Posted on 01/13/2012 8:53:19 AM PST by rhema
I have officially called off my boycott of the National Football League. I do not care how many felons or frotteurs play the game. Now there is Tim Tebow to redeem it. He can pass and run. He inspires his teammates. He inspires many returning fans like me. I shall follow him through the playoffs and maybe even next year as the season resumes anew. He is an American original -- and he is controversial. I am for him.
No, I shall not fall for the NFL's gimmicks. You will not see me wearing a jersey of the Denver Broncos, for whom Tebow plays. I shall not even buy a coffee mug. In fact, I think I shall add up how much money I could spend on Tebow paraphernalia and donate it to charity. Tebow inspires his teammates, and now he has inspired me.
I first noticed Tebow when he won a string of games in the last minutes. It was phenomenal, but then I seemed to have brought him bad luck, for he lost the next three games.
Then came the Denver Broncos' surprising upset of the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday. The Steelers played a great game behind the two-time Super Bowl winner, Ben Roethlisberger (himself an almost-convicted felon who has now confessed his errors and mended his ways), but Tebow outplayed him. Roethlisberger did lead his team to an overtime Sunday.
That worried me, for I had already sat through hours of play, and one of my complaints with the NFL is that the games are the closest thing we can experience on earth to eternity. Yet the Broncos won the flip of the coin. They elected to receive. And on the first play from scrimmage, Tebow threw a pass to Demaryius Thomas (note the noble Roman name), and Demaryius outran the desperate Steeler secondary for 80 yards and a touchdown. Good show, fellows! The whole play took 11 seconds -- the briefest overtime in NFL history.
Then came the grounds for controversy. After congratulating his Roman receiver, Tebow knelt on one knee and thanked God. His recollections convey the essential Tebow. "When I saw him scoring," recalled the victorious quarterback, "first of all, I just thought, 'Thank you, Lord.' Then, I was running pretty fast, chasing him -- like I can catch up to D.T.! Then I just jumped into the stands. First time I've done that. That was fun. Then, got on a knee and thanked the Lord again and tried to celebrate with my teammates and the fans."
Tebow is very pious, very humble ("like I can catch up to D.T.") and a lot of fun ("that was fun"). How can anyone dislike him? He runs charities in the offseason. He invites sick children to games. He does all manner of good deeds. He is the son of missionaries, and he takes his religion seriously.
This appears to be a problem for some players in the NFL and other concerned Americanos. Some have uttered insults at him over his religion and, in fact, over his general good-guy deportment. Why should this be? One can strut and perform the most lurid dances on the field. One can demonstrate on behalf of various controversial causes. Nary an eye is batted. Yet a show of piety to one's creator is deemed an offense.
By the way, Tebow was not the only person on the field expressing a prayer. I saw a fellow from the Steelers make the Sign of the Cross repeatedly, and after an exceptionally good pass, I dare say Roethlisberger raised his hands to the heavens. So what is so outrageous about a pause for a prayer of thanksgiving?
I predict that Tebow is in for some serious controversy in the weeks and years ahead. Some say he does not deserve his fame, that he is an unorthodox passer and a terrible ball-handler. I do not know what they think they know. He is as strong as a bull, and his running and passing win games.
Yet his real problem is the religious angle. Many Americans do not like it. They prefer their own gestures of false piety. They need our prayers.
Football reasons are part of the equation, but so is money. Bottom line, the kid sells jerseys. If I remember right, he sold more as a rookie than any rookie before him. And I imagine those numbers are up.
Tebow wasn't #2 on the depth chart, Elway just served him up to be slaughtered. The defense wasn't great, the offense - nothing. But the roar from fans was heard, and Elway hung him out to dry. And if Tim gets released in 18 months because he can't QB an NFL team, a lot of owners out there will want to pick him up, tell him that he can try tight-end or some such, and enjoy the new fans and jersey sales...I think he will be in the league as long as he wants to be - unless he loses the squeaky clean image. If he gets married, he will probably lose (female) fans...
Why did you stop to read this article and post? You’re still in the thick of it, aren’t you?
I was a dj in a nightclub in Fairfax, Va during the Redskins/Hogs era! P.J.Skidoos. Coy Bacon, Jacoby, Riggins, Butz, Moseley and sometimes Art Monk would come into the bar on Saturday night before a home game. They’d drink and dance like there was no tomorrow then play and win the next day. Their favorite “psyche” song was “Ain’t No Stoppin Us Now”.
In the last year of Carter’s horrific presidency we had the Miracle on Ice at the 1980 Olympics when the U.S. hockey team beat the USSR. It was a great story of David slewing Goliath and was a huge lift for the nation.
Tebow stands in stark contrast to the moral corruption of the media, academia, and Hollywood — the institutional forces that are underming America;s traditions and are the foundation of Obama’s rise to power.
Tebow represents something that has been nearly lost in the American character. That’s why this New England Patriots fan will be rooting for Tebow Saturday night.
What are you babbling about?
Part of Tebows successes stems from the rules of the game.
Since a defender cannot touch a receiver after 5 yards Tebow
and his particular skill set can be a formidable weapon.
He can roll out, and if the defenders come up to tackle him,
he just rifles a pass 7-10 yards downfield, if the defenders
stay back,he is good for 4-7 yards and then he slides, so they
can’t tackle him. Once he gets his aim better, and his
receivers and him know what each other is going to do...that kind of option
is difficult to stop. Once they get the personnel on their
teams that can do those type of multiple option/multiple
skill set performances Denver will be very good. Take a
look at university of Oregon for a glimpse. His skills may
make him a transformative player for the league.
The Lord can use anybody, anytime, anyway to bring about
His own will. Mr. Tebow can be a great example of that.
Finally, it’s kinda nice to see all the paid, talking sports
heads who said that Tebow couldn’t win show us how much(sarcasm)
they know about the game. Na,Na,nana, na
nevermind
That @#$ Art Monk is the reason I broke a finger! LOL I was a Spanish-born girl, had never played (or watched) football before going to DC. Some boys were trying to teach me to catch but I was beyond awful. Then, one Sunday I saw Art Monk make one of those awesome catches, and the comentator mentioned that he had caught the ball with his fingertips. Aha! so that’s the trick... Next day, when someone threw me the football I tried to catch it with my fingertips. I don’t remember the name of the hospital near AU, but I ended up there, in the ER, with a broken finger. As if that was not bad enough, a nurse thought it was hilarious and said “here’s another injured football player” and he pulled away the curtain that separated the examining area from the next one. Guess who was there? Mark Moseley! I don’t remember what was wrong with him, I just wanted the floor to swallow me while the nurse kept on telling him that I was an injured football player... Oh, those were the good times!
So now what are ya???? ;)
A proud American citizen who voted for Bush! No kidding, people ask me all the time where am I from. I answer from Manning, or Sumter... wherever I happen to be living at the time. They laugh, but I am deadly serious. When I took the oath of citizenship I cut all ties with the past. I am not a Spanish-American, I am an AMERICAN. Thanks be to God.
Long-suffering Skins fan here, I feel you. Sigh.
One thing Denver’s done right is put a ‘football guy’ - Elway in charge. Little Danny boy doesn’t know football from bupkis.
Poster Learns is correct. Bottom line, he puts bottoms in seats.
The NFL attained prominence, grew out of its infancy when it got Red Grange, the “galloping ghost”. He put butts in seats too, and was up there in popularity with Ruth and Dempsey.
Tebow has the same impact, bringing many of us who have become disenchanted by the game....back in.
His “loopy” mechanics are actually somewhat endearing, as they defy the o-so-expert class.
Manning’s mechanics might be superb. His passes still float like wounded ducks. Don’t ask me how he completes them!
Tebow is our generation’s Red Grange.
I agree! I have a further problem in that I have been a Patriots fan since 1970. The last decade has been really good for me after the prior 30 years of humiliation.
I hope Tebow does real good but looses to the Patriots. You cant help but like the guy
Tim Tebow’s daddy isn’t running his mouth. unlike Archie!
One thing, Tebow doesn’t slide,he knocks em down!
God still gives us miracles every day, it’s just that we are always looking for the “big one.” I remember that hockey game very well! Our country’s future might be darkening, but Christians need to be the light in the darkness. In a totally dark room, even the smallest candle glows brightly.
If we as conservative, constitutional Christians can remember that, then we can stay the course, stand fierce against the darkness, and serve as the light in the darkness around us.
I can only do what my ancestors have done before me: believe in God, raise my children the same way, work hard, be a patriot to my country.
Blessings!
Very well, i will revise my statment. It seems to me that Tebow is doing better than most rookie quarterbacks of his experience level. Tebow has had two truncated seasons and if you look at his total 23 games and compare his stats to say Drew Brees or Eli Manning in their first 23 games you will see very similar numbers regarding win/loss, completion percent, and quarterback ratings. I'm not saying Tebow will achieve the same level of success but I think my original point remains valid.
Heard the most amazing Statistic about T.T. on the Stephen A Smith show on Wed: Tim Tebow has the LOWEST Quarterback Completion Rating in the N.F.L.'s History at 46%. Got it? He's got plenty of things in his game to work on, the being thankful to God stuff(and HE should be, that he's even allowed on anyone's Field w/ that low of a rating is startling) is just a temporary diversion away from the things he has to work on to become an ELITE NFL Quarterback,and that's going to be a long while coming. I'm waiting for The Patriots to own them this weekend, that'll be pretty.
Very nice!!
Thanks for the great thread :) A couple of old Gators here who love Tebow, win or lose, because of who he is and how he responds to either outcome.
This exceptional young man is the kind of hero that used to be celebrated in this nation, and I pray that his courage will continue to inspire much thought and even discussion : o about God, and about how very different Tim is, from the standard role models presented in our culture.
May God guide our course.
Tatt
P.S. Did indeed note, quite happily, an increase in the number of other players offering their thanks to God. Whether they have always done it and the cameramen never lingered, or if they are newly emboldened, it brings God back into the spotlight of our culture and that is good!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.