Twin terrors: Barbers finally teammates again

KAPOLEI, Hawaii -- When Tiki Barber and Ronde Barber stand together, it's difficult to tell them apart. They crack the same wide smile, and finish each other's sentences with wisecracks upon other wisecracks.

The Barbers' striking similarity even confused a young autograph seeker who hit up Tiki twice, until his mother pointed out Ronde.

The identical twins were friendly rivals and teammates for most of their youth in Virginia -- and this week, for the first time since college, they'll be on the same sideline at the Pro Bowl.

The brothers brought 25 friends and family members to Hawaii for a working vacation that might never happen again. They usually get to spend only a couple of weeks together during any year, but they're taking advantage of their first joint selection to the all-star game.

"It's a family reunion, a vacation paid for by the NFL. Can't complain," said Tiki, a running back who capped his outstanding season with the Giants with his first Pro Bowl selection.

It's been eight years since the Barbers wore the same uniform in college, but they'll both wear the white jerseys of the NFC squad on Sunday.

"I enjoy it. We did it for so long for so many years ... it's good to have this feeling again," said Ronde, Tampa Bay's All-Pro cornerback.

And playing together only makes sense.

"When we were kids, if he had something, I wanted something," Ronde said.

The Barbers are the first twins and the seventh set of brothers selected to the Pro Bowl. They're third set of siblings to play in the same all-star game, joining Bruce and Clay Matthews (1989-90) and Shannon and Sterling Sharpe (1993-95).

And luckily, the Barbers brothers are on same NFC squad.

"It's not good when we play against each other," Ronde said. "We're those twins that fight when we're competing, so it's good we're on the same side."

Tiki agrees. The Barbers squared off in 2003 in a Monday night game, but they'll only face each other in non-contact, low-key practices in Hawaii.