Faith or Football?

     A wise man once said "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." That wise man was arguably the greatest coach to walk the face of the earth, John Wooden. He brings up a very good point when speaking of this generation's collegiate and professional athletes. Does the ability that you have on the field disguise your true character off of it?

   As all of you well know by now, there is a new face gracing the streets of the mile high city. Tim Tebow was drafted with the 25th overall selection in this years NFL draft by the Denver Broncos. There is also a new face gracing the hallways of Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services in Mississippi. Tiger Woods checked himself into a sex rehab program after reports had surfaced, he was (to put it lightly) being unfaithful to his wife Elin. Two completely different athletes, two completely different situations, one thing in common. Both Tim Tebow and Tiger Woods have the ability by the way they play on the field, and the way they act off it, to draw huge crowds. Whether that is positive publicity or negative the fact remains the same, people love to talk about both of these athlete's. With that said, this brings us back to our original question.  Does the ability that you have on the field disguise your true character off of it?

     NO. There is no way to justify, an athlete's ability to compete at a high level during competition making it fine to excuse his or hers actions off of it. The list of professional and collegiate athlete's behaving incorrectly off the field goes on and on. Let me just place a few in front of you. Athlete's taking money while still in college, shooting themselves in the foot (literally), cheating on their wives, gambling all of their money away, sexually violating younger women, throwing drinks at females in a club, doing drugs in the locker room, having drugs in your backpack while walking through the airport, using steroids, not to mention the lazy, selfish, "me first", "I just wanna get paid" attitude that 90% of professional athlete's have anyway. Just because Tiger Woods can drive a ball 300 yards down a fairway, doesn't mean he deserves to have the dad standing next to the tenth tee say "Don't worry about it Tiger. Now can you please autograph my son's nine iron? He is a huge fan!" Come on people, wake up to what is going on around you. A huge fan? I am all for forgiving people, and believe that everyone should be forgiven. It is a different matter all together though when people don't care what he did at all and continue on like nothing happened. So an athlete can put a ball in a hoop, throw a football, swing a baseball bat, that does not make it right to completely ignore what is going on outside of competition. I am sick and tired of these athlete's being in the spotlight and acting completely irresponsible. What kind of role models are these athletes being?
     This brings me to my final point, STOP HATING ON TIM TEBOW! The guy has release problems coming out of college, he comes from an offense that didn't throw the ball enough, the Denver Broncos drafted him way too high, he is way too religious, I have heard every excuse in the book. The fact remains that with the lack of positive role models in professional and collegiate athletics, why would anyone have anything negative to say about Tim Tebow? Really people? Were gonna slam a guy for needing to take a few milliseconds of his release? Were gonna be in an uproar over what style of offense he ran in college, and if it can translate into an NFL style offense? So the guy has some stuff that he needs to work on, I implore you to name a quarterback drafted in the past 50 years that DIDN'T have some things to work on. Tim Tebow is the prototype of what an athlete should say and do, and how he should carry himself. He is always on time, works twice as hard as most players, and (people tend to forget) is a very good football player. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2007! If I were the St.Louis Rams I would have drafted him with the first pick. I have already ordered my bright orange #15 Tebow jersey and will wear it with pride! Here's to you Tim Tebow, for trying to live your life the correct way, no matter what all the haters have to say.




"Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord, because He knows what we really are and that is all that matters." - John Wooden