Did Tiki Light a Torch Under Eli Manning's Butt?

Eli Manning has never struck us as a high-strung type of guy. After a mistake, he seems to shrug it off in a "ho-hum, what can you do?" way and then moves on. That's not what happened when he responded yesterday to Tiki Barber's comments during halftime of Sunday's Giants-Ravens pre-season game. Barber, who was making his debut on NBC's Football Night in America, said he asked Manning to make a motivational speech once and that Manning was "very uncomfortable doing it. Sometimes it was almost comical the way he would say things." He also said that Manning was "very good as a quarterback" and that "he's been a leader in some games." But he wonders if Manning "Can he be a leader of men?"

Given the opportunity to respond to Barber's comments, Manning criticized the former running back's questioning of the head coach and early retirement plans:

"I guess I could have questioned his leadership skills last year with calling out the coach and having articles about him retiring in the middle of the season, saying he's lost the heart. As a quarterback, you're reading that your running back's lost a little, the heart, him playing the game, and it's about the 10th week. I'm not going to get concerned, I'm going to go out and play ball."

It's a good thing the two aren't teammates anymore.

While we've never been inside a Giants huddle, it looked to us like there were plenty of times last season where the leadership qualities of everyone big name on the team could have been questioned.

Photo of Tiki Barber and Eli Manning during last season's game against the Seattle Seahawks by AP/Ted S. Warren

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By tien mao on August 22, 2007 5:49 PM

Comments [rss]

Reality Czech

He may have lit a torch under his butt, but that doesn't mean Eli will play any better.

guest

I think they should have two different football leagues, one for the colored boys and one for the white boys.

JMH

Eli certainly suffers from the expectation that he should be like his brother when, really, who is?

Shockey could be the real emotional leader of this offense if he could just stay healthy.

guest

Yeah, maybe this will motivate Manning to like, not suck this year.

Seriously, Tiki had a banner year last year and it was sad they weren't able to go farther.

guest

People who watch football are closet homos.

guest

No. Eli is a pussy. He's gonna play his way to the bench and then out of the league. Thank you Ernie Arccorsi. Eli is a bust.

#2 WTF?

guest

Let's face it, Eli, Tiki's right. Your heart just isn't in it.

I am totally convinced that Eli only plays football because his father and brother do and for the paycheck. He just isn't that into it. He doesn't get fired up. I'd bet that he'd be much more happy doing something he truly loves. It's the same deal as a kid who becomes an accountant because his father owns a firm and the kid winds up hating the job.