Monday, March 1, 2010

Tim Tebow's Future


The NFL draft is a little over 1 month away and I can't help but follow what's going on with Tim Tebow. He was a force to be reckoned with in college. He has the arm strength (ignoring technique) to throw long passes, he can run very quickly, and he's tough; he's not afraid to get down and dirty. But he brings something else that I think a mediocre team needs: heart. If you watch him on T.V. you only get a glimpse of his energy and charisma. I've seen him play a number of times at The Swamp. He really puts a lot of effort out there, he infuses everyone around him with energy. It was a thrill and a joy to watch him grow and develop as a person and as a player. When he first started, when he couldn't find someone, he'd run. By the end of his senior year, he was waiting and looking, scanning the field to find his man. Then, at the last minute, if no one was open, he'd run. He's a 'team player' and after spending over 3 years in the spotlight, he still continued to be a team player. I'm not going to pick out T.O. specifically but an over-sized ego gets in the way of what you're doing. It becomes all about "me me me". Tim is a natural leader and he inspires confidence in his team, in himself, and in all he does. What does this quality amount to? For a strong team, not much. Why would you need a leader when you have a great system and great people in that system? A team like the Colts would not need a Tim Tebow. (Not that Peyton Manning is going anywhere) But a team like the Dolphins, or Tampa Bay, or Jacksonville (among others) might benefit from someone like him.
However, the criticisms are valid. He takes way too long to throw the ball and you can't expect not to get intercepted when you are throwing from your waist. Why he throws like that is beyond me. What's even more mind boggling is why the coaches as UF have done nothing to change his throwing style. But I'm beating a dead horse. What truly scares me is one of the things I praised earlier. His toughness and his enjoyment in contact. That may be fine in the college world where football players are generally smaller. But something happens once they go to the NFL, maybe it's the water, but they get huge. Did anyone see the last Dolphins game last season? After Chad Henne went down they put in little Pat White. He ran and collided helmet to helmet with Ike Taylor of the Steelers and subsequently suffered a concussion. Now Tebow is bigger than Pat White so if he did take a hit like that, it might not be as bad, but I think you see what I'm driving at.
I have not watched the other quarterbacks so I'm not going to compare them but I am going to say that my composite quarterback would definitely have the heart of Tim Tebow.
As a proud member of the Gator Nation, I wish him the best!

3 comments:

  1. Very thoughtful. In my honest opinion, Tebow would make a great asset to any NFL team. He does have a charm that is needed in some teams. Granted I think Jacksonville will probably be the team that will call him up first, but I of course would love to see him play for the Dolphins. It would be AMAZING if he brought the dolphins to win a superbowl, but thats wishful thinking.

    I think you needed to emphasize how people like him are needed in general. He is a great guy, very classy and gentlemanly like. Granted he is not at ALL the brightest apple in the bunch, but UF had to do what it had to do to get its game on top. He works for good causes, and he has a strong christian heart. The world needs him, and perhaps his major isn't bullshit at all.

    Only time will tell, but he has already left his mark as one of NCAA Football's biggest stars in quite some time.

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  2. He is...but I would take Jason Taylor any friggin day of the week. That is what a man should look like.

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