I’ve often heard that the NFL is a “copycat” league. In other words, if one team does something and it works, every other team in the league is going to try and do it too. Apparently the latest hot new trend spreading across the league is that of team’s suspending their best wide receivers for being insubordinate little punks.

First the Carolina Panthers suspended Steve Smith for two games after he broke Ken Lucas‘ nose in a fight, and despite not having their top receiver, the Panthers started the season 2-0. Now the defending champion New York Giants have followed suit, and they’re suspending Plaxico Burress as well.

From FOX SPORTS:

FOXSports.com has learned that the Giants have suspended Burress for two weeks for failing to show up for work on Monday and not responding to several phone calls by the team to explain his unexcused absence both Monday and Tuesday.

The star wideout, who was just rewarded with a new lucrative contract three weeks ago, was slated to meet with team officials early this morning to explain why he would’ve violated team rules and failed to return several phone calls explaining his whereabouts.

Apparently in order lose your job as a starter in the NFL, you can’t just skip practice and turn off your phone, you have to want to kill yourself too.

Still, this just isn’t very fair. The Giants never even asked me if I was okay with this, and considering I own Plaxico on my fantasy team, it would have been nice if they ran it by me first. The inconsiderate bastards.  I tell you, ever since they won the Super Bowl, they’ve changed, man.

*UPDATE*: Plaxico’s agent Drew Rosenhaus says his client’s absence was due to a “family matter”, and that he would be appealing the suspension.