The Denver Broncos bid their Super Bowl hopes goodbye this past weekend as the Baltimore Ravens narrowly beat them 38-35 in a nail-biting double-overtime football game. The Ravens who seemed to limp into the playoffs with a 10-6 record (1-4 in their final five games) managed to produce over 330 yards passing to cap the elite Broncos. Despite the Broncos' astounding 13-3 regular season record (10-0 in their final ten games of play), which afforded them the AFC's number one seed and a first-round playoff bye, their brilliant regular season efforts would be marginalized with a second-round playoff loss... a similar storyline to last season.
For all of the hoopla that surrounded Peyton Manning during his valiant return from a seemingly career-ending injury last season, popular sports networks have nearly swept Tim Tebow under the rug. Manning who suffered a traumatic neck injury during the Indianapolis Colts' 2011 football season and remained sideline for most of that year, appeared old and brow-beat. After an emotional departure from the Colts' at the end of the 2011 season, Manning avoided early retirement and dated the Denver Broncos. Crazed with Tebow-mania, Denver fans, who witnessed a storybook season in 2011, would come to love the notion of a mechanically sound quarterback. Faith removed, fickle Denver fans promoted Manning. The organization complied. Tebow was dropped. Manning was gained.
Sportscasters, fans, and haters would begin to say that Tim Tebow held the Broncos back from realizing their potential during the 2011 "miracle season". His poor throwing mechanics and overly simplified offensive scheme throttled down gifted offensive players. Manning was to change all of that... bringing experience, passing complexity, and superb throwing accuracy. The Broncos would capitalize on the upgrade... Super Bowl bound.
Now, with history noting the Broncos' second consecutive loss in the divisional playoff round, what should we think of Tebow and Manning? Who was better for the Broncos?
Check the sports headlines. Media favoritism prevails. Manning, a tough but aging quarterback, poises himself to duplicate another successful season with the Broncos. Approaching a gallant twilight to his Pro-football career, Manning has proven how capable he is during a short-offseason. See how he performs with a year of experience and locker room leadership. Tebow, on the other hand, appears young and all-but-homeless on the sidelines of the New York Jets restrained by a lukewarm fan-base, a mediocre coaching staff, and a diseased football organization. The "saga continues"... who wants to gamble on a guy who can't throw the football... not even the Jacksonville Jaguars want this hometown hero!
Sure, if given the opportunity to make a comparison between these two athletes, sports pundits would argue persuasively on behalf of Manning. They've done it all year.... Manning's an iconic professional quarterback... Tebow's a gifted but polarizing athlete. Apparently, Manning hung Denver's moon, even though Tebow poised to set it. Tebow hater-ade remains a favored beverage by today's sportscasters. Frankly, the media's singular oppositional bias to Tim Tebow leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
I do not suppose that Tim Tebow is a prospective Hall of Fame Quarterback (though he may surprise you), but I do think the pundits and haters are scared of owning obvious facts. Tebow inherited a team during his second professional season (sophomore year... no slump... ask Cam Newton about that) with a 1-4 record and miraculously inspired them to finish the year with a playoff victory. As his prize for reviving a previously weakened fan base and saving a decaying football organization, he was swiftly traded, slandered, and pushed to the second-string.
Call me crazy, but I don't think Manning is better for the Broncos. I think he's a stud and will doubtlessly proliferate Pro Football's Hall of Fame after he retires. Was he worth the investment though? A weighty salary spent on an aging quarterback hoping at all costs to avert aggravation of a career ending neck injury... all so that the club can "best" its impressive previous season performance?
When the sun sets on the Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning, they may wish they'd kept their salary cap freer... retained Tim Tebow, sold some jerseys and seasons tickets, converted a few people to Christ (and perhaps even to root for the Broncos), and rolled the dice on another "miracle season".
For all of the hoopla that surrounded Peyton Manning during his valiant return from a seemingly career-ending injury last season, popular sports networks have nearly swept Tim Tebow under the rug. Manning who suffered a traumatic neck injury during the Indianapolis Colts' 2011 football season and remained sideline for most of that year, appeared old and brow-beat. After an emotional departure from the Colts' at the end of the 2011 season, Manning avoided early retirement and dated the Denver Broncos. Crazed with Tebow-mania, Denver fans, who witnessed a storybook season in 2011, would come to love the notion of a mechanically sound quarterback. Faith removed, fickle Denver fans promoted Manning. The organization complied. Tebow was dropped. Manning was gained.
Sportscasters, fans, and haters would begin to say that Tim Tebow held the Broncos back from realizing their potential during the 2011 "miracle season". His poor throwing mechanics and overly simplified offensive scheme throttled down gifted offensive players. Manning was to change all of that... bringing experience, passing complexity, and superb throwing accuracy. The Broncos would capitalize on the upgrade... Super Bowl bound.
Now, with history noting the Broncos' second consecutive loss in the divisional playoff round, what should we think of Tebow and Manning? Who was better for the Broncos?
Check the sports headlines. Media favoritism prevails. Manning, a tough but aging quarterback, poises himself to duplicate another successful season with the Broncos. Approaching a gallant twilight to his Pro-football career, Manning has proven how capable he is during a short-offseason. See how he performs with a year of experience and locker room leadership. Tebow, on the other hand, appears young and all-but-homeless on the sidelines of the New York Jets restrained by a lukewarm fan-base, a mediocre coaching staff, and a diseased football organization. The "saga continues"... who wants to gamble on a guy who can't throw the football... not even the Jacksonville Jaguars want this hometown hero!
Sure, if given the opportunity to make a comparison between these two athletes, sports pundits would argue persuasively on behalf of Manning. They've done it all year.... Manning's an iconic professional quarterback... Tebow's a gifted but polarizing athlete. Apparently, Manning hung Denver's moon, even though Tebow poised to set it. Tebow hater-ade remains a favored beverage by today's sportscasters. Frankly, the media's singular oppositional bias to Tim Tebow leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
I do not suppose that Tim Tebow is a prospective Hall of Fame Quarterback (though he may surprise you), but I do think the pundits and haters are scared of owning obvious facts. Tebow inherited a team during his second professional season (sophomore year... no slump... ask Cam Newton about that) with a 1-4 record and miraculously inspired them to finish the year with a playoff victory. As his prize for reviving a previously weakened fan base and saving a decaying football organization, he was swiftly traded, slandered, and pushed to the second-string.
Call me crazy, but I don't think Manning is better for the Broncos. I think he's a stud and will doubtlessly proliferate Pro Football's Hall of Fame after he retires. Was he worth the investment though? A weighty salary spent on an aging quarterback hoping at all costs to avert aggravation of a career ending neck injury... all so that the club can "best" its impressive previous season performance?
When the sun sets on the Denver Broncos and Peyton Manning, they may wish they'd kept their salary cap freer... retained Tim Tebow, sold some jerseys and seasons tickets, converted a few people to Christ (and perhaps even to root for the Broncos), and rolled the dice on another "miracle season".
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