Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos head to New England this weekend to take on the Patriots, but before everyone goes crazy all over again, let's explain why it's okay to root against America's new icon.
Jan 13, 2012 - I've never cared that much about Tim Tebow, mostly because he's never really worth caring about. Everyone spends so much time trying to inject meaning into him and turn him into the football player that's about more than just football, but I'd rather just watch sports. If we're going to get all worked up about people who play sports, better to flip out over someone who's actually incredible on the field.
But this week everything changed. He finally won a meaningful game and looked great doing it, and overnight he's gone from a cute sideshow to a full-on icon. Now Tebow's inescapable whether you care about him or not.
There are atrocious theme songs. Historic TV ratings. Lady Gaga dropping F-bombs. The words "Tebowmania", "Teebus", and "Tebowing." The 43 percent of Americans who claim this is all about divine intervention. The Tim Tebow celebrity baby photo gallery. This gigantic USA Today interview. Essays about how Barack Obama could learn a thing or two from Tebow. This autotuned recap of his career.
And on.
And on.
And on.
Then I stumbled across "TebowCenter" on Thursday, where ESPN did an hour-long SportsCenter entirely dedicated to Tim Tebow. It's bad enough that something like that even exists, but then about halfway through I heard Herm Edwards: "If you don't like Tim Tebow," he said, "What you're really saying is, you don't respect people with integrity." This was my breaking point.
People say this stuff all the time when they talk about Tebow. "You may not like him as a player," they chuckle. Then they get serious. "But hey, really, you gotta respect what he's doing as a person."
But ... No. It sounds rational and fair, but it's not.
This needs to stop. As we inch closer toward a brand new Tebow orgy this weekend, let's be clear on this point: It's perfectly alright to hate him. Not just the hype, all wall-to-wall coverage of his every move, and the insane fans who think he's Jesus Christ in a flak jacket. No, you can hate TEBOW.
And why is it alright? Let's go down the list.
1. Because millions of people demand that you love him. Tebow is the Tuesdays with Morrie of sports. Yes, we get it, this is a POWERFUL story with IMPORTANT life lessons in a society too busy to care about what really counts in life. That doesn't mean EVERYONE has to love it.
Come on. If you look up close, the story's really not even that interesting. The writing's mediocre, the themes and "lessons" are predictable, and it's all so over-simplified that it's almost insulting to call this inspiring. Then people are going to tell you that if you don't find this book as powerful as everyone else did, it's YOU with the problem?
2. Because the whole "underdog story" is complete BS. The linchpin to Tebow's myth is that he was never supposed to make it this far. Announcers and commentators talk about him like he's the little engine that could, just powering on thanks a healthy dose of heart and a little bit of faith. And Tebow actively promotes the myth:
"They said I couldn't be a high school quarterback ... They said I couldn't get a D1 scholarship. ... You can't make it, you're not good enough, you're not skilled enough."
He was ranked the no. 1 quarterback prospect in America, and chose between scholarship offers from Alabama and Florida. Another recruiting profile called Tebow "a tremendous all-around athlete that would be being talked about at other positions if it weren't for a big league left arm." Can you believe that guy made it all the way to Division 1 football?
"They said I couldn't win a Heisman. They said I couldn't win a National Championship."
From the 2007 St. Petersburg Times: "He is on magazine covers, award watch lists, posters, T-shirts, Web sites ... and the list goes on. All without starting a game." CINDERELLA STORY, Y'ALL.
"They said I couldn't be a first round draft pick. ... They said I couldn't play in the league."
From Sports Illustrated's Peter King in 2008: "I believe he'll be a first-round pick, and a high one, because of his multiple tools at the position. He's very smart, he's very big, and when he's had to, I've seen him throw a good deep ball. Yes, I've seen the ducks too. But let me tell you: There are NFL offensive coaches who have raved about him to me. He'll be a quarterback in the big league."
Every step of the way, Tebow's had every opportunity to succeed, his weaknesses have been downplayed, and everyone from Urban Meyer to Sports Illustrated has predicted big things. You literally couldn't script a more conventional resume for a star quarterback. We hate Tim Tebow because we talk about him, and he talks about himself, like he's somehow overcome a hurricane of obstacles to make it this far. The only skepticism he ever faced came when people actually watched him throw a football.
Speaking of which...
3. Because he really sorta sucks at playing quarterback. It would be one thing if Tebow were just a mediocre QB playing above his head and leading his team to upsets. That's a fun story. Anyone can get on board. T.J. Yates in Houston is one of the coolest subplots in the NFL for that exact reason. But Tebow's not just a subplot; he's literally the only story on SportsCenter. And that's when you can't help but root against him.
Instead of talking about the way Von Miller's helped vault Denver's defense from 32nd in 2010 to 4th 20th in 2011, we focus on Tebow, the guy who led the Broncos to finish 31st in passing this year. He looked AWFUL in the final three weeks of the season and nearly cost the Broncos a playoff spot, but as soon as he has one good game, BOOM! Back to all-Tebow-everything. Next to the rest of the NFL, Tebow is Paris Hilton, Glenn Beck, Snooki, and every other Millennial celebrity that's a thousand times more rich and famous than he should be. Tebow is T.J. Yates, but we act like he's Tom Brady.
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4. Because of his religion. Imagine an athlete who didn't believe in God, and during interviews, photoshoots, endzone celebrations, he went out of his way to show everyone that he's an atheist. "I guess I just gotta give all the credit to myself again," he'd say, "We all know God doesn't exist, so I guess today was just another testament to how f***ing great I am." Imagine how completely insufferable that would be. And then to have people say we can't talk about that athlete's atheism?
If you think that his faith and beliefs is just a personal thing for Tebow, grounded in humility, you must have forgotten his anti-abortion commercial that aired during the Super Bowl two years ago. To paraphrase the ad's logic: "Tim Tebow wasn't aborted, and he turned into a superstar, so why should anyone get abortions?" About as sophisticated an argument as the atheist who promises that God can't possibly exist, because otherwise why were there no dinosaurs in the bible?
I've believed in God my whole life, I'm a Christian, and I hate all this grandstanding because all it does is turn faith into a caricature. Tebow makes religion look more desperate and superficial than any atheist ever has.
5. Because of what he represents. As news of all forms devolves into entertainment, and entertainment devolves into shouting matches framed as debate, we need something to shout about. That something doesn't need to be that important or even real; just real enough to get people excited one way or another, long enough to sell the shouting match.
This is usually okay. When people shout about LeBron James, at least we're talking about the most talented basketball player on earth. But Tim Tebow is the face of the next leap. Where an otherwise irrelevant character makes for good debate, so the news entertainment industry frames his every move as significant, and soon this irrelevant character has been news for long enough that eventually he does do something noteworthy, and he becomes the biggest story in America.
And everyone's yelling about nothing
nobody's really listening
and it goes on forever
and after a while
everyone's just a lot dumber.
Then you look up and you see that a mediocre pro athlete just became the most popular athlete in the country. You see that 43 percent of Americans think God's helping Tim Tebow win playoff games. Then you remember that 43 percent of Americans still don't trust Muslims.
Then you realize... Maybe he's not a good quarterback, maybe he was never really an underdog, and maybe his faith has nothing to do with humility, but we've spent so much time injecting all this meaning into Tim Tebow that this week he finally began to mean something. Only instead of an icon to hard work and humility or a football player that's fun to watch play football, for a week at least, he's the walking, kneeling reminder of just how completely f'ing insane America can be sometimes.
On that note, and with all due respect to Herm Edwards and people with integrity the world over, here's to hoping the Patriots beat the living hell out of Tim Tebow on Sunday.
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Thank you
This is exactly how I feel about TebowMania. It’s ridiculous and the sooner it stops the better off we will all be.
"Starting today, the Buffalo Sabres' reason for existence will be to win a Stanley Cup" - Terry Pegula
by willgarr15 on Jan 13, 2012 11:18 AM EST via Android app reply actions 6 recs
Get a life
Be your own censor..tired of hearing about Tebow..turn the channel,,avoid links to stories about him. And just how “the better off we will all be” .equates to anything approaching reality? Are you one of those folks who isn’t happy unless your wanking off about something? Geesh!
by Rusty Fluke on Jan 14, 2012 2:27 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I have a life thank you very much
It’s not easy to avoid hearing about Tebow. He’s everywhere: on ESPN non-stop (which as a sports fan I tend to watch a lot of), on morning radio (even though they rarely discuss sports), the news, the paper, facebook, twitter, etc, etc.
I don’t enjoy “wanking off” about things, but this Tebow-mania is driving me nuts. Enough already. The thing that annoys me the most about Tim Tebow: He is super-religious but he prays for field goals and on-field success. Do you think God cares what you do on the football field?
"Starting today, the Buffalo Sabres' reason for existence will be to win a Stanley Cup" - Terry Pegula
by willgarr15 on Jan 20, 2012 12:05 PM EST up reply actions
Let's not forget
Tebow’s religion isn’t just Christian. His dad is a founder of a church (called the Bob Tebow Evangelist Association) that’s so incredibly far right that Tebow, during summers in college, would travel to the Phillippines — where he was born while his dad was forming his proselytizing-oriented church group — to perform circumcisions. Instead of mentioning that “he’s religious,” does one major media type feel like mentioning his religion is based on his dad, who makes Billy Graham look tame? Of course not. That would dampen the whole narrative
A renegade cop
A robot renegade cop
In an outpost
On the edge of space
by Ethan Rothstein on Jan 13, 2012 11:20 AM EST reply actions
Born in the Phillipines?
How long until someone demands to see his birth certificate?
Bullets Forever | Twitter
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 13, 2012 11:48 AM EST up reply actions
Says so right on the Tebows' website
Also surprised that no one took the angle that the country descended into civil wars, corrupt government and separatism ever since Timmy left.
A renegade cop
A robot renegade cop
In an outpost
On the edge of space
by Ethan Rothstein on Jan 13, 2012 12:16 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Gah...of COURSE he has a website...
Bullets Forever | Twitter
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 13, 2012 12:58 PM EST up reply actions
umm...a lot of athletes have websites..not strange at all.
Texas Rangers- 2010-11 AL Champs!
by TigerPride on Jan 13, 2012 1:26 PM EST up reply actions
Should I go there
and start debating differences with you?
Bullets Forever | Twitter
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 14, 2012 9:27 AM EST up reply actions
And for that
I thank my God that he cannot run for President.
by tyrantking on Jan 13, 2012 1:31 PM EST up reply actions
Something else that doesn't get talked about much, if at all
Tebow’s dad’s website says, “Of the 86 million Filipinos, we estimate that over 65 million have never once heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Oddly enough, that’s almost EXACTLY the proportion of Filipinos who, like me, are Roman Catholic.
If Tebow and his family have actually contributed to making people’s lives better through their religion, here or abroad, then great for them. But if all he did was snip foreskins while pops perpetuated the lingering slur that Catholics aren’t “real Christians,” then Tebow Nation can take their “fine, morally upstanding young man” narrative and cram it.
by Doug Gillett on Jan 13, 2012 2:29 PM EST up reply actions 7 recs
how can people believe that Catholics 'aren't real Christians'
when they were the FIRST Christians, and all Protestant religions were broken off from Catholicism?
soooo ignorant.
Organized religion, gotta love it.
football does not build character, it reveals character.
by sheehan on Jan 15, 2012 2:51 PM EST up reply actions
mama always said its not okay to hate, but its okay to dislike
A baseball park is the one place where a man's wife doesn't mind his getting excited over somebody else's curves
by waterboy31321 on Jan 13, 2012 11:24 AM EST reply actions
Do stats really matter?
Question, is it hard to admit he’s good? Or are we going to deem the Broncos Good, just that Tebow helped them (in the worst possible way) to get their act together?
In fact, let me redefine a bit of what I’m saying. I hear all of this hype about how good Cam Newton is and that his team just sucks so they can’t really do much about it. Wasn’t Tebow and Orton in the exact same position and somehow the Broncos are in the playoffs?
Is it time that we can just say that stats do lie? I mean it’s sometimes really apparent in Soccer (look at Andy Caroll in Liverpool versus Newcastle) and other times it isn’t. Maybe Tebow is the enigma that starts showing people that stats don’t tell the whole story (or maybe they do and every other team just choked hard).
Overall, I don’t care, but the NFL NEEDS Tebow now more than ever since his character brings in posts and money regardless of what side you’re on. I think the main problem is that he’s essentially a hypebeast.
by Kirielson on Jan 13, 2012 11:36 AM EST reply actions
The NFL needs Tebow more than ever?
I think they were doing pretty well before he came along. He might help them with ratings and money, but to say the NFL needs him is just wrong. They were doing pretty well with ratings and money before he came along.
Manager at BT Powerhouse a Big Ten basketball blog
@babaoreally
by babaoreally on Jan 13, 2012 12:04 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Fair enough
But CBS has been getting record breaking views on top of the NFL getting a lot more money from people buying into the hype producing them even more money. That’s where I’m coming from.
by Kirielson on Jan 13, 2012 12:42 PM EST up reply actions
yes
To answer your question, stats do matter.
by grantiepantie on Jan 13, 2012 12:34 PM EST up reply actions
But why?
Literally why do stats matter? Once again, coming from soccer, stats sometimes don’t tell the whole story, if anything at all.
by Kirielson on Jan 13, 2012 12:40 PM EST up reply actions
yeah! go dark ages!
Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
by MarketMaker on Jan 13, 2012 12:41 PM EST up reply actions
Okay let me put an example of a team.
Look at Arsenal. Many times, they have great possession, statistically they have some of the best offences, and yet, before Henry came on for Arsenal, they couldn’t score against a team that a league below them (or is it two). If stats mattered in this case, Arsenal should have defeated them 5 to 7 – 0. Instead it was a 1-0 game.
by Kirielson on Jan 13, 2012 12:44 PM EST up reply actions
Really?
Your counter-example is from a single game in a sport completely unrelated to football?
Why not look at Rex Grossman with the Bears instead? He lead his team to a Super Bowl even though his stats were horrific. But nobody is pretending that his stats didn’t matter….least of all the Bears who cut him.
by Muldrake on Jan 13, 2012 12:52 PM EST up reply actions
Okay then. I am wrong about this event then.
by Kirielson on Jan 13, 2012 1:06 PM EST up reply actions
Perhaps you're looking at the wrong stats.
Rather than looking at possession, look at chances created, or shots on frame, or even possession in dangerous areas. Whoscored.com is an ass so they don’t have any of this for FA Cup matches, but I would wager that what they’d show is that Arsenal had a lot of possession in the neutral third, and when they did get the ball into the attacking third they didn’t do much with it until Song released Henry. Possession is nice, but honestly it’s overrated. Having the ball is less important than what you do with it.
Stats don’t lie, but when people look at the wrong ones, they can.
WRITTEN IN THE STAAAAARS, A MILLION MILES AWAAAAAAY
I write about the Arsenal for The Short Fuse.
Twitter: Brohan_Cruyff
by Thomas Wachtel on Jan 13, 2012 1:00 PM EST up reply actions
Okay that makes sense.
by Kirielson on Jan 13, 2012 1:04 PM EST up reply actions
I mention all of this because it's relevant in all sports
when people say “stats lie,” oftentimes what they should say is “people with an agenda can use stats to paint a picture in their favor by cherrypicking certain numbers,” and what they really mean is “I don’t like numbers because they might tell me what I think is wrong.”
Those don’t fit as neatly on a shirt, though.
WRITTEN IN THE STAAAAARS, A MILLION MILES AWAAAAAAY
I write about the Arsenal for The Short Fuse.
Twitter: Brohan_Cruyff
by Thomas Wachtel on Jan 13, 2012 1:11 PM EST up reply actions
What the hell is soccer?
Ron Paul 2012
by BuffaloBlueBlood on Jan 13, 2012 12:44 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 2 recs
Because numbers don't lie or hype
Nothing about Tebow’s numbers suggest that he’s going to be a long term answer for the Broncos. Newton’s numbers suggest that he’s going to be a force for some time.
At the end of the day, Tebow is 8-4 as a starter with only one win against a playoff team, and even that one was helped significantly by the injury situation in Pittsburgh. The question the Broncos face is whether they want to modify their entire offensive strategy to play to Tebow’s strengths when so much of the fan base is hypnotized by hype rather than actual production.
Stats matter because if the Broncos answer this question wrong they put themselves back 5 years.
by Muldrake on Jan 13, 2012 12:48 PM EST up reply actions
Okay fair enough.
by Kirielson on Jan 13, 2012 12:52 PM EST up reply actions
the injury situation again, eh?
didn’t the injury ravaged Green Bay Packers beat a healthy Steelers team last year?
Brad James
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With Coach Zorro on our side, we will slice opponents to ribbons. Tim Tebow gives me hope and I already have faith and charity in my heart! I see a propitious future rife with Lombardis for our Broncos!
by the new Bradfather on Jan 13, 2012 5:27 PM EST up reply actions
the Packers had, and still have, an unbelievably deep and talented roster, particularly on offense
and they had Aaron Rodgers, the best QB in the NFL.
football does not build character, it reveals character.
by sheehan on Jan 15, 2012 2:52 PM EST up reply actions
good article
I completely agree with you on this article. I live in NC and it is unbelievable how many closet Broncos fans are hopping on the Bible Belt Bandwagon simply because Tim is a Christian. I have no problem with Tim though. He is a dedicated player with an extremely high work ethic. I also don’t think he expected to be covered like this. Kurt Warner was also a proud Christian who would thank God and Jesus in post game interviews, but there was no headline story about it. The media’s outrageous coverage of Tebow is making the other 57% of America hate him (much like Brett Favre). I have never in my whole 20 year life seen an athlete be promoted through the media like him. I just think it is important for us to realize that Tebow isn’t doing ANYTHING wrong, but the media is.
facebook.com/empireinruin
by emp1reinru1n on Jan 13, 2012 11:47 AM EST via mobile reply actions 1 recs
See I can actually agree with this.
by Kirielson on Jan 13, 2012 11:48 AM EST up reply actions
If you think it’s bad in North Carolina, you should see it in Denver. It’s disgusting. What I would give to send him to another city …
by sicembears06 on Jan 14, 2012 5:39 PM EST up reply actions
Thank you, Mr. Sharp
Now I can feel OK about despising the Tebow 24/7 coverage.
Go Texans.
by YellaJackets on Jan 13, 2012 11:47 AM EST reply actions
Oh
So you need some putz to write a silly column to validate your “feelings”?
by Rusty Fluke on Jan 14, 2012 2:28 PM EST up reply actions
I have often considered you a blow hard and a jerk. I still feel that way, but I also completely agree with you here.
No weekend spent pantsless is a wasted weekend.
by sireric on Jan 13, 2012 11:49 AM EST reply actions
Cheers.
Bullets Forever | Twitter
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 13, 2012 11:51 AM EST reply actions 15 recs
I rec’d this so hard I may have to buy a new mouse.
If we don't get our sauce, we ain't watching the game!
by Mike @ MHH on Jan 13, 2012 6:10 PM EST up reply actions
Yea, I really wish all this mania crap would just go away.
It’s crazy that Christians actually take these wins as evidence of divine intervention and the existence of their God. They’re making thier own religion look incredibly stupid. If I believed in a God, I would be severely disappointed if he were more interested in the outcome of professional football games than the BILLION OR SO people on the planet that live on less than $2 a day………
Ron Paul 2012
by BuffaloBlueBlood on Jan 13, 2012 12:03 PM EST via mobile reply actions 1 recs
Fact check: it’s actually closer to THREE BILLION people dying because they’re so poor.
Ron Paul 2012
by BuffaloBlueBlood on Jan 13, 2012 1:01 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
don't forget the group that financed the commercial
has an extremely bigoted history. the whole thing disgusts me. it’s amazing how much of a pedestal people put him on. secular Christianity at its finest
by GoalieLax on Jan 13, 2012 12:28 PM EST reply actions
From Shutdown Corner...
Thank you, Jimmy Fallon
Bullets Forever | Twitter
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 13, 2012 12:44 PM EST reply actions
tebow sucks
thanks for writing this
i don't give autographs
by muncie_in_this on Jan 13, 2012 12:46 PM EST reply actions
except HE's not winning games All by himself...he is part of a team....
and that team has some fine players on it….and that is how you explain it!!!
I can resist everything but temptation.....
by the duchess of steel on Jan 13, 2012 2:28 PM EST up reply actions
of course you can explain that
In the name of the Woody, the Bo, and the Mustache Ride. Amen.
by Pariahwulfen on Jan 14, 2012 9:15 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Yeah, seconded.
Especially point four. Lots of athletes thank God and such after a win. How does this make Tebow unique in any way?
Personally I’d say because he’s a far right conservative, and football coverage is so slanted in that direction it’s sickening.
by SlayerGhaleon on Jan 13, 2012 12:46 PM EST reply actions
It's a lot on the time he takes preaching
I’ve seen interviews from him where I just wanted him to shut the hell up about his faith and get to the important info, the game just played. I don’t give a single iota about his faith. I just want to hear about the game.
TEXAS FIGHT
by Darklust on Jan 14, 2012 9:48 AM EST up reply actions
3 responses
1. You want all the hysteria to stop so you write a column about it? Way to go.
2. “finally won a meaningful game”? Apparently a national championship doesn’t count.
3. There is a differencing between “hating” and “rooting against” a player. The latter strikes me as a bit more valid than the former.
by Chris Schumerth on Jan 13, 2012 12:53 PM EST reply actions
SB Nation isn’t exactly the driving force in the hysteria
A renegade cop
A robot renegade cop
In an outpost
On the edge of space
by Ethan Rothstein on Jan 13, 2012 12:59 PM EST up reply actions
3 responses.
1. Understanding is the first step in curing mental illness.
2. Not in the NFL it doesn’t.
3. The differencing would probably be a bit more restrained than valid, but as fans, we aren’t the most restrained of people.
Bullets Forever | Twitter
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 13, 2012 1:01 PM EST up reply actions 8 recs
Wait wait wait
He’s Really the Anti-Christ
by floundringaround on Jan 13, 2012 1:15 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Tim Tebow is the Sarah Palin of the NFL
The sooner you stop stop talking about him, the sooner he will fade into obscurity
by HollywoodSaint on Jan 13, 2012 1:21 PM EST reply actions 5 recs
So youre saying he's like a pig wearing lipstick?
Or was it a pit bull?
"At this point, what we got to lose, right? So we might as well throw caution to the wind and hit people in the face."
--Vikings DE Jared Allen
by NMVike on Jan 13, 2012 1:42 PM EST up reply actions
And even the article which says it’s okay to hate Tim Tebow still doesn’t mention that a lot of people might be anti-Tebow because they aren’t particularly keen on anti-gay organizations and those organizations’ spokespeople.
Prediction: LSU beats Bama, OkSt thumps Stanford, Oregon wins the Granddaddy, & USC fans claim USC deserves the title (@TrailBlazinPDX)
by AllSaintsDay on Jan 13, 2012 1:29 PM EST reply actions 11 recs
as i said above
it amazes me how his connection with Focus on the Family gets glossed over. that is a horrid organization.
by GoalieLax on Jan 13, 2012 4:12 PM EST up reply actions 8 recs
Good call. I can’t stand people who hate on the gay community and hide behind moral and religious stances.
"Starting today, the Buffalo Sabres' reason for existence will be to win a Stanley Cup" - Terry Pegula
by willgarr15 on Jan 20, 2012 12:08 PM EST up reply actions
The only thing I care about is that it’s fun watching him learn on the fly. He’s a throwback type player in today’s NFL and that’s what I enjoy. I don’t mesh with his personal view one bit, but none of that matters to me. I just like watching him play football.
But he’s not the only good guy. There are countless good guys in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers seems like a more prominent one. Ryan Fitzpatrick is a good guy, too. You hear tons about the one, and nothing about the other.
Tebow may not be an extreme talent, but he has drive and determination to win. Who cares how he gets it done, I say. I also don’t buy into the hype.
"Go check on the ribs!"
by TheAfghanTwilight on Jan 13, 2012 1:33 PM EST reply actions
Maybe we should all just hate ESPN and Sportscenter instead Tebow?
“But Tebow’s not just a subplot; he’s literally the only story on SportsCenter. And that’s when you can’t help but root against him.”
Rather that’s when I turn off Sportscenter. ESPN has already tried to kill NBA Basketball by either comparing good players to M. Jordan, or trying to tell me that a guy is a “star” player when he really isn’t. I hope they don’t do the same thing to the NFL.
Glory Glory
by bdeviled11 on Jan 13, 2012 1:37 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
This ^^^^
Do we hate Tebow? Or do we hate the coverage? I don’t hate Tebow. That would be pretty ignorant and bigoted of me. I don’t even know the dude personally.
"At this point, what we got to lose, right? So we might as well throw caution to the wind and hit people in the face."
--Vikings DE Jared Allen
by NMVike on Jan 13, 2012 1:44 PM EST up reply actions
Hate tebow
anti-gay, anti-abortion, right wing,
I respect that as an athlete he donates large amounts of his money to worthy causes, but what he stands for sickens me.
by LJ Hann on Jan 15, 2012 9:36 AM EST up reply actions
there's a lot of people who have those views
That’s a lot of people to hate.
"At this point, what we got to lose, right? So we might as well throw caution to the wind and hit people in the face."
--Vikings DE Jared Allen
by NMVike on Jan 15, 2012 3:24 PM EST up reply actions
Done and done. DisnEySPN can suck it.
They, more than any network, are responsible for the devolution of news into entertainment. Their entire business model is now based on “selling the shouting match,” as was written above.
I’ve never liked Tebow, but that’s mainly because I went to UGA.
by Grib on Jan 13, 2012 2:36 PM EST up reply actions
but ESPN does that to build an audience
If you just went with sports “facts”, ESPN (and Fox Sports, etc.) would be the sports equivalent of C-SPAN.
by donniethelion on Jan 13, 2012 2:47 PM EST up reply actions
They have plenty of audience
they just have to stick to reporting compelling stories actually occurring in the real world, as opposed to making something up and then pushing it as if it were news.
They’d be Time instead of Us, if you will.
by Grib on Jan 13, 2012 3:10 PM EST up reply actions
This ^^^. Hehe, one critical thinking response out of so many commenters.
I know Sharp isn’t very sharp. He’s more like a monkey in an infinite monkey army. Sooner or later, he will print another article for the monkey army.
Me: Words can fool men but Nature doesn't give a damn!
David Brooks: The premise of the current financial regulatory reform is that the establishment missed the last bubble and, therefore, more power should be vested in the establishment to foresee and prevent the next one.
by MadDogExtra on Jan 13, 2012 3:36 PM EST up reply actions
The problem is it’s not just ESPN. Foxsports, for example, has a Tebow inset on their website, for nothing but Tebow.
by SlayerGhaleon on Jan 13, 2012 4:15 PM EST up reply actions
It’s not ESPN. It’s TMZ for Sports at this point. Everyone should lower their standards.
If we don't get our sauce, we ain't watching the game!
by Mike @ MHH on Jan 13, 2012 6:16 PM EST up reply actions
I need a Tebow loss so it’s safe to watch ESPN again
Status quo.
by nyynygnjd on Jan 13, 2012 1:44 PM EST reply actions
I need a Tebow trade so it’s safe to be a Broncos fan again.
If we don't get our sauce, we ain't watching the game!
by Mike @ MHH on Jan 13, 2012 6:17 PM EST up reply actions
Thank you for the sanity check
I was beginning to feel alone in my dislike for this fellow. I didn’t forget his ridiculous anti-abortion commercial. He may be a ‘nice guy’ but ‘nice guys’ aren’t to be trusted. Unfortunately it looks like we are stuck with him. He is indeed a reminder of how insane human’s can be, perhaps some of it is not his fault, but either way I wish he would get the hell away from the game I love, American Football. Which I am afraid is going the way of professional Wrestling with all its sideshows these days. The Jets, Rex Ryan, some of the clowns on the Eagles, and good ’ol Tebow. I will be a Colts fan rooting for the Pats this weekend. Only divine intervention could cause such a thing. Oh wait….
by ferm on Jan 13, 2012 2:21 PM EST reply actions
I'm a nice guy and you can trust me with your women
…and a bottle of lube.
by donniethelion on Jan 13, 2012 2:48 PM EST up reply actions
EAGLES ARE ALL CLOWNFRAUDS
ARRHEGGHERRHHGGEEHHHERRRGHHH. Get your other opinions out of Tebow’s way
A renegade cop
A robot renegade cop
In an outpost
On the edge of space
by Ethan Rothstein on Jan 13, 2012 3:00 PM EST up reply actions
And thank you for the sanity check
I was beginning to worry about myself as a Colts fan when I started to feel like I was seriously going to be rooting for the Patriots this week. Good to know I"m not the only one.
by krc106 on Jan 13, 2012 3:37 PM EST up reply actions
Why hate him?
Don’t hate the playa hate the game. This applies here.
by I-Right Fullback Dive on Jan 13, 2012 2:48 PM EST reply actions
Yeah, no
There’s no reason to hate football because of Tebow. If he wasn’t a media circus, there’d be no reason to single him out to hate. If you’re trying to say that, no offense, but you didn’t do a very good job with such a vague comment.
TEXAS FIGHT
by Darklust on Jan 14, 2012 9:52 AM EST up reply actions
Thank you
@ccommand3r
by CMDR on Jan 13, 2012 3:09 PM EST reply actions
Bravo, Mr. Sharp, Bravo
Thank you so very much for this article.
by Woody Meyer on Jan 13, 2012 3:30 PM EST reply actions
Get a life
by eTom on Jan 13, 2012 3:47 PM EST reply actions
Haha, he gets money for writing stuff like this, you cerainly dont get some for reading it.
by Schuxu on Jan 14, 2012 10:17 AM EST up reply actions
I think he sucks at football, but as a person, the dude lives what he preaches. can’t hate that. read the rick reilly article on ESPN.
A displaced Sonics fan that has somehow emerged as a Blazers fan (and loves it).
by anitachampionship on Jan 13, 2012 3:48 PM EST reply actions
can't hate someone who
is the spokesman for a bigoted anti-choice, anti-gay, anti-equal rights organization?
sense, that makes none.
by GoalieLax on Jan 13, 2012 4:16 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
And goes overseas to help people in Africa and the Philippines Derp. Derp.
How bigoted! Derp. Derp.
ACC Championship Member Brandon Thompson is the new Jacoby Ford. You better pick him Panthers or you will be doomed to relive the 2010 season over and over again in the Twilight Zone.
Clemson 2011 ACC Champions! Look forward to doing it again next year! :D
by Revshawn on Jan 13, 2012 5:10 PM EST up reply actions
Help people by chopping their wee-wees and telling them fancy stories that they probably don’t care to hear?
Ron Paul 2012
by BuffaloBlueBlood on Jan 13, 2012 5:49 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
“No no no. Speak in God’s language: English.”
by SlayerGhaleon on Jan 13, 2012 6:58 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
lol
Ron Paul 2012
by BuffaloBlueBlood on Jan 13, 2012 7:02 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Oh please. Like Tim Tebow is a doctor?
You can keep your lazy butt at home while guys like Tebow go off to feed the world.
ACC Championship Member Brandon Thompson is the new Jacoby Ford. You better pick him Panthers or you will be doomed to relive the 2010 season over and over again in the Twilight Zone.
Clemson 2011 ACC Champions! Look forward to doing it again next year! :D
by Revshawn on Jan 13, 2012 6:58 PM EST up reply actions
Feed the world?! Hahaha. It’s unbelievable if you actually think that.
Ron Paul 2012
by BuffaloBlueBlood on Jan 13, 2012 7:01 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
No really, Tim Tebow performed circumcisions.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/08/sports/football/in-tebow-debate-a-clash-of-faith-and-football.html?pagewanted=all
"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools" -Hemingway
by notthatnoise on Jan 15, 2012 11:47 AM EST up reply actions
Pushing to convert belief systems isn’t exactly a form of acceptance and the behavior of treating others as equals.
They go to third world countries and do the “I assume you don’t have the education of those like us…let us tell you the RIGHT things to believe” that’s not selflessly helping others, that’s agenda based conversion tactics.
Managing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
by Brent Brookhouse on Jan 13, 2012 7:48 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Telling the Catholics in the Phils. they will go to hell if they don't convert.
Yeah, bigoted.
by bangkokhoosier on Jan 14, 2012 6:37 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Sorry, but it is not okay to hate Tim Tebow.
All I see is a guy. He seems to be reasonably humble, maybe not perfect but if he isn’t, I can’t tell. I do know he’s doing a better job at it than I am. If something goes wrong he takes full responsibility, never blames anybody else. If something goes right, he minimizes his part and deflects the credit and praise to others. Seems O.K. to me.
He does seem to be getting a lot of attention, but so what? Is that worthy of hate? This is America after all, home of the free, land of the sound bite. I know he’s not the one writing the stories, showing the film clips, or posting his opinions on some blog. That’s on the rest of us, not him.
He seems to be a pretty good person for my kids to look up to and emulate, not withstanding some of the wilder accusations supra.
He may be a Baptist, but to tell the truth, I’ve been following his story for a while now and I don’t ever recall him ever saying he was. That says something. Besides, some of my best friends are Baptists.
O.K., so maybe playing some bad football is worthy of our eternal contempt, but if that’s all you’ve got against him, I’m not buying. Besides, I’ve seen him play some really good football too so that all kind of balances out in that great ledger in the sky, unless you don’t believe in great ledgers, in which case it doesn’t make any difference anyway.
But seriously, hate is too strong a word, too strong an act. I’ve got some serious doubts that we should ever use it, but if we do, we ought to be very careful. It should be reserved for those who commit the most heinous of acts against other human beings and without remorse.
Tim Tebow isn’t that guy.
If this be Hell, let us make the most of it!
by Trinidad Jack on Jan 13, 2012 5:37 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
Why would it matter if he is a baptist. Would being a baptist make him a bad person?
My issues with his beliefs are more about the choice to align himself with Focus on the Family which is a group which I deeply believe promotes hate. That causes me to have issues with him as a person.
I also don’t like the constant talk about god and find it annoying. He’s entitled to talk about god as much as he wants and I’m entitled to resent him because of it.
I think people are taking the internet age concept of “hating” and taking it seriously as “hate” as in despising him as a person to his core.
Instead I hate his religious views, I hate the coverage he gets, I hate the pretending that he’s a great quarterback, I hate the phony ass underdog story and I hate being told I have to like him or there is something fundamentally wrong with me.
I’m a Tebow hater.
Managing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
by Brent Brookhouse on Jan 13, 2012 7:56 PM EST up reply actions 6 recs
Hi Brent,
Of course there is nothing wrong with being a Baptist. Somebody above thought it was a negative quality in Tebow that was important enough to point out. I was trying to give it a light touch. I guess I failed.
I don’t know how deeply Tim Tebow is involved in Focus on the Family. I know they paid for that controversial Super Bowl ad using him as evidence of their point of view. Their agenda is definately conservative and faith based but that doesn’t make them hate mongers. You said you deeply believe they promote hate. Maybe you know something I don’t but I can’t think of a single incident where they harmed anyone in anyway who didn’t share their beliefs. I don’t agree with all of their suppositions but I don’t hate them for it.
I am sorry you find talk of God annoying. As you correctly pointed out, he has the right to talk about God.
You also correctly pointed out that you have the right to be annoyed at him for talking about God, hate him for having different religious views from yours, hate him for the coverage others are giving him, hate him because somebody else may have told you if you didn’t like him there was something wrong with you, hate him because some think he is a great quarterback, hate him because some believe his underdog story. BTW, aren’t those last two mutually exclusive? If he’s not a great quarterback doesn’t that make him an underdog?
But anyway, you correctly pointed out you have the right to hate him, but do you have good reasons?
If this be Hell, let us make the most of it!
by Trinidad Jack on Jan 13, 2012 10:41 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
He's a Pharisee
Beware of practicing your piety before others just to be seen by them.
by Big McLargeHuge on Jan 16, 2012 5:34 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Maybe.
Nothing I’ve seen says that though.
If this be Hell, let us make the most of it!
by Trinidad Jack on Jan 16, 2012 10:06 AM EST up reply actions
this is the stupidest article i’ve read on SBNation. so bad, i stopped reading a few paragraphs in.
"They’re a very special group of men. Cherish them, you will not see their like again."
by chaucer on Jan 13, 2012 5:57 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
It’s one of be best I’ve ever read.
Ron Paul 2012
by BuffaloBlueBlood on Jan 13, 2012 6:20 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Rec'd for sarchasm
Follow me on Twitter! https://twitter.com/#!/ConnorPelton128
by ConnorOSU on Jan 14, 2012 8:29 PM EST up reply actions
Oh yeah?
http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7455943/believing-tim-tebow
save your attitude i got one of my own
by jaxg8r on Jan 13, 2012 6:14 PM EST reply actions
the best way to hate tebow is to just watch football
http://schraderfan.tumblr.com
by schraderfan on Jan 13, 2012 6:23 PM EST reply actions
If Tebow was black he would get none of the obnoxious extra coverage.
by fear and loathing with dock ellis on Jan 13, 2012 6:28 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Obligatory racial comment successful. Nice job, sir.
Ron Paul 2012
by BuffaloBlueBlood on Jan 13, 2012 7:03 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
Thanks man, have a good mlk day.
by fear and loathing with dock ellis on Jan 13, 2012 7:07 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I love milk day.
Ron Paul 2012
by BuffaloBlueBlood on Jan 13, 2012 7:10 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
How dare you bring up race.
It hurts Buffalo’s sensibiities.
i support casual racism
by Boddington on Sep 19, 2011 6:10 PM PDT up reply actions
I literally wish I had killed myself on the train station after I got laid off
by Sean O on Sep 28, 2011 7:49 PM PDT
I want a BUC'N criminal investigation.
Over the Monster -- SB Nation's Resident Red Sox Site
USG
by Ben Buchanan on Sep 28, 2011 7:48 PM PDT
by internet commenter on Jan 13, 2012 7:32 PM EST up reply actions
It's not like a Ron Paul supporter to downplay the role of race in society.
i support casual racism
by Boddington on Sep 19, 2011 6:10 PM PDT up reply actions
I literally wish I had killed myself on the train station after I got laid off
by Sean O on Sep 28, 2011 7:49 PM PDT
I want a BUC'N criminal investigation.
Over the Monster -- SB Nation's Resident Red Sox Site
USG
by Ben Buchanan on Sep 28, 2011 7:48 PM PDT
by internet commenter on Jan 13, 2012 7:34 PM EST up reply actions
For the article, for the perfect pics of ESPN talking heads, for sanity
Oregon loves you, Chip Kelly!
by gamedaytribe on Jan 13, 2012 6:55 PM EST reply actions
Tebow makes religion look more desperate and superficial than any atheist ever has.
I think religion makes religion look more desperate and superficial. If we didn’t have religion we wouldn’t have Tim Tebow. And if we didn’t have Tim Tebow we wouldn’t have this article.
So god bless Tim Tebow.
Staring down Mark Sanchez. Just look into the those brown beauties. INTERCEPTION!
by DolfinPhan on Jan 13, 2012 8:01 PM EST reply actions
There's a ton of comments
so apologies if this has been said, but where the hell did you get the Broncos defense is rated fourth?
By any measure, yards given up, points given up, etc., the Broncos defense is below average.
Lets not substitute one false narrative with another one.
Self-praise is for losers. Be a winner. Stand for something. Always have class, and be humble.
-John Madden
The Ballard of Jake:
Stop→Slow→Truck→LEAP!
(Adapted from Raptor 22)
by Willgfass on Jan 13, 2012 8:26 PM EST reply actions
Whoops
That’s a screwup on my part, my bad. Misread the rankings (4th in postseason isn’t quite as impressive…). Thanks for the heads up
by Andrew Sharp on Jan 13, 2012 8:52 PM EST up reply actions
Hah no problem
I was quite surprised they were that low too, considering the talk of the defensive resurgence.
Self-praise is for losers. Be a winner. Stand for something. Always have class, and be humble.
-John Madden
The Ballard of Jake:
Stop→Slow→Truck→LEAP!
(Adapted from Raptor 22)
by Willgfass on Jan 13, 2012 9:28 PM EST up reply actions
Did anyone stop to think what if Tebow is Jesus?
by fear and loathing with dock ellis on Jan 13, 2012 10:00 PM EST via mobile reply actions
This is America.
What do you think?
by bangkokhoosier on Jan 14, 2012 6:35 AM EST up reply actions
they were talking about it on sportscenter I believe
by LJ Hann on Jan 15, 2012 9:39 AM EST up reply actions
"Tebow makes religion look more desperate and superficial than any atheist ever has."
Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Now look what you did. You made me like Tebow!
by bangkokhoosier on Jan 14, 2012 6:34 AM EST reply actions
Thanks for the green light...but not needed
Hey thanks for the go ahead to hate on the guy, but the fact that he is a Denver Donko has already green lighted most fans anyway
by 1Yankh8tr on Jan 14, 2012 10:19 AM EST reply actions
Hard to believe
a guy with such a crappy throwing motion and is such a crappy QB all around was ever considered a high school all-american at QB. And your Peter King quote is probably the only pre-draft quote from anyone of substance saying Tebow was first round material. And p.s., I know plenty of Denver fans who dislike Tebow precisely because of the religious stuff. Congratulations on your 100+ comments.
Elway is in, Zimm is in, Little is FINALLY in but don't forget: Randy Gradishar, Steve Atwater & Terrel Davis
For those who say "In the BCS, every game counts," the 2011 season is telling you to "shut up!"
by BlueNOrangeNIdaho on Jan 14, 2012 10:32 AM EST reply actions
I thin he deserves more and less credit.
More credit for his running ability causing defenders to hesitate when he shows a handoff because they must worry about the option, thus opening up lanes for the other backs. More credit because he helps the Broncos limit opponents’ possessions by his running ability.
Less credit because his strengths as a player are so specialized that the offense needs to be tailor made for him more then any other QB I can remember. Less credit because Denver is relying on their opponent to make more mistakes then they do. It is a legitimate strategy for sure, like the wall’s strategy in tennis, but doesn’t work when the opponent adopts the same strategy.
I have come to the brilliant conclusion that anyone that hates or loves Tebow is basically using the same thought process and are simply mirror images of each other.
It is like watching two political pundits yell at each other. Neither really hears the other and both made up their mind before the debate even started.
by Roy Tepford on Jan 14, 2012 11:41 AM EST reply actions
Funny thing is
That peeps like Andrew Sharp wanking off about how much they hate on Tebow are doing as much to feed Tebowmania as his fans…if not more.
by Rusty Fluke on Jan 14, 2012 2:21 PM EST reply actions
The NFL needs the anti-Tebow
Who will probably end up playing for the Raiders
Integrity first. Service before self. Excellence in all you do. -- USAF Core Values
by Disciple of Carolina on Jan 14, 2012 2:51 PM EST reply actions
It's NOT OK to hate anyone
…but Mr. Sharp is making me reconsider that position with his embarrassing, grade-school comments. Tim Tebow has been highly criticized for his entire winning, Nat’l Championship, Heisman, NFL Playoff career. And when he gets dumped on, Tebow responds by saying, “I appreciate that.” It just makes him stronger. And remember, Mr. Sharp and all of you who agree with him, no one ever erected a statue to a critic. Criticism is the death rattle of a loser.
by Broncos Billy on Jan 14, 2012 5:48 PM EST reply actions
And you just spent a bunch of words criticizing Andrew Sharp
So what does that make you? Every finger you point, three fingers pointing back at you, blah blah /trollgaze
by Doug Gillett on Jan 17, 2012 8:26 AM EST up reply actions
Thank you for writing this so people realize that they don't have to feel guilty if they don't like Tim Tebow.
I had someone tell me I was “going against God” by not rooting for the Broncos.
That’s insanity.
The fact that 43 percent of people believe that Tebow is being helped by divine intervention absolutely astonishes me.
I’m Catholic and I’m pretty sure God has a few more important things to worry about than an NFL team.
NBA Blog: www.nbagirl.tumblr.com
Non-NBA Blog: www.reallycoolshenans.tumblr.com
Follow me on Twitter: @PhxSunsGirl84
"Great things come to those who work."
by Dragic_is_Magic on Jan 15, 2012 12:02 AM EST reply actions 3 recs
Really? You must have a MUCH higher opinion of most people (especially Americans) than me.
If we don't get our sauce, we ain't watching the game!
by Mike @ MHH on Jan 17, 2012 5:04 PM EST up reply actions
tim tebow is a playoff choker
http://schraderfan.tumblr.com
by schraderfan on Jan 15, 2012 11:12 AM EST reply actions
OK to hate?
IDK, this is all kinda messed up. Most people on here latch on to the idea that it’s OK to hate someone because he supposedly ‘hates’ people (though I’ve never once heard him speak out against anyone). Or to hate someone because the media loves him (despite the fact that he constantly shuns the spotlight and gives praise to everyone around him).
From the New York Times two days ago in an article about Tebow: “Decent people who are proud of their faith, do good things and succeed in life tend to irritate some of us; they remind us of our private failures, so, naturally, we hope they stumble.”
by KB83 on Jan 15, 2012 3:23 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Agreed
Is this what America has come to?
Insanity is just a state of mind.
by KTJ on Jan 15, 2012 4:55 PM EST up reply actions
"I've never cared that much about Tim Tebow, mostly because he's never
really worth caring about."
And why are YOU worth caring about?
by benjamin63_99 on Jan 15, 2012 5:35 PM EST reply actions
Slanted article
Look, you had a reasonable premise, and some facts to back you up. It’s not as clear cut as you want it to be, though. The worst thing you did however, is slant the argument your way. I double checked the NFL mock drafts for example, from his year. Most of them didn’t put him in the first round. More NFL “experts” (e.g., Phil Simms, Bill Cowher, etc.) are coming around to the fact that he can be a good NFL quarterback. Have you also read the quotes of him teammates the last few months? A few of them were in TEARS (I couldn’t believe it myself) talking about Tebow and what he means to the team. Not to the exclusion of Von Miller and company, but as part of the success. The man has visited prisons multiple times, is trying to get a hospital going in the Philippines for orphans, and everyone who meets him says he’s the geniune article. I get the overkill and nausea, and I agree he’s far from a sure thing at QB (although Cowher said he’s got all of the tools except passing so far)—give him a season. He isn’t perfect, I realize. However, it sounds like you’ve got absolute hatred for the man, and I’d suggest not slanting your argument by cherry-picking details—you’re just as guilty as the overboard admirers in putting the blinders on.
by HansonHarwell on Jan 16, 2012 10:18 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
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