Football Wichita State Shockers a virtual lock for the title game - Page 4

**pr_capone** · 03-25-2013, 11:05 AM

... and it is inevitable really now that they have been blessed by a visit from Tim Tebow.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...omptu-pep-talk

Quote:

WICHITA, Kan. -- Wichita State University's men's basketball team got an unexpected new fan when they arrived home after their latest NCAA tournament victory.

A plane carrying New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow was refueling in Wichita when the Shockers' bus arrived Sunday after their upset win over top-seeded Gonzaga.

Tebow's representative asked coach Gregg Marshall if the Heisman Trophy winner could talk to the team.

Wearing a pink sweater over a tie and untucked shirt, Tebow got on the team bus, grabbed a microphone and told the players their surprising run to the Sweet 16 is something they will remember for the rest of their lives, regardless of what they do in the future. He also congratulated them and said they were an inspiration to many people.

"Some of you might go play in the NBA or you might have great lives. But this is the time you will remember," Tebow said. "All of you all together, ballin' out there together, training together, putting in the heart and sweat, everything, caring about each other. You'll never forget it, guys, this is what it's made of and these are the special times in your life, regardless of what you do in the future.

"So I just want to say congrats. You're an inspiration to so many people, so always remember that and how you carry yourself and your character, how you represent your school, your family, your team, your brothers on the team, but also, man, just go out there and ball out, leave nothing on the court. I know you don't need to hear that from me, but I just wish y'all luck and we're praying for you. God bless, and y'all go do it, all right, guys?"

The team then headed to Koch Arena, where thousands of fans had gathered to greet the team.

The Shockers play La Salle on Thursday night in Los Angeles.

cosmo20002 · 03-25-2013, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blaise

Or he happened to notice he was in the same place at the same time and he, being a former college athlete, figured he could relate, and he didn't worry that some message board whiners would get butthurt about it.

No one's butthurt. Just think he is a douche.

cosmo20002 · 03-25-2013, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

He's a humble guy. I like Tebow now that he's not a Donko anymore. It's unreal to me how much shit he takes all while everyone complains about the shitty athletes out there doing all the wrong things.

Assuming that the Wichita State basketball team would want to hear from him and sending over your representative to ask if you could do them the honor is quite humble.

blaise · 03-25-2013, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

No one's butthurt. Just think he is a douche.

Yeah, it does seem really douchey to say congrats to some college kids. I can see that.

**ptlyon** · 03-25-2013, 02:30 PM

I just think he remembers when he cried like a baby when he lost the national championship & wanted to give them an atta boy before their dreams are crushed as well

**RNR** · 03-25-2013, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pr_capone

... and it is inevitable really now that they have been blessed by a visit from Tim Tebow.

cosmo20002 · 03-25-2013, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blaise

Yeah, it does seem really douchey to say congrats to some college kids. I can see that.

It seems douchey to assume this team is interested in hearing from you and then sending your representative over to request and arrange it. And telling them to watch their character and how they carry themselves is kind of douchey as well. I hope he reminded them to eat their veggies and wash behind their ears.

blaise · 03-25-2013, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

It seems douchey to assume this team is interested in hearing from you and then sending your representative over to request and arrange it. And telling them to watch their character and how they carry themselves is kind of douchey as well. I hope he reminded them to eat their veggies and wash behind their ears.

None of that really seems that douchey, but if complaining about fairly innocuous actions by Tim Tebow is your thing, have fun.

**Mr. Flopnuts** · 03-25-2013, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

Assuming that the Wichita State basketball team would want to hear from him and sending over your representative to ask if you could do them the honor is quite humble.

I must have missed the part about him "doing them the honor". I didn't see that quote.

KChiefer · 03-25-2013, 02:54 PM

I wonder if he would have wanted to talk to them if they had lost to Gonzaga?

And, if I want a girl's number, I don't send my friend to ask for it...

cosmo20002 · 03-25-2013, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

I must have missed the part about him "doing them the honor". I didn't see that quote.

And that's why it wasn't in quotes. You think it's too much to infer that Tebow thought the team would really like to hear from him?

Prison Bitch · 03-25-2013, 03:09 PM

I doubt anyone on that team booed Tebow when he came by. I doubt any of them were upset to hear from an NFL player and mini-celeb. And I bet the folks in Wichita associated with the program were hard-core atheists who hate Tebow's politics by nature, too. Yeah. I bet.

a pp roach · 03-25-2013, 03:10 PM

was gonna complain about him being arrogant, but it looks like someone else handled that.

i can see how it might have been friendly for him to do that but if he hadn't and the players saw him and made eye contact, it might have been a little rude to not wish them good luck at least. kind of a toss up.

T-post Tom · 03-25-2013, 03:57 PM

It won't be a "shocker":

Spoiler!

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/25/report-gay-player-strongly-considering-coming-out/

When it comes to the NFL’s willingness to accept an openly gay player, some think that the absence from the NFL of an openly gay player proves the league isn’t ready.

Under that standard, the NFL may soon be ready. Ready or not.

Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com reports that “a current gay player is strongly considering coming out publicly within the next few months — and after doing so, the player would attempt to continue his career.”

Per Freeman, the player fears the reaction not from within the locker room, but from homophobic fans. And that’s a legitimate concern; the combination of paying for a ticket and supporting a team and consuming a little alcohol (or a lot) turns normal people into loud, classless, profane jerks who will do and say anything to get under the skin of the members of the visiting team. And sometimes the members of the home team.

We’ve been discussing the issue of gay NFL players with folks in and around the game for the past several weeks, and the consensus is that, because sexual orientation isn’t obvious, a gay football player will be inclined to remain discreet, because football players ultimately are just that — football players. They want to play football, and the fame/notoriety/whatever that comes from coming out will serve only to keep the focus on something other than football.

