# I Was Wrong- There's a BIG Downside to Letting Tim Tebow start **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 13, 2011, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840 "2011-11-13T22:35:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/341 "2011-12-03T00:10:55Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to hear Ty Detmer speak… at the McDonald’s drive-thru. Would you like a 7 yard slant with that? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/342 "2011-12-03T14:38:56Z")
> [@furt](#): > > It’s all I have, and more than you’ve given. You made the assertion, have offered zero support for it. Personal anecdotes are worth absolutely nothing, so our contributions are equal in this instance. > [@](#): > > Deal. You find articles that are primarily about Tebow the Christian, I’ll find articles that are just about Tebow the football player. $1 apiece. You can name the deadline and a judge. No thanks. I really don’t want to be subjected to all that crap, and I cannot for the life of me figure out who in the world would ever want to judge such a competition, having to read possibly hundreds of articles about Tim Tebow. I’m a dick, but I’m not that big of a dick. > [@](#): > > Or you can just concede the point: Tebow is, in most people’s eyes, more about the football than about the Jesus. Also no thanks. I will concede that I was probably too quick to suggest that actual articles about Tebow the Football Guy don’t mention God/Jesus/walking on water exist more frequently than I should have, but at this point, mentioning “Tim Tebow” is pretty much mentioning “God incarnate”. > [@](#): > > Most Heisman winners do. Hell, Rudy Ruettiger makes a living as a motivational speaker and he only played in one college game, thirty years ago. Other than showcasing your resentment of someone else’s success, is there a point here? Rudy’s success as a motivational speaker is far from “lucrative”. Last I saw him, he was a live-in manager at a rundown apartment complex in South Bend (there’s another personal anecdote for you!). Funnily enough, I went through a bunch of Heisman winners, doing a search on various washed up QBs that never made it and the word “speech”. Danny Wuerffel goes around making Jesus speeches and healing people with his faith. Ty Detmer focuses on his Mormon faith. All I can find on Troy Smith is one extremely terrible speech to a high school graduating class. I can’t find anything on Eric Crouch, but I imagine he tours Nebraska in an RV and never pays for meals and beer wherever he goes. Jason White seems to have an agent, but the only clip I found in the brief search I did he summed up his advice “in one word: hard work”. These guys won’t be making Lou Holtz money any time soon - but in the near future, Tim Tebow will be. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/343 "2011-12-03T15:33:48Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Personal anecdotes are worth absolutely nothing, so our contributions are equal in this instance. > > No thanks. I really don’t want to be subjected to all that crap, and I cannot for the life of me figure out who in the world would ever want to judge such a competition, having to read possibly hundreds of articles about Tim Tebow. I’m a dick, but I’m not that big of a dick. > > Also no thanks. I will concede that I was probably too quick to suggest that actual articles about Tebow the Football Guy don’t mention God/Jesus/walking on water exist more frequently than I should have, but at this point, mentioning “Tim Tebow” is pretty much mentioning “God incarnate”. In other words, you have no support for your claim, nor the class to simply say, “yeah, I guess I exaggerated.” > [@](#): > > Funnily enough, I went through a bunch of Heisman winners, doing a search on various washed up QBs that never made it and the word “speech”. Danny Wuerffel goes around making Jesus speeches and healing people with his faith. Ty Detmer focuses on his Mormon faith. All I can find on Troy Smith is one extremely terrible speech to a high school graduating class. I can’t find anything on Eric Crouch, but I imagine he tours Nebraska in an RV and never pays for meals and beer wherever he goes. Jason White seems to have an agent, but the only clip I found in the brief search I did he summed up his advice “in one word: hard work”. These guys won’t be making Lou Holtz money any time soon - but in the near future, Tim Tebow will be. Again, why the hell do you care? If people want to pay [Eric Crouch](http://www.athletepromotions.com/athletes/Eric-Crouch-appearance-booking-agent.php), [Jason White](http://www.playingfieldpromotions.com/Jason-White.php) or [Gino Torretta](http://www.allamericanspeakers.com/sportspeaker/Sports/Heisman-Trophy-Winners/0/-1/0/1) 5K to reminisce about college, does that bother you? If not, why does the possibility of Tebow getting a few bucks stick in your craw? I mean, if Tim Tebow’s dad fingered you as a child or Tebow fucked your sister or something, I apologize. Otherwise, I don’t see the point of bringing up whatever money he may or may not make someday, other than to announce that you don’t like the guy and resent his success. Don’t hate, man. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/344 "2011-12-03T16:50:50Z")
> [@furt](#): > > In other words, you have no support for your claim, nor the class to simply say, “yeah, I guess I exaggerated.” I suggest looking up the word “hyperbole”, and checking to see if I used it or not. And again - I provided just as much support as you did. > [@](#): > > Again, why the hell do you care? If people want to pay [Eric Crouch](http://www.athletepromotions.com/athletes/Eric-Crouch-appearance-booking-agent.php), [Jason White](http://www.playingfieldpromotions.com/Jason-White.php) or [Gino Torretta](http://www.allamericanspeakers.com/sportspeaker/Sports/Heisman-Trophy-Winners/0/-1/0/1) 5K to reminisce about college, does that bother you? If not, why does the possibility of Tebow getting a few bucks stick in your craw? PLEASE indicate where I gave a fucking shit if Tebow makes a trillion dollars or not talking about Jesus after his NFL career. I really, really don’t. I think you’ve lost perspective on what we’re talking about here - because at no point have I indicated that Tebow’s future speaking career (or anyone’s, for that matter) is something that bothers me. More power to him - I won’t be lining up, but there WILL be people lining up. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/345 "2011-12-03T18:42:16Z")
Anecdotal (off the top of my head): Jason White does TV spots here in OKC as a spokesman for local companies. I’m not aware of any public speaking gigs, but I don’t look for that in general anyways. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/346 "2011-12-03T18:54:55Z")
