By Dustin Davis
Wherever he goes, people follow. Tim Tebow is probably used to that fact by now. The Heisman winning quarterback experienced an almost cult like following while at the University of Florida. Members of Gator Nation would crowd the stands along the sidelines after games, hoping only that their orange and blue version of Superman would swoop by and touch their outstretched hands.
While he made his transition to the next level, fans showed up to practices, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Combine, just to see him live and in person. The same type of fan hood awaited him in Denver after being taken in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Broncos, when his jersey sales topped the charts before he had even taken a professional snap. His multitude of fans would make Justin Bieber envious. But what is it about Tim Tebow that makes him so likable?
It could be his work ethic and never give up attitude. The man is a slave to the weight room, and when normal exercise isn‘t enough, Tebow can be seen swinging a sledge hammer like John Henry, beating on a bulldozer tire. When it comes to learning the playbook and watching game film, his “first guy in, last guy out” mentality is what any head coach wishes all of his players had. Then during a game, whether he is leading the offense on the field or inspiring the team on the sideline, his perseverance and willingness to win becomes so contagious that the rest of the team catches the “Tebow Fever”.
It could also be his positive influence. His strong Christian beliefs and all around first-class charm makes Tim Tebow someone who fathers wish their daughters would bring home for Sunday dinner and who mothers can be proud that their sons can look up to as a role model. In a sport where big name quarterbacks have received negative attention for their off the field actions, you can almost bet that the name Tebow will never appear on the Sports Center ticker for similar antics. Instead of spending countless hours at a local nightclub, Tebow would rather be at a nearby hospital, spending his off time with names you will find on a transplant list instead of a VIP list.
It would be hard to pinpoint what makes Tim Tebow who he is. If you asked the people that follow him so closely, you wouldn‘t get one correct answer, but a nice blend of all of the above.
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