But lately it's been getting ridiculous. For those of you who - like me - drop in on ProFootballTalk.com each day to browse the headlines, you'll have noticed that Tim Tebow seems to crop up on a practically daily basis. I wouldn't mind so much to be honest if it wasn't for the fact that Mike Florio spends most of the time that he devotes to the subject of Tim Tebow - like a lot of people in the media - talking out of his fucking arse.
The common thread at the minute appears to be that Tim can't throw. This has been brought up in God only knows how many articles and TV segments, and frankly it's starting to piss me off. It's as if last season didn't happen, that Tebow never went onto the field and never threw a pass. We're told by many "expert" sources that Tebow doesn't have the correct throwing action to be an NFL quarterback. Or that he isn't accurate enough. Or that he doesn't know how to throw NFL passes full stop.
So here's what I did. I went to YouTube and I typed in "Tim Tebow Denver Broncos". I found the first video I could that had clips of him from last season playing with the Broncos and I present this video to you now.
Now you tell me. Watch the video again and tell me whether you can see any completed passes? I can. Presumably you can to. I dunno though. Apparently he can't throw these kind of passes. He's unable to. Well, at least that's what all the QB experts on the TV and Internet keep telling people.
See I'm confused. I don't know what to think anymore. My eyes, they're telling me that I can see Tim Tebow making passes. Short passes, off play action. Screen passes. I can see intermediate level passes. I can see deep passes. Well, at least I think I can. That's what my brain is telling me that my eyes can see. But apparently not.
See when I go over to ProFootballTalk.com they keep telling me that Tebow sucks. They keep pointing me towards articles by respected people in the football world who tell their audiences that "Tim Tebow can't make NFL throws" etc.
So who do I believe? The experts? Or my own eyes?
Funnily enough, I've become very attached to my eyes over the years. They're not 100% trustworthy, but more often than not they are. And no matter how many times I watch the video above, it appears to show Tim Tebow playing for an NFL team, running an NFL offense, throwing NFL passes, against NFL defenses.
So frankly I'd like to invite Mike Florio, his bitch Rosenwhateverhisnameis and every other person who insists that Tebow can't make NFL passes to just sit back, relax, and drink a nice big cup of shut the fuck up. In fact, I'll even give you something to watch while you have your drink.
Because the other big knock on Tebow has always been his throwing motion. Apparently, so I'm told by experts, having such an elongated throwing motion, where the ball dips low before being brought back up over the shoulder, should not work. In fact, we're confidently told that it will not work. Ever. Never has, never will. Least not in the NFL.
Defenses are too quick, too smart. NFL defenders will see the arm motion and break on the ball with time to spare, providing it isn't ripped from Tebows arm for the 40th time that game before he can throw it.
Well... I'm calling Bullshit on this.
Not least because of the simple fact that everyone who has ever spoken on this subject has constantly affirmed that Tebow should adapt his motion to be more like Dan Marino's, which is considered to be a cleaner, more precise motion, with less wasted downward movement.
And while that sounds great in principle, the simple fact is it's complete bollocks of the highest order. Dan Mario's throwing motion was as cack handed and elongated as Tim Tebows. How do I know this? Because unlike BSPN and the army of sycophants who are all looking for a job on their news desk, I actually bothered to go back and have a look.
Yes that's right; research.
I understand that in the world of modern sensationalist journalism such a word as "research" is often considered up there right alongside "integrity" as words that should be kept quiet, locked up in an underground vault somewhere never to be seen or heard from again. But I happen to find research can be quite useful. It has a tendency to help prevent one from talking out of ones arse, though this is a general rule not a precise one, as I've personally proven in the case of Mark Herzlich and others.
So again I'm going to furnish you with a YouTube video for your perusal. This is of Dan Marino, Quarterback, Miami Dolphins. What in particular I'd like you to notice is that fact that Marino had a penchant for holding the ball down near his back hip, one handed no less, which then required the ball to be brought up from this low position to behind the shoulder, and then forward. Literally the only difference between Marino and Tebow is that Marino took a slightly less curved path and he moved his arm at lightning speed.
The fact remains though, his motion was not the paragon of muscular efficiency and technical artistry that it is often made out to be. He was just bloody quick. Here's the proof;
And you know what? I'm in the mood for showing off. Taking the piss as it were. So I'm going to throw in another video just for good measure. This time we're going to look at Joe Montana, one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. Of course my opinion on Montana has nothing to do with being a 49ers fan...
Anyway. The purpose of this next video is to demonstrate that even a slightly elongated motion can produce results. It may not be the picture perfect throwing motion desired by modern analysts, but it just plain worked. Adhering to Bill Walsh's often repeated mantras of 1) making sure the tip of the ball doesn't dip below the waist and that 2) the ball is released above the shoulder, Joe Montana went on to have a mildly successful career.
Well, who doesn't have four Super Bowl rings these days?
I should also point out that Montana, like Marino, and so far like Tebow, managed to avoid the issue of the constant strips which we were assured by experts, and continue to be assured by them, would be the every other play consequence of a dipping throwing motion.
I'm particularly keen on this video because Montana's motion is a bit more akin to Tebow's than Marino's was. The path of travel of the football is a much closer match, as was the speed at which Montana used to throw. Here it is, with some great slow mo action to help you make a comparison.
Now adding all this up, does this mean Tebow will be the next Montana or Marino? Well frankly it's a little early to tell. All I'm trying to do here is to disprove the current hypothesis expounded by seemingly everyone that can get themselves close enough to a keyboard or a microphone; that Tim Tebow can't throw NFL passes and that his throwing motion is inadequate for the NFL.
There is obviously more to quarterbacking than throwing passes. Tebow will have to master the mental aspects as well, from learning plays, protections and reads, to developing the requisite skills of leadership and the command of the huddle, to name but a few.
I personally believe that in time, and if given a proper shot, he will. I'd love it even more if that team were the San Francisco 49ers whom I follow so dearly and regularly shout at so profanely. Most of all though I just want Tebow to get his chance. He seems like a great kid who has come under a lot of unnecessary scrutiny since leaving college, and I simply can't wait to see the day when he makes a rather large amount of people choke on their fucking words.
Go on Tim. I'm a Tebowliever!! As are many others. You can do this.
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