Giants' Pierce expected to play amid Burress probe

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Watching Antonio Pierce in the New York Giants' linebacker meeting yesterday morning, fellow linebacker Danny Clark did not sense anything was wrong.

Pierce reviewed mistakes the Giants' defense made against Washington, discussed the Eagles' offense, and analyzed the defensive situations the Super Bowl champions will face Sunday when they host the Birds and try to clinch the NFC East.

But it was no normal day.

A day after the season-ending suspension of star receiver Plaxico Burress, Giants coach Tom Coughlin said he expects Pierce to play Sunday while police investigate the linebacker's involvement in a shooting that left Burress with a self-inflicted wound.

Pierce smiled but declined to speak to the Associated Press when he reported to Giants Stadium around 8 a.m. After practice, he said he would speak today.

"He came in, and there were no distractions. And we didn't talk about anything but football," Clark said.

Unlike Burress, who is charged with illegal weapons possession, Pierce has yet to be charged - or talk to police.

Coughlin said as of yesterday, there was no need to consider potential discipline for Pierce. "There is no doubt we'll do the right thing," he said.

Authorities are trying to determine whether Pierce tried to cover up the shooting early Saturday morning in a Manhattan nightclub. Police said Pierce drove Burress to the hospital and returned to New Jersey with Burress' gun in the glove compartment of his black Cadillac Escalade. Investigators have impounded the SUV to search it for blood or gun residue.

Halfback Ahmad Bradshaw also was at the Latin Quarter nightclub, but his attorney said Bradshaw was in a different part of the club at the time of the shooting.

On Tuesday, the team fined and suspended Burress for four games, the rest of the regular season.

The Giants also placed him on the reserve non-football injury list, which means he won't be back for the playoffs, either.

The NFL Players Association said in a statement that it was reviewing the Giants' actions and planned to file a grievance, saying Burress' collective bargaining rights were violated.

Police still want to interview officials at New York-Presbyterian Hospital who treated Burress and did not report the shooting, as required by law.

Dr. Josyann Abisaab was suspended for not reporting Burress' injury. She apparently arrived at the hospital at 2 a.m. to treat him, but it is not clear why she was called.

Abisaab, who specializes in internal and emergency medicine, could not be reached for comment.