Another Tim Tebow Story

Aside from being the best hit-generating name for any blogger's website, Tim Tebow is also the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. And as Tebow just put up a horrendous line in the Broncos' Week 7 loss to the Lions, we're likely to hear even more debates as to whether he can succeed in the NFL. But instead of starting that debate, let's revisit the entire reason Tebow doubters don't believe he can be successful.

Flawed mechanics, in addition to his inability to read coverages well, have always been one of the biggest arguments for those who believe Tebow can't succeed as a quarterback in the NFL. Though mechanics are clearly not something that can be fixed overnight, not being able to generate much of a threat in the passing game even with his adjustments since college have to be a concern for Broncos coaches and fans alike.

I decided to dive deep into the alternate universe run by Tim Tebow himself, and I was able to uncover a couple interesting quotes. First, I took a look at his high school recruiting profile from Scout.com. In it, Tebow offered the following quote:

I'm a real open-minded person and I'd say one of my greatest strengths is listening to people and learning from them, so that I can get better. I want to work on making my reads quicker and faster, and I want to get the ball into the right hands to make plays. I just want to do everything faster.

It's clear that Tebow understood the flaws in his game, despite clearly not having to deal with too much adversity from being far and away the best player every time he stepped on to a high school field. Fast forward to pre-Draft in 2010, and this quote from Tebow in the USA Today should look vaguely familiar:

"I'm definitely open to improving my fundamentals," he said. "I think I showed that by working and improving every day."

 You can draw two conclusions from the previous two quotes. Either the real Tim Tebow was kidnapped by aliens before the start of his college career and returned to Earth in time for the NFL Draft, without improving on his mechanics while in space OR nothing changed during his time as a Florida Gator.

In a sense, Tim Tebow enjoyed eight years of high school that enabled him to maintain the same mechanics that didn't alter his status as the best player on the football field at any given time. He was always bigger, faster, stronger, religious-er, and often times smarter, than both his high school and collegiate counterparts.

One of his biggest proponents, his former coach Urban Meyer, recently argued that Tebow (and his other former QB Alex Smith) shouldn't be ridiculed for their performance based on the fact that the team around them isn't good to begin with. Though Meyer is certainly right that quarterbacks often times look worse than they actually are on bad teams, it seems to be a bit hypocritical.

The Gators went 48-7 during Tebow's four years on campus, including four bowl wins and two national championships. It's hard to say whether or not changing Tebow's mechanics would have cost the Gators any wins, but the team around him certainly wasn't "bad" by Meyer's standards. If Urban Meyer was truly set on helping Tebow to become the best quarterback he could be, these changes that Tebow was clearly willing to make should very well have been implemented the moment he stepped on campus.

I obviously understand the argument that as a college coach, your only goal is to win, and Meyer certainly did that. Sometimes you would rather exploit opponents through your best players' strengths instead of working to alter them long-term that could jeopardize your wins in the short-term.

In his role as the full-time starter (2007-09), Florida's average margin of victory was 29 points. In the team's six losses, they lost by an average of just 7.5 points. With how good the Gators surrounding Tebow were, with elite athletes at nearly every position on the field, I find it hard to believe that making an honest effort to turn Timmy into a more proficient and NFL-ready passer would have actually harmed Florida's chances of success.

So as we begin another week of nonstop Tim Tebow debates, let's not forget that one of his biggest supporters should probably share a bit more of the scrutiny than he is at the moment.

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Reputation

Reputations are a big part of life. A good reputation can get you into positions to succeed, while bad reputations can prevent you from those same opportunities.

Reputations are also a big part of sports, both professionally and collegiately. In the same way that Dirk Nowitzki is lauded for being a championship-caliber player, Rasheed Wallace is labeled as a bad apple. Both play/played with similar skill sets, yet fans were probably more likely to take pleasure in seeing 'Sheed lose than Dirk win.

This is not some stunning revelation or a new phenomenon. It's often times human nature to feel these types of emotions. But this became particularly bothersome to me while watching my Arizona State Sun Devils lose to the Oregon Ducks on Saturday night. And much of the scrutiny both during the broadcast and after fell on the man, the myth, and the legend that is "#7 on the defense," Vontaze Burfict.

