Tim Tebow, female heartthrob or brilliant athlete? This is a
controversial topic as he has been depicted as both with the media until quite recently.
A few ‘freakish’ plays and a display of religion is all it took for Tebow to
become an athletic sensation. But was it really his athletic ability that made him
so popular?
Recently, Tebow’s NY Jet’s teammates have been coming out
saying that he is “terrible”. But this is recent news for football fans. In the
few games Tebow has played, he hasn’t delivered so it’s not much of a surprise that
his teammates are coming out with negative comments. What’s interesting is the
pattern of media that has followed Tebow throughout this burst in his career. For
the majority of the time, he was depicted as a football player but characterized
for his looks, devotion to God, and overall demeanor. Now he’s viewed in a
negative light as people are starting to come out stating the truth about his
football abilities.
What’s interesting about this situation is the role the
media plays in his career. He’s never been a great football player, but the media
has the ability to make you think otherwise. This is just proof of how
controlling the media can be when it comes to the sports industry. Do you ever
think it will change? Will the media always have this much control over athletes
and organizations?
A.F. KIN 577
Setting aside the question regarding Tebow’s athletic abilities, though his collegiate career isn’t the shabbiest – not just everyone wins the Heisman as a sophomore and then is in the running again the next year - is it right or fair to place any sort of blame on the Jets’ season on Tebow?
ReplyDeleteOf the 300 passes attempted so far this season by the Jets, Tebow has thrown six of them, completing five. Of the 294 remaining? Sanchez has only completed 153 times, or 52%. But the offense isn’t successful because Tebow hasn’t performed well. The guy hasn’t scored a single touchdown this season - he has wasted the few snaps he has been permitted to take. Granted, Sanchez, playing nearly every snap of every offensive play, has thrown only 10 touchdowns in nine games, three of which occurred against Buffalo in the opening game of the season. But that doesn’t matter, because Tebow is “terrible.” Let’s look at rushing, shall we? Sanchez has rushed the ball six times for a whopping total of ten yards. Tebow has 27 rushes for 92 yards, placing him fourth on the team overall. Now, rushing is definitely more Tebow’s strength than Sanchez’s, but there’s an awfully large gap between the two performances this season.
Tebow has simply not received the playing time necessary for him to have a played a key role in the Jets 3-6 season. Simple math shows that Tebow has touched the ball around 33 times this season compared to Sanchez’s 300. To call Tebow “terrible” and to hold him responsible for the 27th best team in the NFL, according the most recent Fox Sports ranking, is an example of how sensationalism and media bias can trump concrete facts.
Tebow may not be the best football player. But this season isn’t his fault. Maybe it’s time to focus a little less on QB2 and take a good look at QB1 – I’d start with his four red-zone interceptions this season, the only quarterback category he leads.
Kelsie H.