ESPN fellates Tebow

[Hammock Parties]

God, this is puke inducing. The part about him learning patience from the Phillipines...god...he's just so righteous, isn't he? **** off!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft1...len&id=5127828

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The three-foot-high ice sculpture in the foyer, cleverly molded in the shape of the familiar NFL shield, had all but melted into the shrimp and crab claws by the time the Denver Broncos ended Tim Tebow's vigil Thursday night.

But when you've waited the better part of two decades to be part of the NFL, a couple of hours more doesn't seem like very much, right?

Especially when you're largely surrounded by the two-dozen or so friends and family members who have invested almost as much in the dream, a destiny that Tebow had set for himself since he was 6 years old. Or when the menu supplied by the caterer included two favorite delicacies, chicken fingers and macaroni and cheese, but not his mother Pam's homemade tacos. Or when the atmosphere at the home from which Tebow observed the 75th NFL draft -- a sprawling manse in a community where the lawns were nearly as lush as the putting greens that lay just a pitching wedge away -- was more like a party than a nail-biting waiting game.

"It's all been worth it," said Tebow, dressed in jeans and a light blue shirt and wearing several elastic, message-bearing bracelets on both wrists, after the Broncos selected him with the 25th overall choice. "The good stuff is usually worth the wait. You've just got to be patient."

Throughout the evening, Tebow demonstrated great patience, indeed, answering the same questions repeatedly, hustling off to spend time with some buddies, and then emerging to answer the same questions again.

About 45 minutes before the pick that anointed him a pro, Tebow stood in the den of the home, watching the draft on a flat-screen television. Agent Jimmy Sexton -- who had huddled with the Tebow family in an upstairs room earlier in the evening and told the them that the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner figured to go off the board sometime around the 22nd choice or perhaps after -- consulted briefly with the quarterback and predicted that Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome would play a key role in the selection.

Moments later, with Tebow displaying none of the strain of the moment, the doors to the den closed. Shortly thereafter, Tebow emerged, a cell phone to his ear and Broncos coach Josh McDaniels on the other end.

Tebow beamed and the house, filled with supporters, broke into cheers and tears. When the call first came in, Tebow looked at Sexton, who ordered, "Answer the thing!"

One of Sexton's associates, Jim Denton, hugged Tebow and then turned to a reporter and said of the Broncos: "They're one of the most honest teams in the league. They did exactly what they told us they'd do."

Ridiculed by some because of flawed mechanics, Tebow was the second quarterback selected.

"I think, when I was in the Philippines and watched all those people going about their business without stuff we just took for granted, I learned patience," Tebow said. "So it didn't matter where I went, just so I went. If it was [Friday], and the second round or so, then so be it. But I am glad that it's over."

That Tebow went in the first round, given the criticisms of him and the fact he had his throwing motion so deconstructed by personal mentors Zeke Bratkowski, Marc Trestman and Noel Mazzone seemed poetic justice.

Sexton and Tebow had identified the Broncos as a legitimate contender to choose the quarterback, and those suspicions were justified when Denver began to deal back and forth in the first round. The Broncos had met with Tebow at the combine and were very impressed with Tebow, as he was with them.

After going quiet for about a month, and sending only one area scout to Tebow’s group workout, the Broncos auditioned the quarterback Monday, putting him on the field and at the blackboard for nearly six hours. They then flew from here to Atlanta to work out Georgia Tech wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who had suffered a broken foot in February and had been unable to work for scouts. The Broncos chose Thomas three picks before Tebow; they now form the nucleus of the team’s future passing attack.

Last week, the Broncos flew Tebow -- who spent Thursday afternoon playing basketball with his brothers, getting in a throwing workout and finding time for a haircut -- to Denver to meet with team officials.

As Tebow rode to the clubhouse here where most of the media was sequestered, he received a post-selection cell phone call from Florida coach Urban Meyer, who knows McDaniels well.

"He told me I couldn't have gotten picked by a better guy," Tebow said. At about the same time in the back of the limo, Sexton fielded a call from Newsome. "He said I owe him 25 slabs of ribs for making [the trade]," Sexton said, laughing.

Someone in the back of the SUV reminded Tebow, a local hero bypassed by the fan-needy Jaguars in the first round, that Jacksonville opens the 2010 season by hosting the Broncos.

McDaniels' mentor, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, was rumored to be very interested in the quarterback. The rationale was that, while Tebow served his quarterback apprenticeship behind Tom Brady, the Patriots would figure out a role for him. But it never came to that, and the chances are that McDaniels won't be quite as creative.

