Tim Tebow, the Jets & the City On the Edge of Forever

In “The City On the Edge of Forever,” one of the best episodes from the classic 1960’s science fiction series, “Star Trek,” Capt. Kirk and Mr. Spock travel back in time to find Dr. McCoy. McCoy, who had accidentally injected himself with a powerful drug and was deliriously mad, managed to escape capture by jumping through the “Guardian of Forever,” and landing in pre-WWII San Francisco, where he would meet and eventually save Edith Keeler (played by a young Joan Collins). Because Dr. McCoy prevented Edith Keeler’s premature death, he would alter the earth’s future. In this new future, Keeler’s peace activism leads to a delay in the United States entering World War II, which in turn allows Nazi Germany to win the Second World War.

After Kirk and Spock found Dr. McCoy and righted the future (which meant that Kirk allowed Edith Keeler to die), the three men returned to their own time via the “Guardian of Forever.” Their mission successful, the Guardian tells the Enterprise crew that,

TIME HAS RESUMED ITS SHAPE. ALL IS AS IT WAS BEFORE. MANY SUCH JOURNEYS ARE POSSIBLE. LET ME BE YOUR GATEWAY.

I’ve thought about this quote a lot over the last week. More on that later. Even though I was taking a break from blogging because of another recent hospitalization (feeling much better now) and the busyness of the holidays  — and was not planning on posting again until after the first of the year — I have been compelled to end my sabbatical early. What could possibly be so important that I would get the gumption to write during the holidays? The “War on Christmas?” Nope. The Mayan Calendar? LOL! The Fiscal Cliff? Serious subject, but boring. Benghazi-gate? Worthy of consideration, but ultimately no.

So, why a post now? In a word — actually two words — Tim Tebow! After having apparently sold Tebow a bill of goods (some might say prevaricating), the Jets’ “organization” — Owner Woody Johnson, Coach Rex Ryan, GM Mike Tannenbaum — in conjunction with some bottom-feeders in the New York and national sports’ media — are trying to salvage their own pathetic existence by savaging Tim Tebow’s reputation and character. Beginning with a story from ESPN New York on Monday quoting anonymous sources which said that Tebow told Jets’ Coach Rex Ryan that he did not want to be involved in any “wildcat” packages, the media charlatans, including ESPN “Analyst” and former “football player” Merril Hoge, have been making much of Tebow’s alleged lack of commitment to his teammates.

Hoge, who apparently has some deap-seated hatred of Tim Tebow as a person, went so far as to disparage the former Gator, Bronco, and soon-to-be Jet with a personal attack on Tebow’s character. Now, it should not surprise anyone that Hoge and other Tebow haters in the media would stoop to such low levels. Considering that Tebow’s virtual non-playing time this year ensured that Hoge would not have an excuse to belittle Tebow, I’m sure that he was positively delighted to hear anonymous cowards sources confirm what he (Hoge) thought all along about Tim Tebow. Without asking (much less waiting) for Tebow to respond to these serious charges, Hoge wasted no time in pronouncing judgment upon Tebow’s alleged actions. Said Hoge:

“I think he’s phony as a three dollar bill. At the end of the day, what have I heard? That he would do anything at any time. ‘You ask me to do it, I’ll do it.’ All of a sudden now it’s ‘I want to play quarterback or I’m not going to play Wildcat’? There shouldn’t even be this story coming. He said ‘I’ll do anything for the team.’ That’s all I’ve ever heard about him. I think shows what he’s really about. He is not going to win for the Jacksonville Jaguars. All he will do is set the franchise back further if that is a possible feat. This organization is down as far as you can get. The last person they need is a guy like this now that we’re starting to see his true colors.”

