In Defense of Tim Tebow, Jack’s on the Case!
Since my college days, I have been a University of Florida “Gator-Hater.” This developed due to several postseason matchups between UF and my alma mater UCLA in men’s basketball and women’s softball. This personal anger at the Gators carried to all sports, including football. However, since Tim Tebow’s first NFL start in Week 7, I have been a Tim Tebow supporter.
Tebow is often criticized by the mass sports media for his quarterbacking mechanics, ability to read defenses, running too much, being too religious, and benefiting from a good defense. However, I feel the mass sports media needs to BACK OFF. Since the Tebow haters surfaced immediately after he led an improbable comeback at Miami in Week 7, I have been 100% in support of Tebow having success, primarily because everyone else wants to see him fail.
I have no problem admitting Tebow has a long way to go to develop into a long-term solution at QB in the NFL, but he possesses every intangible I would want in a team leader. Despite the criticism he has sustained, he regular conducts himself with class in interviews, is well-spoken, is active in the community, and instills confidence in his teammates. Where several professional athletes before him have buckled under media scrutiny, Tebow continues to believe and work hard.
Even Tebow’s own general manager, NFL Hall of Fame QB John Elway, publically panned him a couple of months ago. However, Elway finally drank his Kool-Aid yesterday and announced Tebow will enter training camp for next season as the number one QB. At the end of the day, despite his flaws right now as a QB and benefitting from the performance of the Broncos defense, Tebow has been a true leader, and a winner.
Furthermore, Tebow is now a playoff game winner, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in dramatic fashion in the Wild Card round. Unfortunately, the ride ended Sunday at New England, prompting a debate by ESPN First Take on whether or not Tebow is a bust. I have not watched the segment at length, because the whole subject is an abomination.
In spite of everything, Tebow still won a playoff game in his first season as a starter. Tebow now has the same number of playoff wins as Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo, and Romo has been a starting QB since 2006. ESPN ought to divert some of its resources to discussing whether Romo is a bust.
New York Jets QB Marc Sanchez (Saaannnchiiiseeeeee) has a similar story to Tebow’s, possessing sub-par skills, but winning games in the regular season and postseason in large part to his defense and ability to instill confidence in his teammates. Only now, three years after he became a starter, is the sports media starting to attack Sanchez. Perhaps it is because he is religious, but whatever the reason, there is a clear media bias against Tebow. I may feel differently if Tebow doesn’t improve over the next couple of seasons, but at this stage of Tebow’s NFL career, I can’t publish what I think all the Tebow haters can go do.
Even here at Taking Back Sports, we had a Tebow hater in The Phoenix (influenced by his strong support for Kyle Orton), but he finally came around, so the rest of the world should too!
