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Tebow Watch 2012


Cujo

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I'd say right now he's more of a novelty act than anything. If he doesn't become a legitimate NFL player and acheive success on the field, this "Tebowmania" will fade away pretty quickly.

Oh, I think you're wrong there.

Tebow is a very canny user of identity politics. He'll be able to keep his public persona going for at least a decade (if not the whole of his natural life), even if he doesn't become a good player. The only question is how long he'll be able to use the NFL as an active platform to promote that persona.

Kinda like a guy who fizzles out of the sport but begins a new career in politics and makes the national stage. I think that even if he becomes a major figure in the world of motivational speaking, religious speaking, etc., he won't be as big as he would be if he was also a football star. As for whether or not he'd qualify as a HOFer (by my definition of HOF), that would remain to be seen. How closely would people still associate him with Denver, the Jets, or whatever team he bounces to next, or does he become just "Tim Tebow" and take on a life where he's not automatically associated with sports.

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It's more about what he doesn't say, I think.

He has this carefully nurtured media personality, and he won't say anything on the larger stage that might possibly upset it.

I think he might actually have learned something from his dalliance with the reprehensible FotF. There might be a reason why he's not publicly associating with them anymore, though they're more in the news every day. Perhaps he got burned by the association, a rare step in a meticulous media career.

All he has to do is walk a fine line, saying enough to feed the identity politics but not enough to endanger the "man of impeccable character" thing sportswriters like to throw around. So long as he walks that tightrope, feeding his flock red meat but not too red, he has a long career as a professional Christian ahead of him.

Adding "pro football great" to his CV would only push him over the top.

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