I am not a Tim Tebow guy. Of the players who contributed to Florida over the last few years, I was more of a Percy Harvin and Brandon Spikes guy.
But it makes me furious when I see people try to compare Tebow to Cam Newton. Sure, they are both dual threat quarterbacks with religious parents that have put their kids in a position to exploit their talents. But the comparison ends there. Tonight, when Auburn is playing Oregon, put away your SEC bias and consider this; do you want Newton to have as many championships as a starter as Tebow has?
Newton and Tebow are both great athletes, but we're not considering that here. We are considering what each player has done in the totality of their college careers. At their worst, they are each narcissistic. At their best, they are leaders of men. In between is a huge difference in how they have handled themselves and others.
The criticism over Tebow is regarding his positions on religious and social issues, not his ethics. Newton is not likely to advocate for a conservative political group, but we know that he stole a laptop and was only found when he was accused of illegally downloading materials on the laptop. He has been accused of cheating, not just of putting his name on another person's work, but then buying an online paper to turn in. Statistically, Newton and Tebow may matchup, but not as people.
This isn't a Florida-Auburn thing either, unless Cecil Newton also solicited Auburn and got paid. I'm not a 40-year old, so I really have no concept of Auburn being one of our rivals.
But I am protective of my school and that makes me protective of Tebow's Florida legacy. If I have to root for a Pac-10 team because of that, then so be it. But I'd rather have Oregon win a championship than Cam Newton.