Crime of omission: Tiki getting no love for MVP Clark Judge Dec. 13, 2005By Clark JudgeCBS SportsLine.com Senior Writerhttp://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9094323/1EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- There's another running back besides Shaun Alexander who should be considered for the league MVP, and, no, it's not Edgerrin James. It's Tiki Barber.Without him, the New York Giants are dead. With him, they're first in their division and tied for the NFC's second-best record.Tiki Barber is getting stronger and producing more as the season wears on. (AP) Tiki Barber is getting stronger and producing more as the season wears on. (AP) Yet for some reason when talk radio gets around to the subject of Most Valuable Player, you rarely hear Barber's name. There's Alexander. And James. And Peyton Manning. Carson Palmer. Even LaDainian Tomlinson.But Tiki Barber? We might as well be talking about Marion Barber."I don't know what it is," said Ernie Accorsi, general manager of the Giants, "but he just hasn't gotten the acclaim nationally that he deserves."Barber is having the best season of his career. The Giants are having their best season since going to the Super Bowl in 2000. Yet I heard someone the other day ignore Barber and offer Larry Johnson as an MVP possibility. Larry Johnson, a back who hasn't started half the games for a team that might not -- and probably won't -- go to the playoffs.I'm not knocking Johnson. He's a promising young player. But he's not Tiki Barber. Not now. And I'm not talking about productivity. I'm talking about value, which is how our conversation started.Barber leads the league in yards from scrimmage, with nearly 200 more than Alexander, and is responsible for 38 percent of the Giants' offense. But here's what I like most about the guy: As games become more significant, he's asked to do more -- and he responds.Look at the past four games. Barber ran for over 100 yards in each -- the first time that's happened in his career -- and his role increased as time went on. Against Seattle he set a season-high with 26 attempts. He broke it a week later when he carried 30 times against Dallas. Then he broke it again with 32 against Philadelphia.Now look at the second halves of those games. In all but one Barber produced more yards in the third and fourth quarters."The last couple of years I worked with a power lifter, and he kills me in the weight room," Barber said Tuesday. "The weights I do are ridiculous. But what I found is that it prepares me for this part of the year. I'm still running strong in Week 14, still breaking tackles, still keeping my speed and, most important, not getting hurt."The knock on Barber, of course, is that he's a fumbler, but that's old news, folks. You know how many he has this year? One. OK, so now critics want to tell you he doesn't score enough. Well, that's why they invented Brandon Jacobs, people.Barber is the air the Giants breathe. He leads the team in first downs. He leads the team in touchdowns. He averages 4.8 yards a carry. He averages 104 yards rushing a game and ran for at least 95 yards in six of his last seven starts. He's on schedule to break the team's single-season rushing record, set by -- who else? -- Barber last year. He's on schedule to set his own record for carries, too. And he's on schedule to lead the NFL in yards from scrimmage for the second straight season, breaking the franchise mark he established last season.Advertisement I think you get the picture. Tiki Barber is the Giants' most consistent, most dependable and most productive playmaker."Where would be without him?" asked defensive tackle Kendrick Clancy. "I don't even want to think about it. I don't know why he doesn't get (more national attention), but a lot of people who deserve stuff don't get what they earn. It's crazy like that sometimes."Tiki Barber deserves more than he's gotten this year. And what he's gotten he earned. He was the only back to hang 100 yards on Seattle this season, and he shredded the Seahawks for 151. He caught 111 yards in passes against Minnesota, a game where he also scored a touchdown with 1:21 left ... then followed with the game-tying two-point conversion.There is no hole in Tiki Barber, except when it comes to conversation about league MVPs. Then he disappears, and don't ask me why. All I know is that it's wrong. And it's time it ends."It really doesn't bother me," said Barber. "Most of my career I fought for the respect and appreciation of the media and fans. So it doesn't come as a surprise to me. Because of that, the only thing that always mattered to me was how my team and my teammates view me, and I know in their minds I'm a most valuable player."Thank goodness someone pays attention.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DBoy21 @ Dec 17 2005, 09:59 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>Tiki just had a 2 touchdown 220 yd game against the KC Cheifs</div> He did something no team could do in almost 20 games, the Cowboy's didn't do it, and Tiki is phanominal.
Tiki is the Most Valueable Player on that team, there is NO doubt about that. The guy never stops moving his legs.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DBoy21 @ Dec 18 2005, 12:44 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>why it gotta b about my boys just leave us alone</div> You were critisizing Tiki, so I proved a point .
He runs well every game... he's averaging 5 yards a carry and has had the best season of his 9 year career.
I think he deserves to be in the top 3 forsure. He probably won't win it though...but he deserves recognition.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (His Greatness @ Dec 18 2005, 07:39 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>If any RB deserves it, its Shaun</div> Shaun has done a lot for that team and same with Tiki and the Giants. But if Shaun wins, its gonna be cause of his billion TDs.And that one game didnt earn him the MVP talk rights. He had been playing phenomenal all season and that game made it known. He has always played well from season to season (cross that fumbalaya season) but never got a lot of credit.
