Looking silly on the football field is a good thing, though it may hurt the pride. It's a way for people to have some fun, laughing at a mistake, but in the bigger picture it's harmless. A dropped ball or a stumbled run don't end lives, though maybe careers.

Off-field mistakes can lead to lots of laughs, but the serious tone of some of these instances reminds one that the laughs should be muffled.

For Plaxico Burress, the former MSU Spartans standout receiver who recently won fame and a Super Bowl ring with the New York Giants, is learning about the difficulties of off-field mistakes.

He has been charged with serious weapons charges after apparently, according to reports and police, he shot himself in the leg while at a nightclub at 1 a.m. Saturday.

Carrying a loaded unregistered gun is a serious no-no.

However, getting caught committing this alleged crime by shooting himself in the leg is a serious d'oh.

Reminds of his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, when he caught a long pass, fell to the ground, and spiked the ball like the tough NFL superstar he was. Of course, he hadn't been touched and he was no longer in college, meaning his spike was actually a fumble and his team lost the ball despite a long completion. 

That's a cute d'oh, unlike the ugly one he now faces.