Jacksonville, Make Tim Tebow Proud…

Jacksonvillians, stop it!

You do realize how irrational you sound? How crazy you sound?

Tim Tebow is a wonderful human being. If you don’t love/admire/respect him, you’re the problem. But he’d be the first to tell you to stop worshipping him. Such feelings go against everything he believes; go against the way he lives his life.

He may turn out to be a great NFL quarterback. He may not. In many ways it would be great if he played pro football in his hometown. In some ways maybe not so great.

Whatever, this unprecedented outpouring of venom against the Jaguars for not acquiring him is so over-the-top that it’s embarrassing. I understand how having Tebow in a Jaguar uniform would make many of you happy.

What I don’t understand is how not having him in a Jaguar uniform brings out such hate. There’s no doubt in my mind that Tim would be the first to tell you the same thing.

A recent caller to 1010xl sports talk radio said he’d rather watch four years of the Jaguars not making the playoffs with Tebow than four years of the Jaguars making the playoffs without Tebow. Another caller said she’d buy season tickets to watch Tebow stand on the sideline as a backup but wouldn’t buy them without Tebow on the roster. Still another caller said he had the same feeling when he heard the Jets had acquired Tebow as he did when he learned his brother had died.

Such logic defies commonsense. Everyone has a right to have an opinion, but some opinions are so whacky it’s scary.

I truly have never known a human being who commanded such devotion. Thank goodness, Tebow seems determined to put such devotion to a far bigger cause than professional football. He seems wise beyond his years, using football more as a tool to spread the word of his religious faith and perform charitable deeds rather than a tool to thrill sports fans and make money.

Many of his most devoted followers totally miss that point.

You have a right NOT to buy Jaguars tickets. You don’t need a reason. You have a right to buy Jaguars tickets because you enjoy the NFL experience and/or think it is good for business and our city.

You can think Shahid Kahn is a horrible owner and Gene Smith is an awful general manager. You can agree or disagree with which players they sign and draft.

But let’s stop the hate. The way I see it, I’d rather have Tebow be part of Jacksonville as man than a quarterback no matter what kind of quarterback he turns out to be.

You love Tim Tebow? Then listen to what he says when he’s out of uniform, no matter which uniform he wears.

 

The Tebow Gamble

Now that the Peyton Manning Sweepstakes has ended in Denver, the real question remains: what’s in Tim Tebow’s future?

About the only thing we know about Tebow’s future is it will not be in Denver. The Broncos aren’t going to bring in Manning and subject him to cries for Tebow to remain the starting quarterback. Yes, there are Broncos fans who are so in love with Tebow that not even the arrival of one the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks of all time will change their minds.

Tebow’s gotta go via trade or release.

Will the Jaguars go after him? Should they?

Will the Dolphins go after him? Should they?

Both Florida franchises could use help in selling tickets. Both are mired in losing. While Tebowmania has swept the nation, nowhere is the love for him as great as it is in his home state. He is instant box office. That’s not debatable.

What is debatable is whether or not he’s got what it takes to be a big-time NFL quarterback. Signing Tebow and having him become a franchise quarterback would be a decade-long bonanza for either franchise. Signing him and not winning would become old news a lot quicker than his most ardent fans would admit and set the franchise back for several years.

Which ever team signs Tebow will have to totally commit to the former Gator Heisman Trophy winner. The general manager would have to surround him with players that fit his game. The coach would have to build a new playbook.

Tebow’s passionate fans think signing him is a no-brainer. Tebow’s critics think it’s insane to even consider it.

Both sides are convinced they’re right. I call this the epitome of being caught between a rock and a hard place. The stakes are high in the Tebow Gamble.

They’re too high for me if I was calling the shots in either Jacksonville or Miami.

 

Tim Tebow…a Jaguar?

Tim Tebow a Jaguar? The thought gives me a tingle. Personally, I’d love it. I’d love the buzz it would create. Tebow love on the First Coast would be over the top. Yeah, Tebow hate would be over the top, too.

