Tebow Blacklist Isn’t the Beginning, It’s the End

Townhall.com ^ | February 3, 2014 | John Ransom

[Kaslin]

While everyone was paying attention to the demise of the U.S. economy, the U.S. workforce, the checks and balances written into the U.S. Constitution, a terrible tragedy has ensued almost unnoticed.

Yes, while the rest of were working to “save” the country from galloping Big Government, the most perfect game in the history of the universe has brought itself to the brink of extinction.

The downfall of the National Football League is imminent

There are many signs and symptoms of the NFL’s impending doom there for the thinking person to see.

The NFL used to have the problem that there was more demand than there was supply of NFL games. But after a half-a-dozen years of expanding distribution, including game replays, games without commercials, games over the Internet and NFL on demand, there’s too much product out there.

And then there’s the almost forgotten fact that the average fan won’t spend the $500 it costs to go to a game.

But that’s not the worst of it.

Their leadership is clueless, too.

Take NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for example.

Here’s a man who wouldn’t be a bad commissioner if he didn’t want to be a commissioner so badly. But he does want to be commissioner so badly that he thinks that HE’s the game.

Goodell is the NFL’s answer to Barack Obama, a guy who thinks that just showing up and being a rock star is his job description.

Roger Goodell is certainly the worst commissioner the NFL has had in my lifetime. He might be the worst commissioner in all ofsports in my lifetime.

Under his lack of leadership, the play on the field is incompressible, with rules so complex and indefinable that the referees are having a tough time calling a clean game.

Rule changes, like those affecting the part of football that has to do with the foot—kickoffs and extra points—have been deemed practically superfluous, without a lot debate, thanks to Goodell.

You gotta get the product right on the field first and foremost, guys.

That’s what the game is about.

But these aren’t the worst things about the trend of the game.

The NFL has allowed politics to be interjected into the game repeatedly, running anti-2nd Amendment commercials on the one hand during the Super Bowl, and rejecting a commercial from a gun manufacturer—who by the way sells a perfectly legal product, guaranteed by the constitution.

But the sellout doesn’t stop there.

It gets worse.

As my friend Bill Rogan, sportscaster for KNUS AM710 Denver has noted: “Quarterbacks Kyle Orton, Curtis Painter, Michael Vick, Rex Grossman, Drew Stanton, Ryan Lindley, Colt McCoy, Tavares Jackson, Jordan Palmer, Shaun Hill, Scott Tolzien, Seneca Wallace, Josh Freeman, Christian Ponder, Matt Cassel, Sean Renfree, Dominique Davis, Derek Anderson, Jimmy Clausen, Luke McCown, Dan Orlovsky, Thad Lewis, Matt Moore, Pat Devlin, David Garrard, Matt Simms, Geno Smith, Mark Sanchez (injured reserve), Tyler Bray, Chase Daniel, Matt McGloin, Terrelle Pryor, Brad Sorensen, Charlie Whitehurst, Tyrod Taylor, Josh Johnson, Zac Robinson, Jason Campbell, Brian Hoyer, Alex Tanney, Brandon Weedon, Bruce Gradkowski, T.J. Yates, Matt Hasselbeck, Ricky Stanzi, Blaine Gabbert, Chad Henne and Rusty Smith were all on NFL rosters this past season. But Tim Tebow wasn't.”

TIM TEBOW HIGHLIGHTS

“Well they say Tebow isn't an NFL quarterback. He can't throw. He can't read defenses. He can't play,” Rogan continued. “I'm glad I watched the video to confirm that this guy can't play. He can't complete a pass. He doesn't do anything to help his team win. What a loser. No wonder he wasn't on an NFL roster. All those guys listed above have proven themselves to be NFL greats with highlight reels hours long. Yep, watch the video. This guy can't play.”

He can play. But really he CAN’T play… because he’s Christian.

"And just as I feel compelled to call out the league when it comes to injustices like the dearth of minorities in offensive play-calling roles,” wrote Yahoo NFL writer Michael Silver last year, “the apparent blacklisting of a quarterback who went 7-4 as a starter in 2011 and won a memorable playoff game over the Pittsburgh Steelers doesn't seem kosher to me.”

That’s because it’s not kosher.

Imagine the NFL blacklisting someone who is outspoken about global warming, or anti-poverty programs or women’s and minority issues.

They wouldn’t dream of doing it.

You can rape and abuse a woman, be an accessory to murder, get nailed for doping and as long your play on the field is acceptable, the NFL has a place for you.

But being a Christian?

That’s where they draw the line.

Of course they’re in trouble.

When the game that helped America kill the color barrier has no more room at the stadium for Touchdown Jesus, the end is near.

(P.s. While I was editing this column a commercial for Scientology appeared during the Super Bowl. It’s a good thing the NFL has standards. I rest my case.)

[varmintman]

Tebow had a few things to learn or figure out but he would have done it. The things Tebow brought to the game are unteachable: He's tall enough to see over and throw over linemen, heavily built and strong enough to be very difficult to tackle and very difficult to hurt, highly survivable with a fullback's running style when he runs with the ball, and a natural team leader and inspirational player. All of that is like raw punching power in a fighter, i.e. things which cannot be taught and which a guy like Peyton Manning cannot hope to learn.

He walked into a 1 - 4 situation and totally turned that team around and took it to playoffs, actually winning one playoff game.

John Elway may have had a brain transplant from a chicken or something to make him want to get rid of this guy and pay any sort of a price for Peyton Manning.

