The Tim Tebow and the Detroit Lions got plenty of press Monday after the Detroit’s 45-10 thumping of the Broncos on Sunday.
However what’s become a theme for the Lions over the past few weeks is the back story to a lot of their games.
Against the 49ers, it was the Jim Schwartz/Jim Harbaugh scuff at the end of the game. Against Atlanta last weekend it was Suh and Avril supposedly mocking Falcons QB Matt Ryan when he was down on the turf injured. This week though, it’s Stephen Tulloch, Tony Scheffler and an anonymous Lions player mocking Tebow’s play and mannerisms.
But the debate this week is did the Lions take the mocking too far?
The mocking done by Lions players (Tulloch and Sheffler) included going down to one-knee in the now famous “Tebowing” position, something that Tebow himself does often. The thing is though, Tebow isn’t the first player to ever go into a praying position during a game. I’m sure Michigan fans are well aware that this is a regular practice for Denard Robinson after every touchdown he scores.
Furthermore, after the game an anonymous Lions player commented on the Denver Broncos consistent use of Tebow at quarterback during the game.
“Can you believe ‘15’?” one Detroit Lions defender told Yahoo Sports’ Michael Silver. “Come on — that’s embarrassing. I mean, it’s a joke. We knew all week that if we brought any kind of defensive pressure, he couldn’t do anything. In the second half it got boring out there. We were like, ‘Come on — that’s your quarterback? Seriously?’”
Now lets start from the top with Tim Tebow. He was a tremendous college quarterback for the University of Florida. He’s considered one of if not thee best college quarterback in the history of the game and won the Heisman Trophy. He got drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round and is now their starting quarterback. He’s consistently dealing with endorsements, tons of press and a job that quite frankly he isn’t ready for, AND HE EMBRACES IT. He doesn’t turn away the cameras, he doesn’t turn down the endorsement deals (which he shouldn’t if they’re coming his way) and he didn’t go to his head coach John Fox telling him, I’m not the best option right now at quarterback to win games for the Denver Broncos.
As far as the mocking goes, what ever you bring to the field has the chance of being mimicked or mocked by other players. It has nothing to do with a persons religious or personal beliefs which Tulloch even stated himself via Twitter. Not to mention the term “Tebowing” was something that was created by the media and mimicked by many within the Broncos organization. So with that said, if this is such a sacred and religious act then don’t just get on Tulloch and Scheffler for doing it, get on the Denver Broncos who at this point are trying to turn it into a marketing ploy. And if that’s the case I’m sure Tebow will get right on board with it given his current track record in terms of accepting endorsements and press.
The NFL is also a dirty, ruthless and unforgiving game. If you simply can’t play the game and are accepting jobs that you don’t deserve, endorsements and/or ESPN cameras constantly than players are going to take that into account when they play you.
Ref: CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports, CBS Sports (image), Flickr (image)