FanHouse AdrianAwasom

Notes on a trip to the Super Bowl.

Injured Giants defensive end Adrian Awasom, who came to Arizona with the team even though he wasn't going to play, has been sent home after he was arrested for driving under the influence.

For the coaches, Super Bowl week is all about avoiding distractions, so when a player like Awasom becomes a distraction, the obvious decision for Giants coach Tom Coughlin is to send him packing. But for a player like Awasom, who's a marginal member of the roster anyway, becoming a distraction during Super Bowl week is the kind of thing that can cost him his job.

Still, for as much as the media look for stories to report during the run-up to the Super Bowl, hardly anyone here in Phoenix is talking about Awasom. A fake injury to Tom Brady is more important than a real arrest for an unknown player.

Notes on a trip to the Super Bowl.

Adrian Awasom, a New York Giants player who is on injured reserve but came to Arizona for the Super Bowl with the team anyway has been arrested, the Arizona Republic is reporting.

According to the newspaper, the Arizona Department of Public Safety confirmed that Awasom was stopped by an officer on an unspecified interstate and appeared to be driving under the influence.

Awasom has been on injured reserve since September, when a back injury ended his season. Players on injured reserve are generally permitted but not required to travel with the team to the Super Bowl. The most prominent Giant on injured reserve, Jeremy Shockey, has not been seen in Arizona.

In a sign that reporters are ready to go to the game already and forget the off-field stuff, this news has barely registered with the media here in Phoenix. As pre-Super Bowl arrests go, Awasom is no Eugene Robinson.

Forget a fancy introduction to this post; there's no need for it anymore. Every time the Giants play, they suffer a significant injury; it's that simple. So, really, how many times can I rehash the same old "how does this continue to happen" nonsense?

This week, the unfortunate victim of the Giants injury curse was rookie wide receiver Steve Smith. Although the team originally referred to it as a "scapula bruise," Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News just revealed that he actually suffered a fractured shoulder blade (scapula) and could miss significant time. However, and on the bright side, it may not be for the entire year, which has become a regular diagnosis for team doctors.

In addition to Smith, a few other Giants left the game with injuries. Here is a quick list:

Plaxico Burress - Re-injury of his right ankle.
Reggie Torbor - Elbow (left in a sling.)
Ahmad Bradshaw - Elbow (left in a sling.)
Adrian Awasom - Stinger (left in a sling and neck brace.)
Jared Lorenzen - Sprained left ankle.

Unreal.

The most frustrating part of being a Giants fan over the last three years has been the overwhelming amount of injuries. Not once in those three years have the Giants managed to play through a season without a significant injury. In fact, they'd consider it a good year if they only suffered a single significant injury.

Unfortunately, with a little over a week to go until the regular season begins, the Giants are once again facing those injury demons. It began early in the offseason when fullback Jim Finn was placed on injured reserve with a torn labrum and was promptly followed by cornerback Michael Stone going down with a hip injury.

Over the course of the next few weeks, the Giants lost tight end Darcy Johnson (knee), wide receiver Michael Jennings (Achilles), defensive tackle Marcus Bell (knee) and defensive end Dek Bake (back).