After a lawsuit brought by Brian Flores, Ex-Giant defends his ownership
After the Brian Flores lawsuit, Tiki Barber, a former New York Giants running back and co-host of the Tiki & Tierney’ show on WFAN Sports Radio, came to the defense of the Giants on Wednesday.
Barber stated, “I don’t believe that the Maras who I’ve known 25 years are racist.”
The organization
Barber was a Giants player from 1997 to 2006.
“I don’t want to shout and scream at the Giants, an organisation that I love and with which I have a great relationship, to claim that they are racist because they don’t have a black head coach or a Black quarterback. …
“I cannot sit here with conviction like Stephen A. [Smith] doesn’t know anyone in the Giants’ organisation and claims that they are racist. That is something I wouldn’t do. That’s the only reason why I would do it. Brian Flores has a point.
The Mara family
Barber stated that he knew the family “intimately.”
“I don’t believe that the Maras (who I have known for 25 years) are racist. He said that he didn’t.
Barber related a story about being asked by Wellington Mara to visit Westchester just before his 2005 death.
I went to his bedside, and I just told him thanks for making me a Giant. It was the fact that I was embraced by the Maras and the Tisches. They are my closest friends so I can say that I don’t think they’re racist. They are not racist organizations, I am sure.”
Brian Daboll hiring
Barber stated that the Giants hired Joe Schoen, a general manager who had an idea about who he wanted as the head coach. Brian Flores is lighting the match to the Giants and the league. Barber agreed. This has been known for over two decades. We know that this issue exists because of the Rooney Rules. The Rooney Rule isn’t perfect. Because the pipeline of Black candidates isn’t wide enough or large enough, it won’t be perfect. You try to do your best, and that’s what the Giants and the league are trying to do.