"Mr. Shock Treatment." "The Shock Man." And my personal favorite, "Jeremy Shock and Awe." The nicknames are endless for one of the brightest young studs in the NFL, New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey.
But the names don't fit so perfectly because of Shockey's real name. They fit great because he is truly a shock jock trapped in a real jock's body. And he is bringing America's biggest sport into the 21st century, one middle finger and insensitive comment at a time.
Shockey is a specimen of an athlete. He weighs 253 pounds, runs a 4.6 second 40-yard dash and caught 74 passes in 2002 to earn him a trip to the Pro Bowl as a 22-year-old rookie.
But what makes him special is his attitude. Some say it's a bad attitude, but if that's the case, bad has never been so good.
Who wants to hear for the umpteenth time, "our opponent was great, but we were just a little better tonight." If I hear one more, "it's all about the team," I will upchuck.
The NFL isn't Pee Wee football, and this isn't the 1940s. I want to see professional athletes say exactly what is on their minds, and Shockey is one of the few who is man enough to do it.
Look at Shockey's shenanigans in just over a year as a pro. He said he wouldn't be comfortable with a gay teammate in his locker room on the Howard Stern show. Shockey also fought teammate Brandon Short on the first day of training camp last year when Short tried to force him to sing his alma mater's (University of Miami) fight song.
Shockey flipped off a San Francisco 49er after the player allegedly made a racial comment. He opted to run over linebacker Julian Peterson instead of scoring a touchdown after Peterson called him out in the newspaper that week. He even threw a cup of ice into the 49er crowd after they heckled him. All three happened in the same game.
Because of the stir Shockey has made, he has been featured in Sports Illustrated, ESPN the Magazine, GQ and Maxim.
He told the reporters from SI and Maxim that if any ladies wanted to get on him, they should send their number and a picture to the Giants.
Many love Shockey and many think he's punk, but there is no denying there is a strong interest in him.
The NFL isn't professional wrestling, but it is still entertainment at its finest. And no one is a better entertainer than Jeremy Shockey.
Reach the reporter at christopher.drexel@asu.edu.
