POTD Tim Tebow: a View from Denver


G-Moneyball has a take that sounds out both the ring of truth and a call-whistle to middle ground:


=== G-Money on Tebow ===


So Tebow Mania is rampant here.  I love the kid.  As a quarterback...he's growing on me, and I look forward to an offseason of him working with Elway and hopefully learning more advanced passing skills (ie, throwing to a spot and not waiting to see jersey numbers before letting go of the ball).

But as a man?  He's a great man.  When people interview him it's interesting to watch their approach.  Most of the time, they ask the most insulting questions they can think of, or at least ask questions in the most insulting way possible, trying to get a rise out of him.  They want to be the one to get a juicy quote out of a flustered Tebow who shows he too is human and subject to failures in the moment.  He just smiles.

Rick Reilly hired a lipreader to see if Tebow curses on the sidelines (all he got was a "Let's Go!").

It's not homeschooling, IMO.  It's not Christianity (though that's a part).

It's the fact that he's a better man than his critics, and is lauded for it, and they hate it.

To be fair, there are some analysts who simply judge him on his technique playing the position and simply update their estimation of him according to his technique improvements or failures. 

But the vehemence of many doesn't seem to come from a logic-based foundation, but instead from an emotional core. 

The former players didn't donate THEIR signing bonus to charity.  THEY don't spend all their free time doing charity work.  In some cases, THEY couldn't make themselves better players through sheer work ethic even though all of them had better "fundamentals" for success at their positions than Tim has. 

It rubs them the wrong way.  And it's funny, because Tebow never talks himself up.  Ever.  He doesn't bring up his charity work, other people do.  He thanks his Lord and Savior before every press conference and then gets on with it.  People ask him insultingly-phrased questions and he answers them graciously.  He gives all credit to his teammates and coaches, earnestly and sincerely.

His critics are not as gracious, as earnest or as sincere.

It's hard to know men like Tebow if you are insecure about your own faults.  Tim is not insecure about his - he constantly works to improve them, in his private life and at his job.  I don't know if he can continue to "walk the walk" every single day of his life since there are obviously people invested in discovering any potential slip up.  I like his chances more than I would most people's under those kinds of crushing expectations.

IMO, Tebow was not hated in the media in college because all the people he rubbed the wrong way were thinking "he might be a great college player but he'll get his at the next level" and so bided their time.  They'd have their revenge.

He is "getting his"...just not in the way they wanted.

If Tim is a better man than you have been, and probably a better man than you'll ever attempt to be, then all you have to hang your hat on is, "Yeah, well I am - or was - better at my job than he is at his." 

If that is not the case, then to measure up some people would have to look in the mirror and become better people.

It's easier to hate than to be made uncomfortable and know that it's because you don't measure up to his standard.

The funniest part about that is Tim doesn't measure up to his own standard - that of his Savior.  But he tries as hard as he can every day to improve his measurables in that area.  And even as a non-Christian, I can admire and applaud that.  Most Christians who preach loudly and judge others are insecure and failing miserably in their private lives (I'm looking at you, Ted Haggerty).  Tim doesn't preach or judge - he simply is.  And since he apparently is who he says he strives to be, it doesn't bother me at all.

Now throw a consistently accurate ball, Timmy, and lead my Broncos to victory.





Funny thing about Tebow - he's very popular with folks like me that share little of his religious conviction. He just seems to be a genuine, sincere guy with his priorities set strait. I get the impression that a lot of NFL players go through the "I would like to thank my personal savior..." phrase at the beginning of their media statement by rote but I never get the idea that Tebow is anything but sincere.
I'm not a Bronco fan and hope they GO DOWN this weekend...but I really like Tim Tebow, the man.
Given all of the negative PR that the NFL gets from some of its players, you have to think that they will be marketing around Tim next season. Heavily.


Fans like yourself and G are able to look at the situation objectively, neutrally, viewing Tebow's religion as a type of philosophy ... and to categorize him as ONE SUB-TYPE of "good guy."
The NFL itself, I wonder how comfortable they are with Tebow's position on home-schooling, abortion, etc.  You can easily visualize a marketing firm thinking, "We don't want to alienate the viewers on the left side of the political spectrum."
Couldn't venture a guess as to which way the NFL will go.  I take it yours is that they'll put him front and center?


I sure would.
I think in general, folks worry about alienating people way too much. Most Americans are super-tolerant of people that have different view points. If he was a politician talking about instituting a Christian version of Sharia law that would be one thing. But he's not. He's just evidently a genuinely good human being that is doing what he can to make the world a better place. And play some winning football. Tebow isn't just popular with the Evangelical crowd - he's popular with a wide variety of folks. Even a lapsed Catholic like me. :)
I don't think anyone would be surprised if he doesn't have a long career in the NFL. If he gets the calling, he's the kind of guy that will walk away from the fame and $$. You can't help but respect and admire that.
His parents are the real heroic ones here. Raised him right.

Steen.'s picture

The NFL doesn't need to pander to them, they might need to distance themselves from his religion, though. I just want to see if the option can really work in the NFL after all these years of hearing it could never work. His throwing motion and belief system aren't for me, but the option? Yes, Please!
I'm not saying you're old Doc but I'll bet you remember Ziggy: http://youtu.be/NHB0o9lCizQ

jokestar's picture

I'm not really a big Tebow fan, but I was so sick of all the diatribe said and written about him that I felt compelled to root for him. I know I'll be rooting for him to avemge his loss to the Pats. Since I don't have a home team to root for, maybe I'll cheer on the Broncos.

tylerv's picture

I don't like politics and religion mixed in with my sports. This guy does both. No thanks.

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