Tiki Barber spoke on NFL Network Thursday from Hawaii, where he reiterated that the Pro Bowl will be the final time we see him in cleats (he said he's happy to go out as a teammate of his twin brother, Ronde) and that he is "one hundred percent" retired. But that's old news. The most interesting things Barber had to say were about his former quarterback, Eli Manning, and his former coach, Tom Coughlin. When asked about Manning's future, he said he thought Manning would continue to develop as a quarterback, and that the promotion of Kevin Gilbride from the Giants' quarterbacks coach to the offensive coordinator will help him because Gilbride won't "coddle" Manning.
Talking about Coughlin, though, Barber sounded as if he wanted a little more coddling. After saying New York was a good place for Manning, he was asked whether it's also a good place for Coughlin. He answered,
"That's a different question. He's got to change a little bit in some of the things that he does, in how he approaches his players and how he motivates us. Times have changed. Players are different. They don't always respond to constant criticisms and negative reinforcements. And he started to come towards us a little bit, but I think he's still got to do more. He's still got to listen to us and not keep us in pads for the whole season long, and understand that when players -- especially veteran players -- give you input, it helps to listen."
That's a pretty damaging sentiment, that Coughlin still needs to learn to listen to his players. Listening to Barber, I couldn't help but think maybe he could have been talked out of retiring if a new coach had been brought in. Barber isn't the type of person to state things that baldly -- he goes or I go -- but I wonder if he said anything like that behind the scenes.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-09-2007 @ 11:10AM
Mark W. said...
Stop wondering. If Barber said he goes or I go, there is no question the Giants would have chosen Barber. Coughlin had nothing to do with his decision. If Coughlin left (say last year) it would only have sped up his decision to retire and he would have retired last year. The last thing a player at the end of his career wants is a new coach. The only reason Barber played this year is he thought the team had a SB shot. He would not have felt the same way with a new coach.
The only way Tiki would have possibly not retired (but I am confident he still would have) is if the Giants had traded for Ronde so that they could play one last season together.
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2-09-2007 @ 1:00PM
Richard Scibona said...
Tiki Barber is a great football player. I wish him nothing but the best in the future. Tom Coughlin is a great football coach. He will win a super bowl someday. I am not so sure it will be with the GIANTS.
The media hates him and their are to many crybaby veterans on the team. The coaching job that Coughlin done with an expansion team at Jacksonville was one of the best jobs ever done in NFL history. The NFL needs some old school coaches. I hope Tom doesn't change.
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2-09-2007 @ 4:30PM
Jim said...
I take Tiki's assessment on coughlin over anyone elses
Coughlin is at best an anachronism and at worst a joke
The Giants will win, if they win, in spite of him, not because of him
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