Tiki Barber had some harsh words concerning Coughlin

[Mr.Dibbs]

Giants | Barber says he retired because of Coughlin
Tue, 4 Sep 2007 09:56:18 -0700

ESPN.com reports retired RB Tiki Barber writes in his new book, "Tiki: My Life in the Game and Beyond," that he may still be playing in the NFL if head coach Tom Coughlin weren't still coaching the New York Giants. "If Tom Coughlin had not remained as head coach of the Giants, I might still be in a Giants uniform," Barber writes in his book, according to the New York Daily News. "(Coughlin) robbed me of what had been one of the most important things I had in my life, which was the joy I felt playing football. I had lost that. He had taken it away."

 

[The Commish]

I don't like Coughlin or Eli, but I've always thought Tiki was a pansy.

 

[MadCardDisease]

I think Coughlin is way over rated. I was shocked that the Giants kept him this year.

 

[nurnay]

I dislike Tiki more and more every time he opens his mouth.

 

[BigRedRage]

boohoo I'm a little girl who cannot take responsibility for my own decisions waaaaah

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I dislike Tiki more and more every time he opens his mouth.

I agree.

What a baby.

 

[Mitch]

Not good to burn his bridges...what good is it now? First he dissed Eli, now Coughlin...imagine what loyal Giants fans must think of Tikki now, whether they like Eli and Coughlin or not.

Why not just go out on a great season like he did and go out with class and leave all the rest behind?

Obviously, Tiki is vindictive.

That said, if what Tiki says about Coughlin taking all the fun out of the game for him is true...and we can all see why...Coughlin is a fastidious taskmaster and control freak, a la Bill Parcells, his mentor...only Parcells had charisma and an understanding of what makes the players tick...Coughlin seems to have neither.

Even though pro football is a business, it's still a kid's game being played by adults...and Tiki raises an interesting question because for pros to not be able to retain a kid-like excitement for the game they love is a shame...hard ass coaches can take away all the fun, they really can...

Ironically, Tiki, despite not enjoying his job, turned in another stellar season last year...give him some credit for that.

 

[Gambit]

I don't like Coughlin or Eli, but I've always thought Tiki was a pansy.

And his dance moves as evidenced in the DirectTV commercial are laughable.

 

[Wild Card]

That said, if what Tiki says about Coughlin taking all the fun out of the game for him is true...and we can all see why...Coughlin is a fastidious taskmaster and control freak, a la Bill Parcells, his mentor...only Parcells had charisma and an understanding of what makes the players tick...Coughlin seems to have neither.

Mitch:

I find it interesting, however, that Tiki Barber has yet to make the following connection:

Tom Coughlin, head coach New York Giants 2004, 2005, 2006
Tiki Barber, 3-time Pro Bowler 2004, 2005, 2006

Coughlin is generally credited for fixing Tiki's propensity for fumbling soon after taking over the HC job. Coughlin had spotted a fundamental problem with the way Barber carried the ball, and worked with him in practice to correct it. Tiki went on to have the three highest rushing totals of his career, finishing in the league's top 5 for rushing yards and yards from scrimmage every year he played for Coughlin.

Say you what you will about Tom Coughlin's people skills, but he seems to have made Tiki Barber a better, more productive player. Isn't that what they pay coaches to do?

WC

 

[Mitch]

Mitch:

I find it interesting, however, that Tiki Barber has yet to make the following connection:

Tom Coughlin, head coach New York Giants 2004, 2005, 2006
Tiki Barber, 3-time Pro Bowler 2004, 2005, 2006

Coughlin is generally credited for fixing Tiki's propensity for fumbling soon after taking over the HC job. Coughlin had spotted a fundamental problem with the way Barber carried the ball, and worked with him in practice to correct it. Tiki went on to have the three highest rushing totals of his career, finishing in the league's top 5 for rushing yards and yards from scrimmage every year he played for Coughlin.

Say you what you will about Tom Coughlin's people skills, but he seems to have made Tiki Barber a better, more productive player. Isn't that what they pay coaches to do?

WC

Excellent points, Wild Card!

 

[Pariah]

From what I heard, Tiki DOES credit Coughlin with making him a better, more productive football player.

That doesn't mean that he enjoyed playing football more, though.

 

[CtCardinals78]

Tiki was one of my favorite non Cardinal football players. The more he opens his mouth the more I start to dislike him. Where was all of this last year? He could have aired his greivences after the season was over and demanded a trade. But retiring and lobbing insults at his former team makes him look bad, not Coughlin.

Coughlin from what I hear has no respect from a lot of players and former player, but to lob bombs to get ratings for your show or to sell books makes him look like a coward. Announcing your retiremenet mid season is a coward move too. Tough it out and if your going to retire do it at the end of the season.

 

[HeavyB3]

I listen to the Barber Shop on Sirius NFL Radio with both the Barbers. Tiki said that this information is not in his book and that while Couhglin was part of his decision to retire, it was only a small part. He said the reporter who wrote this pisses him off because he isn't reporting the facts, only his interpretation of what was said in his book. Besides, this is old news. We all know Tiki didn't like Coughlin.

 

[Redsz]

His comments about Eli Manning make me scratch my head.

Eli isn't my favourite player in the world, but what is he exactly trying to achieve by thrashing him? When you do something like that you create a great deal of tension within the locker room.

It just shows that Tiki would rather create the wrong type of head-lines than see his team succeed.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

First off:

From what I heard, Tiki DOES credit Coughlin with making him a better, more productive football player.

That doesn't mean that he enjoyed playing football more, though.

