I have. Remember Todd Marinovich?
I love Tim Tebow.
Of course, I had the Detroit Defense in my fantasy league this week, which may explain why.
I hate you. Pretty sure you’d win this week anyway, though; I have 45 points and only have Philip Rivers, V-Jax and the Chargers’ defense left.
Hence my comment.
I admit, he’s got a good set of legs on him, but that’s about it. I don’t know if he could actually make it as a guy who has to throw blocks on linebackers and linemen. I don’t know if he can catch, either.
Come on. Tebow has eagerly sought the limelight (whether you believe it’s for himself, Jesus, or both) since back in his college days, calling attention to his Godliness, co-authoring :dubious: a book etc. Courting publicity means you’ve got to take the bad with the good.
Speaking of which, why do Tebow and all the other athletes who point skyward or pray after plays that go in their favor, never do the same after striking out or fumbling? Aren’t those outcomes God’s will also? Could they really be so egotistical to think that God is only there to reward them with success?
Just once I’d love to see a pitcher strike out a flamboyant God-praiser, and then point downward. 
Maybe we see things differently. I don’t see being honest about your faith, writing a book, and doing one commercial to be “seeking the spotlight”, nor of deserving constant mockery. I have no problem with disliking his rabid followers or the media for blowing him way out of proportion, but I really don’t see him as complacent with his cult. Most people who have met him don’t come away with the idea that he’s some kind of self-promoter out to build the cult of Tebow. YMMV.
How many commercials would you consider to be seeking the spotlight? A dozen? Half-dozen? A pair?
From where I’m sitting, doing a commercial for something is pretty much the very definition of spotlighting something. I’m honestly not even sure how one could reasonably disagree with that.
So what’s the attitude in Denver now? Are they clammoring for Brady Quinn? Do they want more Tebow? The mindset of that fanbase has been…interesting.
It wasn’t a “buy my book”, “I’m Tim Tebow, buy my jersey’s”, or “make sure you follow my exploits” commercial. You’re right, the commercial was spotlighting something, but that something wasn’t the cult of Tim Tebow. It was about his mom and her story, not about him, his branding, or his ability to sell cars, beer, or insurance.
It was absolutely about him. That’s why it was Tim Tebow in the commercial, and not Anonymous Christian #928340982 with an even more compelling story. Sure, he wasn’t saying, “Buy my book,” but he was saying, “You know me, so listen to what I have to say because it’s important to me.” He stepped right into that spotlight – which isn’t a crime, of course, nor a reason to hate or mock him… but it is a pretty compelling reason to avoid saying silly things like “He doesn’t seek the spotlight.”
Maybe you should watch it again, because it’s his mother speaking for more than half of the commercial and then he pops in (kinda dorky like) at the end. It certainly took advantage of the fact he is very well known, but it wasn’t about him, it wasn’t about building his cult, increasing his awareness, or getting you to buy things he endorses. But, if it makes you feel better, he certainly doesn’t shy away from the spotlight, but I don’t think he’s out there trying to build the cult of Tebow. As I said, YMMV.
[My emphasis] If you don’t think he’s trying to get the viewers to buy what he’s endorsing (i.e., the benefits of being pro-life), then what on earth do you think is the point of the commercial? “I love my mom and she loves me”?
Stop being willfully obtuse.
I wouldn’t say never…
Wow. YMMV indeed. This is one of the most befuddling points of view I’ve read in a time. It’s absolutely about his branding. His branding is the only reason that spot meant anything at all. It wasn’t some random YouTube video, it was a bloody Super Bowl ad. Yeah, the content was superficially a promo for religion and the pro-life lobby, but you’re incredibly naive if you don’t think his agent had numerous conversations with him about how this would ingratiate him to his base and build his brand. Tebow was marketing himself every step of the way and it absolutely was intended to bolster his ability to sell himself and command advertising deals in the future, it’s about Q rating. We can quibble about what proportion of it was that and what proportion was about the religious message, but it’s indisputably about both in some degrees. That the message was so obtuse and wishy-washy, while he was clearly spotlighted front an center tends to favor the view that it mostly about him. It’s like he wanted to come out and attack abortion but his handlers reeled him in and toned it down to spare his image and better position him to the centrists.
Tebow was a famous football player. He bought a Super Bowl ad to become a famous person with a reach beyond just sports. That is about him selling products. Some will be cars, insurance and jerseys. Some will be political points of view, proselytizing and the Tebow way. That ad was no less about building his “brand” than LeBron’s “Decision” was about building his brand. Both were ostensibly about something else, but everyone who’s ever even been tangentially associated with the Marketing industry knows that that was the vehicle to serve a larger purpose.
Of course there is an effect of building his brand with the ad, but I really don’t think that was his concern when he did the ad. Almost every single person who has ever met Tebow, from coaches to players to the sports commentators on TV, come away impressed with his genuineness and sincerity. Maybe I’m just missing all the people who know him who think that he’s insincere and out to improve his Q rating rather than live his life like he has. I must be reading/listening to the wrong things.
Look, I get it. Tebow is certainly a media personality who is getting an ungodly (chuckle) amount of hype and publicity. And he certainly tries to control the messages he sends out. But comparing to him media whores like Lebron James is, to my mind, unsupported by evidence. Feel free to disagree. Hell, feel free to provide some actual evidence rather than mere speculation about his motives. This hill isn’t worth dying for to me, but if it is to you, have at it.
I don’t know–he seems like the sort of guy who would have done the ad for free. No “branding” or marketing with an eye toward raking in the $$ and pimping cars.
I mean, I hate Tebow as much as the next guy. He can’t throw and I never understood the adulation. As an SEC rival fan, I wish he had been hit by a bus or something.
But I can’t see this as a money grab.
AsI’ve said before, there have been MANY successful pro athletes who have been very public and vocal about their Christian faith. That HASN’T always made them insanely popular with Christian fans, nor has it automatically made them objects of mockery among non-believers.
Look at Kurt Warner, for a second. I’m sure many secular football fans found his God talk annoying, but I can’t remember ANYONE mocking or hating Warner the way they do Tebow. That’s partly because his performance on the field was usually stellar- and secular Rams fans were probably willing to bite their tongues as long as he was throwing TD passes. When Warner was at his peak, even Diogenes the Cynic would PROBABLY have acknowledged, reluctantly, “Warner’s an obnoxious Bible thumper… but I wouldn’t mind having him on the Vikings.”
At the same time, Christians as a whole DIDN’T idolize Warner the way they do Tebow. They liked him, but his jersey was never flying off the shelves at sporting goods stores.
Warner was at LEAST as vocal about his faith as Tebow, and was a MUCH better quarterback, to boot. Why didn’t Warner get the same amout of love AND hate?
I don’t get the love but as far as i know Warner didn’t do a superbowl ad campaign for a hate group.