Get Shocked!!

The New Orleans Saints parted ways with tight-end Jeremy Shockey, ending a 3 year stint that included a trip to the Super Bowl.  Shockey had career lows in receptions (41) and yards (408) last season.  Jimmy Graham, also from The U, came on strong toward the end of last season and the Saints will move forward with him instead.

Shockey was part the 2001 National Championship team.

In a span of 10 seasons (including his final year at Miami), Shockey has won it all; a national championship and two Super Bowls (even though he was sidelined during Super Bowl XLII).  Not really bad from guy from Ada, OK had to go through the Juco route (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M located in Miami, which is pronounced Miama, and don't ask me why) before landing in South Beach (quite a long ways to travel if you ask me).

He was part of arguably one of the greatest college football teams in modern history.  There's no denying that the 2001 Miami squad would give a lot of these college championship teams a run for their money.  They brought back the swag, something that hadn't been seen around South Beach since the late 1980's through early 90's.

Shockey was a 4 time pro bowler as a Giant

Shockey spent his first 6 years with the New York Giants, the team that drafted him in the first round of the 2002 draft.  In his first NFL appearance, a Hall of Fame Game that also doubled as the pre-season opener, he caught a pass, then proceeded to run over Houston Texans' defender Kevin Williams like he didn't exist.  Suddenly, comparisons to former Giant great Mark Bavaro began flowing in.

He would run over a few more defenders in a rookie season that was combination of flash (his size, speed and toughness) and brash (could you really expect any less from a player from The U?).  Sometimes he could be clutch; making a crucial touchdown catch against Philadelphia in the regular season finale, a game the Giants had to win if they wanted to make the playoffs.

At other times, well, you just didn't know what expect.  Case in point; during the wildcard game against San Francisco, with the Giants were moving the ball at will, Shockey dropped a touchdown pass that would have surely won the game.  They settled for a field goal instead, and the next thing you know, the 49ers rallied to win in what was one of the biggest comebacks in recent NFL Playoff history.

He remained an important part of the Giants offense, but the injuries eventually started to take their toll.  When Kevin Boss not only replaced him, but played well enough in the Giants run to the Super Bowl, it was widely accepted that the team could do without him after all.  He was traded to the Saints before the start of the 2008 season.

For all I know, he was a model citizen in New Orleans.  Despite his injuries, he still played a big role during the Saints Super Bowl winning season.  He is still one of the better tight ends around and will be a key addition to a playoff contender in search of a proven player at his position.  There's no doubting that the man can play ball, but can he stay healthy?

If the answer is "yes", then good times definitely lay ahead, but if the answer is "no", then it seems that at least for now, the party is over.