Giants fans may have been able to see Tiki Barber in Big Blue’s huddle for another season, if not for the physical beating he received playing under head coach Tom Coughlin.
Barber, speaking after yesterday’s press conference that formally announced his three-year broadcasting contract with NBC, implied that Coughlin has problems relating to players on the team, and that it was an “act of God” that the physical demands the coach placed on him did not result in a serious injury.
“Coach Coughlin is very hard-nosed, and I didn’t get a lot of time off, couldn’t sit down and rest myself, and so it was a constant grind – a physical grind on me that started to take its toll,” said Barber. “The grind took its toll on me and really forced me to start thinking about what I wanted to do next. And that’s not a bad thing. That’s a good thing, for me at least. Maybe not for the Giants, because they lose one of their great players, but for me, it is.”
Barber attributed much of the wear and tear he endured on the high standards Coughlin placed on his players during practice.
“There’d be days where I couldn’t move on Tuesday or Wednesday at practice, and he’d get mad at me for going half-speed. And I told him, ‘Coach, I can’t do it. I’m gonna be out here, I’m never gonna miss a practice, but I can’t give you what you want all the time.’ And he understood.
“We were in full pads for 17 weeks, and with the amount of injuries that we had, it just takes a toll on you. You just physically don’t want to be out there when your body feels the way you do in full pads. And while it probably doesn’t have a really detrimental effect on how you practice or how you play, it does on your mind. And if you lose your mind in this game, you lose a lot. And that’s something that he has to realize. And I think he does [now].”
Barber was quick to point out the success he had in the three seasons he played under Coughlin, rushing for over 1,500 yards in each of them and establishing himself as one of the league’s elite running backs. He also admitted that he very well may not have reached that high level of production if not for Coughlin’s influence.
Still, he thinks that Coach can do better.
“He has changed in little ways, but I think he still has to more,” said Barber. “The game has changed, players are different, and you have to understand them and get to know them in order to encourage and motivate them to be successful. We’ll see what happens this season.”
Whatever plays out next fall, Barber believes Coughlin must adjust to the loss of his star back – and fast – if he hopes to keep his job. If the team doesn’t make the playoffs, Barber believes his former coach will finally be shown the door.
“I think he’s in a position now where he’s coaching and the players are playing for his future,” said Barber. “We’ll see what happens.”