All Tiki All the Time

Tiki - As someone who has been a Giant fan for more than 20 years there are few Giants who draw my ire more than Tiki Barber. I steadfastly cling to the notion that Tiki was over rated and belongs nowhere near Canton. Yes, Tiki holds Giants records, yes Tiki was the best offensive player the Giants have had probably since Phil Simms (though Rodney Hampton was a better between the tackles runner and you cannot forget Chris Calloway or the ever steady Amani Toomer). Tiki's ascendence from 3rd down scat back to dominant rusher was unparalleled.

Now for the but, Tiki would routinely rip off 15 yard runs followed by 3 straight 2 yard runs. He would rush for 100 plus yards but have 65 come on 3 runs and gain 35 on the other 15, he was not great after contact, was a world class fumbler, especially in big spots and was a horrendous short yardage back (look at the Giants short yardage record prior to Brandon Jacobs). My biggest problem with Tiki Barber was always his me first attitude, (tv would commonly show closeups of Barber watching himself on the jumbo tron as he ran down the field) it is not a coincidence that the Giants have not won a Championship in Barber era.

He and Strahan have come to symbolize the lack of leadership from within the team. In the Fassel days it was no secret Tiki and Strahan ran the team and both rebelled against Coughlin from day one. I will admit some of Coughlin's discipline is archaic, the 5 min early is really on time nonsense, but if Tiki and Strahan had spent less time posturing for thier future television careers and got in line the others would have followed and the Giants may not have wasted a great deal of talent in an otherwise soft conference the last few years.

Tiki has now decided to challenge Eli Manning. I have no problem with this, Tiki is a tv personality, not a journalist and has to create controversy to gain a foothold in the industry. What I have a major problem with is Tiki attacking Tom Coughlin by claiming that Coughlin staying is the reason he chose to retire.

I admit, it sounds good and makes great tv. Maybe Tiki can sub for Barbara Walters on the View. If only it were true though. Typical Tiki throwing the man who saved his career from the scrap heap after fumbles in the playoffs, under the bus. Tiki's decision to retire was "accidentally" leaked during the first half of the 2006 season. At that point Coughlin's job was far from secure and the team was playing well. Tiki's announcement bred dissention in the locker room and ultimately contributed to a precipitous demise culminating in a 8-8 season with Coughlin firmly on the hot seat. It was obvious to anyone in the area that the announcement was carefully orchestrated to allow his agents to begin negotiations with the television networks and get a head start on the entertainment business, it had nothing to do with the coach. The Giants could have found George Welsh, dusted him off and made him the coach and it wouldn't have mattered. Barber was going to head to the bright lights.

Tiki owes his stardom to his own work ethic and to the tutoring of Tom Coughlin who not only corrected Tiki's mechanical issues but dared to use him as the lead featured back in a very physical division. He should stop trying to play the victim, he got exactly what he cleverly crafted, an exit from football and an entrance to high profile television. This is a guy who was called TV Barber even by his own teammates. Tiki has been a lot of things to the Giants, the only thing he has never been is honest.