instagram, there was no social media like uh, you know camophones that just became popular. Yeah, this is back in two thousand and seven. But the talk of the league was just, you know, we hadn't just went out and did something that nobody in the world but they need to do. They didn't expected against bad as Green Bay, so let alone go in and beat the the the eighteen and old Patriots who had the best offensive NFL histories of that year.

Moss and and Brady and all of those guys are what they accomplished. But I think after Week sixteen, after they beat uspout three, I think the school with five our model going to that game without to turn the ball over, we'll win the game. You know. Rodney Harrison, rand the Lama on a seven route and the ball the field when they won by three. But I really don't think they wanted to play us again because we didn't care about none of the you know, we didn't

care about the spotlight. Uh And I think it showed we were tougher than they were. They were the better football team, and I would say that they were a better football team skilled from a skilled position, wise from a skill point, but they weren't physically tougher than us. And uh, you know, our team displayed that and we got the Tom Brady and sacking them and doing all these things that without even blitzing, And I think that

they carried the law football team. We didn't really care who your name was on the back of your jersey, and that was our motto and that was one of the things that it still remains with us today because we didn't care about uh, you know, individualism or you know, who got the most touchdowns, who got the most sex. We just wanted to win because we had that much respect for they got next to us. Plexico. I was

doing sports radio in those days. I remember the lead up to that Super Bowl, didn't you I don't know if you guaranteed the win, but you had made a comment. I remember we talked about it about how a few points the Patriots were going to score in the lead up, and I remember, didn't Tom Brady get upset? It's like that kind of a weird respect. I remember we talked about that, like Tavy didn't get up set? You know,

he can't. He got on TV and made the comment he said, you know, I wish Plexico would have give us a little more respect. Uh. I wish he would have said forty five to forty two. But going into that week, we literally just get off the bus at the hotel and we walked in the hotel. This guy walks by me. I got my suitcase in my hands, you know, dump a bag on my back, and he said Plexic was going to be the score. I said, a seventeen fourteen, We're going to win. And I just

keep on walking. But you know, unbeknownst to it, I wake up in the morning and this guy is a part of the national media and I have no idea who the guy is. And you know, I go to sweep, I wake up. My phone is off the hook, ringing crazy. I turned to television and it's like, oh, he guarantees the wind. It's on like on the front page of the New York Post. I'm like, I didn't do this. Who said this? Oh? I was like, oh my gosh.

The guy that walked by me in the hotel. I said it, and I had to live up to it. And I was like, you know what, that's where the score is gonna be at seventeen. The four team, We're going to win the game. And then when Tuesday hit straight straighthand got on the microphone and said, listen, I love his attitude. Nobody wants to lose this game, and we're gonna try and do everything our power to keeping the key points. And my guys backed me up, and

we went out there and we played like plaques. What was better the New York media or the or the Pittsburgh Steelers media that that group in Pittsburgh. Well, hey, listen, I love Pittsburgh, but uh, you know, well I left Pittsburgh to go to New York. I thought the media day in Pittsburgh was something else. And then I stepped

into New York. John Locking Room is thirty thirty forty reporters on any given day Pittsburgh, that's seven eight I mean let's be real, the seven eight reporters and and you know, I had a few running with reporters, you know, not really printing the exact words that I was saying. And so you know, uh, I stopped giving God's features for that reason because they weren't printing what I was saying. And I still know who they are to this day. But I would say that the New York media, Um,

everybody has a job to do. And I understand that now being on TV and being on radio on the BN and be there. Everybody has a god job to do. But at the same time, you know, uh, it can be brutal, you know, it can be it can be cut through, you know, so to speak. And that's one of the things that I've learned through it. And the media is our only outlet to the people because we can't speak to the people. So what you put out and what they write is what people are gonna think.

And that's one of the biggest things that I've realized, you know, being in media right now, is that what you put out to the media, that is what people are going to perceive you as. It's unfortunate, but at the same time, it can be the greatest asset. So does that mean that you're more inclined, like just from a professional like where are you at now in radio

and media television? Does that mean that you're more comfortable being transparent about everything that's happened in your life we're talking about from the NFL to your personal life to where you're at now. Do you do you use that all as as just tools for you know, getting knowledge out to younger players and athletes and even students or do you kinda do you kind of hold some of those things back and and give them a little bit of that. No, No, I don't hold back because I

don't speak on hearsay. I speak off of what I've been told, what I've learned, earned personal experience, and the knowledge and the whisthom that has been passed on down to me from coaches, uh, you know, players, and put in real life experiences into what I speak. And that's the beautiful thing about me being on radio is that I can speak from a personal perspective that is influential to the young players and to people throughout there listening.

Is that I don't little I don't just get him make up stuff well I heard or someone so told me, I can pick up the phone and talk to the source and and and ask them how do you want your story to be told? And that's one of the things that a lot of people missed out on is that when you and pick up the phone and talk to these people first and forem host and be like, Okay, how do you want me to get your messos across?

