Tim Tebow Selected Most Influential Athlete; Fan Sums Up NFL Career In a Nutshell?
Did a former Denver Broncos fan sum up the potentially short-lived career of quarterback Tim Tebow more succinctly than any ESPN sports analyst has so far?
"What did Tim Tebow do wrong – nothing," writes Nancy Ickes in her recently published letter to the Colorado Springs newspaper The Gazette.
Despite Ickes emphatically stating that Tebow was not to blame for his primarily bench-warming role on the New York Jets, the former Jets backup to Mark Sanchez was cut by the team last week and is now a free agent.
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Even with his recent setback, Tebow remains a popular athlete and was selected as America's most influential athlete, according to a survey released by Forbes.com on Monday. Tebow, who often talked about God during post-game interviews in the locker room, has become a popular guest speaker at churches, Christian events and leadership conferences.
Tebow had the most influence on fans, according to 29 percent of respondents, finishing ahead of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps (25 percent), Jamaican track star Usain Bolt (23 percent) and Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (22 percent).
Forbes.com used surveys from Nielsen and E-Poll Market Research to calculate the winner, and considered Nielsen's measurement for a player's endorsement potential, according to AP.
Denver's Peyton Manning, who became the Broncos' starting quarterback after Tebow was traded before last season, was next on the list among NFL players and fifth overall in the survey.
During the span of his short career, Tebow has become a favorite among pro football analysts to pick apart in regards to his technique and NFL potential, or lack thereof.
In her analysis, perhaps Ickes, who simply appears to be a football fan writing to The Gazette, is onto something.
In her letter to The Gazette she writes:
What did Tim Tebow do wrong - nothing!
Tim Tebow's problem started when John Elway and John Fox took over the Denver Broncos.
They did not like Tebow because Josh McDaniels had drafted him. They wanted to get rid of him from the very beginning and they did, right before the 2011-2012 season started. Right at the time when there was not much opportunity for him to go to another team.
Did Elway plan it that way? He wanted Manning so bad that he did not care who he hurt. Elway is not a nice man! (I would have said something else but you do not print cuss words.)
The Jets hardly used Tebow so why did they take him? The Jets wanted those better draft numbers that's why. They never intended to use Tebow. The Jets are stupid and Rex Ryan, their coach, is an idiot!
I know people will say this is just big business. If this is the way football business is handled, treating their players like slaves - selling them off - not caring how the players feel about where they are being sent, than, I no longer want to be a football fan. (I know these guys get big bucks for playing but they are treated the ways slaves were treated.)
I am no longer a Bronco fan for sure. Since Manning had to be the star (he sure did not want the crowd yelling Tebow! Tebow! during one of his games), if he gets hurt who will be the backup? They have no one with experience.
Tebow is a good guy but I guess in the football game if you cheat on your wife or are in trouble with the law, that is when you are a 'good ' football player!
Nancy Ickes, Colorado Springs
