T-Rock's Take: Inside the Giants

I don't know if he fined Tiki or not, but the coach's comments today from his media session (which I did not attend) show me what kind of talk it was that he and Barber had.

"There is no question about my commitment to that: the balance, the running the ball. I have said it since day one. Look at Tiki’s numbers over the three years. Were they the same as they were before I got here? Just check that part out, too, while you are doing it."

Coughlin is not the smoothest guy around. He can be a little awkward when he gets to talking. But it sounds as if, in addition to reading Barber his version of the riot act, he not-so-gently reminded his star running back that Tiki could very well still have been a fumbling nobody had Coughlin and RBs coach Jerald Ingram not come along. Which, for a guy like Tiki, should serve to end any dispute with his coach. Coughlin helped make Barber who he is today, a guy who is at least part of the Hall of Fame conversation, a guy who will be able to reap huge post-career rewards very soon.

It's exactly the right way to go with Barber, and Coughlin may have won himself some points in the locker room for doing so.

You know, it's funny to think that the two guys who have sounded off to us reporters about bad coaching have their own forums for communicating directly with the public. Tiki has his radio show and Shockey has his column in that New York tabloid.

What does it all mean? I don't know, really. Maybe that some guys can't help themselves, that they have to have the spotlight on them or else it's all too boring. Whatever. Just interesting to me.

Here's one more idle thought from my holiday, for all those who really think Eli Manning can't lead the Giants anymore: If he were to go down with any kind of injury on Sunday in Nashville, what would be your first thought? Would it be, 'Finally, we get to see what Jared Lorenzen can do with this offense?' Or would it be more like, 'Oh, %$@#%$&&&!!!!'

Let's all think about that one.

My man Anthony Rieber was on hand today, telling me that Coughlin essentially ruled out WR Sinorice Moss for Sunday's game because Moss hasn't aired it out yet in practice to really test his quad. LB Brandon Short practiced and appears to be a go for Sunday, as does DT Barry Cofield. Any positive news about the defense's health should help that unit.

CB Corey Webster (toe) did not practice and is questionable for Sunday. He's been bad, I know, but the alternatives -- Kevin Dockery or Frank Walker -- might be a little scarier.

Prediction tomorrow.