"In the final media session before Super Bowl XLIV, controversial New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey was asked to discuss his past, his future and almost everything in between, including injuries that have hampered him for much of his NFL career.

He desperately tried to keep the focus on football, and the knee is better, he said. The same couldn't be said for his nerves.

"Just a little anxious for this game," he said Thursday, left foot tapping at the side of the table.

To say Shockey, 29, has been preparing his entire life for this moment isn't far from the truth. Since moving to South Florida to attend the University of Miami, his heart never has strayed. He lives a short drive from Sun Life Stadium, where the Saints will play for an NFL crown Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.

The moment that will soon be at hand has added significance because of Shockey's recent journey. Scorned by his former team, the New York Giants, he was traded to New Orleans for two draft picks and now is embraced by a once-lowly organization that needed his spunk and outrageousness.

Now, he's ready to play for a title after watching his previous team win one from the owner's box."