Tiki Barber Praises Tom Coughlin

so much so that I sort of felt sorry for him.

He retires and rips the team, they go on to win the Superbowl.

His media career flounders, Strahan's soars to levels he only dreamed of.

In comment 12582781 JonC said:

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on his exit, he put himself above the team and bashed and aired dirty laundry in the media in an attempt to boost his post-football career. And, rather than recognize and make amends he would up the ante. Multiple bad moves, all selfish in nature, so I understand the anger towards him.

Yes, that was a mistake. If he had not said what was on his mind, but repeated the "any give sunday"pablum, everyone would still be in love with him.

He is a human being that is speaking his mind. If he is wrong, he is a bad analyst, there are many. But that is not what I am seeing here. What I see is that Tiki broke some code about what coach/teammates say to the media. Also, Tiki's marriage ended in divorce, so anything he says is wrong, or worse, speaks to him being an asshole. Not fair.

People need to grow up. Tiki Barber ws a great Giant. Like LT, I don't have to love everything or hate everything about him to see that.

As for me personally, what he said about his team those years ago were truths that people dont speak. So now he can compare himself with L. Bell or praise the current Giants, and I can see his point with all of that. He gets grief no matter what he says and I personally don't understand it, especially on a fan-site.

this team is lacking in talent,when does reese get some heat?

Tiki Barber, post-NFL, was a schmuck, who wouldn't "leave it alone." He kept exacerbating things, until and when he decided, "hey, this is not doing me any good" and now you're getting pieces like this coming out, even if what he says is hard to disagree with..

Strahan was far from a saint, but he knew to keep lockerroom stuff where it belonged..

That surely felt like a betrayal, and his media comments fueled the hate he received, not to mention the outrage he was cheating/leaving the pregnant wife, tripled down on the betrayal, in some perspectives.

People might not be able to separate football player from human being, that's for each to figure out on their own. It's much harder in this age to not hear about a man's mistakes. Even LT would lose love nowadays given his issues that were more easily swept under the rug in 1985.

Personally, I try to separate the football player from the man and treat accordingly, but that doesn't always feel true either.

above...perhaps that is true but, beyond anything else let's remember that in mid-2006 Tiki publicly announced his intention to retire at the end of the season. As I recall, the team took great offence to that and, by the team, I mean his brothers, his teammates.

Several including Antonio Pierce pointed out how it became all about him and, as I recall, that season spiralled downward as a result. Granted, he played a fantastic game against Washington in the season finale to get us into the playoffs but for a leader on the team to do that was just another example that it was all about Tiki.

Look, I make no bones about it...I have not forgiven Tiki just as I will never forgive Burress...both for being huge dumbasses. Not to mention for the first several years he was out of football he went out of his way to knock the Giants and TC in spite of the fact he had his three best seasons, and collected almost half his career rushing total, under Coughlin. Yes, Tom was a hardass from 2004-2006 but we needed that after Fassel.

The players learned, with a little softening, that TC was all about one thing and one thing only, WINNING. Can you honestly say that about Barber? Also, I concur with those who said I could care less about his personal life. Now, comparing him to LT, whose personal life was a mess, is totally and completely ridiculous. No player in Giant history, at least my 54 years of Giants history, ever wanted to win more than LT and his history of playing through injuries etc. is legendary.

Fact is Barber put himself before the team and then criticized the very person who helped to make him a great Giant because, without TC, Barber is just an afterthought.

In comment 12582689 That’s Gold, Jerry said:

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Tom. I don't think Tom has spoken to him since Tiki retired.

Any you know this how?

You mean the guy who was with Plax the night he shot himself? Now THAT'S leadership!

with the first part of his statement on the job TC is doing and how the team has responded. The secod part about winning the division is a bit of a reach at this point. About time he acknowledged ELI as well. But as a TIKI hater in the past, I give him his due on this long over due show of respect for Coughlin. Not easy for a guy like him to make this transition after the past.

