"Believe in us and believe in me, and we can get the job done."
I don't have to tell you who said that. At this point, Tim Tebow could heal the sick and I would not be surprised. Partly that is because I am an obsessive Gator homer. The other part is that Tebow is one of the few people who when he puts his mind to something, they finish. In this year, we've seen at least two of those guys close up; John McCain and Barack Obama.
Those two are known and beloved worldwide. Tim Tebow's influence barely extends beyond our shores. Even the orphans he meets in the Philippines probably think he is just a big, goofy white kid. Within the universe of college football, where four years of your life are frozen in time, Tebow's influence will be felt for a generation. No matter what happens in his pro career, college football fans will see Tebow first making a jump pass or rallying his team. Those powerful images will elevate him to iconic status.
We are obsessive as sports fans. The people who read blogs and spend $800 on two upper deck tickets to a football game are not normal. Our icons cannot be normal either. That's the thing about Tebow and probably the reason why so many Florida fans flip out when they talk about his draft status; he is unlike anything we have seen. The demands he puts on himself trickle down to the team. He leads by force and by example; the perfect leader.
Icons leave a legacy beyond themselves. Such is the case with Tebow. A few days ago, a baby was named for him.
Logan Tebow Bradley was born at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater Tuesday morning at 4:12 AM.
Mom Nicole picked the first name and dad Tom picked the middle name.
There might be a lot more kids walking around Florida in the next few years named Timothy or Tebow. That is an honor only icons receive.