TEBOW Q & A PROVIDES INSIGHT

Gator Gridiron
Roger Franklin Williams

At the end of the aforementioned screening of the film "Tim Tebow: Everything in Between" on the campus of Full Sail University, Tebow participated in a question and answer session with the live audience. The Chase Heavener directed documentary and live Q & A session provide insight into Tebow's personality. The principal insight for this observer is the transparent, genuine and unaffected persona Tebow projects. (Which really came as no surprise.)

Gator Gridiron had the opportunity to ask a question. The question (paraphrased) was this,

 "You are without a doubt the greatest college football player I have ever seen. Despite on-the-field accomplishments that are unparelled in the game of college football, you have been the target of an extrordinary degree of criticism from well known, so-called experts on national sports networks...a volume and intensity of criticism that I personally have never witnessed before for someone who has the unprecedented volume of tangible accomplishments that you have achieved. How do you deal with this level of omnipresent criticism?...does it make you angry?....do you find it hurtful?....do you block it out and ignore it?"

Tebow's answer was interesting. The first point he made was that the "politically correct" thing would be to say that "no, I don't pay attention", but that, in fact, he does hear the attacks and finds them to be hurtful (Gator Gridiron's word). While he generally declined to speculate on why he is the target of such a volume of intense criticism, he said his ultimate response is to use it as a motivating influence. He even shared one personal experience of when he was unable to sleep one night because of thoughts of various critical statements from media critics. His response was to get out of bed at aroung 2am and run 3-4 miles.

So the bottom line of the way Tim Tebow deals with the anti-Tebow crowd is right in character with his typical Tim Tebow way of living his life and meeting other challenges---increase focus, increase his already Herculean resolve and intensity and work even harder.

During his answer he shared a quote he heard as a youngster that has had a powerful motivating influence on his life and football career; "Somewhere, he is out there. And he is working hard...harder than me. Someday we will meet and HE will win."

Word to the so-called "experts". Don't bet against Tim Tebow. In the near future it could (and most likely will) be damaging to your career.......