I couldn't help myself yesterday when a friend e-mailed me the news that Tiki Barber was coming out of retirement. I used caps. "WHAT????" which was followed by, "Are you F--KING kidding me?" Then, lo and behold, as I confirmed the story, venom started to rise up in my chest, ready to be unleashed. Who does this guy think he is, anyway? Of course,we all loved Tiki, especially when he was putting up 2-burgers against the Redskins. But the man started to say nasty things about his coach (as did another cancer-in-the-locker-room, Jeremy Shockey) while still playing for the team. And then he had no shortage of bad things to say while working for NBC, usually when the Giants had lost a game in sloppy and/or heartbreaking fashion, which led to the loudest boos you've ever heard at the Ring of Honor ceremony last October. Then, of course, he left his wfie for someone almost half his age while the wife was pregnant with twins. Thankfully the Giants will release him and let the hounds start sniffing him--and by hounds, I'm referring to Al Davis and Dan Snyder.
Here are some comments from around the web about Tiki's un-retirement:
Tiki Barber alienated Giants, can't come back to them after way he retired and criticized team on TV
There was a better chance of Tom Coughlin calling up Frank Gifford - who happens to be 80 - to coax him out of retirement than the Giants coach letting Tiki Barber walk back into the Big Blue locker room and poison it again.
Ha! I couldn't have said that any better.
Former Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce criticizes Tiki Barber in his return to NFL | NJ.com
"If that’s the guy you think you’re bringing in, you might want to look in another direction because, from personal experience, he didn’t do anything to help the Giants the last year, especially in 2006 when he decided to retire in the middle of the season and then months later questioned our quarterback and our head coach."
It's not like Pierce is a choirboy, but it's funny that he was one of the first to jump in and say something. I wonder what Strahan is thinking or what he will say.
Tiki Barber is coming out of retirement - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
If money is truly his motivation, this story starts to lose some of its charm. I hope he's coming back because he loves to compete and feels like he can still run with the young whippersnappers. If it's true that he's doing it because he needs the money, it feels less like Rocky IV, and a little more like Mike Tyson vs. Kevin McBride.
Yeah, what he said!
New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs playing it safe - espnW
Brandon Jacobs doesn't want to be idle in the event of an NFL lockout, and the Giants running back and boxing enthusiast had considered the idea of trying to get a few fights during any work stoppage. Boxing is verboten while Jacobs is under contract, but if the owners lock out players, they can finally skydive and bull ride to their hearts content. But ultimately, Jacobs reconsidered because of a very current NFL health issue.
You know, I kind of wish Jacobs did go fight, because maybe it would help him get his frustrations and bitterness out.
NFL offers more financial info; union deciding - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
While progress has been made, both sides have stuck to their stances when it comes to two central issues: The NFLPA has not agreed to any major economic concessions; the NFL has not agreed to the union’s long-held demand that the league completely open its books, repeatedly saying the players have enough data.
So they're talking, but after the first two days of talks this week, a deal is not imminent, and Friday night's deadline is looming. Tick, tick, tick.