Why No Giants Will Give A Super Bowl Interview To Their Ex-Teammate On The "Today" Show

NBC football analyst Tiki Barber retired from the New York Giants after the 2006 season, secure in his reputation as the greatest offensive player in the storied team's history.

Now, as the upstart "Jints" prepare to play the heavily favored, undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, Barber looks positively offensive to many of his old fans. In fact, he may be the loneliest man on the football scene during the build-up to Super Bowl XLII on Feb. 3 in Arizona.

As the television networks scramble to snare exclusive interviews, Barber, who also is prominent on "Today," would seem to be NBC's key player because he knows the Giants players and coaches so well.

Problem is, Barber is persona non grata now. Based on media reports, he stands a better chance at scoring a sit-down with Osama bin Laden than with Eli Manning or Michael Strahan. Barber is on the outside looking in at a very bad time for NBC.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[Nonamnesiac]

I'm a died-in-the-wool, lifelong Giants fan. I even rooted for the Giants the year they were routed by "the fumble".

So leave Tiki Barber alone. He more than earned his keep and he was smart enough to get out young enough and healthy enough to probably live a long, relatively healthy life (compared to many ex-football players who live in pain after they retire). He's like Sandy Koufax, Jim Brown and Barry Sanders -- all of whom retired in their prime with several good seasons probably left in them. If Tiki parlayed his great play into a huge salary as a sportscaster, I say good for him and good for his family.

I genuinely like him and his brother. It's really a pleasure to see a highly intelligent football player not vigorously competing to say something obvious, stupid and gross, as many of the ex-football sportscasters do.

Go Tiki, thanks for your contribution as a Giant and GO GIANTS!!!!!!!! And if the Giants lose on Sunday -- as the old Brooklyn Dodgers used to say -- "Wait 'til next year."

[nuglet304]

forget what he says, you know he's pissed!

[luckyoldson]

Tiki just announced that he's interviewing Eli in 30 minutes.

[Nommo]

Don't forget all, that the Giants are the road team, a place they've been quite comfortable. Nothing wrong with being karmic agents, the Pats
are going to lose because they are supposed to lose. Cheaters that they are.

Nothing like imagining that perfect season: gone down to tubes to a wild card team that no one thought would be there. If it were a novel, you'd be doing massive rewrites, you know.

And it could not have been done with the teekster.

[Aslanspal]

A side note Tiki and his wife tried to cash in on the popular top rated ,'Project Runway' on Bravo it was one of the worst shows and worst rated shows ever...most of it was him grinning with nothing to say...and his wife nothing personal but she was cold.

[AZDemocrat500]

This is petty. Tiki was a great player for along time, sure he disclosed some behind the scene information but was it a lie!

[FDRbyGodDemocrat]

Osama would probably throw fewer interceptions than Eli. Could probably scramble better.

[KindAndThoughtful]

Remember, you read it here first...the New York Giants will beat the New England Patriots.


http://verybestwebsites.blogspot.com/

[butchie65]

I'm sure Eli isn't a Dem.

[Destin]

Don't worry, he's just doing what Junior Seau has done recently..... retire in order to get out of a long-term contract, so he could use a loophole to switch teams. ;)

[LeonBNJ]

I don't blame the current Giant's not talking to Tiki. Tiki and other 'I' ego guys like him hindered the Giants when he played. While he has a right and indeed a employment obligation to critizise the Giants, I believe it went too deep probably to not show bias in favor of them and to be more marketable.

[NyPrincess]

I'm a diehard Giants fan but, I'm not mad at Tiki. I wish he had stayed to enjoy this with them, but he had to do what was best for him. Still love ya Tiki. GO G-MEN!!!!!

[FirstShirt]

Badmouthing people is bad form. Badmouthing former colleagues is a curse if you will ever be talking to them again. Was he crazy?

[luckyoldson]

GO TIKI!!!!!!!!!!!

GO PATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[flicka]

Tiki is a trader. good for the G-men for not talking with him.