Tebow gets the start "this week."
John Fox's Monday Press Conference here.
“It’s not my job to see what people’s reasons are behind it,” Tebow said. “But I know, like a kid that tweeted me with cancer and said, “I’m Tebowing while I’m chemoing.” How cool is that? That’s worth it right there for that kid. If that gives him any encouragement or just puts a smile on his face or gives him encouragement to pray, then that’s really awesome and that’s completely worth it for me.”
Tebow said he supports the movement and hopes it encourages people to follow his lead.
“I think that’s a pretty cool thing and it’s stepping out for something that you either believe in or that you want to show or if you just want to pray, either way it’s pretty cool,” Tebow said.
We're fond of pointing out that Tebow isn't perfect, but is he the anti-Christ?
A few Dawgs think so. And they make a case for it.
I guess we can look at it this way, at least he inspired them to dig their Bibles out.
And nice graphic too. If this is what Dawgs see from their side of Jax Municipal Stadium, it's no wonder why they leave so early.
Like many teenagers, Cam Perron spends most of his free time on the phone. But instead of texting or playing video games, he’s talking to old guys like Paul Jones and Gilbert Black.
They are former Negro league baseball players, old enough to be his grandfather, and he may be their greatest fan, their unlikely but irrepressible advocate.
Perron, a shaggy-haired 16-year-old with a shortstop’s lanky build, is one of the country’s most prolific researchers into the leagues that gave black ballplayers a professional option when they were banned from the bigs. From his bedroom in Arlington, Perron has created baseball cards for players who never had any, discovered evidence to help former players earn pensions, and reconnected teammates who hadn’t spoken in decades. This month he will help organize a reunion in Birmingham, Ala., for more than 50 former players.
Which leads me back around to Solomon Wilcots' comments and his praise for the ineffable virtues of Tebow. That's the thing, Craggs. We're all too smart for God these days, and to believe in Tim Tebow is to believe in God in a world that tells us God is an impossibility, and that Tim Tebow is a bad quarterback because a bunch of guys on television said so. Well, screw that. We need some new heroes.
For 55 minutes, I sat in boredom and disbelief. Tim Tebow was awful and the Broncos were scoreless. There was a stretch from the 2nd through 3rd quarter where he missed 6 consecutive passing attempts. At the start of the 4th quarter, Tebow had 2 net passing yards. The game was, seemingly, over. There were 5 minutes and 23 second left in the 4th quarter and the Broncos were down 15-0 with the ball at their own 20.
Then, it was Tebow Time. Somehow, the Broncos came away with an 18-15 win.
Can anyone explain to me what happened? Luck? A Tim Tebow Miracle? Mile High Magic in Miami?
It's not often that you come across something you can't quantify or comprehend. As senior engineering student at the University of Louisville, I've been taught a number of methods for quantifying biological processes, creating equations for control systems or modeling mechanical functions. In football, there are a lot of ways that we can measure certain aspects of the game such as 3rd down conversions, rushing yards allowed, turnovers, etc.
But how do you quantify heart? How can you make an equation for a 4th quarter comeback? How do you model putting the team on your back?
I honestly don't know.
"Without a doubt, not everybody that plays in this league, or any league has 'it,'" Broncos coach John Fox said, praising Tebow. "It's a great quality to have. We got a guy, No. 7 [John Elway], who I work with every day, he had 'it.'"
A week before the 2010 NFL Draft, a handful of marketing experts said drafting Tim Tebow would only marginally boost ticket sales for the Jaguars. They estimated the former Nease High and University of Florida quarterback would bump season tickets sales by about 3,000.
“If Tebow were a John Elway it’d be different, but he’s not regarded that way,” Bob Leffler, head of the Leffler agency, the largest sports entertainment advertising agency in America, told The Florida Times-Union at the time.
Tebow led the Broncos to a stirring comeback victory Sunday, but he’s not going to be John Elway. Clearly, it would have been a reach for the Jaguars to take him with the No. 10 overall pick (they chose DT Tyson Alualu).
But whether Tebow turns out to a good, great or a bust in the NFL, it’s clear that marketing people underestimated his intangibles and popularity. He’s made just four starts, yet Tebow is already achieving near-iconic status in Denver (people bought billboards pleading with the Broncos to play him), and he was the focal point of the NFL on Sunday.
If Tebow were playing for his hometown Jaguars, is it unreasonable to think he would have sold 10,000 or more season tickets, even if he was holding a clipboard as a backup QB? Probably not.
That’s not to say the Jaguars whiffed on Tebow. The general consensus is that Blaine Gabbert, who the Jaguars selected with their first-round pick this year, will be a better quarterback than Tebow. Gabbert’s mechanics are better, his arm is stronger. Still, given Tebow’s ascendance to the starting job, and the national following he has, it’s hard to resist asking, “What if?”