Absolutely ticket sales would go through the roof. The tarps would be pulled off. If national media exposure is important to you – and it obviously is for a lot of you although I’ve never understood why – you’d be in hog heaven.

That said, if I owned the Jaguars I wouldn’t touch Tebow. If I was general manager of the Jaguars I’d fight against it. If I was the coach of the Jaguars I’d pray it didn’t happen.

I was among the minority in the media who didn’t think the Jaguars should draft Tebow in 2010. I had – and still do – serious doubts about him ever being anything more than a serviceable quarterback in the NFL. I love the man. I admire him. I respect him. I appreciate his athletic skills. No question, he’s as much of a gamer as I’ve ever seen in sports.

His quarterback fundamentals – or lack of – don’t really concern me. Unorthodox players have succeeded in every sport in every era. Tebow proved last year he could be a winning quarterback in the NFL.

I just don’t think his skills translate to being a championship quarterback in the NFL unless the way the game is played changes drastically.

I’ve said many times the Jaguars should make a serious play for Peyton Manning because I truly believe Manning could bring a championship to Jacksonville if he can still play anywhere near how’s he’s played throughout his career. Yes, I believe he could accomplish that now with the Jaguars if the current roster was tweaked here (top wide receiver) and there (a top pass rusher).

As much as I wish I didn’t feel this way, I can’t see Tebow turning the Jaguars into champions.

A roster with Tebow and Blaine Gabbert as your quarterbacks would be a nightmare. While I don’t have much confidence in Gabbert, he’d be totally useless with Tebow as a teammate. There’d be almost nothing Gabbert could do to convince many Jaguars fans he deserved to start instead of Tebow.

I can only imagine the outrage of the Jaguars fans if the team had a chance to get Tebow and said no –again. I can’t even imagine the outrage if that happened and Tebow went on to become a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback in Denver or somewhere else.

I just know my head keeps telling my heart that the Jaguars acquiring Tebow would be a bad move.

 

I Know Why Tebow-Mania Exists

Actor Adam Sandler was at an Indianapolis restaurant and surrounded by fans when Tim Tebow walked in. Within a matter of seconds Sandler was alone and Tebow was mobbed. Squeals could be heard. Camera phones were clicking so the moment would be saved.

Joe Montana, considered by many as the greatest quarterback of all-time and the owner of four Super Bowl rings, was making the rounds on Radio Row, pitching his cause and reliving his Super Bowl experiences, when Tim Tebow walked in. Within a matter of seconds Montana was being ignored as all of the attention turned to Tebow. Montana, in fact, was pushed and shoved as people tried to get closer to Tebow.

Tim Tebow is the NFL’s biggest celebrity. Hands down. End of argument. No debate.

The mystery for many is why? He’s accomplished very little as a professional athlete. He’s a reserved young man with a bit of an awe-shucks personalty.

I think I know the answer.

Tim Tebow is who and what we want in our professional athletes and other heroes. I think that’s true even for those of us who say we don’t have a problem with our look-at-me jock heroes beating their chests, fist pumping, dancing, clad in designer clothes and expensive jewelry, squiring beautiful women and surrounded by yes-men and other hangers-on.

The more humble, the meeker and the more plain-Joe he comes across, the more we love him and the more in awe of him we are.

He has that rare charisma that appeals to men and women, young and old, all races, rich and poor, athletes and fans.

The real beauty and attraction of Tim Tebow is he’s one of the few of us who doesn’t seem to understand what all of the hullabaloo is about.

Who’s not impressed with Tim Tebow?

Tim Tebow, that’s who, and that’s a beautiful thing.

 

Shut Up And Just Enjoy Tebow, Would Ya?

 

 

Tim Tebow critics – on both sides – irritate the hell out of me.

He hasn’t proven he’s the greatest quarterback since Otto Graham — yet. Nor has he proven he’s nothing more than a stumbling, bumbling tight end trying to play quarterback — yet.

