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| Tim Tebow "tebowing" |
Our latest word, already included in two dictionaries, originated from National Football League quarterback Tim Tebow’s practice of going to one knee and giving thanks to God. He’s always done this, but his string of improbable last-minute heroics for the Denver Broncos has put the spotlight on “tebowing.”
Tim was born into a missionary family in the Philippines, where his mother suffered a life-threatening condition while pregnant with him. She refused an abortion and gave birth to a healthy child. Mom homeschooled Tim and his siblings even after they moved to Florida, where homeschooled kids can play on high school teams.
At the University of Florida he won two national championships, received the Davey O’Brien Award for being the nation’s best quarterback and was the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy, which goes to the best football player in the country.
Sometimes great college quarterbacks don’t make it in the NFL and Tebow was tagged as one of them. According to Jason Gay of The Wall Street Journal, he “runs, but he doesn’t run gracefully. He runs upright and frantic, like he’s stealing a toaster from a mall.” It’s said “he cannot throw a proper pass. He cannot stand still in the pocket” where he’d be protected and “he can’t run a conventional offense,” which reduces his team’s options and exposes himself to dangerous hits.
Another thing he can’t do is “get through an interview without mentioning his faith. Or giving credit to his teammates. Tim Tebow never sounds like he’s full of Tim Tebow."
"He doesn’t even get mad when people say nasty things about him. When people say Tim Tebow needs to improve, Tim Tebow says he needs to improve. Who does that?” “Nothing seems to rattle him. He smiles and doesn’t sulk.”
There’s a website where people post pictures of themselves “tebowing” all over the world in all kinds of places. It’s had over 14,000 photo submissions and 12 million hits. No doubt most of these are just people aping the latest fad, but it doesn’t seem anyone is putting down Tim’s faith by doing it. Is it possible his modest Christian straightness is so refreshing it’s become cool?
The politically correct mob has been so overwhelmed by the explosion of people performing a prayer-based act they’ve been dumbstruck. They know they look foolish denigrating Tebow for now, but they won’t stay in the shadows for long. Daniel Engber in Slate.com summed up the attitude when he said he wants Tebow to cut it out because it’s “making me question my atheism.”
“Tebowing” will probably disappear as fast as it arose. But while it’s popular, participants must at least momentarily consider what the gesture means. Some may open their minds to Christ, and maybe that’s the purpose.
Since Tim Tebow doesn’t think God cares who wins football games, he probably believes exactly that.
To visit the “tebowing” website please go to http://tebowing.com/
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