Spotlight
Tebow reigns almighty in a year to remember for quarterbacksWednesday, January 25, 2012 By Alex Ziomek
This has certainly been a year for the quarterback in the NFL. There has never been a year that even compares to this one in terms of quarterback production. Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and Tom Brady are all playing in a way that is almost unstoppable, with both Brees and Brady breaking Dan Marino’s previous record for passing yards in a single season. Rookie quarterback Cam Newton, of the Carolina Panthers, has stepped up in a huge way by breaking the record for rushing touchdowns in a single season by a quarterback and has put down all of his doubters. But there isn’t a more intriguing story this year in the NFL than Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. “Tim Tebow is for real,” said Physical Education teacher Shane Harrington, “It’s going to be a few years before we realize his full potential, but he will be a successful NFL quarterback.” Tebow is not a guy you would want leading your fantasy team. His statistics could be said to be horrendous. He ranks 31st in the NFL in passing yards and completes less than half of his passes. His form has been dissed multiple times by many professional analysts. The leading passer in the league, Drew Brees, has thrown over 3000 more yards than Tebow, and Tebow averages a meager 123 passing yards per game. So why is this guy so exciting? Why is Tebowmania sweeping the nation? The guy wins. “He’s clearly got leadership qualities. He’s not the best quarterback mechanics-wise, but he still finds ways to win,” said substitute teacher Chris Campbell. Coming off their bye week, the 1-4 Broncos did not look very hopeful. But finally answering Broncos fans prayers was head coach John Fox, who announced that Tim Tebow would be starting under center against the Miami Dolphins. But fans were quickly let down by Tebow, who couldn't muster up one single touchdown for the Broncos in the first three quarters. Tebow, who had been beaten up all day by the Dolphins defense, refused to give up. Trailing 15-0 with 5:23 remaining in the game, things began to turn around, and Tebow led the Broncos back to a dramatic 18-15 win in overtime. Starting with that miraculous win over Miami, the Broncos had won seven out of eight games, and Tebow has Denver in a playoff position, leading the AFC West division. Tebow has been virtually unstoppable in the fourth quarter, as he has now won six come-from-behind games. “I think he’s legit. He knows what he’s doing,” said junior Nate Mish, “He knows how to rally and is a good decision maker.” Tebow has two reputations that have made him one of the most famous athletes on the planet. Obviously, he’s a winner. No one can say he’s not, as he has won two national championships with the University of Florida and is now on this winning tear in the NFL. But he’s not only known for his winning ways. Tebow can be found praying on one knee on the sidelines during every huge moment he’s not on the field. Whenever he relies on his kicker to kick the game-winning field goal, he won’t even watch. He’s too busy praying, and his prayers are often answered. This habit, nicknamed “Tebowing,” has spread across the nation. High school and college players of all sports can now be found “Tebowing,” during the most dramatic parts of games, and often in other places, like school hallways. Even before Tebow had graduated college, he had critics scrutenizing every aspect of his passing game, saying that he would never be a successful NFL quarterback. Not only has Tebow proven all his critics wrong, but he’s become more successful than anyone could have imagined. Many people love him, and many hate him, but there’s absolutely no doubt that Tim Tebow is a winner. |