What is he is a wonderful athlete and the ultimate athletic warrior. He’s one of those rare people whose heart rate goes DOWN when the tension goes up. His middle name ought to be “Iconic”. He’s also an unpolished passer with accuracy problems. Thus far in his brief NFL career he’s the epitome of inconsistency.

Sunday, in leading his Broncos over the Steelers in a playoff game, he was incredible, his best game. He deserves all of the love and credit he’s receiving.

Can he repeat such a performance on a regular basis? That’s what no one yet knows.

The key to Tebow’s future may well be determined by the Broncos coaches and NFL defensive coordinators. Are the Broncos willing to commit all out for the unorthodox offense they’re running with Tebow? “Gimmick” offenses come and go, but some do stick. When Bill Walsh went to the “West Coast” offense many considered it a gimmick. Now at least a third of the NFL uses it and nearly every team has “West Coast” packages. Meanwhile, the “Wildcat” offense appears deader than Jack Del Rio’s career as an NFL head coach.

For the lack of a better term, let’s call Denver’s scheme the “Tebow” offense. There’s read option aspects, and one of the options is a quarterback who can really run. It features more down field passes than screens and sideline throws. Like any offensive scheme, the key to its success is how well defenses adjust to it. The Steelers’ No. 1 defense looked lost at times against it in the playoff game. NFL defensive coordinators, however, are clever. Once both sides have figured out the schemes, then it comes down to execution and who has the best athletes.

We probably won’t know if Tebow is a star or bust for several more years. We may look back at this season as the beginning of a great career. “I remember back in ’11 when Timmy the Great was catching so much heat,” your grandson may one day tell his kids. We also may look back at ’11 and remember it as we remember the remarkable season Mark “Bird” Fidrych had as a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers or the year Bengals running back Icky Woods made the “Icky Shuffle” famous.

In the meantime, my advice for NFL fans and analysts is to enjoy Tim Tebow – the good and the bad.

 

2011: A Year to Forget

This is my last column of the year and few things could make me happier. I’m more than ready to put the 2011 sports years behind. It has been awful.

This has nothing to do with the Jaguars’ miserable season; or the football Gators looking more like Vanderbilt than Florida; or FSU’s high expectations on the football field going up in smoke before October; or the collapse of the Red Sox and Braves.

Sure, there were many amazing stories. What was better than Tim Tebow making the know-all analysts look so foolish? How about a new owner for the Jaguars who exudes such promise? How about a Final Four game matching Butler against Virginia Commonwealth? When has there been a better finish to a Major League Baseball season? The Cardinals winning the World Series was the end of an incredible journey. What Tony Stewart did to win the NASCAR title was historic. Who will forget Rory McIlroy’s amazing U.S. Open performance?

But 2011 will go down as the year of scandal. I’m talking about real life, gut wrenching, sickening scandal. It will be remembered as the year of Penn State, the fall of Joe Paterno and that sicko former coach, Jerry Sandusky. As a disgusting footnote, it will be about the fall of Syracuse basketball, not on the court but because of the alleged child sex abuse charges leveled at long-time assistant coach Bernie Fine.

The stories out of Penn State and Syracuse make the arrogance of LeBron James’ “The Decision” look small. They make the NFL and NBA lockouts look unimportant. They make Albert Pujols’ farewell to St. Louis look meaningless. They make the debate about a rematch between LSU and Alabama for the BCS Championship look silly.

We’ve seen the ugly side of sports in other years. There have been real life tragedies before. But nothing ever compared to the shock — and the ongoing shockwaves — that punched us when details came oozing out about what grown men who were trusted mentors and respected teachers did to helpless kids.

Maybe time will heal some of the hurt and the disgust we feel, but will the term “coach” ever have the same meaning? The word has been sullied as never before, and that makes me mad as hell.

The year 2011 is near an end and it couldn’t come any sooner.

I mean it more than ever when I say, “Happy New Year!”

Tim Tebow: The New Face of the NFL

Those of us who live on the First Coast take great pride that Tim Tebow is one of us. To say the First Coast has an epidemic of “Tebowmania” is an understatement. To call him our “Favorite Son” is as much a fact as the sun rising in the East.

