Maybe this is the first sign that newly-freed former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress changed for the better during the nearly two years he spent in prison on a weapon possession charge after shooting himself in the leg at a Manhattan nightclub.
Burress has announced that he will be teaming with the National Urban League and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence to speak to and mentor youngsters about the dangers of gun violence.
"I have paid a tremendous price for a bad decision. I say to myself all those 20 months and all those days [in prison], how can I take the next step and how can people learn from what happened to me?"
"If I can just help a child to think about the decision of carrying a firearm or not to carry one out of the home, he or she may save lives in itself," Burress continued. "You can make a mistake and you can be a better person from it and along the way bring people with you."
ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk said Burress looked and sounded sincere during the announcement, made with former Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy standing by his side.
Let's hope that is indeed the case. I have said again and again that I do not want Burress to return to the Giants -- for a variety of reasons I do not think that is the right move for him, or for the Giants organization.
I do, however, hope to see Burress be a better person than the self-absorbed player who put himself in position to end up in prison. That would be a wonderful thing.