We hope you have enjoyed the footballing weekend. Tonight, the Decade Series is back with our #8 Athlete of the 2000's. For this selection, we go outside the box for a man not even in the prime of his career, well... because he's not even a professional yet. However, when we look back on this decade, whether he becomes a successful pro or not, Tim Tebow made his mark on the world of sports as one of its most transcendent athletes.
Resume:
-2 time National Champion QB (2006, 2008)
-2007 Heisman Trophy Winner, 1st Sophomore to win the award.
-2007, 2008 All American
-2007, 2008 Maxwell Award Winner (1st 2-time winner)
The Facts:
-Only Division I-A player to rush and throw for 20 TDs in a season (2007)
-SEC Record 23 Rushing TDs and 55 total TDs in 2007.
-3rd in 2008 Heisman voting, most 1st place votes
-Currently has the Gators at #1 in the country
-Lives in Chuck Norris' nightmares
Why He's Here:
-There is no doubt that when you look at college football this decade, Tim Tebow's star shines above the rest. As the growth of college football's popularity has taken off this decade, Tebow's iconic figure has taken centerstage. His qualities and toughness at the QB position has reached mythical stature. His bruising running style brings fans back to a time of the days of the Single Wing, and his passing skills are highly underrated (somewhat oxymoronic i know... 66% Comp. Pct. 67 Tds 11 INTs). With the Gators at #1 again in 2009, Tebow has the chance to do the unthinkable: tie Archie Griffin's record of 2 Heisman Trophies, and win 3 National Titles. He makes the list because of his stature as the defining player this decade in arguably the nation's second most popular sport.
Lasting Impact:
-Merely the name Tebow brings to mind so many images. He's almost a cult figure at this point. He's dominated the college game in ways that weren't thought to be imaginable. It's hard to say that Tebow has revolutionized the game at the QB position, but his running and passing skills stand above the rest. Tebow isn't your traditional fleet-footed mobile QB, but his hardcore style will eventually see him pass Herschel Walker (one of the greatest running backs in history) on the all-time SEC TD list. Will he succeed at the pro level? It is impossible to say right now. What we can say is that when he hangs up the Florida boots, he will be known as the greatest college football player of this generation. The resume and the numbers speak for themselves.
But his impact spans beyond the field and around the globe as well. In the days of the Steroid Era and the NFL Personal Conduct Policy, this is a guy who spends summers doing mission work in the Philippines and speaking to prisoners in his free time. Some folks would rather go the drunken frat boy route and tease him about silly things like his virginity, but in all seriousness Tebow is one man young kids can look up to in a world that spotlights a lot of guys you shouldn't. Heck, there are even "Tebow Bills" going around state legislatures advocating for homeschooled athletes and their rights to play high school sports.
College football is great because of its sense of history. Tradition is as important to college football as any other sport. In the great history of the game, there are few athletes that have been able to do as much in 4 years on the field as Tebow. When we look back on the career of Tim Tebow, he'll be mentioned in the same breath as Grange, Griffin, Staubach and a select few as the greatest of all-time.
If you're skeptical about Tebow's place on this list here is one last piece of evidence. He has a speech on a plaque, and he hasn't graduated college yet!
Check back with RSS as we'll give you our thoughts on the football weekend and the continuation of our Athletes of the Decade countdown. I will make a pledge to you. You will never see any blogger blog as hard as me the rest of the season. You will never see a team blog harder than the Yoders of RSS.
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