In comment 12582884 That’s Gold, Jerry said:

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above...perhaps that is true but, beyond anything else let's remember that in mid-2006 Tiki publicly announced his intention to retire at the end of the season. As I recall, the team took great offence to that and, by the team, I mean his brothers, his teammates. Several including Antonio Pierce pointed out how it became all about him and, as I recall, that season spiralled downward as a result. Granted, he played a fantastic game against Washington in the season finale to get us into the playoffs but for a leader on the team to do that was just another example that it was all about Tiki. Look, I make no bones about it...I have not forgiven Tiki just as I will never forgive Burress...both for being huge dumbasses. Not to mention for the first several years he was out of football he went out of his way to knock the Giants and TC in spite of the fact he had his three best seasons, and collected almost half his career rushing total, under Coughlin. Yes, Tom was a hardass from 2004-2006 but we needed that after Fassel. The players learned, with a little softening, that TC was all about one thing and one thing only, WINNING. Can you honestly say that about Barber? Also, I concur with those who said I could care less about his personal life. Now, comparing him to LT, whose personal life was a mess, is totally and completely ridiculous. No player in Giant history, at least my 54 years of Giants history, ever wanted to win more than LT and his history of playing through injuries etc. is legendary. Fact is Barber put himself before the team and then criticized the very person who helped to make him a great Giant because, without TC, Barber is just an afterthought.

Excellent post. By announcing his retirement, was that putting himself above his team, or was he just being honest, or both?

MY comparison to LT was simply to say that fans forgive personal indiscretions a lot. So why cut one player a break and not another. In fact, if you are cutting one player a break because they have pro-bowl talent, but then send a player from the practice squad walking for the same offense, it is pretty clear where the priorities are.

and particularly like Don Quixote's post.

But please don't go overboard, while a case can be made that he was the Giant's greatest running back to say that it's clear cut is wrong. Frank Gifford won an MVP for the whole damn league as a Giant running back, you can't say he doesn't belong in the conversation.

In comment 12582664 Old Dirty Beckham said:

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is Giant fans are upset about with him because he said something about Eli Manning (that was probably true at the time) but not because he cheated on his pregnant wife.

Actually, I can't stand him for BOTH reasons.

all about winning? Show me one play in any game, in any season, that TIki took off? Find me one game where he didn't play his hardest or one season where his work ethic was questioned. Tiki left it all on the field every time he suited up.

Let's not revise history.

As to the idea that he announced mid-season, so what? Barry Sanders retired in the off-season and Lions fans turned on him for not giving advanced notice.

In comment 12582884 That’s Gold, Jerry said:

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above...perhaps that is true but, beyond anything else let's remember that in mid-2006 Tiki publicly announced his intention to retire at the end of the season. As I recall, the team took great offence to that and, by the team, I mean his brothers, his teammates. Several including Antonio Pierce pointed out how it became all about him and, as I recall, that season spiralled downward as a result. Granted, he played a fantastic game against Washington in the season finale to get us into the playoffs but for a leader on the team to do that was just another example that it was all about Tiki. Look, I make no bones about it...I have not forgiven Tiki just as I will never forgive Burress...both for being huge dumbasses. Not to mention for the first several years he was out of football he went out of his way to knock the Giants and TC in spite of the fact he had his three best seasons, and collected almost half his career rushing total, under Coughlin. Yes, Tom was a hardass from 2004-2006 but we needed that after Fassel. The players learned, with a little softening, that TC was all about one thing and one thing only, WINNING. Can you honestly say that about Barber? Also, I concur with those who said I could care less about his personal life. Now, comparing him to LT, whose personal life was a mess, is totally and completely ridiculous. No player in Giant history, at least my 54 years of Giants history, ever wanted to win more than LT and his history of playing through injuries etc. is legendary. Fact is Barber put himself before the team and then criticized the very person who helped to make him a great Giant because, without TC, Barber is just an afterthought.

If you haven't "forgiven" Tiki, you need to grow the fuck up. He did not himself in front of the team by announcing his retirement. That is not why the season spiraled downhill, and if that threw off a whole season for a team, that team wasn't going anywhere anyway. He also willed them to the playoffs himself (as you admitted).