[gallandro1]

Bingo! Why spend over $15 million a season on a position player who STILL did not win you a Super Bowl ring? It was a waste of money. What Denver needed was a secondary and an offensive line. Keep Tebow another season and draft for the future or bring in a mid priced free agent if you aren’t sold. It was a stupid managerial decision.

When the Cards were sniffing around Manning I was praying management would buy a clue and pass on this choke artist. Thankfully we couldn’t afford what he was asking for. Sure it got Ken Wisenhunt fired, but ultimately we got a better coach when we brought in Bruce Arians.

Manning is simply a choke artist in big games. Puts up gaudy stats, but can’t close the deal when it counts.

[G Larry]

oh...you mean like Peyton last year?
Lost first game of playoffs!!!
They didn’t fire him!!!

[Pearls Before Swine]

I watched Tebow carefully during the Patriots’ preseason games. I was rooting for him. But, he was awful as a regular style quarterback.

To use Tebow, you have to build an option style defense around him—but then, who else do you use? Belichek (Pat’s coach) needs a decent backup quarterback for Brady who can operate in the SAME system. It’s one thing to put in a couple of special plays for a guy, another to completely revamp the system.

Tebow had incredibly slow reads and releases during the preseason while trying to operate within the Patriot system. Sure, he was OK when he ran. And, he won’t play in any other position—he wants to be a quarterback.

Sorry, while I agree there’s a lot of prejudice against Tim, that’s not why the Pats cut him.

[lentulusgracchus]

To not be picked up due to lack of talent, he would have to have been worse than all 32 quarterbacks and the 32+ second string quarterbacks. Are you buying that?

Of course he is .... aren't you, FRiend?

You're both buying and selling, for the sake of argument, that Tim Tebow deserves to be cut irrevocably by every team in the NFL.

So how are you on the subject of ..... Christians?

[lentulusgracchus]

I directed my questions to pepsionice.

Sorry about the less-than-perspicuous triangular post.

[SampleMan]

No I’m not buying it.

[Delta Dawn]

Well, if Tebow had gotten a chance to play quarterback, he might have continued winning.

After leading the Broncos into the playoffs and a first round win against the Stillers, Elway promptly shipped him off to NY to the Toe Sucker on the Hudson. It was the outstanding play of Sanchez(think butt-fumble) that kept Tebow on the sidelines for the entire season.

With word being disseminated throughout the NFL that Tebow was persona non gratis, he gets released by the Jets and no other team is willing to give him a shot.

I think that the invite to the Pats training camp was Kraft’s shrewd way of inoculating the Pats from the future suit filed by Tebow against the NFL. Goodell had better hope that the computer experts working for the NFL were successful in deleting all of the emails around the blacklisting of Tebow. The payout will be huge if evidence ever floats to the surface about the Tebow blacklisting.

[Carry_Okie]

Since you know all this for a fact I suggest you get on the horn right away to Mr. Tebow’s attorney.

[Delta Dawn]

I’ll get right on that.

[VerySadAmerican]

I would call Manning’s performance last night one-dimensional. Denver could have used a quarterback that could run. I told my wife they would have done a lot better with Johnny Manziel. Now that I’m reading this thread, I think they would have done better with Tebow.

[VerySadAmerican]

If Wilson kneels one time he will be out.

[Coronal]

You’re disregarding his lousy performance the following week against New England.

[lentulusgracchus]

Wish I could have made my post a little simpler .... that's what happens sometimes when you try for a subtle nudge. Oh, well.

Well, I'm a slim customer, too ..... I think there's a problem here with "Tebowing".

[SampleMan]

Yea I get it on the reread.

Things don’t always read the way they should.

[Delta Dawn]

Does that mean that Elway is going to trade Manning to the Jets now?

[nascarnation]

Denver is an example of the effect of the salary cap. Obviously Manning’s salary means the supporting cast is going to probably be less capable.
So when he’s not working up to par, it’s ugly.
Baltimore had to flush a lot of talent after the SB to pay Flacco’s big new contract and you can see the difference.

In the current labor agreement with suppressed rookie contracts, getting a qb out of college who is a stud right away can be hugely beneficial to a team until he gets to fa status. Andrew Luck in Indy #1 pick in 2012 is making less than half what Sam Bradford got the year previous at #1.

[freebilly]

It didn’t matter who the QB was for Denver last night. The Seattle defense was going to defeat whatever and whoever stood between them and a SB ring last night.

When you really look at who Denver played in 2014, you’ll understand that they had a record setting offensive showing against some of the worst defensive teams in the league:

Chiefs— 31st ranked defense in league out of 32 teams (2 games)
Colts— 30th ranked defense
Chargers— 29th ranked defense (2 games)
Eagles— 28th
Cowboys— 27th
Patriots— 22nd
Raiders—21st (2 games)

Denver only played 2 games in 2014 against teams that had defenses ranked in the top third in the entire league.

Offense gets press and helps players win MVP awards. Defense wins Superbowls....

[morphing libertarian]

Iirc Denver only has played 3 games in 2014

[freebilly]

Seattle, on the other hand, had the 2nd ranked defense in the NFL in 2013-2014, and they played againt the top ranked defenses in the league:

Saints— 1st ranked defense (2 games)
49’ers— 3rd ranked (2 games)
Panthers— 4th ranked
Cardinals— 5th ranked (2 games)

Seattle defeated a great passer named Brees and a great Saints defense in the playoffs. They then beat an extraordinarily mobile Kaepernick and a great 49’ers defense in the NFC Championship Game. Bottom line: The Seahawks were well prepared for whatever Denver threw at them. They played nearly half their games against teams with Championship caliber defenses....