It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

[Michael82]

Re: It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

That is one guy I'm really happy for. I always liked him when he coached BC.

The guy can coach, and he took a lot of heat.

plus he's a local guy too. He's from Watertown and went to RIT.

[mybills]

Re: It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

Coughlin should just point at him and laugh.

He has too much class and brains to do that. He knows that both Tiki and Shockey helped to get these players where they are today. Tiki was always a leader, and a very smart player on the field. Shockey just has a big mouth, but he always plays hard for the team and his team mates know that.

[Forward_Lateral]

Re: It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

Tiki is a loud mouthed idiot. Nice parting shots at Eli, btw, how he'd never lead his team to a superbowl, etc. Looks like the last laugh is with Eli, Tiki. Enjoy retirement, putz.

[Typ0]

Re: It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

He has too much class and brains to do that. He knows that both Tiki and Shockey helped to get these players where they are today. Tiki was always a leader, and a very smart player on the field. Shockey just has a big mouth, but he always plays hard for the team and his team mates know that.

figures you would be singing the song Tiki was a leader. If he was a leader then I'm going to win the up comming presidential election.

[mybills]

Re: It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

don't be jealous, typ0.

[Typ0]

Re: It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

don't be jealous, typ0.

jealous of what?

[BADTHINGSMAN]

Re: It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

Tiki

[RockStar36]

Re: It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

I think it's funny but only because Tiki acted like an ass once his retirement was official.

It goes to show everyone that the team is more important than any one player though. Last year it seemed like as Tiki went the Giants went. They relied on him to get the whole offense going. This year they had to suck it up and get it done as a team and they did. I for one didn't think Jacobs could be an every down back the way he was but I was wrong.

[Ickybaluky]

Re: It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

You know, I give him a pass for his criticism of Eli, because a lot of people questioned Eli's leadership, and as a broadcaster his job was to give his opinion.

However, he deserves blame for throwing Coughlin under the bus during his playing career, which is why people were glad to see the Giants win without him.

Coughlin saved Tiki's career. Coughlin's coaching staff had Tiki work more on his upper body to make him stronger and taught him to carry the ball high to avoid the fumble problems that had plagued him throughout his career. As a result, he had his most productive seasons and was one of the best players in the NFL.

How does he show his gratitude? He says John Fox out-coached the Giants after Carolina's playoff win in 2005. After the playoff loss in 2006 he questioned the play-calling. His last season he openly questioned Coughlin's coaching style, calling it demeaning and saying the team wore down because of his physical approach to practice.

Then, as a final kick in the pants, he blamed Coughlin for forcing him to retire:

Coach Coughlin is very hard-nosed, and I didn't get a lot of time off, couldn't sit down and rest myself, and so it was a constant grind -- a physical grind on me that started to take its toll," Barber told reporters Tuesday after his introduction as the newest correspondent of the "Today Show."

"The grind took its toll on me and really forced me to start thinking about what I wanted to do next. And that's not a bad thing. That's a good thing, for me at least. Maybe not for the Giants, because they lose one of their great players, but for me, it is," Barber said.

You reap what you sow.

[mybills]

Re: It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

I think it's funny but only because Tiki acted like an ass once his retirement was official.

It goes to show everyone that the team is more important than any one player though. Last year it seemed like as Tiki went the Giants went. They relied on him to get the whole offense going. This year they had to suck it up and get it done as a team and they did. I for one didn't think Jacobs could be an every down back the way he was but I was wrong.

I agree with all of this. The bold parts are the points I tried to make, and I really didn't think Jacobs could take over Tiki's role either, but he has!

[Ickybaluky]

Re: It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

I think it's funny but only because Tiki acted like an ass once his retirement was official.

That's not true, though.

After the playoff loss to Jacksonville to end the 2005 season, Tiki gave his famous, "I think is some ways we were out-coached" line.

Then, the following season he started complaining about a lack of carries.

Tiki was a great player, but you can't undermine the coaching staff if you want to win, especially if you are a star player and team leader. He undermined the coaches in his last couple of seasons in NY because he didn't like Coughlin's hard-line tactics, and then he threw Manning and Coughlin under the bus this preseason after retiring.

I have nothing personal against the guy, but the fact is he retired and now the team won the Super Bowl without him.

[mybills]

Re: It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

I agreed with Tiki that they were out coached. Much like I agreed with JP & everyone who was saying our offensive play calling was a joke.

How he acted after he retired is a different story. That was unnecessary. Can we drop it now?

[Ickybaluky]

Re: It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

I agreed with Tiki that they were out coached. Much like I agreed with JP & everyone who was saying our offensive play calling was a joke.

It doesn't matter if he was right. As a team leader, you can't undermine the coaches and hope to win. The coaching was competent, proven by the fact is they won the Super Bowl this year.

Ultimately, Tiki never bought into Coughlins program, and *****ed about his physical practices. He was a player who loved to talk to the press and on his way out the door he chose to trash Coughlin and Manning. However, this year the Giants bought into the program and showed what can happen. Tiki was an impediment to that happening, as was Shockey.

Doesn't mean he wasn't a great player, just means the Giants were better off without him. He wasn't the leader he was made out to be, he was a negative leader.

[mybills]

Re: It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

It doesn't matter if he was right.

It does matter when you don't want to laugh at him for not getting a ring, and you feel bad because he really did perform well for the team while he was there. But hey, that's my opinion. I still like him. I feel bad that he didn't get a ring. So what.

[Ickybaluky]

Re: It's gotta suck to be Tiki Barber today

It does matter when you don't want to laugh at him for not getting a ring, and you feel bad because he really did perform well for the team while he was there. But hey, that's my opinion. I still like him. I feel bad that he didn't get a ring. So what.

I'm not really laughing at him, but I don't feel bad for him at all. If he just shut his mouth and bought into what the Giants were doing he would have a ring.

IMO, if he played this year they do not win the title. He is too strong a personality and he would have undermined the chemistry that was a big part of their run. Even though he was a great player, his negative leadership would have hurt them.

It takes more than talent, as is shown every year.