Tiki Barber: Seriously, Dude?...

Andrew Mills/The Star-Ledger

Tiki Barber is obviously desperate for dollars, but he might need to try getting paid another way—I hear reality television is a good racket for douchebags like Mr. Barber, but he may be too tawdry even for their ranks.

Barber, who reportedly filed his un-retirement papers on yesterday, is looking for a little NFL love at 35. Unfortunately for him, there isn't likely to be a huge market for an old (by NFL standards), down on his luck, running back who hasn't played in more than four-years.

Perhaps Barber saw how well the story seems to have ended for Michael Vick and decided to see if he could rehab his reputation, and public image as well, while making a few dollars for his emptied pockets. However, something tells me, he'd have a better shot at making pigs fly than making a memorable comeback.

His tendency towards flaming coaches and teammates as a broadcaster didn't endear him to many and, quite frankly, his arrogance isn't as interesting as Chad OchoCinco's—which really isn't saying much.

An NFL comeback, you say?...Yeah, best of luck with that.  

Related articles

• Tiki Barber's trainer raves, but Bucs' interest is lukewarm (profootballtalk.nbcsports.com)
• Pierce: Tiki won't add any leadership to next team (profootballtalk.nbcsports.com)
• When The Checks Stop Coming In: Dirty Dog Extraordinaire Tiki Barber Coming Out Of Retirement, Wants To Play In NFL Again (bossip.com)

WATCH: Tucker Carlson Thinks Michael Vick Should Have Been "Executed"

Okay, let me go on the record and say that I am not a Michael Vick supporter. As a Falcons fan, I feel he let his team and the City of Atlanta down by supporting the heinous act of dog fighting and allowing himself to get caught up in such a disgusting and dirty business.

That said, he served the time the government felt was fair for him to serve and, as such, is entitled to pursue his professional career in the NFL.

However, there are still some who harbor ill will towards Michael Vick and they wish him nothing but failure—no matter how many times he apologizes. Case in point, Tucker Carlson—sitting in for Sean Hannity—offered the following opinion:



Uh-huh.

Listen, no matter what your feelings are about cruelty to animals—dogs in particular—it seems a bit much to suggest that Vick's crimes were worthy of execution.

After all, this is the same society that allows multiple DUI offenders to roam the streets and endanger the lives of innocent citizens, and presents enough loopholes in federal hiring practices that a sex offender can find work as a volunteer—at an elementary school.

Just putting that out there.

Vick isn't supported by everyone—obviously—but how many would agree that he should have been executed for his crimes?...Honestly?

Twist of Fate: Would Donovan McNabb Still Lobby For Vick Today?

Remember this interview given by McNabb just hours after the Eagles signed Michael Vick to a two-year contract?



Well, just a little more than a year later that whole there's "no threat to me, no threat to Kolb" comment is looking quite comical. I wonder if McNabb would have been as quick to lobby for the Vick signing if he knew that his career would be so negatively impacted by his arrival?

Think about it, Michael Vick is back to doing endorsements (sorta), leading a winning football team, and garnering league accolades (Pro Bowl and MVP talk), while McNabb has been relieved of his starting role, likely stripped of a $78 million contract, and heading towards unemployment.

I don't know McNabb personally, but you can be sure that this is not the outcome he was hoping for when he let it be known that the Eagles "made a mistake" by letting him go.

McNabb is now a punchline. A punchline so not funny that you almost want to weep for him.

Here he is, only a few seasons removed from being one of the most celebrated quarterbacks in the NFL, now suffering through the embarrassment of being benched in favor of a guy who has more fun throwing to defenses than to his own receivers—don't kid yourself—Rex Grossman is NO team's answer at quarterback and the fact that McNabb has been benched in his favor is just ugly.

Even more, it has to sting to see Michael Vick succeeding on his old team, throwing to his old teammates, and playing for his old coach. Quite frankly, he probably feels a lot like he did at his draft day when the Philly fans—allegedly—booed his selection.

Dude just can't catch a break.

At this point he probably does feel like he's been knocked out by Michael Strahan...



Ouch.

Is McNabb's career over? It's hard to say that for certain but, right now, it sure feels like it's heading in the wrong direction. 

Related articles

• Donovan McNabb Benched As The Shanahans Look To The Future (withleather.uproxx.com)
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WATCH: Michael Vick Has Returned To Being A Pitchman Too

This is likely to be the start of more to come for Michael Vick. Like him or not, the pubic sentiment around him right now is very high and it's only a matter of time before small spots like this beget offers of bigger things for Vick. 

Andy Reid Wants Vick To Be Treated Like A QB—Not A Running Back

There are accusations that Michael Vick isn't being protected by the league against late hits.

Sal Paolantonio reports that Andy Reid feels the NFL needs to pay closer attention to the hits that Vick takes after the play is over.

Says Reid, "It bothers me to be honest with you. That bothers me. I see the same thing you're seeing and it bothers me...he does run, but he's still the quarterback and you can't treat him like he's a running back there. That's not what the rules state."

