Jeremy Shockey, Soul of the Saints

It’s the divisional playoff game against the Arizona Cardinals and the camera pans to Jeremy Shockey. Injured on the sideline, he points to his head and rocks his helmet like it’s a baby. He mouthed the words, “use your head, take care of the ball,” to his teammates on the field. At that moment Jeremy Shockey officially became my favorite NFL player. I wish I knew why that moment stood out to me, but I have no idea. That seemed to be the moment I realized what Jeremy Shockey meant to his team, the fans and to me.

I can honestly say, when the New Orleans Saints announced Jeremy Shockey would be dressing out in the black and gold; I was not jumping for joy. Want me to list the reasons?

First, my boobs are big and jumping can be painful. Second, I felt that the last thing New Orleans needed was another bad boy coming to town to stir up trouble. I will now take my serving of crow, fried, with a side of remoulade.

We all know the story: Jeremy Shockey sits in a press box with a broken leg watching his team, the New York Giants win the biggest game of the season, without him. After the 2007 Super Bowl he seemed to be biding his time till the Giants could work out a trade with someone. Turns out that someone would be the New Orleans Saints.

So what was New Orleans getting out of this deal with the New York Giants? A former first round pick in the 2002 NFL draft from the University of Miami, a four time pro-bowler and he had the bad-ass reputation to go along with all of it. The rumors of Shockey being a Giant distraction far over shadowed his career accolades.

I will admit, the only reason I was excited about Jeremy Shockey was because the blonde hottie was on his way to Louisiana to be eye candy for every female Saints fan. Thanks to a misdiagnosed hernia injury, that’s all he was his first season in New Orleans; a tight end with a great tight end that smiled pretty in pictures.

Now, all of that has changed. Any Who Dat can tell you that Shockey is a large part of this team on and off the field. This Saints team is different from the others. I don’t say that because they are winning, I say that because this team is a family.

What does Shockey mean to the Saints? He is the embodiment of the new attitude that resonates within the Super Dome; an attitude that has changed players and the entire Who Dat Nation. He has more fire on the sidelines, no matter if he is in pads or not, than any other player. When something goes wrong, Shockey is the first one there with words of encouragement to lift his team. In the NFC Championship game, Reggie Bush fumbled the ball on the 10 yard line. Bush made his way to the bench where Shockey was quick to be at his side with words of encouragement. This behavior has been the norm for him all season. I don’t remember this Shockey from the New York Giants. That would be because this isn’t the same Jeremy Shockey that played football in a Giants uniform.

We all know Shockey is an asset on the sidelines, but when he is on the field, the demeanor of the entire team changes. With the ball in his hands, Shockey is dangerously good. The opponent’s defense is forced to cover him at all times, often opening up other opportunities for the Saint’s offense. Look at the facts: the Saints record for the 2009 season with Shockey in the lineup, 15-0 and the Saints record without Shockey in the lineup, 0-3. The team plays better with him on the field. A healthy Shockey throughout this season has been the spark that New Orleans needed.

The New Orleans Saint, Jeremy Shockey, the one we watch on Sunday night, is a new person. He seems to have found a family with the Saints. So this weekend, Shockey will be right where he belongs, in Miami, on the field at the Super Bowl, dressed in Saints pads. He will hopefully bring the Lombardi Trophy home, to New Orleans for the first time. Win or lose, one thing is clear, moving to New Orleans has revived Jeremy Shockey’s soul and I for one cannot wait to see what the future holds for one of the best tight ends in the NFL.