> [@furt](#): > > A couple decades ago, Doug Flutie was an exciting and unique player who drew outsize attention because of his college success, style of play, and a “he just wins” reputation. His prospects in the NFL were the subject of fierce debates. His critics dismissed him as a sideshow, and his fans made him a cult hero: the man had his own cereal before he had played a full season in the NFL. He is/was not, AFAIK, religious in any way, yet he created reactions akin to Tebow, and the same kind of fan pressure to put him in over the established starters. Nitpick: Flutie played five seasons in the NFL before Flutie Flakes debuted (albeit, they were a decade earlier). He was not a completely unknown quantity (especially with the Canada-Buffalo connection). ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/347 "2011-12-03T21:17:41Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > PLEASE indicate where I gave a fucking shit if Tebow makes a trillion dollars or not talking about Jesus after his NFL career. I really, really don’t. Sure [QUOTE=munch] Sure - but I also expect him to make a lucrative career of making speeches, attending evangelical conferences, etc. How’s Derek Anderson speaking circuit career going? [/QUOTE] _You_ brought it up, dude, not me. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/348 "2011-12-03T21:39:37Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Nitpick: Flutie played five seasons in the NFL before Flutie Flakes debuted (albeit, they were a decade earlier). He was not a completely unknown quantity (especially with the Canada-Buffalo connection). He’d been on the bench for four seasons, starting a total of 14 games. The fact that he had fame from CFL, USFL and college is my point: he was a media star before he’d done anything, and a few comeback wins made him into a national story (and figure of controversy) long before he’d achieved any kind of sustained success in the NFL. In those respects, Tebow is similar. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/349 "2011-12-03T21:40:47Z")
> [@furt](#): > > Sure_You_ brought it up, dude, not me. None of that indicates that he cares about Tebow’s future speaking prospects, only that he expects them. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/350 "2011-12-03T23:10:08Z")
> [@furt](#): > > Sure_You_ brought it up, dude, not me. Still waiting on where I indicated giving a shit. I’ll hang up and listen on the radio. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/351 "2011-12-04T03:06:23Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Still waiting on where I indicated giving a shit. I’ll hang up and listen on the radio. So, you raised the topic because you _don’t_ care about it. Uh-huh. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/352 "2011-12-04T15:06:22Z")
> [@furt](#): > > So, you raised the topic because you _don’t_ care about it. Uh-huh. :rolleyes: No, I raised the topic to make the point that Tebow will make a mint after he’s done in the NFL making speeches that focus on his faith, which would be pretty good evidence that you know - people are fans of his because of his faith. At no point did I say if it got my panties all bunched up thinking about it. Do try to keep up. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/353 "2011-12-04T16:24:14Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > No, I raised the topic to make the point that Tebow will make a mint after he’s done in the NFL making speeches that focus on his faith, which would be pretty good evidence that you know - people are fans of his because of his faith. At no point did I say if it got my panties all bunched up thinking about it. Do try to keep up. It wouldn’t matter to me what his faith is. I hated him with a passion when he played for Florida, but I’ve kind of warmed up to him since he’s entered the NFL. …Plus, I’m hoping he wins the Super Bowl because it would be the NFL Apocalypse. I can only imagine how some of the experts would react, especially Chris Carter and Merril Hoge :p. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/354 "2011-12-04T17:24:28Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > …Plus, I’m hoping he wins the Super Bowl because it would be the NFL Apocalypse. That’s not going to happen until he at least becomes an average QB who can reliably pass the ball. If that happens, a championship won’t seem very apocalyptic. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/355 "2011-12-04T17:32:11Z")
Anyway today could get interesting for the Broncos because Von Miller is out. They should win anyway because Minnesota is lousy and Adrian Peterson is also going to miss the game. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/356 "2011-12-04T18:37:55Z")
Denver’s winning! Go Tebow! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/357 "2011-12-04T19:40:43Z")
I think the pure awesome power of Tebow gets the offense too fired up, and it takes them until the fourth quarter to calm down. How else can you explain the 48 yards of total offense and one first down in the first half? It’s not as if Minnesota has a great defense or anything. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/358 "2011-12-04T19:44:29Z")
Wow. 29 yards passing and a fumble in the first half. He is awesome. ---
**Author:** ![President\_Johnny\_Gentle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@President\_Johnny\_Gentle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/President_Johnny_Gentle)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/359 "2011-12-04T19:48:35Z")
To be fair, Minnesota’s defense stinks, but that’s because they started the season with a mediocre secondary, and almost all of the starters and second-stringers are either hurt or in danger of going to jail. The front seven has been decent, with flashes of excellence, and Minnesota’s strength for several years has been stopping the run. The game plan for the Vikings was always obvious - force Tebow to beat them through the air. As the D didn’t allow any first half points, it seems to be working so far. If not for the Broncos D, this game would be all but over. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/360 "2011-12-04T19:52:07Z")
Yeah, that was a very comprehensive summary of the Broncos. The offense had one first down, four punts, and two fumbles- one by Tebow. So much for ball control, by the way, since they had the ball for less than 9 minutes. The defense forced two turnovers: a fumble that was returned to the 50 (followed by an immediate three-and-out by the offense) and an interception return for a touchdown. They’re doing better to start the second half, though. Tebow passed for a first down over the middle and they’ve had a couple of long runs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840.md?page=19)