So, Merril Hoge, a supposed ESPN “analyst,” can determine that Tim Tebow’s “true colors” are starting to show through all his phoniness? And this, all based on an ESPN article which quoted anonymous sources, but failed to ask Tim Tebow to respond to the allegations from said sources. I guess this is what passes for “journalism” at ESPN. Of course, the “E” stands for “entertainment.” Perhaps the powers-that-be at ESPN are more interested in being the TMZ of the sports world. How else to explain that Merril Hoge and Rob Parker still have jobs at the network?

As it turns out, the ESPN New York story about Tebow asking out of the “wildcat” packages may not have been true after all. Who would have thunk that an organization like ESPN would be so sloppy with reporting facts or with basic journalistic ethics? Just hide behind anonymous sources and the First Amendment and all is well. At least until the subject of your smear campaign refutes the foundation of your story. And, that’s exactly what Tim Tebow did the day after Christmas. Some might wonder why he waited so long (two days) before responding to the allegations. It might have had something to do with a small holiday named Christmas, but many within the godless class of New York media would be completely oblivious to this fact. When Tim Tebow finally answered the allegations about his refusal to run the “wildcat,” he said:

“I never said, ‘Hey, I don’t want to do anything,’” Tebow said. “That wasn’t the talk at all. He knows that. And everybody on this team knows that I would never not do something if I was asked. That’s what’s disappointing. People saying,‘Oh, you quit, or you didn’t do this.’ That was not it at all. It was just me asking to get an opportunity to play the position I love, which is quarterback. It wasn’t me asking out of anything.”

What to make of this? Either Tim Tebow is lying (which would be out of character, not to mention incredibly stupid given the public nature of the charges) in an effort to repair and/or protect his character and image OR the anonymous sources quoted in the ESPN New York article are lying. Who to believe? That’s ultimately the question that Jeff Capellini (on Twitter at @GreenLanternJet) and others are asking. I know who I believe. Do I have a bias which leads me to believe Tim Tebow over anonymous sources and haters like Merril Hoge? Yes. I have never met Tim Tebow and do not know him personally. I have heard from folks who do know him and who shared that he is who he portrays himself to be — a Christian who tries to live his life in such a way as to honor and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. Does he do it perfectly? No. Does anyone? Not a chance! There’s only One who lived life perfectly and we just celebrated His birthday on Tuesday.

Now, back to the quote from the Guardian of Forever and how it relates to the Tim Tebow/NY Jets’ kerfuffle. While I was initially pleased that Tebow had been acquired by the Jets, I couldn’t help but have a twinge of pain at the prospect of having to cheer for the Jets this season. As a long-time fan of the Miami Dolphins, I could not stand the Jets. Don’t even get me started about my feelings toward Rex Ryan prior to this season. Before Tim Tebow’s trade to New York, if there was one team other than the Oakland Raiders that I despised, it was the New York Jets. I can’t think of another NFL coach who I had less respect for than Rex Ryan. It was with relish that I watched a mumbling, bumbling Ryan mutter on the sidelines after Tebow ran for a touchdown to beat his Jets last year.

Now, with Tim Tebow’s less-than-ideal departure from the Jets, I can almost hear the Guardian of Forever say, “TIME HAS RESUMED ITS SHAPE. ALL IS AS IT WAS BEFORE. MANY SUCH JOURNEYS ARE POSSIBLE.” I can now go back to my pre-Tebow Jets’ days. After this season’s ill-fated journey with the Jets, the Oakland Raiders look like good guys in comparison. At least Al Davis knew that winning was the only stat that really mattered in the end, something that Rex Ryan apparently never could comprehend when it came to Tebow.

When Tim Tebow’s journey with the Jets’ officially ends, he probably will not quote the infamous words of Capt. Kirk to close out the final episode of Star Trek’s first season– “Let’s get the h*ll out of here” (by the way, the first swear word on television). Tim Tebow might be tempted to use a more appropriate, Biblically-inspired quote — “let’s shake the dust of this place off our feet and be on our way.”  To Jacksonville? Perhaps Dorothy was right. There is really no place like home!