When Reggie White came to Wisconsin, he said that God sent him here. For the most part, aside from some ill-advised stereotype statements on the floor of the Wisconsin State Legislature, we all embraced the Minister of Defense. After all, he was more than a football player; he was a superstar that made it desirable to play in then-downtrodden Green Bay, Wisconsin.
To be sure, there are some stark similarities and differences between White and his modern-day successor to the gridiron pulpit, Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. For one, no one has to sell anyone on the merits of living in Colorado. Whereas the Rocky Mountain region is unquestionably one of the most beautiful places in North America, the Northern Fox River Valley is, well, not.
But what made believers out of all of football was when White spoke of his faith, his words were backed up by his play from the first day he stepped onto a NFL field.
Meanwhile, Tim Tebow is finally beginning to win over some, but not all, critics after his incredible performance in the clutch last week during the Broncos Wild Card round playoff game vs. Pittsburgh on Sunday. It is either that, or true divine intervention.
We have all heard the jokes.
What play does Tim Tebow run at the end of a game? The Hail Nana.
What did Tim Tebow get from his coaches for Christmas? Well, he got gold from Urban Meyer, frankincense from John Fox, and myrrh from John Elway.
Why did Tim Tebow need a new helmet? Because the last one couldn't fit his crown of thorns.
Why did Tim Tebow almost quit football? Because he couldn't fit all 12 of his guys on the field at the same time.
You get the picture. Tim Tebow is the chosen one. Tim Tebow is the son of Jesus and grandson of God himself. Who else could possibly have such divided opinions of a young man who lives his life according to no other mortal's rules?
Since the days of Rollen Stewart, the born-again superfan in the rainbow wig who would hold up his big "John 3:16" sign wherever the cameras were, that Bible passage has become synonymous with sports. In Stewart's time, he, his wig, and that sign was seen at the NBA Finals, The Masters, behind NFL goal posts, at the Moscow Olympics, behind the pit of Indianapolis 500 winner Gordon Johncock, and at countless other sporting events in the 1970's and 1980's.
Of course, Stewart was also a little unbalanced. He choked his fourth wife for holding the sign in what he said was the wrong place during the 1986 World Series, for example. He is currently in prison for his conviction on kidnapping and false imprisonment charges for a separate 1992 incident.
But what Rollen Stewart did do, much to his satisfaction, was get his message out. He wanted the world, particularly sports fans to see "John 3:16" and have it become the single most famous Bible verse known. It reads:
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
If you believe in supreme beings having a stake in a football game, try this on for size. Sunday, Tebow threw for 316 yards, had a completion average of 31.6 and the Broncos vs. Steelers game earned a 31.6 Nielsen rating.
No, none of that is made up.
Nor was the performance Tebow put in. In easily his best game as a professional, Tebow was poised, confident, and most importantly to both his supporters and detractors, accurate with his passes.
It has been quite a rocky road for the only sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy.
After taking the reigns from deposed starter Kyle Orton in Week 5, Tebow did little in the way of performing, but a lot in the way of leading, the Broncos to wins in seven of their next eight games. After a slump that saw Denver lose their final three regular season matchups with Tebow struggling to complete just 40 percent of his passes, the Broncos backed into the playoffs, winning the weakened AFC West with a record of just 8-8.
Perhaps feeling like they had nothing to lose against favored Pittsburgh, who at 12-4 had lost a tiebreaker with Baltimore for the AFC North title, Tebow and the Broncos took it right to their opponents with a reckless abandon not seen in weeks. After playing to their quarterback's strengths in previous games, Denver offensive coordinator Mike McCoy dialed up some plays Pittsburgh simply wasn't ready for.
Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Troy Polamalu looked flat-footed in pass coverage, and Tebow jumped all over him.
21 yards deep to Eric Decker in the second quarter – complete!
The very next play, Tebow hit Demaryius Thomas with a laser bean for 51 more yards.
Two plays later – paydirt. Tebow finds Eddie Royal in the end zone from 30 yards out.
On the Broncos next drive, Tebow runs one in for a score.
In the second half, Denver's favorite son struggled a little bit, and on to overtime we all went. And in the shortest overtime in NFL playoff history, Tebow, on the first play, fires a perfect spiral to Thomas for the game-winning score.
Game over. Bedlam ensues, both at Sports Authority Field, and throughout the country; for Tim Tebow has made believers out of fans from every corner of the league.
He has also made his team into a bunch of believers as well.
"He showed he's a quarterback in the NFL, case closed," Denver running back Willis McGahee said after the game. "They say he couldn't throw. They said we wouldn't be able to run the ball on them. We did that. I wonder what they're going to say next week."
Oh, there will be plenty to say, considering Denver's opponent is New England, the team that began the Broncos regular season freefall back on Dec. 18. In that game, Tebow was a mediocre 11-22 for 194 yards in New England's 41-23 win.
So the haters have a little less to crow about this week. But the most stunning fact to me surrounding Tebowmania is that one second-year player, who did not start until late October, is the darling of the NFL.
No matter where you go, no matter what team you root for, Tim Tebow is the talk of the league. And of course, along with that comes the distinction of being a cultural icon. The good news is that his message is that of doing good works and benefitting humanity. Certainly Tim knows full-well that his time in the NFL is short so you might as well make the most of the pulpit while you have it.
Reggie White knew how to capitalize on his status. It is hard to imagine that Tim Tebow will not seize the opportunity afforded him, even if it seems at times as if he were indeed sent down to humanity directly from the Heavens.
Then again, when you think about it, the story does seem vaguely familiar.
Tim Tebow was born in the Philippines to missionary parents. At a young age, Tebow himself began accompanying his parents on their trips to care for the less fortunate. His work involved everything from reading scripture to helping feed the village, to assisting with building shelters. As a young adult, Tebow branched out on his own, speaking to prisoners about turning their lives around.
So what you are telling me is that when Tim Tebow was born, it was to traveling parents away from home. He then spent his young adulthood ministering to the poor and downtrodden, offering forgiveness to sinners, and learning carpentry, all the while being both adored and reviled.
Ummmm...
Doug Russell has been covering Milwaukee and Wisconsin sports for over 20 years on radio, television, magazines, and now at OnMilwaukee.com.
Over the course of his career, the Edward R. Murrow Award winner and Emmy nominee has covered the Packers in Super Bowls XXXI, XXXII and XLV, traveled to Pasadena with the Badgers for Rose Bowls, been to the Final Four with Marquette, and saw first-hand the entire Brewers playoff runs in 2008 and 2011. Doug has also covered The Masters, several PGA Championships, MLB All-Star Games, and Kentucky Derbys; the Davis Cup, the U.S. Open, and the Sugar Bowl, along with NCAA football and basketball conference championships, and for that matter just about anything else that involves a field (or court, or rink) of play.
Doug was a sports reporter and host at WTMJ-AM radio from 1996-2000, before taking his radio skills to national syndication at Sporting News Radio from 2000-2007. From 2007-2011, he hosted his own morning radio sports show back here in Milwaukee, before returning to the national scene at Yahoo! Sports Radio last July. Doug's written work has also been featured in The Sporting News, Milwaukee Magazine, Inside Wisconsin Sports, and Brewers GameDay.
Doug and his wife, Erika, split their time between their residences in Pewaukee and Houston, TX.
