By Arthur Solomon
Now that the football season is over, let’s talk about football. In particular, Tim Tebow.
The Denver Broncos “can’t make it in the NFL quarterback” has been praised by religious leaders and right wing pundits, ridiculed by other football players and pundits, and been the subject of jokes by comedians because he “wears his religion on his sleeve.”
But in the not too distant past on the political scene, we’ve had a president who was involved with an intern, presidential candidates who talk, but do not live family values (whatever that means since so many who talk the talk don’t walk the walk), family value talking U.S. Senators involved in extra-martial affairs and many congressmen whose lack of ethics would be near the top of any morally deficient graph.
And in the business world, we’ve had much of nature’s handiwork violated by environmentally-deficient companies, Wall Street leaders sent to jail for security violations, the American economy destroyed by hook or crook legal, but certainly unethical manipulations of securities, pharmaceutical companies promoting off-label use for products that were not FDA approved for such uses, product pitchpersons appearing on TV interview shows without divulging that they are company hired guns, internet scams, store sales that in reality are not sales, bribery charges brought by the U.S. government against corporate execs, and big money making corporations using loop holes to avoid paying taxes.
What does the above have to do with Tebow?
A USA Today/Gallup poll of professional football fans, conducted in mid-December and published on December 21, showed that 57% of those polled admired Tebow for his public display of his faith. Nine percent disproved and 31% said they don’t admire Tebow but his religous displays on the field don’t bother them. Count me among the 31%.
On December 30, USA TODAY reported that Tebow was the person most people would want as a celebrity neighbor, according to a survey by Zillow.com, the real estate information firm. True, only 11 percent of those surveyed chose Tebow, but nevertheless, he came in #1.
Tebow’s broad-based popularity also was evident in a poll that showed he was the runner-up to Joe Montana as the quarterback that fans would most like at their Super Bowl party, finishing ahead of Tom Brady, according to the February 2 Wall Street Journal.
The paper also reported that Tebow has competition among NFL Super Bowl players when it comes to thanking God. Offshore betting odds predicted that the MVP of the game would thank God before thanking anyone else and the coach of the winning team would thank his team first before thanking God.
Tebow’s popularity is so broad-based that in its January 16-22 issue, SportsBusiness Journal touted him as a future football commentator when his playing days are over. Cynics might say that could be sooner, rather than later.
No matter what anyone thinks of Tebow’s ability as quarterback, it can’t be denied that he has accomplished what religious leaders have not been able to achieve over the years – get people to acknowledge and pray to God. At every sporting event, not just the ones featuring Tebow, people pray for that last minute miracle play that will vault their team to victory. For many, that’s a true religious experience. USA TODAY reported on January 16 that 43% of people believe that God plays a role in Tebow’s football success. TIME said in its January 16 issue that 800,000 people follow his twitter feed and 1.3 million people follow him on Facebook.
Many people think Tebow’s popularity has nothing to do with his religious beliefs. With all the spoiled fruit on college and NFL rosters, past and present, he stands out as a decent, caring good guy. No scandals, no bad guy labels, just someone with deep beliefs; a caring individual that you wouldn’t mind playing quarterback on your touch football school yard team or having as a friend.
When I was young and agile enough to go out for a long pass or run from first to third base without needing oxygen, sports was identified with clean living (though even in those days as a high school sports reporter I experienced its dark side.) Today, sports is identified with alcoholism, substance abuse, athletes with criminal records, glorification of “big hits” that can have a devastating affect on an athletes’ health, athletes earning millions of dollars saying, “they didn’t appreciate me” when moving to another team, and franchises openly threatening cities with relocating if they don’t get subsidies.
So, considering all the immoral actions of politicians, business leaders, entertainers, religious influentials and other segments of American society, if the only criticism of Tim Tebow’s character is that he “wears his religion on his sleeve,” he’s okay with me (as long as he doesn’t proselytize me).
Saying that, it’s strange to me that a sport whose popularity is based on violence is Tebow’s church-away-from-church. I also find it unbelievable that God has spoken to or listens to a quarterback’s prayers or cares how he or any other religious zealot performs in any athletic event.
I also wonder if after fumbling, taking a punishing sack, or when he doesn’t lead his team to victory, or fails as Rick Perry (“I want to be the Tim Tebow of the Iowa caucuses”) did, does Tebow also believe that it’s God’s will?
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Arthur Solomon is a former senior VP at Burson-Marsteller, where handled national and international accounts. He is available at [email protected]. |