Merril Hoge hates anything Tim Tebow. The ESPN analyst doesn't like his
throwing motion, ability to read defenses or run a pro-style offense. In a word,
Hoge feels that Tebow stinks. That's fine, a lot of people who aren't paid to
analyze and dissect football would probably think the same thing. To each his
own.
However, Hoge has now made it personal by stating on ESPN last week that
Tebow is "as phony as a three-dollar bill." This wasn't about football, but rather
Tebow's character, which few people have ever questioned.
Hoge doesn't know Tebow and hasn't been around him for more than probably
15 minutes, tops. Is he really that educated on the life of Tebow to make that
absurd statement? Hoge should look at himself before slinging mud at the former
Mile High Messiah.
Hoge has his very own web site where he shows off his pictures, highlights
of his playing career, and pimps his own book, "Find A Way." He has pictures
of cancer patients on his site battling to beat a horrific disease, the same one
that Hoge managed to overcome almost 10 years ago. Should we say that
Hoge is exploiting those kids for his benefit? Should we call Hoge a phony and
a self-promoter? A lot of people who don't really know Hoge probably would.
Perhaps, Hoge has been infected with the hate disease courtesy of Stephen A.
Smith and Skip Bayless. They all work together in Bristol, so there's a good
chance Hoge was afflicted with the malady by hanging around those two clowns.
Bayless insinuates that Derek Jeter might be using PED's, Screamin' A. hates
everybody and anything not named LeBron or Terrell Owens, and now Hoge
has his whipping boy in Tebow.
Let's face it, Tebow has been an easy target as a card-carrying member of the
God squad. He is a Christian through and through and has never wavered in his faith.
He thanks his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for nearly everything and his
elbow-on-knee pose called "Tebowing", gave more ammunition for his detractors.
However, for Hoge to question the character of Tebow is going way out of bounds.
In the three-ring circus that is the New York Jets, nobody knows for sure if Tebow
asked out of of that brilliant Wildcat package that offensive coordinator Tony
Sparano put together. So what if he did? The Jets seemed to acquired Tebow to
sell more jerseys, tickets, and corral some of the attention that was going to the
Giants.
When the Jets passed over Tebow to give the immortal Greg McElroy the starting
job, Tebow had the right to be miffed. He kept his mouth shut, worked hard, and
waited for his opportunity, and then was passed over for a guy who was a seventh-
round draft pick and wasn't even active for most of the games. He felt used and
abused, and rightfully so.You'd be upset too if somebody with less talent, dedication,
and commitment got a promotion over you at work
Hoge can criticize Tebow's skills all he wants, and as a former NFL player, he
has the credentials to do it. But he can't take away what Tebow has accomplished
and the person that he is. Heisman Trophy winner, two-time national champion at
Florida and a first-round draft pick as a quarterback.
Off the field, Tebow has been giving his time to those who are less fortunate since
his high school days in Florida. He doesn't call the media for photo ops and doesn't
say, "Hey, look at me, aren't I great?" He's been a class guy all the way and has shown
remarkable poise and polish in the face of criticism and adversity. When "anonymous"
teammates ripped him in the New York papers, Tebow just turned the other cheek
and didn't make a big deal of it.
And Tebow did go 7-4 in Denver and won a playoff game last year for the Broncos.
The experts always tell us that quarterbacks are measured by wins and little else,
yet, when Tebow wins, they say, well, he didn't even complete 50 percent of his
passes. Make up your mind.
Tebow should have at least been given the opportunity with the Jets when Sanchez
played like the worst quarterback ever born. He didn't get it and made his thoughts
known to Rex Ryan. So what, good for him.
If he turned the other cheek and told the Jets to kiss his ass, good for him. He should
tell Hoge to do the same thing.
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