Eli, you crack me up

Of coarse you forgive him. It's you that owes Tiki the apology.

Oh man that was a good laugh, just when I needed it, on the DC Metro with a headache facing a full day of work. I first saw this in the Washington Examiner here and here and then I realized it's everywhere.

It would seem that on assignment covering the Giants-Ravens preseason game on Sunday night, Tiki Barber (Wahoowa!), the greatest Giants running back of all time had some choice words about a pep talk Eli Manning (lol) gave to his Giants teammates in week 12 of last season. Knowing he would be retiring, Tiki attempted to pass the pregame team speech off to quarterback Eli, who was so worried that he would not sound authoritative or leadery that his voice was not inspiring and the speech was almost 'comical at times.'

Eli then fought back with this nugget:

"It's just one of those deals. I'm not going to lose any sleep about what Tiki has to say," Manning said. "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, and he's lost the heart (to play).

"As a quarterback you're reading that your running back has lost the heart to play the game and it's about the 10th week," Manning said. "I can see that a little bit at times. But I'm not going to get concerned. I'm going to go out there and play ball."

I'll try not to lift right off Adam Schein, host of Afternoon Blitz on Sirius NFL Radio but c'mon Eli, give me a break.

Calling out the coach? Tom Coughlin has been unpopular with Giants players since before he took the job. Last season Tiki questioned the coach after a bad loss to the Jaguars in which it was Eli that blew the game, and that goes more than a year after Jeremy Shockey (who may or may not love cocky) did the same thing.

Articles about retiring? It wasn't Tiki that announced his retirement, it was the big bad media that leaked it and forced Tiki's hand with the announcement. Someday Eli, you will retire as well and have to make a decision about when and how. Unless you get cut and can't get a job. (j/k, luvya!) The decision to play is about the team, the decision to stop is about the player and Tiki did what was right for him.

And OMG lost his heart? Tiki put you on his back and carried you 1600 yards my friend. The Giants started 2006 6-2 and finished 2-6 but Tiki was a constant throughout. Eight 100+ yard games including a 234 yard game against my beloved Redskins.

Could be what ignites Eli? As if.

That game, week 12 of last year when Eli's voice probably cracked like Peter Brady's? The Giants lost, 24-21 to the Titans. With Tiki and Michael Strahan gone it is going to be my pleasure watching the long hard slide of Eli Manning (lol) from average quarterback with a big price tag to historical bust on his way to backup.

Tiki Barber and Eli Manning in better times: Ted Warren / AP from here.