I decided to write something about the Tim Tebow situation in hopes of being the first one in my social set to mention that his surname sounds like t-bone. But wait! There’s more. There had better be! He has been the talk of pro football this year for two reasons. One is his unorthodox style of play, quite different from the classic pocket quarterback. This has people talking about him, which is good for the game. Baseball fans may remember Mark Fidrych this way. The other reason is the elaborate religious ritual he goes through after he has passed for a touchdown. This has been controversial.
I haven’t seen him live, either in one of his better athletic performances or in his “praise God” displays. But I did see the latter on the internet. His apparent intent is to impress the viewing public with the depth of his faith. New York Giant fans may remember Mark Bavaro doing much the same thing after catching touchdown passes from Phil Simms. But he was only a tight end, not a quarterback. Tebow’s ritual seemed to consume no more time than the routine choreography staged by other players who score touchdowns. The difference is that they are celebrating themselves rather than an assumed higher power. I see the controversy as overblown from a public perspective.
My personal take however is another matter. I question people who believe there is a gospel and that this gospel is contained in one book, as I assume Tebow does. I further question those with access to the public stage who use it to showcase their individual beliefs. I see true religion as a private conviction that loses credibility and conceals hidden doubt when exposed to excessive public display.
My attitude towards most NFL teams is impartial. But there are some I root for and others against. I now root against the Denver Broncos.
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