Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey: 'This is not about me'

Sunday's kickoff against his former team apparently can't come soon enough for New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey.

That seemed obvious when he met with reporters in the team's locker room Wednesday,  a 7 1/2-minute session that was interrupted several times by a tripped fire alarm.

But the bell did not save him from having to discuss his time with the New York Giants,  six bittersweet seasons that ended in July 2008 when he was dealt to the Saints for second- and fifth-round draft picks.

"This is not about me,  so not any questions about me, '' said Shockey,  who leads Saints receivers with 18 catches for 162 yards and two touchdowns. "It's about two teams going against each other. I want to make that clear.

"There have already been some references about vendettas and stuff. There's nothing about that. It's about two great teams playing each other. It just so happens that it's (against) a team I used to play for.''

A fire alarm sounded a second time,  prompting a reporter to ask if he had planned it.

"Me again,  it's always me, '' Shockey said,  playing along for the moment. "No,  I did not plan this.''

Saints quarterback Drew Brees said he could relate with what Shockey is experiencing this week. Last season,  Brees faced similar inquiries from reporters prior to playing the San Diego Chargers for the first time since joining the Saints in 2006.

"I know the feeling, '' Brees said. "Jonathan Vilma knows the feeling (of playing against the New York Jets). There are plenty of guys playing against your old team for the first time.

"I think any competitive person will have a little extra juice. So for him,  it's just going to be about staying poised and composed while at the same timer playing the type of football he's used to playing,  which is just kind of a 'wild-man' mentality.''



(nola.com)