It's no secret that Burfict is one of the most feared/talented/hated players in all of college football. He is every bit the talent of the linebackers you see playing each Sunday, but often the maturity of a kid still in high school. He's been called a "dirty player" by Matt Barkley and has seen opposing coaches draw up gameplans seemingly designed to bring out his temper and the penalty flags that usually follow.

But after Burfict was called for a late hit on an Oregon receiver who during the play had run as if the ball were still live despite stepping out of bounds (in addition to the whistle being blown late), it became painfully clear that referees have thrown the concept of fair officiating out the window because of the reputation of big, bad #7.

The Sun Devils came into the game averaging the third-most penalties in all of the FBS. During Burfict's freshman season in 2009, they averaged 85.6 penalty yards per game, the most in the nation. It's no secret that Dennis Erickson-coached teams have been known to rack up the penalty yards, but all of this season's  mistakes seem to be squarely centered on Burfict's shoulders.

There may have been six other penalties on the night against the Ducks, but none will receive nearly the same coverage as those incurred by 'Tez.

And as I sat there reflecting on the game, I wondered to myself: At what point does it stop, if ever? At what point do you tell a player of Burfict's caliber to stop playing the game that got him to this level of football, and instead to play in constant fear of the men in the zebra shirts? The fact is, you can't take away any player's instinct. It's either good or bad, but it doesn't make it right for referees to zero in on one player, looking for even his tiniest slip-up or flaw that will help to reinforce his reputation.

Sure, you can call my views biased, but in no way am I saying that Vontaze Burfict is perfect. There have been many times that I doubted his ability to stay on the field consistently because at times it didn't appear that his pure ability would match up with his production. And I'm certainly not saying that every penalty Vontaze Burfict has ever committed has not been justified. What I'm saying is that I don't see how it's acceptable or good for the game to hold one individual to such a painfully-obvious double standard compared with those of the teammates and competitors around him.

People can say and think what they want about Vontaze Burfict, but there's no denying what he can do once he steps on the gridiron. Opposing fans can call him a dirty player, but as soon as he puts on a jersey with their colors, he transforms into a hard-nosed tackling machine that occasionally lets his temper show. In a way, Burfict is as much a polarizing figure as Steelers' LB James Harrison. Fans of 31 opposing NFL squads may hate his guts, but they'd be damned fools and liars if they said they wouldn't enjoy seeing him line up every Sunday for their team.

The debate on Burfict will undoubtedly continue for the rest of the college season and the Sun Devils' success will play a huge role in it. But I think it's time we start letting him decide which path his talent takes him and not having officials decide it for him.

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FFB: Week 5 Diamond in the Rough

Delone Carter will be a huge part of the Colts' offense this week

Last week kind of was a little bit of a bust for me, as Michael Jenkins ended up with one catch for one yard and a touchdown. Obviously I had higher expectations for Jenkins, but a touchdown is not too bad. Now on to this week. I'm really reaching deep for this one, but I think it'll be Delone Carter of the Indianapolis Colts. This rookie out of Syracuse has had a little bit of chatter so far and I'll tell you why I chose him this week.

Over the course of the year Delone Carter has only had 29 carries and Joseph Addai has 50. That is not a lot compared to other teams, as certain players get around 25 carries per game, but I think the Colts will have an opportunity to run the ball this week against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chiefs are allowing 130 yards per game on the ground. They have been lacking on the defensive side of the ball, whether it's simply underachieving or because of injury. Now I know the Colts will capitalize on its weak side and run the ball more this game. That is where Carter comes in. There has been talk about this kid becoming a fantasy football sleeper and that he would break out this season, and I do not see a better opportunity then right now.

With Curtis Painter, the 2009 6th round pick, taking the reigns for now, I think they will need to rely much more on the run. They showed us a better Colts offense on Monday Night Football against a playoff caliber team in Tampa Bay. Against the Chiefs, they should get out to an early lead whether it be from running or passing, but I know they will want to run on that defense all day.

Prediction:
16 Carries, 75 yards, 2 TDs

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NFL: Contenders or Pretenders?

Can Megatron and Detroit continue their dominant start?

After the first quarter of the season, I wanted to take a look at teams that seem to be overachieving their expectations. Sometimes it can just be a fluke. It's still early in the season and some schedules are weaker then others at this point. Today I take a look at five teams that could either be a contender or pretender.


