Interview with Tiki Barber
By MEGHAN PARMENTIER, ESP staff
Last updated: 8:21 a.m., Friday, October 19, 2007
Attiim Kiambu Hakeen-ah “Tiki” Barber was uniquely named after his mother was reminded of a “fiery-tempered king” from Barber’s first intensely strong cries as a baby. Now 32-years-old, Barber has recently retired from the playing football professionally and is facing scrutiny from previous teammates, coaches, and fans for how quickly and easily he made the transformation between a “sports personality” to “media personality.” He currently pursues his passion for journalism while residing in New York City with his wife and two sons. He is now an anchor of the “fourth hour” on the Today show and Football Night in America/Sunday Night Football. So over the weekend, ESP staff writer Meghan Parmentier, spoke with Tiki and got the scoop on his past and feelings on the future.
My first question for you is to actually describe your surroundings from which you are answering. The description does not have to be anything revealing, it just simply is a requirement of my assignment since when
my teacher first assigned this project she assumed the interviews were
going to be in person and we were supposed to observe the surroundings
of the interview ourselves.
There are really two answers to this, originally I was in a car at five AM
on my way to Atlanta for a story for the Today Show, I finished it at
30,000 feet. Currently, I'm in bed… (Laughed)
When conducting my research for your interview today, your mom came up
several times in numerous reports. One part that stuck out at me in
particular was the fact that she scheduled her three jobs around any
games that you and your brother, Ronde, were apart of. How did this early support from
your mother affect your career as an athlete?
My mom was always there for us, not matter what personal things she
had going on. I think it had a profound impact because we knew that we
had accountability to her. We always strove to make her proud of us,
so we always put great effort into everything that we did.
Was she the driving force behind your valedictorian status in high
school also?
She was most definitely a driving force behind my academic success.
It was always stressed to us the importance of education and we
understood that the only way we would be able to do what we love, i.e.
play sports, was to do well in school. So our academic success was
driven in a subtle yet effective way. Also, my mom was big on reading
and literature, our townhouse was filled with books intrigued our sense
of adventure and discovery of things we hadn't experienced.
While playing for the University of Virginia, you were the first player
in school history to rush over 1,000 yards in back to back seasons.
While playing for the Giants, you repeatedly broke even more
records. Did you strive for these phenomenal achievements because of the
satisfaction of doing something that had never been done before, or was
it simply the result of the performance and heart you put into the
game?
I didn't set out to achieve the statistics that I amassed on the
football field, I think they were the by-product of my passion to be
great at what I do, and a desire to prove those who doubted me along the
way wrong. As an aside, those criticisms are what made me who I am, and
I don't think it's a bad. A quote that I've to lean heavily on is by
Benjamin Franklin, who said(paraphrased) "... our critics are our
friends, because they show us our faults!" One of the great things
about sports are the metaphors that they carry for life, and I'm
fortunate that I'll be able use these traits and others as I embark on
other paths.
When interviewed or reporting, you are always very well spoken. Your
vocabulary is immaculate. Obviously, you hold education in high value.
Why do you think it is important that the NFL and the NBA are two of the
only leading professional sports organizations that require their
athletes to go through college to get drafted?
This answer is two fold. First of all, going to college is a chance
for young athletes to mature mentally and physically. It takes a lot of
knowledge to execute the complex schemes in sports, particularly in
football. Also, on the professional level, the athletes are grown men,
who have more mature muscles and strength development, something that if
you don't have as a young adult, you'll be more prone to injury.
Secondly, since professional athletes are, in a sense, investments for
the organization, teams do all they can to make sure they have quality
players. This means giving them a chance to evolve socially and
personally. Once an athlete starts making a lot of money, he has a lot
of free time and access to the world, any number of detrimental things
could happen. It is important to know who of the top athletes have what
it takes athletically (college as a training/evaluation ground), as well
to know which are responsible enough to handle the pressures of the
stage.
When quoted on a specific endurance builder that you performed with
former teammate Greg Comella on a treacherous hill in New Jersey, you
said "I'm doing this because no one else is doing it over these long,
long mornings; I developed a passion for what I do." Describe, please,
how your passion for football changed from that 1999 season to your last
season before retirement.
I think I evolved as a person, and thus my passions changed. We all
are products of our environment and what we are exposed to. In 1999,
football was all I knew. Eight years later, I had been immersed in the
culture of NYC, traveled to different parts of the world, including
Israel, and had lunch with the Secretary of State. My desire to explore
all of the other interests became more powerful than my desire to power
lift and train for 5 hours a day. Plus, I was getting old (for a
football player) and I knew I wanted to leave the game in one piece and
on my own terms.
After signing your six year contract with the Giants at the conclusion
of the 2000 season, you stated that you were "the happiest man in New
York." Do you feel the same happiness now while working for NBC?
I do feel the same, maybe even greater because I have the ability to
still stay engaged in sports through Football Night in America, but also
explore other topics throughout the country and world with the Today
Show. It is really an ability for me to connect with people and accept
the great responsibility of telling their stories.
Also, and maybe more importantly, I have so much more flexibility with
my schedule, which allows me much more time with my family.
Rumors have been circulating the internet that you are a potential
candidate for Matt Lauer's co-host position when he retires in 2011.
Especially in relation to your most recent book in which you mention
Lauer as "one of the people I most admired professionally and wanted to
learn from most," how would you feel taking over a position previously
held by someone you admire so much?
Obviously, it would be an honor, but
I don’t know where this path in my
career is heading. I have great goals and aspirations in broadcast
journalism, and I feel blessed
that I have the opportunity to learn from
the standard for excellence in the business.
In 2006 you cited a lunch with
Condoleezza Rice as the highlight of your
year. Why is it so important for you to cover harder news stories
rather than the usual
retired athlete who simply covers the sport they
used to play?
I’m very
lucky because I found a vehicle where I can do both. I do
still cover sports, but being able to delve into deeper issues is more
indicative of the type of person I am and the interests that
I have.
I’ve never in my life wanted to be like everyone else, I’ve never
wanted to take the path easily traveled. I like being
outside of my
comfort zone, because it challenges me to be my best and stretch my
limits.
In
football, you were known for your exceptional running and impressive
reflexes. What would you rather be remembered for, football or
broadcasting? Why?
I want to be remembered as someone
who put my best effort into
everything that I did, as someone who took pride in the journey to be
great, as someone who was honest and
open, caring and respectful to
those around me. Whether people want to recall that of me as a football
player or a broadcast journalist is up to them.
Finally, is there anything that I
did not ask you or did not go over in
depth that you would like me to add?
Nothing except a piece of advice that was given to me by
Roger Ailes
(Fox News) when I first started to delve into this business.
He said, always remember these three things about this
business. Be
prepared, there is no substitute for information. Be confident, look
people in the eye and speak to them directly and
with purpose. Be
comfortable, if you are at ease, then your subject will be also.
Incidentally, these are also metaphors for life.