Few diehard NFL fans have an indifferent attitude towards
Tim Tebow. They either love him or hate him. How has Tebow become one of the most
polarizing figures in sports? You’d be
hard pressed to find a more compassionate, upbeat human being. Never a disparaging word has come out of his
mouth, at least not in public. I’ve
never so much as seen him frown. He embodies
positivity and goodwill, yet he’s continually scrutinized and criticized.
My daughters and I were introduced to Tebow a few months ago
by a good friend of mine as we were leaving church. He couldn’t have been more sincerely warm and
engaging. I had heard about Tebow
sightings in Arizona, but wasn’t sure why he was in town. As it turned out Tim has been working out
with my friend’s husband, Ian Danney, who trains several NFL players in
Scottsdale.
Previously Ian had told me about one of his unique training
methods called “Danneyball.” It’s basically a version of beach volleyball only played with a 10-pound heavy ball
and no passing is allowed. It’s a
grueling total body workout especially when played in triple digit heat. I was instantly intrigued and asked if I could
do a sports feature for FOX 10 when Ian had his off-season training finale
Danneyball Tournament. When the day came
around to do the story, Ian casually mentioned that Tim would be out there
playing. Bonus!
That’s how I ended up being the only reporter to interview
Tebow in the past several months. He’s
been off the public radar except for a quick TMZ sighting as he dined in Los
Angeles last month.
Tebow turned out to be one of the best Danneyball players
out there in spite of it being his first tournament. I stood in the shade, but was tired just watching them
play in the 105-degree heat. He was
polite and gracious when I interviewed him.
I asked him about his training and his future. As I listened to his responses, I cringed
inside knowing he would get criticized for continuing to follow his NFL dreams. Knowing the video and subsequent interview would
eventually go viral gave me mixed emotions.
I would get kudos at work for getting an exclusive with Tim Tebow, but I
also wanted to be respectful of his ongoing football aspirations.
It took a few days after my story aired locally before it
took off. By weeks end the You Tube
version of my feature had well over 350,000 hits. Top sites embedded the video including:
Yahoo, the NFL, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, the Denver
Post, and the Washington Post.
Footage of my story was also aired on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption. Co-host, Tony Kornheiser, called Tebow “delusional.” Other media members gave him no chance of getting picked up by an NFL team. Most of the viewer comments were positive with words of encouragement. However, there was a fair share of “bitter” comments from those who make it a hobby to spew hatred while hiding behind their computers.
Here’s a guy who won the Heisman Trophy, won two college national
championships, lead his team to an NFL playoff victory and would never, ever do
anything to embarrass an organization. How many guys with a fraction of his resume
are still out there training for a chance to play in the NFL… waiting for a
phone call? They aren’t chastised for chasing
their dreams. Would he really be the
only backup in the league who doesn’t have the strongest arm?
Jacksonville would have been a great for him. Florida football fans would love to have him
back in the Sunshine State. And
Jacksonville could use the distraction and attention that follows Tebow around
like a puppy. That franchise barely
makes a blip on the NFL radar. And then
there’s the $1.4 million dollar house Tebow just purchased there. Unfortunately for Tebow, the Jaguars already have
quarterback Chad Henne and also drafted a quarterback with the number three overall
pick in the 2014 draft, Blake Bortles.
Tebow has all of the intangibles… determination, leadership,
work ethic and heart. He’s a proven
winner. His college coach, Urban Meyer,
knows a thing or two about football.
Meyer was quoted recently saying he was having a hard time understanding why Tebow
doesn’t have a job in the NFL. Tebow
has been working hard to improve his weaknesses and deserves at least an
invitation to a training camp. All it
takes is one more team willing to give him a chance.