But, incredibly, Tim has become much more than a product of the First Coast. “Tebowmania” is truly nationwide. He’s become America’s “Favorite Son”.

He has become the face and the story of America’s game, the NFL. Sure, the Green Bay Packers are working on perfection, but they take a backseat to Tebow.

Obviously America’s love for Tebow is based on his incredible athletic exploits, but the roots of that love go much deeper. The silent majority now has a hero who is the epitome of the term ‘role model’. When you combine his success on the football with his religious conviction, his humility, his caring, his sharing and his charisma, you have the likes of someone truly special.

It would be naïve to think we’d even know much about Tebow if he weren’t a football player. He became a local celebrity at Nease High, becoming a blue chip recruit while leading his team to a state title and setting state passing and touchdown records. He thrilled Gator Nation when he chose Florida over Alabama, and then played a key role as a freshman when Florida won the national championship. His fame went nationwide when he won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore. His name entered the debate as the greatest college player of all time when he quarterbacked the Gators to another national title as a junior. A 13-1 record and publicly telling the nation he was a virgin as a senior only added to his legacy.

Even the incredible controversy surrounding whether or not his game would translate to the pro game added to his iconic status. A rookie season spent mostly on the Denver Broncos’ bench made him the most talked about, loved and disliked football player on the planet. His demotion to third string before this season, his second, made big national news. When he was finally named as the Broncos’ starting quarterback – after many Broncos lobbied for him — critics literally screamed he was nothing more than a run-of-the-mill fullback trying to play quarterback.

Since then Tebow has put up poor statistics but helped the Broncos go 7-1. Five times he has led them on fourth quarter comebacks. It has been one near miracle after another. The number of his critics has diminished, but everyone, save for his strongest supporters, remain cautious about buying into his continued success.

Meanwhile, Tebow has remained the same humble, loving man, never lashing out at his critics, crediting his teammates and praising the Lord.

He seems too good to be true.

My advice to his critics, regardless of where they live, who moan about hearing, seeing and reading too much about him is this: prepare yourself. Chances are you haven’t heard, seen and read anything yet compared with what’s to come.

 

Watch Out. I’m in a Mood.

There are some things I need to get off my chest . . .

Stop talking about what a big deal it is that Tiger Woods won an 18-man exhibition in his own tournament. Good for Tiger, but nothing more. The victory isn’t his first in 2 years. I heard he won the men’s association shootout at Islesworth back in September. By the way, Tiger didn’t win last year’s Tiger Invitational because Graeme McDowell made a couple of bombs on the last two holes. . .

Why is it NFL defensive coaches are so smart they’ll figure out how to stop the TimTebow offense but they haven’t figured out how to stop the West Coast offense or the standard pro style attack? Could it be more about personnel than scheme? You think . . .

Why are teams with outstanding offenses and average defenses considered great, but the reverse isn’t true? . . .

People who think its okay to take up two parking spaces – one for tailgating stuff – in crowded lots are the epitome selfish jerks. You know who you are . . .

Giving a thick-bodied, 32-year-old baseball player a 10-year, guaranteed contract is stupid. I don’t care if it is Albert Pujols, who does indeed rank with the top 10 hitters of all time. That’s exactly what the California Angels did, and they’ll regret this decision within three or four seasons, if not sooner . . .

The one college football bowl game I will not miss is the Fiesta Bowl between Oklahoma State and Stanford. For me that’s much more compelling than The Rematch. I’m not sure FSU-Notre Dame in Orlando’s Champs Bowl isn’t No. 2 on the must-see-TV list . . .

Why are the Green Bay Packers going to lose during the regular season? Because their defense is average to below average and they’re only one hit away from losing quarterback Aaron Rodgers . . .

I couldn’t care less that the NBA owners and players finally settled their issues. And cramming a 66-game schedule into four months is going to make for a lot of uninspired play from a lot of players and bad entertainment . . .

