You will have to forgive John. He's our resident style monitor.
Anyway, I think you are looking for something more like this:
Photoflex | Multiclamp with Shoe Mount | ACSWCP | B&H Photo Video
You can attach it to a tripod and put your flash off camera. I use one just like that, and you can even put an umbrella on it and fire your flash into an umbrella. If you can do wireless flash, its even better.
Hope this helps!
Bob