Rick Reilly: I believe in Tim Tebow

[Upton]

I've come to believe in Tim Tebow, but not for what he does on a football field, which is still three parts Dr. Jekyll and two parts Mr. Hyde. No, I've come to believe in Tim Tebow for what he does off a football field, which is represent the best parts of us, the parts I want to be and so rarely am.
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Every week, Tebow picks out someone who is suffering, or who is dying, or who is injured, flies them and their families to the Broncos game, rents them a car, puts them up in a nice hotel, buys them dinner (usually at a Dave and Buster's), gets them and their families pregame passes, visits with them just before kickoff (!), gets them 30-yard line tickets down low, visits with them after the game (sometimes for an hour), has them walk him to his car, and sends them off with a basket of gifts.
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Remember last week, when the world was pulling its hair out in the hour after Tebow had stunned the Pittsburgh Steelers with an 80-yard OT touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas in the playoffs? And Twitter was exploding with 9,420 tweets about Tebow per second? When an ESPN poll was naming him the most popular athlete in America? Tebow was spending that hour talking to 16-year-old Bailey Knaub about her 73 surgeries so far and what TV shows she likes.

"Here he'd just played the game of his life," recalls Bailey's mother, Kathy, of Loveland, Colo., "and the first thing he does after his press conference is come find Bailey and ask, 'Did you get anything to eat?' He acted like what he'd just done wasn't anything, like it was all about Bailey."

http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7455943/believing-tim-tebow

Yeah, I know..the prevailing wisdom here at DU, is Tebow's rotten and all because he's a Christian...Whatever, but he's one Christian who doesn't just talk, but walks the walk..

[madinmaryland]

1. I think even trumad would have to admit that Tebow is a better role model than Manny Ramirez!!

[Upton]

3. I would hope so..

but for many of his detractors, Tebow's religion and political persuasion outweighs any good he's ever done..

[RockaFowler]

4. Still doesn't make him a good Football Player

I love the fact that he does all of his charity work. Heck there is a hospital named after him in the Phillipines. But that doesn't make him a better NFL star. Is that worth all of this hype??

[Upton]

5. You have to admit Tebow has had an interesting year..

what with those crazy comebacks and leading the upset over the Steelers just when everybody was ready to write him off. Reilly's commentary isn't about Tebow's NFL QB skills though, it's about how this kid is the real deal...and the kind of person off the field that other pro athletes would do well to emulate..

[RockaFowler]

8. So if it comes out that he is a horrible person it's OK

Just as long as he shows it on the outside to the public. Doesn't matter if his personal life is one that would make you blush. That he is one of those do as I say not as I do people. Lot of people in Gainesville know his reputation very well. And not everything is what it seems. But just because Rick Reilly and Skip Bayless love him, the rest of us have to fawn over him. No thanks - I'm not into hero-worship when it comes to football players (or non-players in Tebows case).

[Upton]

11. Few things would make me blush..

but if you have some information that would reflect negatively upon Tebow's personal life and his rep, then by all means start a thread on it. In the meantime though, I'm going to give him credit for doing things like this:

Take 9-year-old Zac Taylor, a child who lives in constant pain. Immediately after Tebow shocked the Chicago Bears with a 13-10 comeback win, Tebow spent an hour with Zac and his family. At one point, Zac, who has 10 doctors, asked Tebow whether he has a secret prayer for hospital visits. Tebow whispered it in his ear. And because Tebow still needed to be checked out by the Broncos' team doctor, he took Zac in with him, but only after they had whispered it together.

And it's not always kids. Tom Driscoll, a 55-year-old who is dying of brain cancer at a hospice in Denver, was Tebow's guest for the Cincinnati game. "The doctors took some of my brain," Driscoll says, "so my short-term memory is kind of shot. But that day I'll never forget. Tim is such a good man."

http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7455943/believing-tim-tebow

[ProfessorGAC]

6. Really?

Any good he's ever done? Why do we know about this? Why does Rick Reilly know about this? You're not so naive to think that Tebow doesn't have a press agent who makes sure that his good deeds get publicity, are you?

Yeah, this is a nice story. But it's not just the christian thing. It's the "wearing it on his sleeve" and self-promoting ostentation that is actually the opposite of what Christ said.

The evangelizing thing is really the interpretation of people who wrote books 30 to 200 years later.

