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May 26, 2012

Tiki Barber signs on with NBC

by Joel Keller, posted Feb 13th 2007 6:21PM

Tiki BarberAs a Giants fan, I was completely bummed when Tiki Barber announced that he was going to retire at the end of the 2006 season. Heck, he's the best running back the team's ever had, and he was in the middle of his peak-performance years (he won't turn 32 until April). But Tiki had a vision; he knew he had a future in media, since he had been working on local TV, then Fox and Friends, even while he was playing. He figured it would be better to start that future now, rather than after a couple of more years of being pounded to a pulp by 300-pound linemen.

His future starts today, as NBC announced that they have signed Barber not only to work in the Football Night in America studio next season, but also work as a correspondent for Today, where he'll start in April. This isn't a surprise, given Barber's previous morning-show experience at the Fox News Channel. Not sure what Barber will report on, but I'm sure it won't just be sports-related issues. Could they be grooming him for hosting duties on the show's fourth hour? Who knows...

[via TV Week]

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Nonchalant Savant

This is smart. I've been really impressed with Barber's on-air skills each time I've seen him.

He's very personable & witty and should do really well.

February 14 2007 at 11:42 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rhett W. Mason

Tiki is not the best running back the Giants have ever had. Remember Otis Anderson? He won the Super Bowl for you guys. Tiki was completely mediocre for his first 5 years. This isn't a sports blog, so I won't get into any further. Good for him, I guess. He is doing what he wants. He'll do well on TV.

February 14 2007 at 3:08 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Brendon Carr

At least Tiki Barber is an engaging personality and a smart man, not a meathead ex-athlete. There shouldn't be a ban on hiring former athletes for television work -- so long as they're good at what they do, which Tiki is, then why not? There are enough useless, dumb and annoying television personalities (hello Kelly Ripa!) already. I say more Tiki Barber!

February 13 2007 at 9:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
justin

i have nothing against barber, but this hiring of ex-athletes has gone way too far. while i enjoy the insider input that they bring, they need to be balanced out by well informed sports analysts. too often all they bring is a name and some personality.

February 13 2007 at 7:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Sam

I'm just glad he's replacing that jackass Sterling Sharpe on Football Night In America.

February 13 2007 at 7:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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