As manufactued controversy swells surrounding Giants RB Tiki Barber having the temerity to suggest he oughta get more than 10 carries a game, Big Blue’s fearless leader continues to struggle with having an outspoken, articulate player under his supervision. From the New York Post’s George Willis.
An agitated Tom Coughlin took offense to any notion the running game was not important to him. He challenged reporters to “check your records” to analyze his commitment to the run and also, “Look at Tiki’s numbers over the three years,” he has been the Giants head coach.
“Were they the same as before I got here? Check that part, too,” he said.
Barber didn’t become a full-time starter until the 2002 season, when he rushed for 1,387 yards. He had another 1,216 yards in ’03, Jim Fassel’s final year as head coach. Barber evolved into one the NFL’s elite backs over the previous two seasons, totaling 3,378 rushing yards. Barber has 998 yards on 201 carries this season. Overall, the Giants have run the ball on 281 of their 636 plays this season, or 44.2 percent of the time. They ran on 14 of their 56 plays (25 percent) at Jacksonville.
Detroit have been accused of going above and beyond in their attempts to rile the home crowd into abusing former Motown QB Joey Harrington on Thanksgiving Day. Pro Football Talk considers the Lions’ actions more cowardly than ironic.
A year ago, security at Ford Field relentlessly chased and ultimately jacked up a guy who dared to display a grocery bag with the words “Fire Millen” scrawled on it. Now, the same staff at the same stadium goes out of its way to encourage harassment of a guy who finally played a good game in the venue — possibly because he was playing against the team for which he used to play.
Along with noting Tawney Kitaen’s recent drug bust, The Hater Nation can’t help but sound discouraged over public apathy surrounding Oakland’s visit to San Diego tomorrow.
There is no bigger testament to how far the Raiders have fallen than the fact that the team is coming to town and nobody cares. Even local knives salesmen have not seen their normal sales spike that typically accompanies a Raiders visit to the Murph.