Eli should be thanking this critic

By JOANNE KORTH, Times staff writer
Published August 26, 2007

Giants quarterback Eli Manning should extend more than an olive branch to former teammate Tiki Barber. A bear hug and a diamond Rolex seem about right.

By now, everyone knows about the latest brouhaha from Team Turmoil. Barber, a retired running back turned television analyst, made his NBC debut last week by belittling Manning's leadership skills, even using the term "comical" to describe Manning's efforts at a locker room speech to teammates last season.

Manning fired back.

He was funny. He was feisty.

And for the first time in his overanalyzed career, laid-back little Manning was a sympathetic figure.

What a coup!

Whether Barber's criticism rings true, only the Giants know for sure. Either way, Manning comes out ahead. Teammates, not to mention fans with previously lukewarm opinions of the 26-year-old, are now rallying around him against a common foe: a loud-mouthed member of the media.

Manning does not possess the same A-type personality as brother Peyton. If the two were musicians, Peyton would be practicing his scales while Eli jammed with Jimmy Buffett. So, it's not a reach to say Eli lacks a leadership persona.

But he didn't get this far without knowing how to lead an offense. To this point in Manning's four-year career, the Giants have not needed him to be a vocal leader. Really, with Barber, tight end Jeremy Shockey, receiver Plaxico Burress and defensive end Michael Strahan, how was he supposed to get in a rah-rah word edgewise?

Now that Manning has proven he does have a thought in his head, everyone will want to know what he has to say. Gee, that couldn't have been the savvy Barber's plan all along, could it?

By the way, Barber is a winner here, too.

He might have been surprised and a tiny bit offended when Manning defended himself by questioning Barber's heart, but the analyst did his job well. He sparked the frenzy that will translate into more viewers for NBC's halftime show.

Meanwhile, everyone waits to see who in New York will make the next outrageous statement.

Oh, yeah, Strahan should be done mulling his retirement options any day now.

THE NEW DEBATE: One bit of good news lost amid the outrage over Michael Vick's plea on federal dogfighting charges: No time will be wasted debating his merits as an NFL quarterback.

Not this season.

Or next season.

Or, maybe, any season.

Instead, there will be copious discussions about his NFL future and whether he has one.

Simply put, if he can dodge the gambling allegations, Vick will be back one day. If it turns out Vick had too large a role in placing bets, commissioner Roger Goodell will have the justification he needs to make the ban permanent.

In sports, gambling is the crime.

SEEING SPOTS: Seems folks are curious about the big green dots on the backs of quarterbacks helmets this preseason. The dots are an aid to officials, marking those helmets equipped with wireless transmitters that enable communication from the sideline.

Only one player with a radio helmet can be on the field at a time. So, if a backup quarterback enters the game as, say, a wide receiver, he would need to change helmets.

Joanne Korth can be reached at korth@sptimes.com or 727 893-8810.

[Last modified August 25, 2007, 22:59:06]