Tim Tebow

Tebow’s Turmoil

/ Dennis Griffith / 1 Comment

Who knows where such nonsense gets started?  But whoever it was that first suggested Tim Tebow’s throwing flaws are the fault of Florida Coach Urban Meyer is, to say it kindly, misguided.

It was reported that, at a recent press conference, Tebow explained he had a lot of work to do and acknowledged that his years at Florida had not prepared him for the NFL.  Some quickly took Tebow’s words as a slap at Coach Meyer, or at least that Tebow’s words reveal that he had somehow been slighted by Meyer.

Pundits suggested Tebow flaws provide recruiting fodder for Alabama’s Nick Saban.   

It is reasoned, if Florida did not get Tebow NFL ready who could they get ready? Then, adding the fact that Tebow’s highly touted predecessor, Chris Leak, failed to make an NFL roster after his college career, these self acclaimed experts point the finger at Florida’s spread offense, and declare that Urban Meyer’s system is to blame.  And thus, if Meyer can’t prepare QB’s, even of the calibur of Tebow & Leak, for the NFL, why should any prospect who has aspirations of playing on Sundays even consider Florida,  if he has the opportunity to play elsewhere – especially, say, Alabama?

I agree with sportswriter Mike Bianchi who says: “It is not Urban Meyer’s Job to Make Tim Tebow NFL-Ready“. Bianchi makes a good case, but I would g even further.

I don’t know if Tebow will make himself into an NFL star or not.  But fortunately Tebow know that the NFL is not the real measure of success in life. 

Second, those who are blaming Meyer have no idea what it takes to be an NFL QB.  They seem to assume that good coaches can just crank them out.  Or maybe they just grow on trees.  But the truth is that there are many, many reasons that some great college QB’s never cut it in the NFL, while other merely adequate college QB’s thrive. (See Tom Brady for example.)

Finally, while I have my doubts that Nick Saban is involved in this stuff at all, I would suggest he – and any coach – look at his own legacy before he take aim at Urban Meyer.  Who was the last successful QB Alabama sent to the NFL? Richard Todd?  How about Saban himself?  Did any of his LSU QB’s shine at the next level?  I’d hate to claim that I can make a kid into the next Jamarcus Russell, if I were Saban.  That’s a sure way to get a kid to go elsewhere.

Tim Tebow’s Tears

/ Dennis Griffith / 2 Comments

“There’s no crying in football.”  That paraphrase of a Tom Hanks movie line is the apparent sentiment of many in the world of sports media today.

Are you kidding me?  It makes me wonder how many of these guys ever played the game – or played any game.

Tim Tebow is taking a pounding from pundits because he shed some tears as the 2009 SEC Championship Game came to a close with his Florida Gators on the short end of the scoreboard.  These sportwriters, and sports radio hosts, seem to think Tebow’s reaction was somehow sub-manly.  Granted,this is not a universal attitude among those in sports journalism – and maybe not even the majority opinion, but I’ve heard enough to realize this perspective does not belong just to a few isolated idiots.

Much has already been written about Tebow’s exploits and exceptional character. There is nothing I can add to that. There is no need to re-make those cases.  But I do want to chime-in on this conversation with a couple simple points.

1. Absolutely there are tears shed on football fields.  It is almost as much part of the game as is sweat. It is physically demanding game. It is also mentally and emotionally exhausting – perhaps especially for a quarterback.  Players prepare for hours upon hours for 60 minutes of competition.  At the end of the competition a player who has give all he has to give, physically, mentally, and emotonally, is drained. He is reduced to raw emotion. Tears are often shed on both sides, especially in a championship game – tears of joy for the victors; tears of frustration for the one whose all was not quite enough.

Frankly, as an ex-player and former coach, it is the guys who are not on the verge of tears at the end of a hard fought game who always bothered me most. 

2. Tebow demonstrated the epitome of character and sportsmanship.  Having been reduced to raw emotion; having watched year-long – if not life-long – dreams coming to an end, Tebow was nothing but gracious and effusive in his compliments and congratulations to his opponents. No excuses. No finger pointing. No sour grapes.  Tebow just said: “Alabama was better than us today”.  

Impressive. Which is more than I can say for Tebow’s naysayers.