Tiki Barber, hall of fame candidate or not?

[Xaiveir]

As many know, Tiki is now retired. Has he done enough to be considered for the Hall of fame? What do you think of his decision to retire at the peak of his career?

[Darcler]

Slightly off topic: Gid was really pushing for Jackson's name to be Tiki. Good thing I'm the one that fills out the birth certificate.

[Arlos]

He was very good, but wasn't awe inspiring by any means. Also, no championships whatsoever. If he'd won a title, even with nothing else different about his career, I'd have to think harder about it, especially if he was team MVP for any portion of the playoff run. How many years did he win the rushing title, or hold the lead for rushing touchdowns? How many consecutive pro bowls did he make?

To get in WITHOUT having won a championship, though, takes someone with the talent level of a Barry Sanders, or not too far off from that. While Tiki may be good, I don't think anyone would call him even remotely in the same ball park as Barry Sanders.

The only RB in the league right now that I'd call an absolute shoe-in for the HOF, regardless of if he wins a championship or not is LT. Shaun Alexander and Larry Johnson have had individual spike years, sure, but not the year-in and year-out dominance that it should take to be a true HOF candidate.

-Arlos

PS. Speaking of the HOF; if Jerry Rice isn't a unanimous selection, some voters are ognna have some 'splainin to do...

[Reynaldo]

Agree w/ Arlos. Barber is good, but you'd never mention him as a *dominant* back. He was just a yardage monster on a middle of the pack team.

[leah]

[x] lick finawin's inner thigh

[Xaiveir]

Stolen from ESPN

Most analysts have Barber falling short of Hall of Fame status, citing his 10,448 career rushing yards (only 17th all-time) and three Pro Bowl seasons (he had just three seasons over 1,400 yards). However, Barber was also a great pass catcher. He led the NFL in yards from scrimmage in 2004 and 2005 (his 2,390 yards in '05 ranks second all-time to Marshall Faulk's 2,429 in 1999). He is 10th all-time in yards from scrimmage, more than more highly regarded runners like Jim Brown, O.J. Simpson, Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson and Jerome Bettis. No player had more yards from scrimmage over a seven-year period than Barber did from 2000-2006. Don't hold his early retirement against him. And remember, in Barber's second and third seasons in the league, Jim Fassel had Gary Brown and then Joe Montgomery (who?) leading the Giants in carries.

[Arlos]

I'm not saying he's bad, by any means, but just "Very good" shouldn't be enough for Hall of Fame status.

-Arlos

[Tikker]

I don't think a player who would NEVER have been the first RB taken in a league wide draft should be in the HoF, but that's just me


every single year that Tiki played, he was not the best RB in the league

[Harrison]

[x] lick finawin's inner thigh

Holy shit that was a long time ago.