Every year, TIME magazine puts out a list of the top 100 people in the world they believe have contributed the biggest influence. In 2011, that list included people like President Barack Obama, Prince William, Mark Zuckerberg and Oprah Winfrey. But in 2012, that list could include New York Jets backup QB Tim Tebow.
He is a football player who has never won, or even played in, a Super Bowl. A QB with questionable mechanics and one many say will never make it in the NFL. Yet, he may be one of the most influential athletes to play the game.
But what is it that makes him so influential?
Genuine and Humble
While Tebow's game mechanics may be in question and leave a lot of room for improvement, there is no questioning his character. With the media circus that has developed around him over the last year, Tebow is always first to thank Jesus Christ and his teammates. He gives them the credit for his success. He is open about his faith and holds true to who he is.
His teammates see how well he has handled the media pressure by staying true to who he is. Former Denver Broncos teammate Champ Bailey recently said in regards to Tebowmaia, "The one thing that made it easy to deal with was the way he handled it. He handled it with a lot of class, very professional."
Determination
The critics have been hard on Tebow over the last year. His passing needs improvement and from the start they have said he would never become a great NFL QB. And while he is still far from that, his determination to improve is evident. He is the first one to show up at the stadium and the last one to leave. He is constantly reviewing tapes and doing everything he can to improve.
When asked recently about Tebow's role as a backup to Mark Sanchez with the Jets, Bailey said about Tebow, "The guy will be a starter at some point, whether it's here or somewhere else, because he's going to work to get it done."
With all his critics saying he can't do it, Tebow is showing the younger generation that with determination, anything is possible.
Tebowing
Tebow's strong faith has never been something he hides. While he is not the first football player to get down on one knee and pray on the football field, he is the first to inspire the world to follow. Tebowing, or getting down on one knee and praying when people around you are doing something else, became a worldwide phenomenon in 2011. A website even popped up where people could post pictures of themselves in the pose from all over the world. Other athletes, like Lindsey Vonn, even took to the pose after competitions.
While Tebow may be an NFL QB, he is far more than that. While his influence has not really been on the football field, there is no doubt that he has influenced the world in the last year. I don't think I have met anyone, whether they follow football or not, who has not heard his name or knows who he is.
So, while TIME magazine is working on the 2012 list, you still have time to vote for Tebow. Official voting can be found here and ends on April 6th. I have no doubt Tebow will make the list but it will be interesting to see just how high on the list he makes it.
Deborah Braconnier is a former athlete and avid football fan. She is a freelance writer and Featured Contributor for the NFL and Olympics. She has followed the Denver Broncos since she was a child became a fan of Tim Tebow during his run as a QB for the Broncos. She looks forward to following his career with the New York Jets. Follow her on Twitter at @fwcdeborah.
Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.
No comments:
Post a Comment