Tebow, who will fly to Denver on Friday for a press conference, has a pretty good feel for the Broncos and their personnel. But he makes no pretense of trying to quickly oust starter Kyle "Pro Bowl" Orton or recently acquired backup Brady Quinn.

"I just have a passion to play football," Tebow said. "When you do things different than other people sometimes do them, and you don’t settle for just being average, you open yourself up [for criticism]. But I'm ready for it. I've learned to live with it. I never just wanted to do things the same way everybody else does."

But there is little doubt Tebow is a student of the game, a human sponge who soaks in everything about his sport.

Asked if he would wear his familiar No. 15 in Denver, the quarterback cited the recent trade of wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who used to wear that uniform number, to the Miami Dolphins.

"Well," Tebow said, smiling and rubbing his eyes in the first sign of fatigue in what was a long day, "it's opened up now, hasn't it?"

[Brock]

Originally Posted by jjjayb

Yes, I have. But I've also met way more reasonable Christians than I have the nutbag variety. But go ahead and believe Tebow is at that level all you want. I mean, obviously he's proven that he's an asshole by being a nice guy. Don't let the life he's lived and the actions he's taken fool you. Let's just go by what you think he's really like inside.

If you want to talk about how great the Broncos draft pick is, you came to the wrong place.

[RJ]

Tebow seems like a nice kid. If he wasn't in the AFC West I'd probably root for him to succeed. But I can't, so I won't.

And yeah, that thing about the Philippines is a bit much.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by jjjayb

Yep, it's terrible when someone is a good guy. It just rubs in how much of a failure you are doesn't it GoChiefs? Would it be better if he was a faithless, basement dwelling, masturbation junkie like yourself?

Obviously, GC has some issues with people of faith due to his JW upbringing. It's sad, really.

I think a lot of people don't like Tebow because he is Christian and is not afraid to tell you about it (if asked).

Personally, I get tired of hearing about Tebow all the time over the past couple years. Its not that I don't like him. I just am tired hearing about him all the time. The media does seem to focus on him quite a bit.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Hes a good, wholesome kid....its hard not to root for him.....

But yes, they do tend to go overboard with their lovefest for him.

and no, i dont think he posseses the skillset to be an effective NFL QB. Its too bad, because i wish more NFL players had his heart and dedication.

Good post.

[RJ]

Originally Posted by drknockers

ok I'm a recent convert to football so I thought I was trippin. I guess it wasn't my imagination. What makes this doofus so special? I thought the interview dude at his pad was gonna start rubbing his crotch and slob on his knob.

What did you get converted from?

Golf? Rugby? Judaism?

[RJ]

Originally Posted by Lzen

Obviously, GC has some issues with people of faith due to his JW upbringing. It's sad, really.

I think a lot of people don't like Tebow because he is Christian and is not afraid to tell you about it (if asked).

Personally, I get tired of hearing about Tebow all the time over the past couple years. Its not that I don't like him. I just am tired hearing about him all the time. The media does seem to focus on him quite a bit.

He's being groomed to take Favre's place.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by Brock

If you want to talk about how great the Broncos draft pick is, you came to the wrong place.

Hey, I hope he falls flat on his face simply because I hate the Donks. But if he goes somewhere else after a few years, I hope he succeeds. I doubt it because I, like many other, don't believe he has the skills to be a QB in the NFL.

[jjjayb]

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

**** off, asshole. He's a Bronco. The enemy of the state. He's scum.

Now that I agree with 1000% A great reason to hate the worthless no good piece of donkey shit!

[Baby Lee]

JIMP at the thought of Berry giving Tebow what DT gave Leaf in a couple of years.

Don't dislike the guy, but he's a Bronco now.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by SNR

Have you ever been told that you're going to hell by a religious nutbag?

Tebow is at that level of religious nutbag. The only reason he hasn't told people about going to hell is because he needs to look good.

When did he tell you that?

[Earthbound]

Whether you like him or not, you cannot deny that he is a marketing machine and will sell a lot of jerseys, tickets and everything else. I don't see him as a great NFL QB by any means, but he is certainly the most marketable athlete in the draft. When you go #25 and are all over ESPNs front page and have a 10 minute interview when the #1 pick has a 30 second interview, well that just proves it.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by jjjayb

Yep, it's terrible when someone is a good guy. It just rubs in how much of a failure you are doesn't it GoChiefs? Would it be better if he was a faithless, basement dwelling, masturbation junkie like yourself?

Draven was left a smoldering cinder when the JWs got done with him.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Earthbound

Whether you like him or not, you cannot deny that he is a marketing machine and will sell a lot of jerseys, tickets and everything else.

And because of that, he must die.