Tiki Barber Comes Out of Retirement

[Jim Gray]

Tiki Barber wants to come out of retirement.  Barber will be 37 at the start of the season and hasn't played since 2006. 

He claims the "fire" has been reignited; but it's more likely he's in big financial trouble and needs the cash.  He was fired by ESPN for violating a morality clause after he got a 23 year old intern pregnant.  He got divorced and reports are he is unable to pay the divorce settlement. 

His departure from the Giants got ugly near the end and he wasn't well liked in the locker room.  I'll be amazed if anyone picks him up; but I've seen stranger things.  If he gets the league minimum, here's what your $720,000.00 buys you

- 37 year old running back
- hasn't played in 4 years
- questionable motivation
- considered by many to be a locker room cancer

I wouldn't pay $7.20 for Tiki Barber.

[jtex316]

^ F Tiki Barber

[Phishfan]

I don't want Tiki.

I also believe your story is a bit off. Tiki worked for NBC, not ESPN. Also, I don't think the intern was pregnant. Tiki left his pregnant wife.

[Jim Gray]

I don't want Tiki.

I also believe your story is a bit off. Tiki worked for NBC, not ESPN. Also, I don't think the intern was pregnant. Tiki left his pregnant wife.

You are right on both accounts.  The ESPN reference was a typo on my part, but I honestly thought it was the intern that was pregnant.  I see now it was his wife, who was 8 months pregnant when he left her.  This is even worse than my version.  He's a class act.

[jtex316]

He's the evil twin.

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

I am not sure he will find many suitors!!!!!

[norad34]

What do these guys do with their money?

Well, when he left the Giants at the end of the 2006 season, he did throw Tom Coughlin under the bus. Tiki was a big fumbler and Coughlin helped him with that problem.

I thought Tiki was doing fine. He was on Yahoo Sports as an analyst.

Like someone said, stranger things have happened. His best shot would probably be the UFL or the CFL.

[Frimp]

I am not sure he will find many suitors!!!!!

Unless they are of the 23 year old female variety.

[Brian Fein]

I don't get it, who the hell would want him?

[Jim Gray]

I don't get it, who the hell would want him?

I'm with you, I don't get it either.  I know athletes often don't know when to quit, but if you listen to the analyst on ESPN, no one is saying he won't get picked up.  They are talking about him getting the league min and being used as a 3rd back and play some special teams.  Either these talking heads are totally full of it, or we just don't appreciate how desperate some teams are.

[Brian Fein]

I could see him coming back and perhaps being useful to some team in need of depth at tailback.  Like a 3rd down back or something.  But, what is his expectation?  Is he going to be OK with sitting on the bench 80% of the game?

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

You are right on both accounts.  The ESPN reference was a typo on my part, but I honestly thought it was the intern that was pregnant.  I see now it was his wife, who was 8 months pregnant when he left her.  This is even worse than my version.  He's a class act.

This matters because?   

I would not have a problem with signing him for vet min, bring him into camp, seeing what he has, if after TC he is one of the 53 men than gives my team the best chance to win -- keep him, if not he gets cut after the 4th pre-season game. 

"Will he help the team win games?" would be the only question.  Did he cheat on his wife or bang a consensual legal aged adult is irrelevant?   

[Jim Gray]

This matters because?  

I would not have a problem with signing him for vet min, bring him into camp, seeing what he has, if after TC he is one of the 53 men than gives my team the best chance to win -- keep him, if not he gets cut after the 4th pre-season game. 

"Will he help the team win games?" would be the only question.  Did he cheat on his wife or bang a consensual legal aged adult is irrelevant?  

My list of what you get for your 720K did not include any mention of him leaving his wife when she was 8 months pregnant, so I recognize that by itself it is not relevant in assessing his ability to play.

I included it because I thought it shows a pattern of how he treats people.  When I combine how he treated his coach, his QB and his wife, I believe it says a lot about his character, or lack of.  It paints a picture of a guy who only thinks of himself and is more likely to be a locker room disruption rather than a veteran leader.   Furthermore, it supports my contention that his motivation to come back and play is financial desperation rather than driven by a pure desire to compete on the field. 

[masterfins]

My list of what you get for your 720K did not include any mention of him leaving his wife when she was 8 months pregnant, so I recognize that by itself it is not relevant in assessing his ability to play.

I included it because I thought it shows a pattern of how he treats people.  When I combine how he treated his coach, his QB and his wife, I believe it says a lot about his character, or lack of.  It paints a picture of a guy who only thinks of himself and is more likely to be a locker room disruption rather than a veteran leader.   Furthermore, it supports my contention that his motivation to come back and play is financial desperation rather than driven by a pure desire to compete on the field. 

If we're going to start throwing guys off teams because they have had affairs or divorces there wouldn't be enough players to field teams, in any sports league.  He certainly has a big ego and did not get along with Coughlin, but the same is true of many players in the NFL today.

Since he hasn't committed a crime I'd be for bringing him in at league minimum.  He's certainly well rested.

[Jim Gray]

If we're going to start throwing guys off teams because they have had affairs or divorces there wouldn't be enough players to field teams, in any sports league.  He certainly has a big ego and did not get along with Coughlin, but the same is true of many players in the NFL today.

Since he hasn't committed a crime I'd be for bringing him in at league minimum.  He's certainly well rested.

I'm wondering if anyone reads my posts.......or just scans them and reacts.

Since Tiki is not on a team, I'm not suggesting he be thrown off anything.  To reiterate for the 3rd and hopefully last time - my issue with him isn't that he had an affair, or ditched his pregnant wife.   He's 36, hasn't played in 4 years and has a history of being a team cancer.   I question his true motivation to play again, based on factors in his personal life.

I've seen enough logic defying comebacks to resist categorically stating that Tiki is washed up......but I think the odds are stacked firmly against him.  Let some other team waste time evaluating him.  I want Miami to focus on young talent that will help us continue the rebuilding process.   

On a personal note - I don't like Tiki Barber for how he treated his teammates in NY, and he's the last guy I want to see in Miami.