As pointed out by the Bleeding Green Nation blog, there are two noticeable absences from the New York Giants as they make their trek to Phoenix: Jeremy Shockey and Tiki Barber, the two most recognizable Giants faces not named Eli Manning and Michael Strahan. While Barber is retired from the NFL, many feel he left with plenty left in the tank and that it was his unhappiness with Coach Tom Coughlin that caused him to hang up the cleats for a cushy microphone job.

Shockey, on the other hand, will be missing the Super Bowl because of a broken leg… did it affect his New Year’s Eve party?

So, was this addition by subtraction for the Giants? Did they make the Super Bowl in spite of these two not being around or because of? Whatever the case, one thing’s for sure, there isn’t a whole lot of sorrow for these two:

Seriously, were there two more annoying Giants than Tiki Barber and Jeremy Shockey? I also kinda got a kick out of Michael Strahan, Eli Manning is mostly just kind of there, and there really aren’t any other personalities on the team that ever rubbed me either way. The two real villains and the guys that always seemed to come up big against the Eagles have been Shockey & Tiki…

So I take some solace that somewhere Tiki Barber is probably gritting his teeth that the Giants made the superbowl the year after he retires and that Jeremy Shockey will be watching from the sidelines in what may well be his last game as a member of the team.

And my, what lovely teeth he has:

Tags: Jeremy Shockey, New York Giants, Super Bowl, Tiki Barber

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