RBs are the new WRs

Remember when it was only wide receivers who wrote self-important football memoirs and provided the sports media with juicy sound bites? This week, running backs Jerome Bettis and Tiki Barber generated some mild sports controversy with some sneak peeks at their upcoming books. It's no coincidence that both these retired players now work as analysts for major sports networks.

Bettis' book reveals that he once faked an injury to avoid being cut, an admission that seems to rub some Steelers fans the wrong way. I don't particularly have a problem with what he did (it's not hard to believe that this kind of thing happens when there's so much money on the line) though I do think this kind of public admission is a bit unseemly. Bettis is a pretty popular player, but he probably would be better off if he had kept this story to himself.

As for Tiki Barber, king of the self-important sound bite, his new book asserts that he would not have retired were it not for NY Giants head coach Tom Coughlin robbing him of the joy of playing football. Openly criticizing Giants employees is nothing new for Barber--not only did he bitch and whine about the coaching staff as a player, but he recently ripped Giants QB Eli Manning on NBC a few weeks ago.

According to the NY Daily News, Tiki's book states:

"If Tom Coughlin had not remained as head coach of the Giants, I might still be in a Giants uniform....[Coughlin] robbed me of what had been one of the most important things I had in my life, which was the joy I felt playing football. I had lost that. He had taken it away."

Hold on a sec. Let's not forget that the 3 best years of Tiki's 10-year career were the 3 years that he played under Tom Coughlin. So perhaps it should have read:

"If Tom Coughlin had not ever been the head coach of the Giants, I might still be another mediocre player who never reached his potential...[Coughlin] robbed me of habit I had of fumbling the football. I had lost my propensity to fumble and underachieve. He had taken it away."

Tiki begrudgingly acknowledges that his best years were under Coughlin, but unsurprisingly still comes off as an ass:

"It's a double-edged sword, because as much as Coach Coughlin helped me, I also helped Tom Coughlin." Like BOTH times you told the media that the Giants were outcoached? Yeess....no further thanks necessary.

I give it 3 years before Tiki starts complaining to TV Guide about his bosses at NBC Sports.

Things like this make me appreciate players like Tedy Bruschi even more. At least when he writes a book, he resists the temptation to throw his colleagues under the bus. Bruschi's book is pretty light on self-promotion and heavy on the introspection, as he discusses his stroke, the tension with his wife and family during his recovery, and mentally struggling to come to terms with what appeared to be the end of his football career. A great read for Patriots fans, totally boring for everyone else.