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Tebow: Life As A Legend
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Published: September 12, 2007
GAINESVILLE - Legendary even before he took his first snap at the University of Florida, quarterback Tim Tebow stiff-armed his way into the hearts of Gator Nation almost a year ago when he crashed through Tennessee's defensive line on fourth-and-1 to keep Florida's rally alive.
As Tebow, now a sophomore, prepares for his first game against the Volunteers as a starter, we examine the cultural phenomenon through his eyes, those who know him best and those - such as country-music superstar Kenny Chesney - who couldn't resist jumping into his orbit.
Star In The Making
"I've worked at Gainesville Country Club for two years. I served the same guys their drinks every day, and they didn't know my name. … I go back to work on Tuesday, and these men are staring at me. One said, 'I know who you are. You were on the sideline with Tim Tebow.' Then it was this crazy riot of guys trying to get information about Tim."
- Stephanie Mack, the UF student who, in her role as a Gator Guide, hosted Tebow and his family when he took his official visit the weekend of the 2005 Florida State game.
"They went nuts. Goll-ly."
- Tebow on the crowd's reaction to his announcement at Ponte Vedra Beach Nease High in December 2005 that he would attend Florida.
"I don't know. I've got a freshman quarterback that weighs 230. I might hand it to him a few times."
- Gators coach Urban Meyer during Florida's spring practice in 2006 discussing how he might use Tebow.
The Play
"97 Q Power"
- The call Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen made when Tebow took the field on fourth-and-1 from the 28-yard line with the Gators trailing, 20-14, in the fourth quarter at Tennessee in 2006.
"I can't believe we're going to give the ball to a freshman."
- Mullen's immediate thought, revealed this past Saturday, after relaying the play call from the coaches' booth to the sideline.
"97 Q Power. Let's go!"
- Offensive tackle Carlton Medder's memory of Tebow's words in the huddle before the fourth-and-1 play.
"We knew Tebow wasn't going to take no for an answer."
- Medder's thought as he lined up for the play.
"If you want to go look in the archives, that's one of the great plays in the history of the school."
- Meyer, looking back Monday at Tebow's first down, which set up Chris Leak's touchdown pass to give the Gators a 21-20 victory.
On Stage: The Legend Grows
"He's horrible at singing. He sings all the time, but he's terrible."
- Florida holder Butch Rowley, one of Tebow's best friends on the team.
"OK! We're going to sing something. I think we should let Tim do an a cappella song for everybody!"
- Country music star Kenny Chesney, wearing a Florida football helmet during a 400-person show in February at Gainesville's Common Grounds coffee house. Seconds earlier, Chesney had called Tebow to the stage as Chesney's guitar player strummed the opening bars of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Child." Tebow reached Chesney at about the moment when Jimi would have sung, "I'm standing next to a mountain." Compared to the tiny Chesney, Tebow is a mountain.
"He says he wants to sing 'Tractor!'"
- Chesney, after a brief huddle with Tebow and Rowley.
"She thinks my tractor's sexy!"
- Tebow. Singing. Terribly.
"If we were in that environment a lot, it would happen a lot."
- Rowley, discussing the fact that if more celebrities visited Gainesville, Tebow would have almost daily brushes with fame. On Aug. 31, Gov. Charlie Crist met Tebow on a visit to UF.
The Trappings Of Fame
"Manila airport. There are Gator fans everywhere."
- Tebow on the strangest place he has been recognized.
"For the first 10 minutes we'd be at dinner, we'd be perfectly fine. Then a new family would walk in, and one of the little kids would say, 'Dad, there's Tim Tebow.' Five minutes later, his dad comes over with a Sharpie and a camera, and all of sudden it's picture time at Chili's. [Tebow] would never say no to anybody."
- Rowley on what happens if Tebow goes to a restaurant - which happens rarely.
"I don't ever want to ever treat anybody like I'm better than them because I play football. … You might be busy. You might not want to stop and talk to people or sign an autograph, but if you can put a smile on someone's face or help them out, I'd be willing to do that."
- Tebow on why he rarely turns down autograph requests.
"There's a time and place to take care of yourself, too. The pressure of fans can be so overwhelming. You have to sometimes figure out how to have some space. 'No' doesn't always have to be a bad word. It's a long haul. It kind of hit me as I got older. He's a young guy. He's got the pressure of the world on him."
- Former Gators quarterback Danny Wuerffel - Tebow's boyhood hero - on dealing with fame as a popular Florida quarterback.
"I hate to say it, but they're like little schoolgirls. But they're great people. I'll say, 'We've got to go. We've got go.' They're fine with it."
- Jon Clark, Florida's director of football administration, who had to serve as Tebow's de facto roadie, ushering him through mobs of autograph seekers during the week Florida's football practices were open to the public.
"That would be easy."
- Clark, asked if he could go on the road with Metallica after handling Tebowmania.
Staying Grounded
"He's always been real humble. His parents have always taught him humility."
- Rowley
"Timmy, the little brother, is not so little; but he still has his kind heart and generous spirit, despite the fact that he has received more publicity than playing time on the football field. … The Lord has given Timmy a bigger platform to share His faith than we could have ever imagined, and it is his sincere desire to live up to the meaning of his name, which is "Timothy - honoring God."
- Blog entry dated May 2 on the Web site of the Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association, signed by Tebow's parents, Bob and Pam.
"Hanging out with those kids, you think. You get your whole life wrapped up in what you're going to do on fourth down or what's going to happen versus Tennessee when there are a lot worse things going on. You should just realize that you're blessed."
- Tebow on how he manages the pressure on him by thinking of the orphanage his father's ministry runs in the Philippines.
Genetic Engineering?
"Aaron! You're a freakin' tight end! Run somebody over!"
- Tebow to tight end Aaron Hernandez after Hernandez stepped out of bounds to avoid a tackler during spring practice.
"I haven't seen anybody like that. That's not a regular person. Something is wrong with him. It's something in his genes."
- Florida offensive tackle Jason Watkins discussing Tebow's love for contact in 2006.
"He's an unusual species."
- Florida defensive tackle Javier Estopinan addressing the same topic Monday.
"Your river runs with love for me, and I will open up my heart."
- Tebow, singing (terribly) MercyMe's "I Could Sing Of Your Love" while throwing during an August practice. The moment was captured on a video on the CoachUrban
Meyer.com Web site called "Mic'd Up With Tim Tebow."
Living Up To The Hype
"I didn't. I know my mom did."
- Tebow on whether he bought all the preseason magazines with his face on the cover.
"I look up to him now - and I wouldn't want to run into him. It's great when you have a quarterback who can throw the ball like Dan Marino and run like a fullback. He's going to cause a lot of trouble for a lot of teams. It's going to be fun."
- Wuerffel
"Sorry. We'll try to do it next Saturday. If we beat Tennessee, I'll come find you."
- Tebow to a seconds-too-late autograph seeker as the quarterback left Florida Field following the Gators' 59-31 win against Troy. Tebow, escorted by five state troopers, walked through the south end zone concourse, through a tunnel and into a waiting car driven by his father.
Reporter Andy Staples can be reached at (352) 262-3719 or astaples@tampatrib.com.
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