And, there is nothing at all in their books that say to push it on other people in venues that have nothing to do with their personal faith.
GAC

[Upton]

7. "Yeah, this is a nice story"

Yep, it sure is....and I doubt the people Tebow has helped really care how Reilly or anybody else knows about this.

Does Tebow's religion and what you interpret as proselytizing or self promotion, somehow negate the good he's done for these people?

[RockaFowler]

9. Again - how do you know these things??

Because someone publicized it. If you do good things for others - is it for your glory, or for theirs??

[HuckleB]

20. Role model for what?

Being a phony?

[Upton]

27. He's only a phony in your mind..

because you don't like Christians. You're entitled to your opinion, but that's all it is...

Meanwhile, I'll take the word of 16-year-old Bailey Knaub who has had 73 surgeries is now left with only one lung:

"It was the best day of my life," she emailed. "It was a bright star among very gloomy and difficult days. Tim Tebow gave me the greatest gift I could ever imagine. He gave me the strength for the future. I know now that I can face any obstacle placed in front of me. Tim taught me to never give up because at the end of the day, today might seem bleak but it can't rain forever and tomorrow is a new day, with new promises."

Somehow, what she says carries a little bit more weight than your Tebow bashing..

[HuckleB]

29. Wow! Logical fallacy city on display!

[RagAss]

2. Well, if Rick Reilly says it then it must be true.

[joeybee12]

10. Isn't ther something in the Bible about not publicizing good deeds...

Just proves Team Tebow hired himself a good PR person.

[RockaFowler]

12. Bingo!!

Joey wins again

[joeybee12]

13. What do I win???!!!

A ilifetime membership in the Sports Group?????

[RockaFowler]

15. Want a membership in the Posse

Limited time - you have to like at least 1 Miami team, though

[joeybee12]

22. I like the Dolphins!

Because they aren't a threat!

[Union Scribe]

17. Lol, begrudging a dude being nice to sick people

That is first class.

[HuckleB]

23. Nice spin.

No one's begrudging the act. They're begrudging the need to be public about the acts. It's called PR-based religiosity, and it's anything but "first class."

[Union Scribe]

24. Hate on, Huckle.

[HuckleB]

25. And the spinning top keeps going.

:

[ScreamingMeemie]

14. You know...Donald Driver does this quietly, without the PR, all the time.

And has since his career began. Donald Driver was homeless as a kid...and hasn't forgotten that. Nor does he draw attention to a ton of his good deeds. I think you would be amazed at how many people blazed the trail that Tebow is publicly walking and taking credit for.

[RockaFowler]

16. Chris Bosh does, too

But you never hear of it. And Chris is a pretty famous guy.

I still remember when I met Bob Griese back in the day. He was at a charity tournament in Naples. He donated tons of memorabilia for the auction and requested nothing for it. He donated trips, dinners, etc. No-one knew except my Dad that all of that stuff was donated by Mr Griese. My Dad was the Chair of the committee and worked hand in hand with him. Bob never wanted the accolations, he just wanted the money to go to the proper charity - no overhead that way he told my Dad.

A few Lions players were like this back when I followed them in the 80's. Billy Simms used to love the St Jude's Hospital and would work with them all the time (my Step-Monster was a member of the St Jude's Golf Tournament committee). He used to go to the hospital and just laugh and play with the kids. It really helped those kids.

Lots of good people do lots of good things in this world. I commend him for his work, but it doesn't make him a better person than you and I. Nor does it make him a better NFL player.

[Union Scribe]

18. "but you never hear of it"

Well someone heard of it. They must be out for their own glory too!

[ScreamingMeemie]

21. How about "someone saw it" ???

"Billy Simms used to love the St Jude's Hospital and would work with them all the time (my Step-Monster was a member of the St Jude's Golf Tournament committee)."

[Union Scribe]

26. And the others? All snuck in the back door of the hospital eh?

No media coverage of other athletes doing charity stuff, no never. Will any of you admit you have a double standard with Tebow?

[ScreamingMeemie]

28. No. What I will say is this. He's just a guy. Like Donald Driver and all the rest.

There's nothing Magnificent there. It was cute in the beginning...now it's just silly.

[JonLP24]

19. I wish I could write well

Reilly is a very good writer but I can't stand his opinions.