Shockey's success: New York state of mouth.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)

Byline: Dan Le Batard

Let me preface this by saying that I'm not anti-Jeremy Shockey. I love his game, his swagger, his potential, his emotion, his volume, his mouth. Among my favorite athletes to watch: Terrell Owens, Barry Bonds, Rickey Henderson, Ray Lewis. Hot dogs, with relish. So it isn't Shockey's style that bothers me. His style, in fact, makes me very much want to like him.

I just can't fathom the absurd amount of attention he has been receiving lately, especially given that A) he's a tight end and B) he hasn't accomplished anything. Nonetheless, he has been in a slew of major magazines inside and outside of sports recently, even seeping into places like Maxim and Playboy. Is this because he plays in New York? …