Most players don’t want to create distractions, for any reason. Players who aren’t stars fear that, if they create distractions, the team will choose another player of relatively equal skill who doesn’t draw attention away from the team.

Team is the key. Most football players are committed to that concept. Drawing attention to themselves undermines the philosophy of team first.

But this doesn’t mean a player who perhaps sees his career ending won’t consider the boost that may come from coming out. That’s why the precise language of Freeman’s report is intriguing.

“The player would attempt to continue his career” after coming out, Freeman writes. This suggests that the player may not currently have a team, or that the player believes he may not make it onto the final 53-man roster of the team for which he currently plays.

We’re reluctant to apply cynicism to what would be a watershed moment for pro sports, but it would be naive to assume, given the team-first focus of football, that a gay player thinking about coming out of the closet hasn’t considered both how the move could hurt him and how it could help him. For a marginal player who may be on his way out of the league, the indirect benefit of coming out could be getting another chance to play from a team that chooses to embrace diversity — or that doesn’t want to be perceived as shunning it.

Regardless of the motivation or the timing, it will require significant courage for any current NFL player to come out. And we hope that the decision by one gay NFL player to embrace who he is will prompt more to do the same, immediately thereafter. That way, the distraction will be diluted and those who would begrudge people the ability to simply be who they are would have reason to quickly get past an issue that has no bearing on a person’s football ability.

blaise · 03-25-2013, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

And that's why it wasn't in quotes. You think it's too much to infer that Tebow thought the team would really like to hear from him?

They probably did enjoy it.

blaise · 03-25-2013, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KChiefer

I wonder if he would have wanted to talk to them if they had lost to Gonzaga?

And, if I want a girl's number, I don't send my friend to ask for it...

Give me a break.

03-25-2013, 02:30 PM	#49
ptlyon Bono & Grbac wasn't enough Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Sioux City, IA Casino cash: $13143829	I just think he remembers when he cried like a baby when he lost the national championship & wanted to give them an atta boy before their dreams are crushed as well __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Advertise here: $19.99 a month
Posts: 33,509

03-25-2013, 02:54 PM	#54
KChiefer Fantastic Planeteer Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Champaign, IL Casino cash: $10006721	I wonder if he would have wanted to talk to them if they had lost to Gonzaga? And, if I want a girl's number, I don't send my friend to ask for it...
Posts: 4,943

03-25-2013, 03:09 PM	#56
Prison Bitch Rabbi Goldmann Join Date: Nov 2012 Casino cash: $5450159	I doubt anyone on that team booed Tebow when he came by. I doubt any of them were upset to hear from an NFL player and mini-celeb. And I bet the folks in Wichita associated with the program were hard-core atheists who hate Tebow's politics by nature, too. Yeah. I bet.
Posts: 87,025

03-25-2013, 03:10 PM	#57
a pp roach Veteran Join Date: Dec 2012 Casino cash: $10010545	was gonna complain about him being arrogant, but it looks like someone else handled that. i can see how it might have been friendly for him to do that but if he hadn't and the players saw him and made eye contact, it might have been a little rude to not wish them good luck at least. kind of a toss up.
Posts: 2,047

03-25-2013, 03:57 PM	#58
T-post Tom Threepeat! Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Milk/Honey/Gazland Casino cash: $4607293	It won't be a "shocker": Spoiler! http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/25/report-gay-player-strongly-considering-coming-out/ When it comes to the NFL’s willingness to accept an openly gay player, some think that the absence from the NFL of an openly gay player proves the league isn’t ready. Under that standard, the NFL may soon be ready. Ready or not. Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com reports that “a current gay player is strongly considering coming out publicly within the next few months — and after doing so, the player would attempt to continue his career.” Per Freeman, the player fears the reaction not from within the locker room, but from homophobic fans. And that’s a legitimate concern; the combination of paying for a ticket and supporting a team and consuming a little alcohol (or a lot) turns normal people into loud, classless, profane jerks who will do and say anything to get under the skin of the members of the visiting team. And sometimes the members of the home team. We’ve been discussing the issue of gay NFL players with folks in and around the game for the past several weeks, and the consensus is that, because sexual orientation isn’t obvious, a gay football player will be inclined to remain discreet, because football players ultimately are just that — football players. They want to play football, and the fame/notoriety/whatever that comes from coming out will serve only to keep the focus on something other than football. Most players don’t want to create distractions, for any reason. Players who aren’t stars fear that, if they create distractions, the team will choose another player of relatively equal skill who doesn’t draw attention away from the team. Team is the key. Most football players are committed to that concept. Drawing attention to themselves undermines the philosophy of team first. But this doesn’t mean a player who perhaps sees his career ending won’t consider the boost that may come from coming out. That’s why the precise language of Freeman’s report is intriguing. “The player would attempt to continue his career” after coming out, Freeman writes. This suggests that the player may not currently have a team, or that the player believes he may not make it onto the final 53-man roster of the team for which he currently plays. We’re reluctant to apply cynicism to what would be a watershed moment for pro sports, but it would be naive to assume, given the team-first focus of football, that a gay player thinking about coming out of the closet hasn’t considered both how the move could hurt him and how it could help him. For a marginal player who may be on his way out of the league, the indirect benefit of coming out could be getting another chance to play from a team that chooses to embrace diversity — or that doesn’t want to be perceived as shunning it. Regardless of the motivation or the timing, it will require significant courage for any current NFL player to come out. And we hope that the decision by one gay NFL player to embrace who he is will prompt more to do the same, immediately thereafter. That way, the distraction will be diluted and those who would begrudge people the ability to simply be who they are would have reason to quickly get past an issue that has no bearing on a person’s football ability. __________________ You seem nice!
Posts: 20,194