With a kiss, Tebow's lore grows
By JOHN ROMANO, Times Columnist
Published September 16, 2007
GAINESVILLE
The great ones are measured differently. By moments, as much as numbers. By memories, as well as accomplishments.
And so the lore of Tim Tebow grew on a hot Saturday afternoon in front of God and network television. It was furthered not with another pass, nor with a run, but rather with a kiss.
Imagine that.
College football's most eligible bachelor - the student newspaper complained he was spoiling coeds for the rest of the male population - got a wet one on the cheek from his roommate in the second quarter of a 59-20 victory against Tennessee.
It was rather shocking and definitely amusing. And it was entirely indicative of the devotion Tebow has already inspired.
"That's my roommate. I love Tim Tebow," safety Tony Joiner said. "I love the way he plays."
Joiner, you might have heard, is not alone. For the number of Gator fans smitten with their quarterback is legion. The kid who was heralded as a recruit and beloved as a freshman has done the impossible as a sophomore.
He has been better than advertised.
Three games in, and Tebow has been tougher than Shane Matthews. He has been sharper than Chris Leak and just as humble as Danny Wuerffel. Three games in, and the Gators are doing things they've never done before.
For instance, for the first time, Florida has opened a season by scoring 45 or more points in three straight games. And the Gators have never had a quarterback make his starting debut in the SEC with a rout such as this.
"He's crossing every bridge he gets to," coach Urban Meyer said. "The thing we have to understand is he has a long way to go, but he's getting there awfully quick."
If the details are important, you should consider Tebow threw for more yards 299 than Tennessee's senior quarterback. And you should consider he ran for more yards (61) than Tennessee's entire team. He threw for two touchdowns, and he ran for two more. In this, Tebow's first start against a ranked opponent, Meyer called his name for a pass or a run on 14 of Florida's first 18 plays. And when the Gators were backed up against their goal line, he had Tebow go deep for a 49-yard completion.
"There are not many players I trust more than Tim Tebow," Meyer said.
It has been easy to get caught up in the hype of Tebow but remarkable to consider eclipsing it. You knew he could run. You knew he was solid. But Tebow's presence in the pocket, and his accuracy downfield, has been revelatory.
Already, he has seven completions of 40 yards or more. That's three more than the Gators threw all of last season when they won a national championship and Leak became Florida's all-time leading passer.
And he's done it all with a flair. He completed a pass underhanded Saturday. He threw a strike while falling to the ground. He ran left and threw right. Then he ran right and threw left.
"None of it surprises me," Joiner said. "He does it against us all the time in our two-minute drills in practice. You think, 'Whoa, you can't make passes like that in the SEC.' Then he comes out here and does it."
There are certainly more tests ahead, with better teams and tougher road venues to come. The LSU game in three weeks, for instance, could easily mark a revision in the Tebow hysteria.
But the past three weeks have at least given us a glimpse into Tebow's world. It has shown us his psyche and Meyer's confidence in his sophomore. And it has proven, rather emphatically, that the kid can throw.
Even if Tennessee has slipped a notch in recent years, this is not an accomplishment to be taken lightly. The team that wins this game, more often than not, is the team representing the East in the Southeastern Conference Championship game. That is, if you consider 10 of the past 14 years to be a good barometer.
And so Tebow rightfully enjoyed his introduction to a national audience Saturday. And when it was over, he took a lap around half the stadium, slapping hands with the fans chanting his name in the lower rows.
He even managed an embarrassed laugh when told CBS cameras had captured the sideline kiss, and Joiner claimed it was not the first.
"No, it's not," Tebow grinned. "He's been known to do that, every now and then."
Chances are, Joiner won't be the last to try.
John Romano can be reached at romano@sptimes.com or(727) 893-8811.