IT IS terrific news that Eli Manning has a pulse, that he sounded more like Peyton Manning when he lashed back at NBC’s Tiki Barber for questioning his leadership skills, never mind that Barber didn’t say anything that Tom Coughlin and everyone big and blue would argue with in any way.
It hardly means that Eli Manning is ready to take the Giants to a Super Bowl, the way his older brother for the Colts did last February. But mark it down as the first baby step toward NFL manhood, and for all those who want their quarterback to stand for something, to rise up with clenched fist and stop taking garbage, to show some fire and brimstone, to stir the ghost of Johnny U, sing hallelujah! Funeral services for Casper Milquetoast will be held in the Giants Stadium end zone next to Jimmy Hoffa. Steve Mara will be one of the pallbearers.
“It’s one of those deals I’m not going to lose any sleep about what Tiki has to say,” Manning said yesterday. “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.”
Barber clearly struck a nerve when he said in his “Football Night in America” debut that Eli Manning had not yet shown he was a leader of men. Good. At least now we know Eli has a nerve.
Over the past three years, Manning has given New York the impression that a dirty bomb could detonate in his locker and he would stand there nonplussed, talking about going through his reads and playing smart football and not making mistakes and all that poppycock.
This isn’t quite up there with Broadway Joe’s guarantee. But if it’s one thing New York likes, it’s a quarterback with moxie, with fight, with snarl. One who will speak his mind and defend his turf. Part of the reason Phil Simms finally was adored was he didn’t take garbage off anyone, not even the Eagles bullies in the venomous Vet; not even Ronnie Lott; hell, not even Bill Parcells on the sidelines in Indianapolis on national television! Even Neil O’Donnell sounded off when Keyshawn Johnson called him a “stiff puppet” in his book. To hell with leading by example. Don’t mess with Eli.
“He talked to me a while ago and said Tiki got after him a little bit the other night, and he said it’s not a big deal,” Archie Manning told the Associated Press at a charity bowling event in Indianapolis. “He told me a whole lot of people in the Giants organization were proud of what he said.
“Eli’s not a controversial guy and he’s not going to be. I feel like if Eli did something like that, it would come from his heart.”
Never mind that Eli is way off the mark questioning Barber’s heart. Perhaps he should take out the tape of Barber’s heroic 234-yard, three-TD performance against the Redskins that dragged the Giants kicking and screaming into the playoffs. Barber, who called out the coach after getting 10 carries against the Jaguars, looked like the one Giant that night who didn’t lose the heart to play the game.
You can hit Barber as hard as you want for setting up his television career from Monday to Saturday, but never on Sunday.
Last night, on his Sirius NFL Radio show, Barber said, “I have never, ever, ever not left 100 percent of myself on the football field. And you can say whatever you want, but don’t say that because that’s offensive.”
Barber may have talked too much talk, but he walked the walk, and now it is time for Eli Manning to walk the walk and walk it tall. Remember, talk is cheap; play the game. Complete over 60 percent of your passes; don’t wilt over the second half of the season; stop slumping your shoulders at the first hint of adversity; show us you are the unquestioned leader and franchise quarterback you are supposed to be.
But on this day, we celebrate the fact Eli finally talked some talk, some major league smack, and displayed some backbone, some defiance. This is only the NFL equivalent of Chad Johnson or Terrell Owens muzzling himself. It’s too late for the 2006 Giants, but not too late for the 2007 Giants. What’s next? Dragging Jeremy Shockey by the ear to offseason workouts?
One small step for Manning. One giant leap for Giantkind.