NEW YORK – Tiki Barber is back in the news and this time it was to announce the fact that he has come out of retirement and he is looking to play in the NFL in 2011. This is a brilliant way to get the spotlight on himself and use the media to make some money. He can make quite a bit just doing the interview tours now, since the season is months away. The guy needs money. I will not go into it anymore then that, it is already public knowledge and the talk of coffee shops around the entire tri-state area. It’s a win/win for him. If the CBA talks fall apart and there is a lockout, he can still save face and keep the money earned on publicity. The worst thing that can happen is he returns to the NFL and gets seriously injured.
It sounds like he is doing what he has to do to survive. Some of the New York Giants fans out there are loving this. The hate that Tiki Barber brought on himself by talking too much about Big Blue in public, in a town that hates talkers, has never been quelled. New York loves a comeback and Barber can redeem himself by taking ownership that what he did was wrong, in criticizing the Giants after spending his whole career there. Clearly, his analysis was wrong because the Giants won the Super Bowl that year by beating the undefeated New England Patriots.
The Giants have graciously (sarcasm) announced that they will release Barber from the retired list, so he can seek employment elsewhere in the NFL. The one theory floating around is that Ronde Barber might get him a job in Tampa Bay. Ronde just signed a new short term deal with the team this week. I’m not sure if this will work out or not but it makes sense that his brother would go to bat for him.
The fans have been so vocal about their dislike of Tiki Barber, that I would not be surprised if he had a Oprah moment and broke down. Barber can dismiss the insults in public but it has to hurt when he gets home. New York treated him like one of their own sons and he dissed them on national television. He talked about the head coach on camera too. We all know the history. Once you feel that New York love, it is hard to find anything else like it in the world. The other side of that coin must be the equal but with pain. If Barber wants redemption, he must break free of the arrogance that wallows in his swagger and apologize to the fans and Giants. He must do this to right things with his soul, regardless of where he ends up playing in 2011.
What do you think about RB Tiki Barber coming out of retirement and looking to play football in 2011?
RD – nygreporter.com
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Tiki isn’t even worth talking about…Hearing AP bash him in ESPN was classic though, and very classy of Pat Hanlon to back Pierce up via twitter afterwards!
Hey Josh, I know a lot of people that feel the same way you do. I have no desire to see Tiki back in New York but I don’t want to see a guy who played his whole career in New York not get a 2nd chance at making a living. I’m glad AP did what he did too and Pat always has some interesting things to say. Sit back and enjoy the show.
I’ll never understand Tiki’s ego, the guy was borderline hall of fame, had 3 pro bowls, and 10000+ rushing yards! He could have gone down as one of the greatest Giants in history! Why would he be so self destructive and ruin such a good and classy legacy?
I don’t understand it either, there was no need for ego at that point in his career and the pride stopping him form apologizing. Fame makes people go crazy sometimes I guess, I don’t know.