Barber is also not an "afterthought" without Coughlin. Barber was a good back before Coughlin, but turned into a great one with him. Coughlin helped Tiki with the fumbling problems, and Tiki flourished in his offense, but the notion that Coughlin is somehow solely responsible for Tiki flourishing as he got older, and not his training regiment or own hard work, just isn't fair.

I absolutely do think Tiki cared about winning when he was on the field. He never half assed it and was our engine for years. To contend that Tiki didn't care about winning is stupid.

He left it all out on the field. Tiki is the man and deserves no disrespect for Giants fan, particularly disrespect while he compliments the fucking team.

I remember when fan favorite Strahan while in a contract dispute openly questioned whether he could trust Wellington to keep his word about taking care of him and Tiki is the one Giants who boldly and publicly took him to task for it. Worse yet if memory serves me I believe Strahan did all this while coach Fassel was away to attend his moms funeral.

I remember it was Tiki visiting Wellington in the hospital and going out and having a tremendous game to beat the redskins and then running over and giving the ball to the Mara family.

He was the best RB the team has ever had, and put together one of the best seasons any RB the league has ever seen.

For a lot of years he was the offense and carried this team on his back. I can't imagine where this team would have been during some of those years without Tiki's contributions.

I never cared for how he clashed with Coughlin and I think even he would admit that he likely was a year or two premature in retiring and probably did so because of immaturely thinking he would easily go on to become a media star and the Giants wouldn't as easily be able to over come his leaving and coach Coughlin would "regret" not treating him "better".

He was a young man who when trying to launch his new career tried too hard to look "impartial, and tried too hard to be a little controversial to sell brand Tiki, and couldn't resist taking a swipe at those who had come in and changed the team in ways he likely didn't approve of, the team he loved and had always been so loyal and aligned with.

He is one of the all time great NY Giants who also happened to be a little selfish and immature and therefore made some poor choices after leaving the team. Big deal it happens. People need to get over it.

No one worked harder than Tiki in the offseason. He trained like a demon year-round.

In comment 12582998 steve in ky said:

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I remember when fan favorite Strahan while in a contract dispute openly questioned whether he could trust Wellington to keep his word about taking care of him and Tiki is the one Giants who boldly and publicly took him to task for it. Worse yet if memory serves me I believe Strahan did all this while coach Fassel was away to attend his moms funeral. I remember it was Tiki visiting Wellington in the hospital and going out and having a tremendous game to beat the redskins and then running over and giving the ball to the Mara family. He was the best RB the team has ever had, and put together one of the best seasons any RB the league has ever seen. For a lot of years he was the offense and carried this team on his back. I can't imagine where this team would have been during some of those years without Tiki's contributions. I never cared for how he clashed with Coughlin and I think even he would admit that he likely was a year or two premature in retiring and probably did so because of immaturely thinking he would easily go on to become a media star and the Giants wouldn't as easily be able to over come his leaving and coach Coughlin would "regret" not treating him "better". He was a young man who when trying to launch his new career tried too hard to look "impartial, and tried too hard to be a little controversial to sell brand Tiki, and couldn't resist taking a swipe at those who had come in and changed the team in ways he likely didn't approve of, the team he loved and had always been so loyal and aligned with. He is one of the all time great NY Giants who also happened to be a little selfish and immature and therefore made some poor choices after leaving the team. Big deal it happens. People need to get over it.

Good post.

Meanwhile, I don't care anymore what you think of Tom Coughlin, current players on this team, none of it. Just not interested at all.

