Ok, so everyone's talking about this Eli Manning/Tiki Barber mini controversy. So hell, here's my take on it. I was actually watching the Sunday night game with the New York Giants vs. the Baltimore Ravens. The halftime show came on and there was Tiki, a man I admire and respect with uhhh, 2 other guys. They were introducing him into the lineup of anchors we'll have this season on NBC's Sunday Night Football. I remember thinking to myself, hmm, this is a bit of a tricky situation for Tiki to be in. Halftime show of a Giants game, and now he has to talk about their performance. And trust me, the way the Giants played in the first half, there were not many praises to be doled out. So the panel gets to talkin and they ask Tiki to tell them some stories; they want the scoop on what really went on behind closed doors. What's Lil' Manny (that's what I call him!) really like? Tiki, like a kid eager to please, gave up a story about passing a weekly motivational speech onto Manning for one game and he pretty much tanked. His voice was weak, and he seemed unsure and timid. Eli responded to Barber's jabs by questioning his leadership ability, citing his retirement announcement that came in the middle of last season, distracting the team, and an occasion when Tiki called out head coach Tom Coughlin.
I'm not mad at this situation for the same reasons other people are mad. Tiki didn't say anything the media hasn't been saying for years; Eli looks meek. His demeanor is stoic, he's not very animated, and he doesn't get guys hype, on the field, in the huddle, on the sidelines or in the locker room.
Eli is not his brother Peyton. I've heard people saying Tiki should just shut up and mind his business. Huh?! Football is his business! It's his (new) job to be critical of teams, and that includes the team he played for his entire NFL career. People are saying that Eli has finally said something in response to his critics. Hooray backbone!! You think after all these years in NY he's finally had decided to beat back? Nuh uh. Eli doesn't give a shit what all the other media analysts say. He cares about his job and his team, that's it. And when a former teammate, one that he thought he could trust, comes out against him with personal tales of his shortcomings and failures, Manning takes a stand. Eli's not mad that critics call him a sub par leader, he's mad TIKI called him a sub par leader. These guys were supposed to be friends, teammates at the least. When someone you look to for help to speak so negatively about you on national television, you really don't have much of a choice but to fire back and come to your own defense. And for what it's worth, I'm on Eli's side on this one.
Let's face it, Tiki is an analyst now, he's going to be dissecting teams, and it's impossible to think that everything he says will be positive. There will be some weaknesses pinpointed and some deficiencies exposed about his former team. That is to be expected. But revealing insider information? That's kinda low Tiki. When they asked him to disclose some info dirt on Manning, I expected Tiki to remain a bit impartial. Hell, let me just say it - Tiki should have kept his mouth shut! I would have respected his answer more had he given some lame story that didn't make Eli seem completely inadequate and feeble. Maybe something along the lines of him being young, and this year really being a pivotal year for him to grow and step more into that leadership role, especially with Tiki being gone. I've heard people say, Well, how come Tiki didn't say any of that while he was on the team? Duh DUMMIES!! Cuz he didn't want to belittle the guy who is supposed to be the cornerstone of their offense. In the traditional sense, the QB is the leader but we all know, including Eli, that Tiki ran that offense. It would have been in poor taste for him to lay into his QB during the week, and expect things to be all good on Sunday. That's not the way it works. He's Tiki, not T.O.
But hey, Tiki's tactlessness seems to have given Eli the motivation he needed to finally speak out. Tiki lit a bit of a fire under his ass, and for the first time, I think Manning actually felt it. Let's just hope this little flame will turn into a well-contained wild fire when he hits the field. If it doesn't, no one will be surprised. But if it does, we have Tiki to thank for it. That's Tiki for ya! Always helpin the Giants! Even after retirement.
I'm not mad at this situation for the same reasons other people are mad. Tiki didn't say anything the media hasn't been saying for years; Eli looks meek. His demeanor is stoic, he's not very animated, and he doesn't get guys hype, on the field, in the huddle, on the sidelines or in the locker room.
Eli is not his brother Peyton. I've heard people saying Tiki should just shut up and mind his business. Huh?! Football is his business! It's his (new) job to be critical of teams, and that includes the team he played for his entire NFL career. People are saying that Eli has finally said something in response to his critics. Hooray backbone!! You think after all these years in NY he's finally had decided to beat back? Nuh uh. Eli doesn't give a shit what all the other media analysts say. He cares about his job and his team, that's it. And when a former teammate, one that he thought he could trust, comes out against him with personal tales of his shortcomings and failures, Manning takes a stand. Eli's not mad that critics call him a sub par leader, he's mad TIKI called him a sub par leader. These guys were supposed to be friends, teammates at the least. When someone you look to for help to speak so negatively about you on national television, you really don't have much of a choice but to fire back and come to your own defense. And for what it's worth, I'm on Eli's side on this one.Let's face it, Tiki is an analyst now, he's going to be dissecting teams, and it's impossible to think that everything he says will be positive. There will be some weaknesses pinpointed and some deficiencies exposed about his former team. That is to be expected. But revealing insider information? That's kinda low Tiki. When they asked him to disclose some info dirt on Manning, I expected Tiki to remain a bit impartial. Hell, let me just say it - Tiki should have kept his mouth shut! I would have respected his answer more had he given some lame story that didn't make Eli seem completely inadequate and feeble. Maybe something along the lines of him being young, and this year really being a pivotal year for him to grow and step more into that leadership role, especially with Tiki being gone. I've heard people say, Well, how come Tiki didn't say any of that while he was on the team? Duh DUMMIES!! Cuz he didn't want to belittle the guy who is supposed to be the cornerstone of their offense. In the traditional sense, the QB is the leader but we all know, including Eli, that Tiki ran that offense. It would have been in poor taste for him to lay into his QB during the week, and expect things to be all good on Sunday. That's not the way it works. He's Tiki, not T.O.
But hey, Tiki's tactlessness seems to have given Eli the motivation he needed to finally speak out. Tiki lit a bit of a fire under his ass, and for the first time, I think Manning actually felt it. Let's just hope this little flame will turn into a well-contained wild fire when he hits the field. If it doesn't, no one will be surprised. But if it does, we have Tiki to thank for it. That's Tiki for ya! Always helpin the Giants! Even after retirement.
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