it's tempting to take eli's performance in the wake of shockey's injury and subsequent absence and suggest there's a valid connection between the two. perhaps shockey did get in eli's head on the sidelines and without that overbearing presence, eli feels more comfortable and confident.  however, what has impressed me most with eli has been his improved reads, mechanics and composure in the pocket over the last several weeks. surely that cannot be attributed simply to the absence of shockey.

to me, it's baffling why anyone would want to get rid of shockey.  he is a true impact player. that is evident anytime he touches the ball.  fassel knew this very well (which is why we saw all those screens to him his rookie year), while coughlin plays it conservative and uses him mostly as a blocker.  losing shockey would mean the loss of one of the most dynamic players at that position in the league. maybe this post-season run being fought without his participation will make him more humble.  but i just know that it would make me sick to my stomach to see him in any other jersey than big blue.

Are a real problem with Shockey.  I love watching him play, but there have been far too many instances of him KILLING drives with either a big drop, or a stupid taunting penalty.  

This probably won't happen, but it would be nice if, having seen that the team is more than capable of winning w/o him, he came out next season with a better attitude toward his teammates and a commitment to curbing all the negative stuff he can bring to a game.

With Tiki gone and now Shockey out, maybe the absence of their big egos from the locker room was just what Eli needed to gain the self-confidence to take control of the offense.  But it is Eli's team now, and the offense that Shockey comes back to will be far different from the one that he played for this year.  That said. bring him back by all means.  He's still a special player.

him or w/o him.  I lean more toward the position of Earth and drunkuncle than that of the others.  We miss him no more than we do Tiki.  Whatever Resse decides to do with him is okay with me.  Yes he provides a spark, but he doesn't have good hands, isn't a team player, and gets a lot of injuries.  It's true a lot of teams might want him and give good value for him, so Reese might decide that now is the time to unload him.  I really think his best days are behind him.  His colorful, WWF style personality has blinded a lot of fans to his flaws.  To me, all that chest thumping is the cry of a needy child--look at me, look at me.  Give me a Bavaro any day.  Of course, I come from an earlier time when boasting, taunting, flamboyance in general was not considered admirable nor was it tolerated.  I read somewhere recently about a former player was asked why there was so much more taunting in the
NBA now.  His reply?  "They only fined you fifty dollars for punching a guy in the mouth."  Believe me, that's true.  Back in the day I saw more than one guy in the NBA get decked for running his mouth. In the NFL, the bootsie play took care of those who didn't follow the unwritten rules.  I know most of you will think I'm a doddering old fool clinging to outmoded values.  I assure, I'm well aware that I'm pretty much a stranger to the culture I find myself in. Time has passed me by, but what goes around comes around (I hope.)

have to go to the draft to replace Shockey.  Boss can do the job. Some fans like Shockey's character.  His character is his main deficit.  Do you think Belly would put up with him?  Only if he conformed to Belly's expectations as Randy Moss has done.  As you say, let's hope he has learned something and let's hope that he's not already past his prime as I suspect he is (I thought Stray was and I was wrong about that, though he can't have that many good years left, can he?) Anway, the first indication we'll get about Shockey's readiness to reform his character will be if he attends mini-camp.  
As for showing up Eli on the field, if he does it even once, I say bench him.  Let's face it, he has been pretty much a slightly better than mediocre player these past few years.  It's easy to blame that on TC or the system or whatever, but you've got to look to the player first.  
Yeah, yeah, Madden hasd a man crush on him, but Madden, as astute a student of the game as he is, Is as often wrong as right in his personnel observations from the broadacst booth and has often been overly enamored by colorful types like Shockey and less than enthusiastic about guys like Bavaro who quietly get the job done.

I'm on the record now and will withold further comment when you open the discussion about Shockey's future after the SB.

Very diplomatic.  I'll go along with it.