Well, there's just one question to be asked, how on earth is a defensive player supposed to know when Vick plans to run and when he plans to remain in the pocket?

Let's be honest here, Vick is a run threat and most defenses are looking to decapitate him if he even looks like he might be thinking of running—can you expect any less?

Defenses want to send a message to all mobile quarterbacks, be it Vick or someone else, that they plan to make life hell if they choose to leave the pocket. The way to do that is to hit them as hard as possible—as often as possible. That's precisely why, over the course of time, you see less and less quarterback's making a run for it—they can't afford potential injury.

They slide or they run out of bounds, but they don't cruise down the field for 15 or 20 yards—several times a game. Pocket quarterbacks are far more likely to get the calls because they spend the better part of their game being immobile.  Aside from taking the snap, making their drop (3, 5 or 7), and throwing the football, they don't go far. The refs can see all of those movements from one location—the pocket.

Vick has made 268 pass attempts this season (24th*). That's a lot less than most of his counterparts—the ones who are most likely to get the calls that Reid is alluding to in his statement. By contrast, he has made 74 rushing attempts (1st among QB's).

Say what you want, but defenses have to respect Vick's prowess as a rusher or they will get beat.

Is Vick a quarterback, yes, but that doesn't mean he should be allowed to run-at-will or be given the same degree of latitude as Drew Brees or Tom Brady—he's viewed differently by defenses and he knows that.

Is that fair, no? But, how does he expect that to be corrected given his ability?

Here's what Vick had to say, "This has been happening for the last four or five weeks, and I haven't complained, I haven't said anything, but it's getting to a point where I'm getting tired of getting up off the canvas...the defense is going to continue to do it because it's not getting called."

We'll see if Reid's pleas end up meaning much for Vick on the football field but, from this chair, it just seems like there isn't much to be said or corrected. Vick's still a runner, defenses know that, and he's going to continue to be a target until he stops being so productive on the ground—period.

What say you?

*Based on quarterbacks who pass the ball at least 14 times per game (NFL.com)

Related articles

• Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid bothered by late hits on Michael Vick (sports.espn.go.com)

Michael Vick: Is He Really As Good As The Media Keeps Telling Us He Is?

These days you don't have to look far to find a fan, media analyst, or casual observer who is ready to get on their knees and praise the second coming of Michael Vick. It's become a tad disgusting, quite frankly, and not for the reasons you might think.

You see, there's nothing wrong with giving the man his due.

He's paid for the wrongs he committed and come out on the other side with a golden opportunity to, once again, grab the brass ring. It would be foolish not to applaud what he's done this season because he has flourished playing in the Eagles' offense.

That said, all this chatter about him being the MVP and carrying the Eagles to the promised land is extremely premature. His stats aren't mind-blowing and, quite honestly, his stellar play has as much to do with his supporting cast as it does his arm and legs.

DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy, and Brent Celek are good players, and they have been good for a few years now.  After all, this isn't the Eagles first trip around the NFC Championship conversation, they found themselves in that category for years—with McNabb.

So, Vick hasn't taken a mediocre team and made it better. He's taken a good team and made them more entertaining and he's done so by doing two things well: 1) finding the open man and 2) making smarter decisions in the pocket.

Quite frankly, neither of those things are praiseworthy as both are exactly what a good quarterback is supposed to do. 

Even with that, he's not been that much more impressive than Sam Bradford (who actually has some challenges to overcome in St. Louis), Josh Freeman (who has more yards passing with a handful more attempts), or Matt Schaub (whose team entered the season with the second toughest schedule in the league).

People want to point to his dismantling of the Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football, but wish to overlook the fact that the Redskins are not really that good. They are horrible against the pass (ranked 31st), atrocious against the run (ranked 25th), and horrific overall (ranked 32nd).

They give up more yards than any team in the National Football League (NFL) and the high-powered Eagles offense did precisely what they were supposed to do against them—win.

As a matter of fact, none of the teams Vick has faced this season have a pass defense ranked better than 17th—save the Colts (a team Vick had trouble passing against)—or a run defense ranked better than 20th. So, it's astonishing that anyone is suddenly ready to crown him MVP based on six games—only a third of which were actually above average.

You can say what you want about how well he did on Monday night, but the MVP should be based on a player's total body of work, over the course of the season—not a couple of great games he's played against bad defenses.

Stats don't lie—as much as the shadow of a redemptive story might try and cloud their existence. Vick is no more special than the media has tried to sell him to be. The same media who, it seems necessary to say, wanted to decimate and eradicate his existence as a football player and a man.

Is Vick having a nice season? Absolutely, there is no denying that he has added another dimension to an already talented Eagles offense.

Has he flashed moments of pure brilliance? Yes, but no more than any other quarterback has this season.

Is he the best quarterback in the NFL? No, he isn't but he's still one of the more exciting ones to watch.

In Vick's case, it's not necessarily the praise that's the problem, it's the perspective—something not many seem to have these days.