“I guess the Denver fans finally saw what [Florida] fans saw down there — a spark, the fact that he gives something extra, the ability to dodge tackles,” said Tariq Suleiman.
Tariq and Mohammad are so enamored of Tebow that, back in September, they unveiled a downtown Denver billboard exhorting head coach John Fox to replace Orton with Tebow.
Never mind that the Suleimans are Muslims and Tebow wears his Christianity proudly. When it comes to football, the Suleimans say that religion isn’t part of the equation.
“The fact that he’s a strict follower is very good, actually,” Tariq said. “We’re tired of hearing about these celebrities and these players that just can’t seem to keep themselves out of trouble. He’s a God-fearing person and knows his limit. And I also like him as a football player.”
Added Mohammad: “It has nothing to do with religion. He motivates the team, the fans. It’s exciting. I’m worried about winning in Denver and if Tebow’s the guy who helps us get those wins, I’m all for it. I’m a convert.”
Comedian John Oliver starts the skit by making his ire clear: He hates Tim Tebow.
Oliver, who won an Emmy in 2009 for his work as a "Daily Show" correspondent, doesn't just dislike Tebow. He saves that designation, he says, for Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe. No, Oliver hates Tebow.
"How dare you -- how dare you -- thank God before thanking your offensive line," Oliver cracked at Florida State's homecoming in 2010. "Do you have any idea what an offensive line goes through during a game? If I was an offensive lineman for Tim Tebow, and I heard him thank God instead of thanking me at the end of the game, I'd find myself lining up for the following game and say, 'Oh Tim, I heard your press conference at the end of the game last week, great to hear Jesus get a shout-out.'
"'Wasn't he fantastic for us? Wasn't God great, especially in that fourth quarter? ... Let's see how Jesus blocks for you this time. Oh, it seems Jesus didn't read that blitz.'"
The crowd laughed because, well, plenty of people -- not just Florida State Seminoles -- would find that funny. They also cheered, something plenty of people -- not just Florida State Seminoles -- would also endorse. But why? Why do they cheer?
Why do people hate Tim Tebow?
"It really blows my mind," said Dolphins center Mike Pouncey, who spent three seasons as an offensive lineman for Tebow at the University of Florida. "You talk about a guy that's in the church, doesn't do drugs, doesn't drink alcohol, lives right, won the Heisman, won the national championship in college.
"Why do you criticize a guy like that?"
"He’s been criticized his whole life and all he did was prove people wrong and win," Pouncey said. "I think he’s going to do the same thing in the NFL and I’ll take a winner over a pretty passer any day. He can run the ball and I think that threat with him running the ball, it scares defenses because it’s hard to bring him down. Tebow’s a winner and no matter how he throws the football he figures out a way how to win games."
"He's going to have his share of fans," Dolphins linebacker Karlos Dansby said. "But ... disappointing a whole bunch of people gives me energy. Maybe have some babies cry or something."
Defensive end Eddie Delaney is living his dream playing Division I football at UAlbany. Despite being born without a left hand, the 19-year-old Holtsville, N.Y. native is thriving on the gridiron. He garnered Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week honors in only his second career start and co-led the team in pass breakups this season. He also received second team honors for the Northeast Conference.
Delaney, a sophomore business administration major, notices his opponents peer down at his hand at the line of scrimmage. But it doesn't bother him. He's never seen himself as disabled.
He also doesn't see himself as a role model, either -- but he is. As Delaney leaves the sidelines after a recent game, he spots a group of young children smiling and waving emphatically from the bleachers. He walks over to them, autographs their caps and shirts. It was then Delaney realized he is a role model.
"I've never thought of myself that way. I'm just a kid who plays football and goes to school," said Delaney, who was diagnosed with diabetes at age six and wears an insulin pump. "But they look up to me. They see me and think they can do anything, too. It's a good feeling. It means a lot."
To his teammates, Delaney is known as a bit of a prankster. Over the summer, Delaney told freshmen on the football squad that he lost his hand in a shark attack. Some of them still believe it, he said, laughing. He also jokes about dressing up as a pirate every Halloween.
When he isn't playing practical jokes, Delaney can be found talking with children who have disabilities, emphasizing the same message his parents instilled in him -- you can do anything you set out to do. Delaney and his Great Danes teammates hosted more than 90 children with diabetes, known as "The Sugar-Free Gang." Coordinated through Ellis Hospital, the joint effort allowed these kids to meet an inspirational athlete who can share their stories of growing up with diabetes.
Delaney had a similar experience, meeting former New York Yankees pitcher Jim Abbott, who was also born without a hand. Like Abbott, Delaney is determined not to let it slow him down. It hasn't yet.