In comment 12582998 steve in ky said:

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I remember when fan favorite Strahan while in a contract dispute openly questioned whether he could trust Wellington to keep his word about taking care of him and Tiki is the one Giants who boldly and publicly took him to task for it. Worse yet if memory serves me I believe Strahan did all this while coach Fassel was away to attend his moms funeral. I remember it was Tiki visiting Wellington in the hospital and going out and having a tremendous game to beat the redskins and then running over and giving the ball to the Mara family. He was the best RB the team has ever had, and put together one of the best seasons any RB the league has ever seen. For a lot of years he was the offense and carried this team on his back. I can't imagine where this team would have been during some of those years without Tiki's contributions. I never cared for how he clashed with Coughlin and I think even he would admit that he likely was a year or two premature in retiring and probably did so because of immaturely thinking he would easily go on to become a media star and the Giants wouldn't as easily be able to over come his leaving and coach Coughlin would "regret" not treating him "better". He was a young man who when trying to launch his new career tried too hard to look "impartial, and tried too hard to be a little controversial to sell brand Tiki, and couldn't resist taking a swipe at those who had come in and changed the team in ways he likely didn't approve of, the team he loved and had always been so loyal and aligned with. He is one of the all time great NY Giants who also happened to be a little selfish and immature and therefore made some poor choices after leaving the team. Big deal it happens. People need to get over it.

I feel like that, then I watch the video of him bashing Eli. The smirk..it's hard. I can't argue with what you just typed, it is all true. That betrayal still stings though. Tiki is no longer dead to me. It's time to get over it.

The greatest Running back in our history. They guy did it all..all. A tremendous runner. To this day I have never seen anyone use blocks the way Tiki did. Amazing. When the giants didn't have much at times they always had him. He was tremendous at blitz pickup and a great pass catcher..great..out of the backfield. A guy you could leave on the field all 60 minutes. People forget that. What he said about the Giants after he retired was terrible,He is definitely a douche but Who cares about what he did to his wife. Probably half the people reading this have been divorced or stepped out on their wife or Girlfriend. Why would we as Giant fans give two shits that he cheated on his pregnant wife. Maybe she was a cunt.Such a mixed bag with Tiki though. What he said about Eli and Couglin should have him hated but for what he did and gave as a player should elevate him to the highest ring of rings. Touch call on what I feel about him. Just my 2 cents.

In comment 12583048 Thegratefulhead said:

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In comment 12582998 steve in ky said: Quote: I remember when fan favorite Strahan while in a contract dispute openly questioned whether he could trust Wellington to keep his word about taking care of him and Tiki is the one Giants who boldly and publicly took him to task for it. Worse yet if memory serves me I believe Strahan did all this while coach Fassel was away to attend his moms funeral. I remember it was Tiki visiting Wellington in the hospital and going out and having a tremendous game to beat the redskins and then running over and giving the ball to the Mara family. He was the best RB the team has ever had, and put together one of the best seasons any RB the league has ever seen. For a lot of years he was the offense and carried this team on his back. I can't imagine where this team would have been during some of those years without Tiki's contributions. I never cared for how he clashed with Coughlin and I think even he would admit that he likely was a year or two premature in retiring and probably did so because of immaturely thinking he would easily go on to become a media star and the Giants wouldn't as easily be able to over come his leaving and coach Coughlin would "regret" not treating him "better". He was a young man who when trying to launch his new career tried too hard to look "impartial, and tried too hard to be a little controversial to sell brand Tiki, and couldn't resist taking a swipe at those who had come in and changed the team in ways he likely didn't approve of, the team he loved and had always been so loyal and aligned with. He is one of the all time great NY Giants who also happened to be a little selfish and immature and therefore made some poor choices after leaving the team. Big deal it happens. People need to get over it. I feel like that, then I watch the video of him bashing Eli. The smirk..it's hard. I can't argue with what you just typed, it is all true. That betrayal still stings though. Tiki is no longer dead to me. It's time to get over it.

Two Superbowl MVP's later, I highly doubt Eli's worried about it. And if he doesn't care, you shouldn't either.

It was tepid criticism of a guy who had accomplished absolutely nothing to that point in his career. The horror! The horror!

comes off as comical and laughable, meaning you don't take him seriously.... yeah, that's bashing.

Whether it's true or not, you just don't say that.

not like it was some mid-week interview on SNY.

