I saw an interview on NFL Network from the Pro Bowl in Hawaii with Tiki Barber. Tiki talked about Eli taking over next year as one of the team’s leaders, and it would be easier to do with Tiki himself no longer on the roster. He also mentioned how Phil Simms was given a rough ride early in his career and paralleled it to Manning. So far, so good
Then Tiki talked about Coughlin and it was like the 2006 season all over again. He said Coughlin, and I’m paraphrasing, “doesn’t connect with today’s players and has to change his style”. What can we learn for all this? First, Tiki doesn’t like Coughlin’s approach, but we knew that already. Second, despite his feelings, Tiki would have his most productive years and solve his “fumble-itis†under TC, becoming one of the elite players in the entire league. Additionally, the team itself has had success under Coughlin (11-5 in 2005, 6-2 in 2006 until injuries would decimate the team). That tells me liking your coach isn’t directly correlated to winning. The point I am trying to make is that Tiki Barber more than any player on the roster has been source of the Giants’ dysfunction. Let’s look at the Giants high profile players. Strahan never questions the coach. Plaixco? He’ll whine and slouch but never goes after the staff. Now Shockey talked about being out-coached after the Seattle game, but that was a one time thing and I chalk that up to just being totally frustrated. He would not only have said out-coached and out-played but also “out-something elsed” if he could have thought of it. Shockey would apologize for those comments. All three of those talented players have their faults, but it’s never directed at the head coach.
But Tiki repeatedly would go after Coughlin, and the press would pick up on it and ride with it because of their own dislike of Coughlin’s abrasive style towards them. Even when Tiki wasn’t criticizing, there was the retirement issue or the “I’m not getting any younger/have to win now” mantra. This helped create a media whirlwind that ultimately weighed on the team, and along with injuries, sent the team spiraling downward. With Tiki not around  anymore, I expect things to be a lot more stable in the locker room in 2007. How the Giants are going to makeup Tiki’s productivity as a football player is a subject for another day.
More from Tiki in a Newsday column: he says Coughlin’s style pushed him towards retirement. Maybe Coughlin’s style proved you attain greatness by HARD WORK.