A new phenomenon has swept the country. I'm not referring to planking, a silly and pointless move which seemed to intrigue everyone for no apparent reason. What I am referring to is very dear to many in Gainesville, Fla., and Denver, Colo. It's called "Tebowing."
The term "Tebowing" was coined by a fan who saw Denver Broncos starting quarterback Tim Tebow drop to a knee in prayer moments after the Broncos nailed a game-winning field goal on Oct. 23. Tebow's teammates ran onto the field and celebrated with one another, but Tebow took a moment to give thanks for the hard-fought victory.
Before I continue, I feel it is necessary to divulge the fact that I am a Florida Gators fan and a Tim Tebow aficionado. Need an example? Tebow is my fantasy football team's starting quarterback partly because Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy haven't exactly panned out as "sleeper" picks and I could not be more pleased. Sure, Tebow may not be a top-tier quarterback just yet, but I have accepted the fact that my team will live and die by him.
Anyway, I'm not at the point where you'll see me Tebowing after every hit or sink I make in pong. However, hypothetically speaking, if I were to pull off an incredible save, I might turn to Tebowing since everyone else in the country appears to be doing so. Just go online, type it into Google, and you'll see the unofficial site for this phenomenon. There are a plethora of photos showing people getting down on one knee and praying in just about every location.
This most recent phenomenon points to the fact that Tebow is indeed a fan favorite. You can love him or hate him, but he is still going to be a big story every Monday.
Tebow's popularity is due to several factors, including his football skills and his personality. First and foremost, he is a Florida football legend. Not only did he win two national championships with the University of Florida, but he set several state records during his high school career, and even won a state championship.
Once he arrived in Gainesville... well, let's just say there is a bronze, life-sized statue of him outside of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, home of the Florida Gators.
And now, although Tebow's collegiate years are over, we are still talking about him. Even after many scouts had projected that he would be drafted in the second or third round, he was picked 25th overall by Denver in the 2010 NFL Draft. He entered the league with much speculation surrounding him, but he was able to keep the critics quiet by performing solidly. Yes, he did only start the last three games of last season, but his positive play set up an interesting summer in which no one knew who would be the the Denver Broncos' starting quarterback on opening day.
Tebow was not the undisputed first choice as starting quarterback because many analysts questioned his footwork, throwing motion and other aspects of his game. But nobody questioned his football IQ, desire to win or love for the game all of which have been his most desirable qualities since his college years (other than his physical prowess and good looks). Known as "intangibles," these attributes are what have made Tebow such a popular player.
You can knock his average play, but you cannot question his heart and intensity. I watched Tebow play against my hapless Miami Dolphins last week, and for 55 minutes, he played awfully. He made inaccurate throws and bad decisions for most of the game, but he zoned in during the last five minutes of the fourth quarter and led a furious comeback. Tebow kept my hometown team winless, but watching him do his thing at the end of the game, I saw why Tebow has been successful and popular for so long.
It's these types of players that win us over: the fierce competitors with their heads on straight, the well-spoken athletes with some charm and pizzazz, and of course, the underwear models. Tim Tebow is all of these, and although he may have some shortcomings on the gridiron, his intangibles are what will continue to make him a successful person and a winning NFL quarterback. I'm thoroughly excited about Tebow's future as an athlete, and I will definitely target him again next year in my fantasy football draft.
