The Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. - On matters other than football, Jeremy Shockey plans on keeping his mouth shut for the foreseeable future.

With his coach and a team spokesman monitoring his every word, the outspoken New York Giants tight end apologized Saturday for making reported comments about Dallas coach Bill Parcells, insisting his words were in jest.

"I apologize for everything I said that offended people," Shockey said. "I really, at the time, it was a laughing matter for me and I was just having fun with it."

Shockey is quoted as calling Parcells a "homo" in an upcoming story in New York magazine. He also criticized Parcells for retiring a couple of times, then returning.

"Let's see how much Parcells wins this year," Shockey said. "I'll make him pay when we play them. The homo."

Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon said Friday that Shockey believes the writer mistook a lighthearted conversation Shockey was having with a friend as being serious, and incorrectly attributed the word "homo" to Shockey rather than the friend.

Shockey said Saturday he takes responsibility for his part in the conversation.

A seemingly indifferent Shockey never mentioned Parcells directly in his latest apology for yet another poor choice of words. In September, he made inflammatory remarks about gays on Howard Stern's radio show.

Shockey, who set team records for receptions by a rookie and a tight end in a Pro Bowl rookie season, reluctantly accepted responsibility for the current situation, saying it was his fault for letting the reporter "get the best of me."

He vowed to avoid any future controversy.

"I am going to be as plain as possible," Shockey said. "You'll probably never hear me say an outrageous thing ever again. I'll probably never talk to you again."

Magazine spokeswoman Serena Torrey said the magazine stands by the story and the reporting by Chris Smith.

Smith has worked for the magazine for 15 years. His interview with Shockey, conducted last month, was taped, Torrey said.

Giants coach Jim Fassel didn't think Shockey would shut down completely with the media, but he was confident the player would tone things down.

The two had a meeting Saturday in which Fassel did most of the talking and Shockey agreed to limit what he says and does off the field.

"I am fairly confident, very confident, that he is sincere that he is going to curtail it," said Fassel, adding that Shockey won't do any interviews or business and personal appearances without his knowledge.

Fassel said Shockey has a lot to learn about dealing with the media, noting that the Oklahoma native never realized comments he made to Maxim magazine about sexual fantasies would be picked up by New York newspapers.

Teammates seemed to be willing to give Shockey a break.

"He's young," halfback Tiki Barber said. "He doesn't realize people will interpret the things he says quite so literally."

Defensive end Michael Strahan said athletes have to be smart when talking. "You have to realize what you say is going to be interpreted by different people, and how you say it will be interpreted different ways. Just don't offend anybody."

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