True Confessions

I was never a fan of Tim Tebow when he was playing college football at Florida.  He just had too much success:

• A national championship his freshman year
• Winner of the Heisman Trophy his sophomore year
• A second national championship in his junior year
• Constant adulation from the national media.

Something finally went wrong in his senior year, when Florida lost in the SEC Championship game and failed to make it to a third national title game.  Thank goodness, I thought.  I'd had enough.

I kind of forgot about Tebow last year, when he struggled during his NFL rookie season.  This year, though, the mania started again when Tebow came off the bench early in the season and led the Broncos to victories in 7 of the first 8 games he started.

I asked myself, "Do we have to go through this hero worship again?"  But, things started to change when we happened to catch the end of the Broncos - Bears game while out for dinner at a local restaurant.  The restaurant was about one-third full.  As that game came to the end of regulation, with the Broncos desperately trying to tie up the score, I noticed that everyone in the restaurant -- diners and wait staff -- had stopped what they were doing to watch Tebow lead the Broncos down the field.  When the Broncos tied it on a last-second kick, everyone cheered.  When they kicked a game-winner in overtime, everyone cheered again.

Later that night, I thought about that game.  We're in the heart of Ravens country.  Nobody cares about the Broncos.  But, that night, everyone watching wanted Tim Tebow and the Broncos to win.  And, it wasn't a "it would be nice if they win" feeling that I got from the crowd.  It was a "I really, really want these guys to win" feeling.

It didn't take me long to figure out why everyone felt that way.  While Tebow was having all that success at Florida, the criticism of him was that he wasn't a "typical" quarterback.  He liked to run.  He didn't have a natural throwing motion.  He only won because of the system in which he played.  When he got to the pros, the experts said he'd never have success.  The criticisms were the same.  But, Tebow didn't seem the least bit fazed by the critics.  That's why people like him.  Despite being told he can't succeed, he's never stopped doing what he does best.  He works hard, has a positive attitude, and focuses on making those around him better.  He lets his results speak for themselves.

Sitting here right now, the Broncos are up on the Steelers by 7 with 8 minutes to go in the 4th quarter.  I don't know if they'll hold on to win (Willis McGahee's fumble certainly doesn't help the cause).  But, I certainly hope they do.  You know why?  Because I like Tim Tebow.  I admit it.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that I really don't like Ben Roethlisberger.