Detroit Lions: Contenders

I love how this team is built and it continues to improve every year, mainly from additions on offense from the NFL draft with Calvin Johnson (2007), Matthew Stafford (2009), Brandon Pettigrew (2009) and Jahvid Best (2010). After the skill position players were in place, they slowly made their transition into defense once Jim Schwartz took over in 2009, as they drafted two defensive monsters in Ndamukong Suh (2010) and Nick Fairley (2011), both drafted in the first round. These parts of the team are now essential to the Lions' success.

We all knew that Matthew Stafford could throw, but we really haven't seen it yet until this year. He is finally staying healthy, and letting it fly, mostly to Calvin Johnson, who through 4 games has 8 touchdowns. There is so much to like about this team, their run game was in question before the year. Now with Jahvid Best, their have been a lack of running, but when you need the rush game he is a great weapon to have in the backfield.

Now all the hype of this team was on the offensive side of the ball, but let's move onto the defense. Of course it starts with Suh. He is a dominating force in his second year in the league. Quarterbacks and defensive coordinators already fear him. It is great to get pressure to the quarterback, and that is exactly what they're doing. The only thing is their rush defense is lacking a little, so we'll see how they transition during the season to improve in that area.

This team is a playoff team. I pegged these guys to make the playoffs this year and as of now I'm still confident in my pick. The only thing that really concerns me is in the past two games they have been behind both by 20 plus points at one point in time. Granted they did comeback and won, but you can't be doing that every week. They need to get ahead early and stay ahead, because against high powered teams you will not be able to comeback from a 20 point deficit.

Washington Redskins: Pretenders

This team has definitely exceeded expectations. They lead the NFC East at this point, with a head to head win against the New York Giants, but I'm not yet sold on this team. Any time you have Rex Grossman leading your team on offense anything is up in the air. I just do not have faith in the offensive weapons they have, such as Tim Hightower and Santana Moss being the prime guys.

One thing that really has me against them is the fact that their in the NFC East. You have to play the Giants, Cowboys and the Eagles twice a year and yes they did defeat the Giants, but if you look at the Giants team at that point, they were riddled with injuries. So not a win to really brag about. The other opponents that they have defeated are all NFC West teams, the division known to be one of the weakest in the NFL.

As of right now they are top ten in both rushing and passing defense. I find that very impressive, but as I have mentioned, they have played a banged up Giants, a couple of NFC West teams, and a frail Tony Romo. The point I am trying to get across is I need to see more from this team.

Tennessee Titans: Pretenders


Matt Hasselbeck has never started this hot, not even the prime years in Seattle. He is exceeding all of his career averages. He has passed for 1152 yards, 8 touchdowns and a quarterback rating of 104.7 in the first quarter of the season. It also amazes me that the Titans have the record they do even with Chris Johnson struggling.

Yet, it's so difficult to jump the gun on teams like these and call them a contender. Especially in a division with the Houston Texans. They have a really good test in the next two weeks, with opponents of the Pittsburgh Steelers and their divisional foe the Houston Texans. You cannot forget that they lost their rising star in Kenny Britt to a season ending injury last week too.

These opponents will finally give their top ten defense a run for it's money. In my opinion the statistics do not tell the whole truth, sometimes they can be deceiving. They have a few playmakers on defense, but not enough to be a true top ten team throughout the season.

Buffalo Bills: Contenders

I really like how this team is built right now. They have an incredible balance on offense in Buffalo. Ryan Fitzpatrick has become a true team leader over the past couple of years and has emerged into a early MVP candidate. In the backfield you have a very unhappy Fred Jackson, that is essentially playing for a new contract (see contract disputes), who right now is having career highs in all categories. And if I were to mention the Bills without talking about Stevie Johnson, it would not be complete. This wide receiver is showing so far that he no one-hit wonder or a Cinderella story either. There is no doubt this is a playoff type of offense. They are sitting at top five in rushing and a little out of the top 10 for passing. And if you did not know, they gave the New England Patriots their only lost.

