Posted on 06/04/2021 8:21:31 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Everyone seems to have an opinion on Urban Meyer’s decision to sign Tim Tebow to the roster of the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars. The all-knowing Charles Barkley pontificated that Tebow failed as a quarterback in the NFL and as a Minor League Baseball player—so Sir Charles encourages Tebow to not embarrass himself and just hang it up. A cadre of ESPN commentators have taken their shots at Tebow and Meyer. Stephen A. Smith on “The First Take” show has called the signing racist and white privilege. Shannon Sharp believes that the roster move is because of the Tebow/Meyer friendship: they both live in Jacksonville, and the Jags want to sell more tickets. Ryan Clark has questioned Tebow’s motives and has asked “who the hell does he think he is?” Mike Golic sarcastically asks if Tebow can block or even catch a football? Every possible talking head has offered its absurdly woke or surprisingly imperceptive criticism of the Jags’ move to bring Tebow on board.
Not one of these talking heads got it right.
The Jacksonville Jaguars is a failing NFL franchise. The team leadership has selected the third most successful coach in NCAA history to set a new vision. Over 17 years, Meyer is 187-32, a .854 winning percentage. The Jags and Meyer are decisively leading the organization forward.
It’s about culture, stupid.
Meyer has been successful in the past due to his ability to create transformative team cultures. Culture is the starting point of a team’s reconstruction. The importance of team culture cannot be overstated. How team members think, feel, behave, and perform are all influenced by the environment in which they practice and compete. Dr. Jim Taylor defines a sports culture in his book Prime Sport: Psychology of Champion Athletes as a culture that “expresses a team’s character, attitudes and goals about competition, community, and relationships.” Culture dictates everything from how a team practices and functions to its overall performance. Taylor goes on to say that “culture creates the atmosphere that permeates every aspect of a team’s experience.” Vision drives a culture, and it acts as the rudder directing all team decisions. It also provides a standard by which all goals and objectives are defined and constantly evaluated. A positive team culture eliminates negativity and conflict, and most importantly, it brings out the best in team members. It also wins ball games.
While at the University of Florida, Meyer and Tebow consistently met to talk about how to develop a thriving team culture and how to cultivate cohesive team dynamics. Tim Tebow is an experienced team culture builder. Throughout his life he has evidenced this calling, and Meyer is perceptively capitalizing on it.
It has been proven that shared vision and leadership that bubbles up from within the player ranks delivers organizational success. Tebow is an inspirational influencer. He has been utilized in the past to transform lives, organizations, and teams. He views himself and those around him as individuals who are worthy of dignity and respect. He will play and lead with love, grace, transparency, authenticity, and grit. He passionately brings out the best in those around him, and he has proven the ability to create an environment where change and growth flourish. Tebow has taken ownership of the Meyer vision, and he will be an infectious communicator of that approach to football. He will be an engaging relationship builder in the locker room and on the field. Tebow will catch a few passes, but his most significant impact on the Jags organization will be by being a servant-leader of a cultural re-set.
As a cultural architect, Urban Meyer knows exactly what he needs to succeed. Tim Tebow will make the Jags 53-man regular season roster, and the Jags will emerge as a rising NFL franchise. This will not transpire because of Tebow’s ability to run tight routes and catch bullet passes, but because of his unmatched ability to contribute to a transformed team culture. Mark my words, it’s all about culture.
Hiring Tebow is a way to tell all the old NFL fans who've been outcast by the hate-the-whitey PR stunts of the NFL that the Jags are one place where white fans aren't hated.
The animus towards him getting a shot at a position is mostly about his deep Christian faith in my opinion. It always has been. It’s telling that the closet Marxists social justice warriors in sports media have created a controversy about Tebow getting a shot at a position that is one of the few not dominated by African-American players.
The guy is a winner in more ways than one. I am no fan of Urban Meyer, but Meyer knows this. The front office knows there are lots of conservative God-fearing fans who will buy his jersey. His teammates don’t care. The fans don’t care. A lot of Florida fans in Jacksonville to boot.