He's a manipulative self promoter. This is just an attempt to re-invent his image. Many Giants fans rightly took his past comments as a two faced betrayal. The resulting backlash hit him in the one area likely to prompt behavior modification for such a narcissist...his wallet.

.

In comment 12583313 JonC said:

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.

Was that for Torrag? If so, I echo the ding ding

In comment 12582727 Britt in VA said:

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In comment 12582694 DonQuixote said: Quote: First, he is one of the greatest Giant running backs of all time. Second, he may be critical at times of Eli or Coughlin, but in this case, is complementary of both. Maybe he was wrong in one instance or another, maybe he was right all along ad Coughlin and Eli have had ups and downs in their careers. Maybe he was just (gasp!) speaking his mind. Third, 50% or so of marriages end in divorce. It is never clean, or easy. So Tiki may have been a complete dick to his wife, or not. We can't know and it is none of our business. The fact that he had an affair says nothing about what he says about football. He said that Eli's leadership was comical and that everybody hated Tom Coughlin immediately after leaving the team. That's pretty bad stuff to air out in the media, for a QB in his third year who is trying to learn how to lead and a Coach who's trying to build a certain type of lockerroom. And really, neither were true, as evident by the end of the season that he said it. Don't care about his personal life, that's his business, but it just happened all around the same time so it was fuel to the fire. I've forgiven him, but it was pretty lame that he did that, especially saying that Eli's attempts in the huddle to lead were being laughed at.

Both Tom and Eli changed a lot. So Tiki may have been right, even if he was wrong to go public.

At that point in time, fans put their annoyance with him on public display, and arrogance was rewarded. At that point, I didn't really give a turd about it, but understood the reactions. Fans burn for their teams, the team is bigger than the individual.

Fans who are still pissed, that's up to them.

people how to feel about a player's personality is pissing into the wind.

I've never been a fan of his personality but he could flat ass play football.

In comment 12583297 Torrag said:

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He's a manipulative self promoter. This is just an attempt to re-invent his image. Many Giants fans rightly took his past comments as a two faced betrayal. The resulting backlash hit him in the one area likely to prompt behavior modification for such a narcissist...his wallet.

Good post . This is very true, but feel he right about Coughlin and ELI. TIKI will always be the opportunistic TIKI. Great RB in his later years no doubt, wish we had him now

Strahan (in his book) bashed Tom a lot harder than Tiki ever did.

Both men have gotten over it, but the scares of that period can still be seen, when they interact.

In comment 12582688 area junc said:

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compare the 2007 team to the 2011 team. most felt the 07 team wasn't that good, and that the 11 team may've been the least talented to ever win a Super Bowl. well - compare the current team to the 2011 team. the 11 team looks like a Pro Bowl roster compared to now

This

the stuff he said very well could be true. It probably was "comical" to watch a young QB try to get the attention of a locker room full of established vets, like it is to see a Freshman try to lead a group of Seniors. Airing out the laundry was wrong, but I frankly don't give a shit anymore.

I still don't like how Tiki went about retiring in '06/some of his comments towards TC, but I'm over it. He was a tremendous RB.

sucked off Kehl for comments that were probably worse.

Tiki called 2006 Eli goofy, Kehl said 2x Super Bowl MVP 2015 Eli was someone he'd "hate to have on his team during the regular season".

In comment 12582647 AP in Halfmoon said:

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but something tells me many here disagree.

I think Tiki is being fair. Let's just end the discussion now, let the past be the past and move on already.

Damn...

don't give a rat's ass what Tiki Barber thinks or has to say.

He had his chance here and showed he was incapable of being a team player. He was nothing but a cancer that had to be cut out before the team could go on and win a SB.

specifically because they didn't have Tiki? That's rich.

I guess the performance of those rookies, bringing in a new defensive coordinator with a new philosophy, a more mature quarterback, and a coach who changed his philosophy of dealing with players had nothing to do with it.