On the defensive side is where they really need to improve. I chose this team to be a contender strictly on offense as of right now. They are towards the bottom of every list when it comes to the defensive side of the game. They have some tools such as Terrance McGee, Shawn Merriman, and Nick Barnett. So they aren't slacking on great defensive players, but one thing I do see is they need to start getting younger on defense if they want to keep contending every year.

This week the Buffalo Bills will play the Philadelphia Eagles. I really like the timing of this match up. It will really show if the Bills are for real. The Eagles are coming off three straight loses and Michael Vick is not a happy camper. If they can stop Vick and work the their offense, then this team will be around all year.

San Francisco 49ers: Contenders 

To simply put it, they are in he NFC West, so they'll always be contending for a title. I just think this team is the best in the West. They've had solid play in their rush defense and Frank Gore is finally starting to be the running back we all feared of. This is the way people believed that 49ers could play like and win this division just a year ago.

I love the way the players have played for their new coach Jim Harbaugh. It's been a nice transition into his system and it's starting to show. I think the next couple of games will really show if San Francisco is the real deal, they've got Tampa Bay and then the Detroit Lions.

If the play of Alex Smith improves so will the rest of the offense. Frank Gore needs a little bit of help from his number one pick quarterback. He has the offensive tools around him, now to get rid of the "bust" stage he'll need to step up and keep the 49ers as contenders.

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AFL Prospects to Watch

The Pirates made former UCLA star Gerrit Cole the first overall pick in the
June draft.

In anticipation of the Arizona Fall League beginning play tomorrow, I've put together a list of five of the most intriguing players to watch. The Fall League annually features some of the top prospects in the game, and this year is no different. I'm hoping to catch a few games, seeing as many of the stadiums are within 20 minutes of where I'm living at the moment, and I'll do my best to provide some good analysis from the games that I watch.


Gerrit Cole (Mesa Solar Sox)

As the number one overall selection in the June draft, Pirates righty Gerrit Cole is expected to be one of the main attractions of the Arizona Fall League. He'll be making his professional debut in the Fall League,  as will several of the top 2011 draftees. Cole has electric stuff, featuring a fastball that often touches the triple digits and a good slider and developing change-up. It's unclear when he'll be making his first appearance, but it'll certainly be one worth watching.

Bryce Harper (Scottsdale Scorpions)

Harper will be part of a super outfield for the Scorpions that also features fellow top prospects Mike Trout (Angels) and Gary Brown (Giants). Harper has had the spotlight on him ever since he was 16 and it hasn't changed after entering the Nationals' system. He spent 2011 split between two levels, A Hagerstown and AA Harrisburg, where he hit a combined .297 with 17 HR and 26 stolen bases. Washington shut him down near the end of the season to recover an injured shoulder, so it will be interesting to see what kind of progress he shows throughout the AFL. He struggled at points during his first professional campaign, so expect there to be at least a few adjustments from Harper as he prepares for his debut in the bigs likely sometime during 2013.

Nick Franklin (Peoria Javelinas)

M's shortstop prospect Nick Franklin had an up-and-down 2011 campaign after jumping near the top of many prospect rankings for his stellar 2010. Amid a scary incident after being struck by a bat during BP in June, Franklin posted a .281/.352/.418 line split between three levels this season. His power took a steep decline, as some had anticipated after a surprising 23-homer season for High Desert in 2010. Regardless of the power decline, the switch-hitting Franklin still ranks among the top prospects in the M's system and if he can hold his own in the field, he should continue to progress quickly. The AFL could be a nice stepping stone for his preparation for the start of the 2012 season.

Tim Beckham (Surprise Saguaros)
Many forget that Beckham was the first overall selection of Tampa Bay in the 2008 draft and has since been lost in the bevy of other talented prospects progressing through the Rays' system. In his first four years with the club, he's posted a largely-unimpressive .265/.331/.382 career line. He displayed better power numbers this season, hitting 12 home runs while split between AA Montgomery and AAA Durham, while also improving his stolen base success rate (17 steals, 5 CS). Beckham's supreme athleticism was a big reason why the club selected him with the first overall pick out of Griffin H.S. in Georgia, and at just 21 years of age, there's still plenty of reason to be optimistic about his future.


Honorable mentions: Danny Hultzen (SEA), Wil Myers (KC), Andrew Cashner (CHC), Adeiny Hechevarria (TOR)

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