You hear that, Barber? It hurts when he walks, but at least he gave his team everything. Didn't leave at least two good years on the table so he can go make goo-goo eyes at Meredith Viera when Matt Lauer's getting his hair plugs replaced. Didn't choose the glamour life when he was at the top of his game. Just loved football, and helped his team as long as he humanly could.

If I had never won a championship, I'd rather be in Canton than trying to make it in tv-land, knowing I left without giving every last ounce trying to win that ring.

I hope Tiki and Curtis Martin have their retirement ceremonies at the same time on opposite sides of town, so New York football fans can tell Barber what a real football hero looks like by sending Martin off right.


I couldn't disagree more with this.

I love sports--not just football, but most sports out there. But one thing that pisses me off about sports in general, and most sports in specific (especially football), is this macho bull-**** about playing through any and all injuries at all cost.

There's a hell of a lot more to life than football. Tiki should be praised for the things he's done during his time in the game, and criticized (or at least critiqued) for the flaws he's shown while doing it. But he doesn't deserve any criticism whatsoever for deciding not to break his body beyond repair for the benefit of the beer-swilling masses.

--WP, happy to see Tiki walk away on his own terms, not limp away