If you have any interest in college basketball then you owe it to yourself to catch a UNF game. Coach Matthew Driscoll is building a solid program . . .

If the Indianapolis Colts do, indeed, face a Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck situation, they’d be crazy to stick with Manning. One thing great NFL franchises do is rebuilding before they have to rebuild. Remember the 49ers trading Joe Montana even he still had something in the tank to go with the younger Steve Young? Besides, there’s still some question whether or not Manning will be physically able to play . . .

Don’t think for a moment that just because Jaguars’ General Manager Gene Smith was recently given a three-year contract that he’ll stay with the team for three more years. Smith’s salary is about that of a veteran player’s minimum pay. . .

 

Trivia for Your Grandkids…

What I’m about to tell you is something you’ll want to pass on to your grand kids. It could be a great trivia question in about 30 years.

Q: Who beat out Cam Newton at the University of Florida for the starting quarterback job? (Your grand kids will get bonus points when they add that Newton was beaten out so convincingly that he transferred to a junior college before winding up at Auburn.)

A: Tim Tebow, of course. (Let me stop you right now from screaming and calling me names. This is not another case of Tebow bashing. I love the guy.)

I just want you Tebow lovers to try to put aside your love for the man for a moment. And I want you Tebow haters to do the same with your hate for him. In fact, this isn’t about Tebow; it’s about Newton.

To say the beginning of Newton’s pro football career has been outstanding is like saying Dolly Parton is well endowed. Newton has been fabulous . . . spectacular . . . unbelievable . . . great. Even though his Carolina Panthers are 0-2 because they’re given up 58 points in two games, Newton has gone where no NFL rookie quarterback has ever gone. No rookie ever passed for more yards (422) in his first game. Not even close. No rookie has ever passed for more yards (854) in his first two games. Not even close.

Admittedly, two games don’t make a career, but already Newton has erased the doubts most of us had about him when the Panthers made him the No. 1 draft pick last April. Many NFL analysts questioned whether Newton could play from the pocket. His accuracy was questioned. Conventional thinking was he had a tendency to take off and run too quickly because he’d have trouble reading NFL defenses.

It’s a bit of cruel irony that many Newton critics saw him as another Tebow coming out of college in that they thought of him as more of an athlete than an NFL quarterback.

During an 8-day period most analysts have done a total flip-flop. One ESPN analyst called Newton “The Chosen One”. Another suggested someone should get busy working on his bust for Canton. Everyone, it seems, agrees he’ll be a star pro quarterback. Maybe a megastar.

Yes, the start of his NFL career has been that fantastic. Another eye-popping performance –and a victory, according to the oddsmakers – is expected this Sunday when Cam’s Panthers play host to the Jaguars. (Jaguar cynics think cornerback Rashean Mathis will have trouble sleeping this week.)

I went with the trivia question angle because it could be similar to such questions as: Who did several NFL teams keep at quarterback when they cut Johnny Unitas? Which quarterbacks were drafted ahead of Tom Brady (6th round)? Which were drafted ahead of Joe Montana (3rd round)? How’d Wally Pip beat out Lou Gehrig in the first place? Who was drafted ahead of Michael Jordan (Sam Bowie, for one)?

All of this would become a moot point if Newton’s career fizzles out or if Tebow develops into a star quarterback. It is conceivable, although unlikely, both could happen.

In the meanwhile, make sure to tell the grand kids. Maybe it’ll help them win a beer bet in 2041.

 

Jags’ Draft Doesn’t Get My Vote

I don’t like the Jaguars draft.

My main problem is this draft year’s isn’t likely to help the 2011 season one iota. I don’t endorse the building for the future philosophy, not for a team that was in the thick of the playoff race in mid-December four and a half months ago. Keep in mind, too, that this is the NFL, a league where an average of 50 percent of the playoff teams change from one season to the next. The word parity is tossed around the NFL because, well, there is more parity than in any other major sport. Going from last in a division to the playoffs is a common occurrence. Except in rare incidences, NFL teams play for the here and now, not the there and later.