And my playoff or whoever made me. They don't have a problem with that because they get the methods across just the way that you want them to. Ye. Plus you your Giant royalty and all that because the touchdown catching the Super Bowl, but you played with the Jets. Also, what is the what is the difference you're you're you're in Jersey. What is the difference from playing for the Giants and playing for the Jets? You just said the difference between the Giants and the Jet You just said.

You just said it. Man. Uh, you know, uh uh shout out to Direct Ryan, who was one of my you know, one of my biggest supporters for me, you know, uh, you know, coming home and you know, trying to get my feet back on the ground and resume my career. And you know, I'll always be father, grateful for Rex and you know Woody Johnson and the whole organization over there and from Park, New Jersey. But m just it's

it's a different feeling. It's a different aura of walking in the building each morning, going to the Jets and going to the Giants of just you know, uh supreme and the order and for the walking into the Giants is you know, we're gonna kick somebody this week, and the Jets is I hope we can win a ball game. That's just the mindset of the player walking in, which it shouldn't be. But that's just how I felt, you know,

walking into the building. Obviously I had the great opportunity to play with the Damien Commins and was one of the greatest from on it back all time. Santonio Holmes, Uh, you know, Super Bowl m v P. And you know we came from organizations and you know, from from winning Pittsburgh Giants and get to the Jets, and it's hard to accept losing going to work every day and not win a game. It's it's it's hard to accept, and you know you kind of look at yourselfing and what

am I doing wrong? What can I do more to help us to help us win. You with that, for me all being said, I sent prayers the Brian shot Naimer, who was my offerersive coordinator during that time, you know, obviously, is father Marty Shotnamer just passed away a few days ago. So I send my condolencens ou to Brian and his

family shot family. But yeah, with all that being said, giants all day solo, take us through this real quick, because you obviously had a unique circumstance in two thousand with the shooting and you were out of the game of football for a long period of time, like one season is battened up but a couple. But how did that how did that relationship with Rex evolved? Like how was it established for you to get back in the game And what were you thinking during that time off?

Were you couldn't get on the field And now I'm sure you were wondering, Hey, am I ever going to play professional ball again? You know, to be honest with you, up, I had not met Rex Ryan and damn my life before you know, meeting him when I when? When? When I signed um, I was a long way to see the San Francisco forwarda Anas and was the coach and he wanted me to come way out in San Francisco, and obviously I was still living in New Jersey at

the time, and Rex gave me a call. And if my memory seys me correct, the New York Deaths had just went to the a f C Championship game twice and they weren't able to get over the over the hurdle. And you know, I don't have to relocate. They have a great defensive team and I can go back to New Jersey, living my same home and play football. And you know, Rex was just great, and you know, he brought me in in a situation I've never met him.

You know, he was, you know, the deepest coordinator in balstomore when I was playing against him in Prisburg and that was the only way that I really knew him. And you know, he brought me in. You know, we didn't necessarily do as well as everybody wanted to do, but you know, for Rex man just to you know, just to you know, stick his neck out there from me on the line. And and so you know what I want this guy and he and he and he

helped me, you know, turn everything around. You know, I feel it would be grateful for and the reality is if you went to California, you still would have been fucked on taxes anyway, whether it's California. I know, I'm like, yo, I'm not going to California to the same place. I mean, I might well just say a new Jersey. Yeah that's a smart move. And yeah, even all these years later, because it's it's still a smart movie. It hasn't changed.

It's it's the same thing. But you know what I want to say this, So the first team that went missall was a giant and I went to see the sounds good four to Nina, and it just so happened at both of those teams end up in the NFC Championship game. Look at that unbelievable. Hey, who is the toughest defensive back that you went up against? Is the one guy that you cannot get past? Or did you mean it's gotta be somebody, right? Who would it be?

You know, I would say it's three guys that always just you know, just kind of just pissed me off a little bit. Why you wouldn't even believe was a Samari role. Samar role was just incredible. You know, his feet was so quick and you know he was a long He was a long, long guy, but he really wasn't that strong. But he could run with you. And you know, uh, he had great ball skills and he's like a little mosquito. You just couldn't, you know, really

get rid of him. And obviously going through New York Jets and you know, seeing all this stuff Rievers Island, Rievers Oland, and then going to practice and having to compete get them every day and one on one, and you'd be like, Okay, this dude right here at the real deal. You know, he wasn't fast, he was you know, he was sound. His technique was flawless, and he just

you couldn't beat him at the line of scrimmings. And he was patient and you and once you got the opportunity to play against him on a on a day and day off basis, you understood you know how good he was. Plaques. Thanks for the time and again Fox Sports Readio, our colleague. We're we're teammates here, plaques. Saturday Man, all right, we gotta go you LaVar Arrington. T J. Houshman's out every Saturday on Fox Sports Radio. If you haven't tried to show check it out. Thank you Plaxico.

We'll talk to again. Thanks Man. Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Maller Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific