All-purpose, running Tim Tebow sucks/is a deity thread!

I heard some talk show host over the weekend with an interesting thought - imagine if Tebow (or some other qb with a similar skill-set) led a team on a streak like he has done), but the faith he professed was Islam or Judaism or Zen Buddhism?
I find the Tebow thing fascinating, mainly because it only buttresses the ties between faith and sport.
Tebow make George Plimpton's Sidd Finch seem plausible.

 

1. Based on all available evidence, Tebow seems like a pretty OK guy who happens to be very religious. He is handling this very odd situation very well. It's to his credit.
2. Leaving his performance or lack thereof (it's both) aside, it's an accepted fact in sports that changes of important personnel can have a significant positive (or negative) impact on the performance of sports teams for no other reasons than psychological ones. If people didn't believe this to be true, all NFL coaches would die on the job and backup quarterbacks would not be universally beloved by football fans as long as they don't play.
So I believe Tebow HAS changed the Broncos' self-image for the better, and that that is his primary contribution to their success with him as starter.
Whether that improved self-image will survive a three touchdown beating down the stretch I do not know.

 

Tim Tebow is more inspiring, and certainly a better role model, than many of us, and is a refreshing alternative to the seedier portion of athletes in sports.

 

One of the best things Tebow has said IMHO was "God is not really concerned who wins the football game." (Paraphrase) He's very intelligent and self-effacing. Hard not to root for him. Just wish next week had been flex'd to Sunday Night, Tebow v. Brady. Instead, I get Raiders getting hammered again.

 

Why? Because he's overtly religious?

I buy the idea that he lives his life the right way. No drinking or drugs or smoking, I'm quite sure. No adultery (I don't think he's married, but I imagine that if he were, he would be pretty faithful).

But I hate it when stories, like one that ran in the Chicago Tribune yesterday, laud evangelical (notice I didn't say Christian) players as good people, by definition. This is also a group that, presumably, doesn't believe in evolution, climate change, etc., etc., etc.

I do think that Tebow sets a good example by living life the right way and treating people with respect. As far as the God thing goes, it is refreshing that he doesn't think that he's good at football because he's just a better person than the rest of us - which is what most athletes think. They think they are good at football or baseball or basketball because they just try harder than the rest of us. Walk through any inner-city high school in America. They are all going to get to the NBA by sheer determination.

It's an interesting case study. I try to live my life the right way, too. At least now I do. But not necessarily to please God and Jesus, who I do believe in. But because I think society functions best that way. Because I think that it is important to set an example for my son. For lots of reasons.

I don't think Tebow's reasons are more valid because faith undergirds them.

But I do think he's a good man who respects other people, and that is good to see, whatever the source.

 

Tim Tebow is a better role model than me. That's the very definition of "damnation by faint praise."

 

Whitman, why does he lead a better life than you because you have a drink and he won't?

How do you know he hasn't had intercourse?

This is the kind of thinking that has created this divide in the first place.

 

No, what he's saying is since the Raiders are home, we don't get to see Tebow in the same time slot. But I hold out hope -- blackout, baby! Still seeing tons of TV ads begging people to buy tickets.

 

These are good questions.

I guess as far as the drinking goes, I don't think that drinking alcohol is bad on its face. But it can lead to some poor decision-making. Abstaining is kind of a prophylactic measure - if you don't drink at all, you won't drink and drive, you won't drink and brawl, you won't drink and f##*. And, on top of that, it's the whole, "My body is a temple" thing, too.

I also think there is some value in sacrifice for the sake of sacrifice. I'm Catholic, for example, and participate in Lent. I don't think it's a bad thing for young kids, and even adults, seeing someone with that kind of discipline in their personal life succeed.

 

Just can't get past the fact that he's the only starting QB in the NFL with an under-50 percent completion percentage and he's second-to-last in the NFL (ahead of Matt Cassel and Blaine Gabbert) in yards per attempt.

Dude's an awful 3-and-out machine...but he doesn't turn the ball over (two interceptions) and he's a good runner. And when you have a good defense and you are playing AWFUL offenses, that's good enough.

Since he took over as QB, Denver faced Miami (24th in offense), Detroit (10th), Oakland (12th), Kansas City (27th), New York Jets (25th), San Diego (8th), Minnesota (16th) and Chicago (21st). Detroit lit them up. The beat two decent offenses in Oakland and San Diego and beat four of the bottom 12 offenses in the league and a middling Vikings offense.

The schedule has been favorable in terms of games where they feel like they can win if they don't turn it over and if they let the defense make plays. That's what they've done. With Buffalo (15th) and KC again down the stretch, they'll have a chance to keep doing it. But I have my doubts on whether they'll be able to produce offense to compete with the Patriots.