Karma Catching Up?

In the United States, we have a habit of propping up sports figures, allowing that admiration to continue off the field. Sports figures like Phil Simms, Kurt Warner, Brandon Jacobs (despite the helmet incident) and Albert Pujols deserve this admiration, others do not.

As a lifelong Giants fan, one such sports figure that does not deserve this admiration is Tiki Barber. I do not argue his contribution to the Giants and he had a pretty darn good run. (pardon the pun)



When he retired, it seemed like he was on top of the world, had a beautiful family, the admiration of Giants' nation and a budding broadcasting career. It would all turn south very, very fast.

The season after he retired, he began to openly criticize the Giants organization (who gave him his chance in the NFL) and Giants coach Tom Coughlin, claiming his style of coaching forced him to retire,(boo-hoo) and Eli Manning. It continued outside his status as a broadcaster as he used his book tour as a forum to get Coughlin fired, in a year where the Giants were forcing him play out his last year of his contract before making a determination. Classless, disgusting behavior. Do we remember what happened that year?





That's right folks, the GIANTS WON SUPER BOWL 42...WITHOUT TIKI BARBER. Karma was starting to bite back. The Giants were running high, Coughlin was renewed (and refused an interview with Barber...good for him!), Eli eventually was awarded a sweet contract extension and Tiki Barber had no ring!

He continued at NBC on the Today Show and as a contributor to NBC Sports, despite his alleged use of the c-word. Giants fans, for the most part, stopped paying attention to him, but any remaining respect he had went away when it came out that he cheated on his pregnant wife, who he eventually divorced after 11 years of marriage. He was eventually let go from NBC.

Some believe that his broadcasting career didn't live up to the hype, and while I believe it's a possibility, I do believe his on and off air conduct contributed, as everything he has said and done caught up to him; and that is unfortunate as he squandered away his promise and potential. Any hopes he had of getting his Giants jersey number retired or making the Hall is now clearly gone. As Giants fans, we are loyal to the players who give of themselves to the team and because it is such a long and storied organization, these players continue with their loyalties to the Giants after their playing time, whether Phil Simms's act of not participating, as a broadcaster, in the Giants' media pile-ons, Lawrence Taylor crediting the Giants organization with supporting him through troubled times or Frank Gifford's close relationship with the Giants' organization well after his playing career. It is very sad that Tiki Barber squandered that relationship.

Barber is trying to rebound, but if he is to make a true rebound, let's hope he apologizes publicly to those he wronged when he was on top of the world. Realizing who he wronged and taking responsibility toward it would be a step in the right direction.