Tiki Barber blasts retirement critics

[digitaldean]

Giants | Barber blasts critics
Thu, 26 Oct 2006 12:07:54 -0700

Associated Press reports New York Giants RB Tiki Barber blasted critics of his retirement decision during his Sirius Satellite Radio show, "The Barber Shop." He said he'll call them "idiots" because they've never spoken to him, his coaches or teammates yet they state his retiring is a distraction to the team. He specifically called out Gary Myers, Tom Jackson and Michael Irvin.
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I like the fact that Barber doesn't dance around the critics. When he announces his retirement is his decision, isn't it?

Much of the pontificating some of ESPN's analysts is supposed to be taken as gospel. They change their positions so often (e.g., Salisbury's take on Favre) they can't be taken very seriously.

[ahaha]

Good for Tiki. These analysts love to make turmoil out of nothing in order to have something to talk about. They make it seem like all players are governed by extremely fragile phyches that can't function properly with any bit of bad news. Are the rest of the Giants freaking out during practice and team meetings because they won't have Barber next year? Isn't it better for the Giants organization to have this information early, so they can better evaluate what they'll need to do in the off-season regarding a replacement?

[digitaldean]

Good for Tiki. These analysts love to make turmoil out of nothing in order to have something to talk about. They make it seem like all players are governed by extremely fragile phyches that can't function properly with any bit of bad news. Are the rest of the Giants freaking out during practice and team meetings because they won't have Barber next year? Isn't it better for the Giants organization to have this information early, so they can better evaluate what they'll need to do in the off-season regarding a replacement?

And I suppose that Tiki's retirement discussion was a HUUUUGGE distraction on Mon. night vs. Dallas?

[Scott Campbell]

Good for Tiki. These analysts love to make turmoil out of nothing in order to have something to talk about. They make it seem like all players are governed by extremely fragile phyches that can't function properly with any bit of bad news. Are the rest of the Giants freaking out during practice and team meetings because they won't have Barber next year? Isn't it better for the Giants organization to have this information early, so they can better evaluate what they'll need to do in the off-season regarding a replacement?

And I suppose that Tiki's retirement discussion was a HUUUUGGE distraction on Mon. night vs. Dallas?

That wasn't no stink'n distraction. You want distraction? Here's distraction:


In March of 1996, Irvin was arrested on charges of cocaine possession at a hotel party celebrating his 30th birthday. After numerous court appearances amid a national media circus, which featured Irvin showing up to court in a full-length mink coat, he pled no contest to the charges and was sentenced to community service, ordered to pay a $10,000 fine, and put on 4-years probation. When drug-tested for illicit drugs, he tested negative. But the NFL suspended Irvin for the first five games of the 1996 season.

Irvin was also known as a regular at the "White House", a private pleasure palace near the team's training facility, where he and some Dallas teammates, like lineman Nate Newton, allegedly enjoyed a variety of wanton activities, including drugs and illicit sex.

In Irvin's 1996 absence, the Cowboys struggled out of the gate and never recovered. Upon his return from suspension, Irvin tallied 962 receiving yards in only 11 games.

Irvin sustained even further (unwarranted) damage to his reputation when controversy reared its head again as the Cowboys played the Carolina Panthers for their NFC Divisional Playoff game. Media reports stated that Irvin and teammate Erik Williams had sexually assaulted a woman and, with a gun to her head, videotaped the interaction. Despite Williams' and Irvin's denials of the allegations, the story overshadowed the game, which the Cowboys lost. The accuser was later proven to have fabricated the entire incident and faced charges of perjury, but the damage had already been done.