Predictably, Giants TE Jeremy Shockey has been widely castigated all over the web and yack radio today for his comments in Monday’s papers (calling Tom Coughlin “an ass”, defending the party-hard lifestyle, etc.), but here’s a quote that seemed to escape notice in some quarters. From the New York Daily News’ Ralph Vacchiano.
One thing Coughlin clearly doesn’t approve of is Shockey’s on-field antics, especially when he comes off the field waving his arms or stomping his feet if Eli Manning doesn’t get him the ball. Under Fassel, Shockey said, “I could come off the field like that and he wouldn’t say anything.” But he knows that this year he has to “not look so negative if I don’t get a ball.
“That’s how I am,” Shockey said. “I’m not doing it in a negative way. I’m really hard on myself. It’s not towards Eli or anybody else. Sometimes it’s the call, sometimes it’s the play, sometime it’s the coverage they have on me when they have three guys on the tight end. It ticks me off. (Tight ends) coach (Mike) Pope says ‘You should smile when you walk off and you get double-teamed.’ Well, (shoot), I want to punch somebody.
“Everybody that’s competitive is going to get mad,” Shockey added. “Like Plaxico (Burress). Everybody makes a big deal about him, why he acts like he acts. Well hell, he’s a competitor. Would you rather him walk off, or come back with an AK-47?”
I wasn’t aware that was a possibility, but rather than doubt Shockey’s credibility, perhaps giving Burress a very wide berth would be a good idea.