AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > October > 26 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USTebow gets hype machine cranking
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
All hail Tim Tebow, the czar of mankind. Unless he’s needed to quell those wildfires in San Diego or to solve the national mortgage crisis, he’ll take a break from saving the universe to play quarterback today for the Mighty Gators.
So here’s the question: If Tebow graciously lowers himself to take part in this little football game at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, will he walk across the nearby St. Johns River before or after he takes Florida against Georgia?
Here’s the bigger question: Do the Bulldogs actually believe The Great Tebow hype, which would trigger something like another Florida meltdown for Georgia by the end of the evening, or do they realize he pulls on his shoulder pads like everybody else?
“Well, when I think about hype, I think about a player that everybody makes a big deal of that isn’t very good,” said Georgia tight end Tripp Chandler. “I think [Tebow] has proved that to be wrong. I think he’s a great football player, and that’s why I think our team will have [its] hands full trying to contain him. He seems to make plays week in and week out. He’s fast. He’s strong. He’ll run you smack over.”
In essence, Chandler joins others by suggesting that Tebow is Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel, Thor, Flash Gordon, The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man and Mighty Mouse. To hear Georgia coach Mark Richt tell it, Tebow is even more impressive than that combination — at least in a football sense. Said Richt, reflecting on his version of The Great Tebows over the past 20 years, “Michael Vick certainly was that guy.” Then Richt mentioned Vince Young for being “sort of freaky.” Finally, Richt said of his former pupil, Charlie Ward, “He also had some of that.”
Whatever “that” is for Tebow, it has scorched Florida opponents on the ground and through the air. His statistics are ridiculous this season, which is why we won’t bore you with the details. Just consider this: Tebow is sprinting toward the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore by leading his peers across the country in touchdown runs (10), passing efficiency and hype.
We’re back to that. Even so, Richt delivered encouraging news to the Bulldog Nation, not only about Georgia’s approach to Tebow, but to those 15 losses for the Bulldogs during their past 17 meetings with Florida. “Our motivation is to win the game whether or not a guy has an aura about him,” Richt said. “I don’t think we’re too concerned with that [aura], but he’s the key.”
Ask the Auburn Tigers, upset winners over Florida for the second consecutive year. They allowed Tebow to have his pretty numbers (completing 20 of 27 passes for 201 yards, rushing for 75 more and managing a passing touchdown and a running one), but they stifled his love affair with big plays. They also forced Tebow into an interception that led to a field goal in Auburn’s 20-17 victory that stopped the defending national champs’ 11-game winning streak.
The next week, LSU slid by Florida courtesy of a miracle pass at the end in Death Valley, but it proved again that even The Great Tebow is quite beatable. He’s also quite human. He damaged his non-throwing (right) shoulder during Florida’s victory last week at Kentucky. That’s why Georgia linebacker Marcus Washington said the Bulldogs will go after Tebow’s shoulder “to ding it up for him a little more.”
This doesn’t mean Washington views Tebow as more hype than reality. Or does it?
“I guess I can tell you a little bit more about that after the game,” said Washington, straight-faced, pausing before adding, “Of course, you’re always going to have a guy getting a little bit more hype than what he really deserves. So we’ll just go down there, and we’ll play, and we’ll actually get a chance to find out for sure.”
That is, if The Great Tebow has time to show up. You know, with his need to finish developing a cure for sneezing and all.
Permalink | Comments (28) | Post your comment | Categories: Terence Moore, UGA / SEC
Comments
By Dramadawg82
October 26, 2007 9:30 PM | Link to this
Terrance, great article. You put my feelings into words: I am TIRED of TIM TEBOW and I just hope the Dawgs put that to rest tomorrow, or we are going to hear Tebow, Tebow, Tebow for 3 more years. Well said.
By Top Dawg
October 26, 2007 9:42 PM | Link to this
That miracle pass at the end in Death Valley was actually LSU beating Auburn.
By Dawgmania
October 26, 2007 9:43 PM | Link to this
There is no doubt the UGA defense will make stopping Tebow the focal point of their scheme, as they should. If players don’t respect what he has done this year they will not be properly motivated to slow him down. If Tebow has another great day tomorrow there is little doubt the dogs will go down again making it 16 out of 18.
By Aardgator
October 26, 2007 10:04 PM | Link to this
Let’s see:
He’s talented, but he’s mortal.
Good points!
Go Gators!!!
By Lou Vales
October 26, 2007 10:34 PM | Link to this
Terence, You really want to concentrate on Mortal how about elucidating on a baseball team that wins 14 Divisional titles in a row and parlays that into one LESS World Series titles than the Florida Marlins.
By Dr Morpheus
October 26, 2007 11:11 PM | Link to this
One stat that hasn’t gotten airplay as far as I have seen: UF is a first-half scoring team, having actually been outscored in the 3Q by opponents (47-66 ) and holding only a 126-103 overall second-half edge (due to finishing strong); while, UGA has outscored its opponents in the 3Q (52-24), 4Q (57-20), and OT (6-3) for an overall 115-47 second-half advantage. Does this mean that Florida’s defense fades over time while UGA picks up strength on offense? A good first half for UGA on Saturday would bode well for a Georgia win and a fresh opportunity to turn “the streak” around.
By Lee
October 26, 2007 11:27 PM | Link to this
Yeah Dawgs. Go down to Jacksonville thinking all that stuff about Tebow is just hype.
What’s that old adage — it ain’t bragging if you can do it. And Tebow has done it this year. Give him credit where credit is due.
BTW, Tripp Chandler is merely acknowledging what others who don’t have those Bulldawg Blinders already know — Tebow has played some outstanding ball this year.
Hey Terence Moore, maybe in between touchdown passes, Tebow could whip out a couple of newspaper columns. Lord knows it would probably be an improvement over the crap you put out.
