# 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:** 22
**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 12, 2011, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/421 "2011-12-12T04:05:13Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Not according to John Elway, he hasn’t. Elway has made it very clear that the question of who is the starting quarterback for the Broncos next season is wide open. According to John Elway, he’s Tebow’s biggest supporter. But that aside, Elway doesn’t have much choice now. Tebow is 7 - 1 this year as a starter, Denver is atop the AFC West and poised to make the playoffs after being considered one of the contenders for the “Suck for Luck” sweepstakes. Coupled with the fact that Tebow is a bit more popular than Elway in Colorado, his decision is pretty easy. Even if he doesn’t like Tebow, he likes (1) winning and (2) being popular. > [@Erdosain](#): > > Oh, please. Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers aren’t guaranteed to be the starter for the next two or three years, let alone some chunky kid with a terrible throwing motion. Are they retiring? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/422 "2011-12-12T04:25:29Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Coupled with the fact that Tebow is a bit more popular than Elway in Colorado Seriously? If the GM of the Broncos were _anyone_ other than John Elway, and you said that, I wouldn’t blink. But, c’mon. Yes, there are a lot of rabid Tebow fans (and more jumping on the bandwagon with each win, I’m sure). But, do you really think he’s more popular in Colorado than the biggest sports hero in the state’s history? ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/423 "2011-12-12T04:51:14Z")
> [@markdash](#): > > I am what you would charitably call a Tebow “hater”, both personally and professionally, but I think it’s getting amusing how this team is stringing together these wins. Every game it seems that they need like 4 or 5 things to happen for them to even have a chance, and all of them do. Which means one of two things: They are going to fall flat on their face one of these weeks (or all of them), or they have God on their side. Your choice. > > I mean seriously. RB runs out of bounds, stopping the clock? Then same RB fumbles the ball away in OT? Kicker kicks 59 and 51 yard FGs? Why the hell not, right? It helps when the 12th man is The Lord. 🙂 NFL chanel guy made a good quote. He called Tebow ‘must see’. Whether he succeeds or flops, you want to see him do it. I wish I could see more games and not just highlights. ---
**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 12, 2011, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/424 "2011-12-12T05:04:58Z")
Tebow is absolutely must see. It’s fascinating. Every week is like a scripted game. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/425 "2011-12-12T05:52:37Z")
> [@R.P.McMurphy](#): > > I watched tonight’s game. There is something Faustian in this. > > \*\*At some point, Tebow, while claiming to be a Christian, has sold his soul to the Devil. Later there is going to be a price to pay. \*\* > Tebow didn’t win the game. Somehow it got handed to him. Best line of the year. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/426 "2011-12-12T06:40:26Z")
I was flying during the game. Checked the score upon landing. 10-10, into OT, Bears have the ball. Turns out the guy next to me is a big Broncos fan so while the plane taxis we keep refreshing the score. Bears are driving close to field goal range. Maybe Tebow and the Broncos’ luck has finally changed? The Broncos dude has consigned himself to a loss. Nothing this good can last forever, right? Just then I refresh my BlackBerry and suddenly the Broncos have the ball at the Chicago 40. WTF? I was able to get into the United Club lounge just in time to see Prater(?) kick the ball about a mile, making a 51 field goal that might have been good from 70. My assumption was, until learning different, that an angel of the lord had swooped down and blocked the Chicago field goal attempt. I’m not sure the reality is much less shocking. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/427 "2011-12-12T11:10:59Z")
The 59 yarder would have been good from 70, too. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/428 "2011-12-12T12:41:12Z")
There’s really only one way this can end: Denver wins 3 playoff games, all in overtime, each by a 3-0 score. The Broncos beat the undefeated Packers while failing to complete a single pass. But on his game-winning overtime TD run, Tebow suffers a career-ending injury. Immediately afterwards, he leaves the country to spend his life working in a Guatemalan orphanage. Really, at this point I expect it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/429 "2011-12-12T16:24:22Z")
I don’t-the combined record of their opponents during this “hot streak” is 39-52. Chicago and the Jets were decent teams, but not world-beaters, and the Raiders were equally lucky to have that 7-4 record (before they collapsed in their last 2 games). When Denver plays a team which is actually a contender, we’ll get to see just how mediocre they really are. Oh lookie-they get to play the Pats this week. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/430 "2011-12-12T19:21:18Z")
Trust me - the Pats defense is going to make Tebow look _great_. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/431 "2011-12-12T19:34:26Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > Trust me - the Pats defense is going to make Tebow look _great_. Maybe. But is the Denver defense going to hold the Pats under 20 points? And will it be close enough for Tebow to pull off another 4th quarter comeback? I’m actually curious about this game. I have no doubts the Pats offense will step up. But maybe the defense is bad enough it keep the game close enough for another fluky Denver win. Then again, this is the first quality opponent Tebow’s faced on a regular game week schedule. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/432 "2011-12-12T20:04:09Z")
