I googled tebow and had over 31-million hits to choose from. I have never witnessed, nor participated in, such a frenzied outpouring of follow-like-dislike-love-hate exposition and exhibition in all my years of following sports. The media hype and discourse world-wide over Tim Tebow and the Denver Bronco quarterback situation crossed the boundaries of mere sports journalism. All in all, I think it was a very good thing to be a part of, to join in the discussion, debate the propriety of his performance, on and off the field. Reactions were varied, dialogue was often heated, opinions were opined, arguments and debates raged, and meanwhile basic football definitions were skewed. His footwork, his throwing motion, his overall quarterbacking skills, his constant reference to his Lord and Saviour, his consistent platitudes to teammates and coaches and fans..........all were fodder for criticism and implacable, often rancorous, denigration.
I watched and listened, and threw my two-cents-worth in, too. What I came away with, is that the young man has come a very long way, and by all accounts, in a steadfastly consistent manner, from humble, almost legendary beginnings, to a place where he could, should he choose to, capitalize in a very lucrative fashion. What I hope for, is that he remains resolute to his commitment to further his own, simple agenda: that of being a good person, who genuinely cares for others, works hard, and continues to prosper humbly and honestly. He got criticized for his underwear commercials and his auto-biography as examples of just another money-hungry, self-promoting jock personality. But, these endeavors were done way before he became a household subject, at least as an NFL shooting star. One thing that cannot be argued (until his lustre dulls as NFL history marches on, maybe) is that he wins. And what is a winner, exactly? Each individual can ascribe their own notion of what a winner is. Statistics abound that can support, and also contradict any definition thereby.
A winner is one who finishes in first place. Does that, then, define everybody else as a loser? No, we as a society cannot abide the definition that rigidly. Winners can be losers that don't "win" but compete courageously, overcoming almost all obstacles, bringing honor from the manner in which they compete, with graciousness in their pursuit. And yes, it is eminently obvious, that in many instances, a person who "wins" is also a loser (Charlie Sheen or any Kardashian).
Last Saturday, January 14th, the Denver Broncos traveled to Foxborough to battle the New England Patriots for a chance to play for the AFC Championship. The Broncos had shocked the football world the previous Sunday on Wild Card Weekend in Denver by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers on the 80-yard lightning bolt from Tim Tebow to Demaryius Thomas on the first play in sudden death overtime. The prelude to the game against Bill Belichick and his Patriots was filled with discourse and rhetoric about how the Broncos could win, what Tebow needed to do, how Denver's defense had to perform and countless hopeful presumptions that the Denver Broncos had a chance to win. I didn't think for a minute that the game would be close. I think the game unfolded just about how it should have. For all their metaphysical spunk and ethereal fortune, Tim Tebow, and the Denver Broncos, were exposed for what they are: a mediocre football squad that played hard but ultimately lacked the overall skill to compete at an NFL Championship level. In spite of the fact that Tebow had made marginal improvements to his skill set since taking over as a starter in Miami on October 20th, his weaknesses and inexperience were magnified by Belichick and the Patriots' defensive discipline and intelligence. The Broncos are a team that has weaknesses in the interior of the defensive line, the deep secondary and at linebacker. Their team speed is a notch below competitive equality in the NFL. The wide receivers and tight ends are not consistent in their ability to get open, and in their actual ball-catching skills. And Tim Tebow........he will benefit from an off-season that is repleat with OTA's (official team activities), hands-on coaching from John Elway and Adam Gase (quarterbacks coach, assuming that Offensive Coordinator Mike McCoy might be coaching in Miami next year) and rigorous study and practice in "traditional" NFL quarterback film study and drills.
Do NOT put it beyond Tim Tebow that he can improve. Also, do not put it beyond John Elway and the Denver Bronco brass to pick a QB early in the draft (I don't think they will). I think they'll concentrate early-on in the draft on defensive playmakers, but what can they expect drafting at #25? Hopefully, a good fat guy in the defensive middle, and a solid safety or tough linebacker to complement Elvis Dumervil and Vonn Miller defensively. And an improved, still motivated Timmy Tebow. He has proven, much to the consternation of many, that he IS a winner.
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