Yes, but it gave Tiki the fame and the means to be a "sports celebrity". If Tiki stayed (and in my mind he did) as a 3rd down back type player he wouldn't have NY headlines, books, commercials, and radio shows.

Basically no one would care what he had to say if it wasn't for his RECENT success. Because Barber only had a few good years, yet acts like he is one of the all time greats. He played football in NYC and is over hyped that is what his career amounts to.

Tiki Barber owes Coughlin a lot. He is an ungrateful, arrogant ass and he will soon be gone from our lives....see below.

I listen to the Barber Shop on Sirius NFL Radio with both the Barbers.

This is the worst talk show ever. It is 2 hours of the Barber's kissing each other's butts.

Every single thing said by either one 95% of the time is:

" Well, at Tampa Bay we do this........"

oe

"When I played for the Giants we did this......."

It is a 2 hours love fest of the Barbers talking about each other.

Seriously, Jerimiah Trotter being picked up by Tampa Bay is not a 45 minute topic.

Listening, to Tiki Barber call anyone who doesn't agree with him a jerk is not a 30 minute topic.

I really like NFL radio but Tuesday nights and Wednesday mornings thier horrible show is on and I can't even listen to it as background noise.

I hate both Barber's but especially Tiki "I am a lazy crybaby" Barber.

My hope is that thier horrible journalistic skills will get them thrown out of the public eye.

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

Sounds kind of like Barry Sanders temper tantrum retirement because he didn't like Bobby Ross.

If I made their kind of money, and hated my boss that much, I'd retire too!

 

[john h]

I don't like Coughlin or Eli, but I've always thought Tiki was a pansy.

Tiki a pansy??? That guy could tote the ball in and out of traffic and came to play every day. I sure wish we had a running back of his caliber. He is also smarter than most NFL players. Maybe you know something about him I do not?

 

[john h]

Not good to burn his bridges...what good is it now? First he dissed Eli, now Coughlin...imagine what loyal Giants fans must think of Tikki now, whether they like Eli and Coughlin or not.

Why not just go out on a great season like he did and go out with class and leave all the rest behind?

Obviously, Tiki is vindictive.

That said, if what Tiki says about Coughlin taking all the fun out of the game for him is true...and we can all see why...Coughlin is a fastidious taskmaster and control freak, a la Bill Parcells, his mentor...only Parcells had charisma and an understanding of what makes the players tick...Coughlin seems to have neither.

Even though pro football is a business, it's still a kid's game being played by adults...and Tiki raises an interesting question because for pros to not be able to retain a kid-like excitement for the game they love is a shame...hard ass coaches can take away all the fun, they really can...

Ironically, Tiki, despite not enjoying his job, turned in another stellar season last year...give him some credit for that.

Any athlete who is selling a book is going to have stuff like that in it. In his mind it may all be true. Others may see it differently. If Couglin is a slug does not a player need to say it in order to promote some change in what he sees as a bad situation or should he just walk out and keep his mouth shut? Clearly players on the team cannot say what he said as they risk their jobs. None of this takes away what he did on the field as a football player. He was good.

 

[Wild Card]

If Coughlin is a slug does not a player need to say it in order to promote some change in what he sees as a bad situation or should he just walk out and keep his mouth shut? Clearly players on the team cannot say what he said as they risk their jobs. None of this takes away what he did on the field as a football player. He was good.

John:

Sure, Tiki Barber was a good player. But you have to wonder if he thought the game was a lot more fun in the Giants' last season pre-Coughlin, when Barber was the leading rusher for a 4-12 team that lost its last eight games in a row under Jim Fassel and was ranked 30th for points scored and 29th for points allowed. Yeah, I can see why he'd be nostalgic for those good old days.

WC

 

[Pariah]

I've had a lot of fun playing on really bad lacrosse teams and not nearly as much fun playing on dominant ones. I don't see coughlin bringing winning back to the Giants as incompatible with Barber having less fun playing under him.

And, for the record, I think Barber is WAY off-base for his comments (all of them), and I don't really care for him. Never have.

 

[BigRedRage]

Tiki a pansy??? That guy could tote the ball in and out of traffic and came to play every day. I sure wish we had a running back of his caliber. He is also smarter than most NFL players. Maybe you know something about him I do not?

The personality and demeanor of a pansy.

 

[Pariah]

The personality and demeanor of a pansy.

So, a guy can be as tough as nails, but if he speaks in proper english and doesn't curse or spit, he's a pansy?

 

[Wild Card]

I've had a lot of fun playing on really bad lacrosse teams and not nearly as much fun playing on dominant ones. I don't see coughlin bringing winning back to the Giants as incompatible with Barber having less fun playing under him.

Pariah:

And if the point of you playing rec league lacrosse is to have fun, then you'd be justified in bailing on a coach that was taking winning--and himself--too seriously. But if Tiki Barber was being paid millions of dollars to be a professional athlete, and he's whining about a taskmaster coach having "robbed him of the joy" of playing football at the same time that he was going to multiple Pro Bowls for the first time in his career, then boo-effing-hoo.

I know the physical toll that pro football can take on the people who play it, and I have no issue with someone who chooses to hang it up with his health intact and a record of achievement. But I agree with you that Barber should have kept his mouth shut after cashing the last of the Giants' checks.

WC

 

[BigRedRage]

So, a guy can be as tough as nails, but if he speaks in proper english and doesn't curse or spit, he's a pansy?

Do you really think thats why I call him a pansy? I dont care what he does. His personality screams little b to me. If you disagree, disagree. I do not like him, shaun alexander and a few other players who I think are just little twinkies.

 

[BigRedRage]

boohoo I'm a little girl who cannot take responsibility for my own decisions waaaaah

^^^^Pansy.