By Dawgs2007
October 27, 2007 1:31 AM | Link to this
Losing to Florida will eventually doom CMR. He needs to step up and start winning a few. No excuses!!
Get it done or go back to Florida State. I no longer care about what he has done for the program. If we can’t beat Florida, we are nothing.
By Dorsey Hill
October 27, 2007 2:00 AM | Link to this
Lee,
I haven’t seen anyone questioning Tebow’s ability, but no one questioned what a great player Emmitt Smith was and he was 0-3 with no 100 yd. games vs. UGA. He may be all that, but it doesn’t mean he will be today.
By TC
October 27, 2007 2:26 AM | Link to this
Get over it! Tebow gets all the hype he deserves. No one in the entire country produces that much offense on their own. What was that 70 something percent of the offense in UF’s win over KY was produced by Tebow alone? Who does that? Tebow is one hell of a football player and people like you are p** because he isn’t on your side. Y’all are all going to hate him more tomorrow because UGA is going to be whipped up on by Tebow alone. Tebow isn’t hype and he proves it on the field. Stafford on the other hand. Well I still think he may be in high school. Go Gators!
By steve
October 27, 2007 5:53 AM | Link to this
There is too much hype about Tim Tebow. But please do not hold that against T
By steve
October 27, 2007 5:55 AM | Link to this
There is too much hype about Tebow. But Tim Tebow has no control over that. He just wants to play football. GO GATORS!
By steve
October 27, 2007 5:55 AM | Link to this
There is too much hype about Tebow. But Tim Tebow has no control over that. He just wants to play football. GO GATORS!
By steve
October 27, 2007 5:57 AM | Link to this
There is too much hype about Tebow. But Tim Tebow has no contrtol over that. He just wants to play football. GO GATORS!!!!
By The Truth
October 27, 2007 6:13 AM | Link to this
CMR (Mr Indecision) and Bobo (The Bozo)better get it done or I hope somebody sends both of them packing ……….
By Dawgs will lose
October 27, 2007 9:16 AM | Link to this
Let the BEAT DOWN begin and Welcome to the Tim Tebow Show!It’s 16 out of 18 and HOW SWEET IT IS!Cant wait for all these dawgs fans to face reality! Go GATORS!!!!
By Stokes
October 27, 2007 9:27 AM | Link to this
Terence, Terence, Terence. Are you going to write a “Tebow is God” article after he runs all over Georgia? It’s not like Tim Tebow is out there self-promoting like Chad Johnson. He just goes out and plays his game. The fact of the matter is Tim Tebow was 3 years old when the Gators started this humiliating run against the pups, and it will continue long after he’s gone. Georgia fans should focus on teams they can beat like Tech, and Vandy… oh, nevermind.
By Joe
October 27, 2007 9:29 AM | Link to this
Tebow has stayed humble even though the uncontollable hype has been tremendous. He continues to perform while giving his teamates credit for the teams success. Stop making him out to be evil - he is no TO. Lets appreciate a college student that performs, but does not take himself too seriously.
By casual observer
October 27, 2007 9:56 AM | Link to this
What a ridiculous article. Chandler only made the obvious statement that Tebow is a great football player, not that he was “Superman”. To think otherwise would be to go into a big game with your head up your you know what.
By DawgGrad311
October 27, 2007 10:33 AM | Link to this
Let’s let Tim Teboner ram it up the middle, and get “T-Bowned” by Washington and co. I know stopping Teboner is a huge part to success, but our offense has to run the show and the clock today. Stafford, Are you man enough. If we want to talk about hype, it is time to live up to it, or you may doing keg-lifts during 2-adays next summer at Atlanta motor speedway
By Dawgs will lose
October 27, 2007 11:04 AM | Link to this
Dawg Grad311…. I think your QB rather be spooning at the speedway. Tebow will show Stafford how to play football along with the rest of our team! Today will be another clinic for the puppies.
By mike mitchell
October 27, 2007 11:16 AM | Link to this
My take on what the dawgs must do to win: 1)DB’s must jamm the recievers at the line of scrimmage. 2)Defensive line should run looping stunts on passing situations. 3)Blitzing must not be abandoned in this game, especially on 3rd and long. 4)We have to have a spy on Harvin. 5)Offence has to open up the passing game against one of the worst secondaries in the SEC. 6)Dawgs must return to their short passing game early to establish a rythum. 7)Stop throwing low percentage passes when it is not necessary. 8)Give it to Moreno about 20 times-he is bound to break at least one.
By savages thy name is Dixie
October 27, 2007 12:33 PM | Link to this
They don’t teach reading comprehension down there do they? ‘Course not, too busy visiting the “Dinosaurs are Fakes” revival meetin’. You dumb Jethros’.
By rugby dawg
October 27, 2007 1:34 PM | Link to this
T.M. when you are in the spotlight there will always be critsism—i hope you can see that a lot of dawgs are seeing you have some love in your heart for the dawgs keep telling the truth my brother
By raindawg722
October 27, 2007 2:10 PM | Link to this
We need 10 more like Washington on D.
By terrence is racist
October 27, 2007 2:45 PM | Link to this
classic example of terrence moore being racist. if it weren’t obvious enough he is claiming tebo is overrated because he is white, he goes as far as to directly say so when he says The Great Tebow Hype, substituting Tebow for “White.”
I’m not even a florida fan - i hate the gaytors. because the article is hating on tebow and the gaytors, it probably fall in favor with most georgia fans. but that’s not moore’s intentions. his intentions are to say this cracka be overrated.
By Hype Machine
October 27, 2007 3:19 PM | Link to this
If Tebow was black would Terence have written this article?
By Rob Lyons
October 27, 2007 3:45 PM | Link to this
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