It's one thing to hate what he said, it's another to invent ideas that Tiki was the reason we couldn't win

I believe Tiki would have remained a Giant.

In comment 12584284 Giants2012 said:

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I believe Tiki would have remained a Giant.

Tiki was a workout warrior that ran "the Hill" where no one else aside from Comella would dare try to run up..Practice was not a negative factor for him..

In comment 12584302 Big Blue '56 said:

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In comment 12584284 Giants2012 said: Quote: I believe Tiki would have remained a Giant. Tiki was a workout warrior that ran "the Hill" where no one else aside from Comella would dare try to run up..Practice was not a negative factor for him..

Tiki complained that the contact during the week would wear him out and he didn't have time to heal. With few, if any, contact practices, would he have remained. Big difference between contact practices and working out.

the time around he retired was when stories kept referencing the unfortunate state of guys like Earl Campbell post-retirement.

In comment 12582998 steve in ky said:

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I remember when fan favorite Strahan while in a contract dispute openly questioned whether he could trust Wellington to keep his word about taking care of him and Tiki is the one Giants who boldly and publicly took him to task for it. Worse yet if memory serves me I believe Strahan did all this while coach Fassel was away to attend his moms funeral. I remember it was Tiki visiting Wellington in the hospital and going out and having a tremendous game to beat the redskins and then running over and giving the ball to the Mara family. He was the best RB the team has ever had, and put together one of the best seasons any RB the league has ever seen. For a lot of years he was the offense and carried this team on his back. I can't imagine where this team would have been during some of those years without Tiki's contributions. I never cared for how he clashed with Coughlin and I think even he would admit that he likely was a year or two premature in retiring and probably did so because of immaturely thinking he would easily go on to become a media star and the Giants wouldn't as easily be able to over come his leaving and coach Coughlin would "regret" not treating him "better". He was a young man who when trying to launch his new career tried too hard to look "impartial, and tried too hard to be a little controversial to sell brand Tiki, and couldn't resist taking a swipe at those who had come in and changed the team in ways he likely didn't approve of, the team he loved and had always been so loyal and aligned with. He is one of the all time great NY Giants who also happened to be a little selfish and immature and therefore made some poor choices after leaving the team. Big deal it happens. People need to get over it.

This is a great post. Spot on all throughout.

In comment 12584224 baadbill said:

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don't give a rat's ass what Tiki Barber thinks or has to say. He had his chance here and showed he was incapable of being a team player. He was nothing but a cancer that had to be cut out before the team could go on and win a SB.

Complete and total false narrative.

That post left me speechless

In comment 12584224 baadbill said:

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don't give a rat's ass what Tiki Barber thinks or has to say. He had his chance here and showed he was incapable of being a team player. He was nothing but a cancer that had to be cut out before the team could go on and win a SB.

Incapable of being a team player, yet carried the team on his back week 17 in 2006, saving Coughlins job and making SB 42 possible when he had nothing to gain in the situation.

Let. It. Go.

to undermine Coughlin in the locker room ... I never cared what Barber said after he was gone - it was while he was here that made me despise him (he went from my favorite Giant to the single worst example of a jackass in team history in my eyes) ... the run ins he had with Coughlin were well documented and discussed ad nauseum right here on BBI WHILE HE WAS STiLL WEARiNG BlUE

In comment 12584523 j_rud said:

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In comment 12584224 baadbill said: Quote: don't give a rat's ass what Tiki Barber thinks or has to say. He had his chance here and showed he was incapable of being a team player. He was nothing but a cancer that had to be cut out before the team could go on and win a SB. Incapable of being a team player, yet carried the team on his back week 17 in 2006, saving Coughlins job and making SB 42 possible when he had nothing to gain in the situation. Let. It. Go.

TC's job was never in Jeopardy in 2006. BBI and the media thought so, but the Maras loved the guy and had been trying to get him to rejoin the family since 1992...All Mara asked of TC was to lighten up with the players and be kinder to the press, which he did..Tiki had zero to do with TC's standing here..

Re Tiki and TC's job