WR Ron Dixon is issued a “heavy” fine after missing treatment and a team meeting.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – Jeremy Shockey isn’t the only New York Giants receiver in coach Jim Fassel’s doghouse.

Wide receiver Ron Dixon was fined an undisclosed amount of money and thrown out of Fassel’s office on Saturday for missing a treatment on his surgically repaired right knee and a team meeting. Dixon has yet to practice in camp because of the injury.

The incident is the latest in a three-year-plus career marked by injuries, occasional big plays and two suspensions, including a one-week sit-out last year for missing medical treatments on his knee.

“He had a little different meeting with me than a normal guy would,” a clearly annoyed Fassel said of Dixon after practice Sunday. “I don’t want to get into it. I am sure, for him, it was not a pleasant meeting.”

Fassel was so annoyed at Dixon’s aloofness that he broke his office door slamming it behind the former third-round draft choice, who is coming close to getting kicked off the team.

“A situation came up that I had to address, and unfortunately I didn’t let anyone know,” Dixon said Sunday. “Me and coach Fassel talked about it, the situation. That was it.”

Dixon refused to discuss the meeting with Fassel or his reasons for missing the 7 a.m. EDT treatment and the 8:15 a.m. meeting.

“I got distracted,” Dixon said, adding he might have to leave camp again because his personal problem has not been settled.

“He better damn well tell me he ain’t going to be at the next meeting before he misses it,” Fassel said with a raised voice.

Fassel described the fine as “heavy” but he wouldn’t disclose the amount.

Dixon gave Fassel four explanations why he was absent, the coach said. Dixon also told him he left Albany, but Fassel said he heard he didn’t.

Fassel refused to say if Dixon had run out of chances with the Giants.

“I’ll decide when I’m tired of it,” said Fassel, who also on Saturday had to tell Shockey to tone down his comments. The second-year tight end made derogatory remarks about Dallas coach Bill Parcells in one magazine and then embarrassed the team discussing sexual preferences in another interview to be published next month.

Dixon already faced problems making the team. Not only hasn’t he practiced since camp started on July 25, he is facing his biggest challenge for a roster spot with veterans Daryl Jones and Tim Carter, and rookies Willie Ponder, David Tyree and Kevin Walter. All are vying for the third receiver spot behind Amani Toomer and Ike Hilliard.

Dixon hoped to practice Monday, saying this is the best his knee has felt since camp opened.

“Camp is very competitive, and from top to bottom this is the best group we’ve ever had,” receivers coach Jimmy Robinson said. “That makes it more imperative that he gets back.”

In his rookie year in 2000, Dixon was fined for oversleeping for a team meeting before the season opener and later suspended for arriving late for a walkthrough the day before a game against Pittsburgh.

The former Lambuth University star returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in the postseason, including one in the Super Bowl loss to Baltimore.

After catching only 14 passes in his first two seasons, Dixon had 22 catches for 377 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games last season. He missed five games with a knee injury, but returned for the playoffs, catching five passes for 52 yards in the wild-card loss to San Francisco.

Toomer, closing in on the Giants’ career receiving record, said Dixon knows he is in a job fight.

“The only thing he can do is try to get back on the field as fast as he can, and hopefully that will be enough,” Toomer said.

AP-ES-08-10-03 1949EDT