the pats almost let the skins come back on them this week. don’t be too surprised if tebow pulls yet another one out of thin air. also, we have to wait for the broncos to lose to a contender to see how mediocre they are? wouldn’t that prove that they’re not contenders? something nobody is claiming that they are? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/433 "2011-12-12T21:10:29Z")
Dallas held the Pats to 13 points in New England until the closing seconds of the game. ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/434 "2011-12-12T21:34:00Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > Dallas held the Pats to 13 points in New England until the closing seconds of the game. You say that as if the last seconds of a game don’t count. ---
**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 12, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/435 "2011-12-12T21:39:21Z")
Apparently, God wants Tebow to succeed, but only when it really counts. If Denver is down by 2 TDs, 2 2pt conversions, and a safety (or any combination 18 pts in this example), God will see to it that Denver, the other team, and Tebow (and maybe even the weather and a large duck) will do just what is needed to make the victory happen. That’s why Tebow is constantly praying during the game. He doesn’t know what is going to happen until God shows him the light. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/436 "2011-12-12T22:04:37Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > wouldn’t that prove that they’re not contenders? something nobody is claiming that they are? Nobody’s claiming that they’re contenders? I don’t think too many people realistically think they’re going to the Super Bowl, but they currently would qualify for a playoff berth, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/437 "2011-12-12T22:29:14Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Nobody’s claiming that they’re contenders? I don’t think too many people realistically think they’re going to the Super Bowl, but they currently would qualify for a playoff berth, at least. They’ve got that playoff spot virtually locked up. They’ve got a 1 game lead in the division with a relatively soft remaining schedule. Another Oakland loss and another Denver win, and that’s the division guaranteed, since Denver will get the tie-breaker in case of a tie. So, even if New England gets the best of them, you have to figure on them beating either the Bills or Chiefs to lock it up. The likeliest playoff matchup is the Steelers in the wild card round, unless the Ravens manage to lose the AFC North. Then, it would be Denver v Baltimore. Either way, that’s a tough first playoff game, no matter how good Tebow and the Denver defense are. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/438 "2011-12-12T22:42:00Z")
> [@ReticulatingSplines](#): > > You say that as if the last seconds of a game don’t count. They count, but Dallas has a knack for late game implosions … the opposite of Denver. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/439 "2011-12-12T22:58:32Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Nobody’s claiming that they’re contenders? I don’t think too many people realistically think they’re going to the Super Bowl, but they currently would qualify for a playoff berth, at least. John DiFool wrote > [@](#): > > I don’t-the combined record of their opponents during this “hot streak” is 39-52. Chicago and the Jets were decent teams, but not world-beaters, and the Raiders were equally lucky to have that 7-4 record (before they collapsed in their last 2 games). When Denver plays a team which is actually a contender, we’ll get to see just how mediocre they really are. > > Oh lookie-they get to play the Pats this week. I was just pointing out that it’s silly to say that the broncos will be exposed for being fake contenders when they lose when nobody really considers them to be contenders to begin with. Sure they’re playoff-bound in a bad division, but they’re no more “contenders” than the cowboys or giants are and nobody really expects them to be winning the games that they’re already improbably winning. yes. of course tebow will eventually lose. i just don’t understand the unabashed angst that some posters are harboring about that inevitable game. the bashers sound a lot more cantankerous than the supporters. i suppose that’s to be expected since it parallels the cantankerous atheists vehemently prodding at the religious posters, goading them, and tossing nasty insinuations. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840/440 "2011-12-12T23:44:49Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > yes. of course tebow will eventually lose. i just don’t understand the unabashed angst that some posters are harboring about that inevitable game. I think it’s mostly a reaction to the few posters who put it entirely on Tebow for the winning streak and discount all the other factors (including strength of schedule, Denver’s defense, coaching, etc). I know **OMG a Black Conservative** still argues that all the wins are entirely due to Tebow, including the turnaround on the defensive side of the ball. For my part, I’m most upset at the idea that he “just wins”. Sure, there’s always talent, but to claim that there’s an innate ‘winning’ quality to a player is Charlie Sheen-esque. It’s also insulting to all the other talented people who still put in tons of work and effort to be good at the game, and that includes Tim Tebow. At this point, I’m sitting back and enjoying the ride (especially now that my own team has clinched a playoff berth), but I admit it still upsets me when people attribute a lot of hard work, skill, talent, coaching, and more than a little luck on the parts of a whole team to something nebulous, like the idea that he “just wins”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-wrong-theres-a-big-downside-to-letting-tim-tebow-start/602840.md?page=23)