It was first reported on the CBS pregame show today and person close to the situation confirmed to me that Tom Coughlin sat Tiki down last night and told his star RB to shut it. Barber spoke out about the team's (read: Coughlin's) too-quick decision to not run the ball on the Jaguars on Monday night, the fourth time since the start of the 2005 season that Barber has popped off to reporters, not his head coach, about too much passing.
It's the right move by Coughlin, as would a fine. The Giants went through this with Shockey after the Seahawks game, and the coach dealt with his mouthy tight end in private. He gave Barber the same treatment, showing everyone else that no one is above the team's law.
Speaking of the coach, one player told me that Coughlin's postgame tirade on his team -- which all of us reporters could hear through a closed door separating the interview room from the locker room in Jacksonville -- was "tame by comparison." He meant to the halftime screamfest, in which Coughlin accused his team of playing without passion.
The player told me that Coughlin always leads the team in a prayer after the game down on one knee. Coughlin stayed on the knee and spoke in an almost plaintive tone to his players, telling them that the coaches would make the proper adjustments to the game plan and be ready for Tennessee.
"He's never stayed on one knee before," the player said. "It felt like he needed to be a little more humble because he might lose us if he didn't."
Which sounds to me like Coughlin knew he'd messed up by forcing a shaky Eli Manning to throw 41 times. But that doesn't mean he's going to go soft when Barber steps to the mic and goes on a run, run, run rant.
My only personal feeling about this latest Tiki diatribe is that he doesn't have the clubhouse cache he once did because, in six or seven or eight games, he's out. And it's on his terms. So who is he to say what the team should do, since he's putting himself first when retirement day comes?
Just my opinion. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
Comments (2)
I agree, Arthur. Frist of all, there's zero team benefit to Tiki throwing anyone under the bus. Second, he has the least leverage of any star player I can recall. He is is quiting at the end of the year. Second, he treasures his carefully cultivated media image. Coughlin should make it known he will take a blow torch to that if there should ever be a repeat event. I agree with Mike Vacarro's take, which i assume you saw. Barber's petulant footstamp reflects poorly on him, and should not be tolerated. All it does is give fodder to jocksniffing media and fans, who will blame to coaches for his failure to win the rushing title.
Arthur... What's the over/under on Coughlin's coaching term in NY? If Giants don't make the playoffs this year - I and a lot of fans will have had enough. It seems like he has lost the team to me... We'll find out on Sunday.