Why the controversy?
It’s all about his faith for the detractors on ESPN. They will never admit it, but it’s the truth.
Patiently waiting for politics to call.
I totally admit to my cynicism, so I believe that this is a ploy by the NFL to get “Christian” fannies back in the stands by throwing them a bone with Tebow. As soon as they either get them back (with their green dollars) or it doesn’t work, Tim will be back to whatever he was doing before the NFL called.
RE: As soon as they either get them back (with their green dollars) or it doesn’t work, Tim will be back to whatever he was doing before the NFL called.
But will it work? What happens then after the virtuous Tebow is discarded after his “usefulness” has been accomplished? If the NFL goes back to their “pagan” ways, do they think this will work to their advantage?
This is short term thinking, like many other American businesses.
I think the animus towards Tebow goes far beyond politics. There are many people embedded in media who instinctively and irrationally express contempt and hatred towards Christianity. Frankly, many of them come across as if they are demon possessed.
On the other hand, politics or political dogma has become the religion of the left so perhaps they view destroying those who have faith in God as a political mission. Christianity is not compatible with Marxism.
Charles Barkley is not about being anti Christian or anti white.
He is anti-suck. And while Tim Tebow has accomplished more in his athletic career than I ever will…he hasn’t exactly set the world on fire. He should have made the move to TE years ago.
The only kneeling allowed in sports is to spit on the flag.
Talk about an example of Romans 8:28. If Tebow had signed with Bama, which at the time might have delighted us Bama fans, it might have prolonged the Shula years. LOL
Sir Charles knows a thing or two about talent. However, for those of us who watched Tebow in his early years the kid was a winner and had about every intangible you could possess on a football field. Many of us always thought he should play TE, but he wanted to be a QB.
I will not bet against Tebow. I will also respect that Sir Charles is an honest man with an opinion like everyone else.
Shoot, I'm a Seahawk fan and I'LL buy his jersey.
I understand the skepticism. But, the last several years, this has been a league where offensive coordinators have leaned HEAVILY into the tight end position. Guys like Kelso and Gronk don’t grow on trees and neither one of them can throw or run from scrimmage.
I think Tebow made an ENORMOUS mistake earlier in his career when he had the opportunity to transition to another position as so many great college QBs have to do to make it in the pros. But, if there’s any person who understands Tebow’s skillset as a runner, both at the line of scrimmage and in open space, it’s Urban Meyer.
Think about all the plays Meyer can run off the athleticism that’s on a field with Lawrence and Tebow. It’s 3rd and five and Tebow lines up at shotgun and Lawrence, who can run like any possession receiver in the league, lines up in the slot or wideout, do you drop back in coverage or crowd the line looking for a QB draw?
This is nightmare that awaits defensive coordinators with Tebow on the field.
This essay has it exactly right, on all points. I hope the strategy pays off royally.
I kept waiting for Tennessee to sign Shula. Why not? We mucked up every other pick so far since Fulmer when the guy who made Fulmer great was available - Cutcliffe.
I remember when Dick Vermeil left UCLA to become the HC of the Philadelphia Eagles. He brought with him his nephew, Louie Giamona (an undersized running back) and John Sciarra (his former QB at UCLA and decidedly not a Pro QB). The Eagles had been a disaster, but Vermeil was able to turn the culture of the team around, in-part because these guys were good in the lockeroom and could play special teams.
So, If Urban Meyer wants to bring in his former QB as a reserve TE, I’m just fine with that. We’re not curing cancer here.
“While at the University of Florida, Meyer and Tebow consistently met to talk about how to develop a thriving team culture and how to cultivate cohesive team dynamics.”
And how to keep Aaron Hernandez from bad press.
Whether Tebow is in or out of the NFL won’t make me watch. If he makes it to the Super Bowl I might watch some highlights after the fact if only to chuckle but that is about it.
To sell tickets-I don’t think so. One out of 53. There’s room for him.
The Saints hired Ditka to sell tickets. Made no sense. Put all his marbles into Rick Williams.
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