ToughJ.Riggins
Hall of Famer
I would like to give an ode to my favourite black player to ever play professional football, or professional sports for that matter. Why? because he was a selfless team first player and caste-buster. I will explain what I mean by caste-buster later.
If you want to find a "caste-busting" black, team player look no farther than Tiki Barber. You see in the Cadillac commercial about how grateful he felt to get a chance as NY's starting RB and how he worked his tail off to seize the opportunity. He never complained about undeservedly being a backup for his first few years in the league despite being a 2nd round pick and having a brother already starring for the Bucs.
Barber was a late bloomer not getting his chance to shine until his 4th season. Barber also never complained how "inferior" rookie Ron Dayne was still taking many carries away from him when he did get a chance in the 2000 season. Most black second round RBs would have been quickly inserted into the lineup, with the team dealing with their "growing pains." Especially when the Giants roster had less than stellar RBs ahead of him such as Joe Montgomery, and Brown (He isn't even impressive enough for me to remember his first name). I receive the Giant newsletter "Giant Insider" and I will explain how he is a "caste-buster."
In training camp before the 2001 season Barber was asked about the "oft-injured" backup RB Sean Bennett by GiantInsider. The Giants were calling him "the secret weapon." He stated something like this. "The guy clearly has the talent to help this team, great speed and size, getting him on the field will only help us this season."
What makes this even more surprising was that Barber had just become the full time starter in the season before which was Dayne's rookie season of 2000. And "Big Butt" Dayne had already taken lots of carries from him in his first year. Barber retaining his starting job wasn't full-proof at this point. Dayne hadn't shown much in his rookie season, but being the 11th? overall pick in the 2000 draft, he was destined to get another opportunity to surpass Barber. Thunder and lightning could quickly become just "thunder" if Tiki was outperformed. Barber was good friends with Sean Bennett and Greg Commella a Fullback, and to a lesser extent Dayne and the rest of the Giants RBs. Barber often did training with Commella and Bennett running up hills.
Dayne was too lazy to join in this training comraderie. Bennett was cut the next season, which I thought was pre-mature (if he was black he would have gotten another season, or two, or three), however he was constantly injured.
Then at the end of his career before last season Barber originally commented on how he wanted Brandon Jacobs to spell him more than the previous season. Barber was clearly feeling overworked under Coughlin. Barber was always more concerned with winning than personal goals. He is one of the most charitable players in the league according to what I have read in Giants insider and never took for granted his stardom.
I did think his comments to the media about Coughlin overworking players being a "big factor in his retirement" were unnecessary, but many have commented on Coughlin's grueling military style including Shockey more than once. I recall Barber was a big fan of Jim Fossil and the change to Coughlin, was probably like night and day to the Giant veterans. Barber was not among one of the three "respected" Giant's veterans that had complained to the Player's association about Coughlin. Barber is a member of the media now and will be asked to give his opinion constantly so I don't really fault him for it. He certainly isn't a loose cannon.
Overall, I think Barber is one of the biggest team players to ever play in the NFL, which is why I have always been a big fan. How many black starting RB's do you think would have taken the chance to be cynical or put down the "oft-injured, backup white RB Bennett" (from Northwestern of all places.) A lot of them likely. Barber's friendship with Bennett, and his belief in the truth were more important to him than building himself up by putting down Bennett. By the way Bennett wasn't "super" fast NFLdraftscout.com had his speed listed as 4.6 which is only good for a RB of Bennett's size. (I am going to re-check this) Bennett was also undoubtedly competing with Barber for playing time. I would think that most of the black RB's who wouldn't say something negative about Bennett in Barbers situation, would have likely at least felt negative toward him.
This is what makes Barber one of the most open minded black athletes toward white players. Barber will be missed amongst Giants fans for his "team first mentality and excellent play." Hopefully the guy will coach one day, as I think he would be a Mike Martz or Dungy type coach and be "relatively fair" to white players, or as fair as he could be with the current situation in the NFL. So as it is something I rarely do, I give a toast to a black player, My favourite NY Giant Tiki Barber!
P.S: Fitting that he went out on top to pursue other endeavors. Doing so he is passing the torch to talented Auburn castoff Brandon Jacobs, who Barber holds in high regard. I only wish Tre Smith would have been smart enough to realize he was a castoff at Auburn too. Tre is better than Jacobs IMO.Edited by: ToughJ.Riggins
If you want to find a "caste-busting" black, team player look no farther than Tiki Barber. You see in the Cadillac commercial about how grateful he felt to get a chance as NY's starting RB and how he worked his tail off to seize the opportunity. He never complained about undeservedly being a backup for his first few years in the league despite being a 2nd round pick and having a brother already starring for the Bucs.
Barber was a late bloomer not getting his chance to shine until his 4th season. Barber also never complained how "inferior" rookie Ron Dayne was still taking many carries away from him when he did get a chance in the 2000 season. Most black second round RBs would have been quickly inserted into the lineup, with the team dealing with their "growing pains." Especially when the Giants roster had less than stellar RBs ahead of him such as Joe Montgomery, and Brown (He isn't even impressive enough for me to remember his first name). I receive the Giant newsletter "Giant Insider" and I will explain how he is a "caste-buster."
In training camp before the 2001 season Barber was asked about the "oft-injured" backup RB Sean Bennett by GiantInsider. The Giants were calling him "the secret weapon." He stated something like this. "The guy clearly has the talent to help this team, great speed and size, getting him on the field will only help us this season."
What makes this even more surprising was that Barber had just become the full time starter in the season before which was Dayne's rookie season of 2000. And "Big Butt" Dayne had already taken lots of carries from him in his first year. Barber retaining his starting job wasn't full-proof at this point. Dayne hadn't shown much in his rookie season, but being the 11th? overall pick in the 2000 draft, he was destined to get another opportunity to surpass Barber. Thunder and lightning could quickly become just "thunder" if Tiki was outperformed. Barber was good friends with Sean Bennett and Greg Commella a Fullback, and to a lesser extent Dayne and the rest of the Giants RBs. Barber often did training with Commella and Bennett running up hills.
Dayne was too lazy to join in this training comraderie. Bennett was cut the next season, which I thought was pre-mature (if he was black he would have gotten another season, or two, or three), however he was constantly injured.
Then at the end of his career before last season Barber originally commented on how he wanted Brandon Jacobs to spell him more than the previous season. Barber was clearly feeling overworked under Coughlin. Barber was always more concerned with winning than personal goals. He is one of the most charitable players in the league according to what I have read in Giants insider and never took for granted his stardom.
I did think his comments to the media about Coughlin overworking players being a "big factor in his retirement" were unnecessary, but many have commented on Coughlin's grueling military style including Shockey more than once. I recall Barber was a big fan of Jim Fossil and the change to Coughlin, was probably like night and day to the Giant veterans. Barber was not among one of the three "respected" Giant's veterans that had complained to the Player's association about Coughlin. Barber is a member of the media now and will be asked to give his opinion constantly so I don't really fault him for it. He certainly isn't a loose cannon.
Overall, I think Barber is one of the biggest team players to ever play in the NFL, which is why I have always been a big fan. How many black starting RB's do you think would have taken the chance to be cynical or put down the "oft-injured, backup white RB Bennett" (from Northwestern of all places.) A lot of them likely. Barber's friendship with Bennett, and his belief in the truth were more important to him than building himself up by putting down Bennett. By the way Bennett wasn't "super" fast NFLdraftscout.com had his speed listed as 4.6 which is only good for a RB of Bennett's size. (I am going to re-check this) Bennett was also undoubtedly competing with Barber for playing time. I would think that most of the black RB's who wouldn't say something negative about Bennett in Barbers situation, would have likely at least felt negative toward him.
This is what makes Barber one of the most open minded black athletes toward white players. Barber will be missed amongst Giants fans for his "team first mentality and excellent play." Hopefully the guy will coach one day, as I think he would be a Mike Martz or Dungy type coach and be "relatively fair" to white players, or as fair as he could be with the current situation in the NFL. So as it is something I rarely do, I give a toast to a black player, My favourite NY Giant Tiki Barber!
P.S: Fitting that he went out on top to pursue other endeavors. Doing so he is passing the torch to talented Auburn castoff Brandon Jacobs, who Barber holds in high regard. I only wish Tre Smith would have been smart enough to realize he was a castoff at Auburn too. Tre is better than Jacobs IMO.Edited by: ToughJ.Riggins