Obviously everything is speculation now. No one knows, for example, if Blaine Gabbert is a franchise quarterback of the future or a bust etc. I’m the first to admit I’m definitely not a “draft expert”. I put quote marks around the term because I wonder if there truly is such a thing as a “draft expert”.

Let’s examine the Gabbert selection. He is clearly a gifted athlete who excelled as a quarterback at Missouri. Some predictions had him as the No. 1 overall draft selection, but he began sliding down the draft boards. He obviously wasn’t viewed as a franchise quarterback by Buffalo, Cincinnati, Arizona and San Francisco. Each admittedly needs help at quarterback yet all passed on Gabbert. Carolina chose Cam Newton ahead of him and Tennessee surprised a lot of people by picking Jake Locker.

Another team that reportedly needs quarterback help is Washington, but it traded its pick to Jacksonville with Gabbert available.

As a side note, Jaguars fans who were angered because Jacksonville didn’t draft Tim Tebow a year ago must be angrier now. The knock on Tebow was he came out of a spread offense at Florida and his game wouldn’t translate well to the NFL. You heard the criticism. His doesn’t see the field well. His footwork is bad. His release is slow. Never mind that Tebow led the Gators to great success. Never mind he is a hometown boy with an incredible following and likely would have helped the Jaguars sell thousands of tickets. Never mind his rating on the “good character meter” is off the charts.

It is difficult to swallow the Jaguars’ reasons for taking a pass on Tebow after they selected Gabbert, who ran a spread offense at Missouri and now must be developed into an NFL quarterback. To be clear, this isn’t a knock on Gabbert. This is a knock on General Manager Gene Smith’s explanation of why he didn’t take Tebow.

In moving up from No. 16 to No. 10, the Jaguars had to give up a second round selection, the 49th overall pick. It should be noted that with the 49th pick the Jaguars likely could have helped their lowly rated defense. Tampa Bay picked Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers with the 51st pick. The New York Giants took North Carolina defensive tackle Marvin Austin with the 52nd pick. Both were rated top 10 overall selections before being derailed by injury and character issues, respectively. Oregon State defensive tackle Stephen Paea , by the way, went to Chicago with the 53rd pick.

With the 49th pick the Jaguars could have addressed their wide receiver needs. Maryland’s Torrey Smith went 58th to Baltimore and North Carolina’s Greg Little went 59th to Cleveland. The Jaguars went for an offensive guard, Will Rackley of Lehigh, in the 3rd round (76th overall). FSU guard-center Rodney Hudson was a second-round pick (55th overall) by Miami. For the record, Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallet (third round, 74th overall) would have been available.

Again, no one knows how these players will develop, but Jaguars fans should follow their careers with interest.

Another reason I don’t like the Jaguars draft is GM Smith’s love affair with drafting players from small schools. I get the sense Smith thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room and wants everyone to know it.

I know the NFL is full of stars who played at small schools. And I know some players are overlooked by big school recruiters coming out of high schools. I know some players develop physically later than others and grow into future NFL players while playing at small schools. And I know some players have issues in high school (grades or character) and wind up at small schools because of those issues.

I also know no GM loves the small school players more than Smith. Four of Jacksonville’s five picks came from non-BSC programs or lower NCAA divisions. Only the Miami Dolphins drafted that many (out of six). Smith has selected 14 players from non-BCS schools out of the 20 draft picks he’s made as the Jaguars GM. It’s still too early to pass judgment on most of those picks, but thus far only defensive tackle Terrance Knighton (Temple), cornerback Derek Cox (William & Mary) and tight end Zach Miller (Nebraska-Omaha) have paid any dividends.

How will Rackley, wide receiver Cecil Short (fourth round, 114th, Division Mount Union), safety Chris Prosinski (fourth round, 121, Wyoming) and defensive back Rod Issac (fifth round, 147, Middle Tennessee State) perform in the NFL?

Of course only time will tell, but for the here and now I don’t have high hopes.