I’ll freely admit it; I bleed orange.
I’ve loved the Denver Broncos with all my heart since my dad took me to Mile High Stadium when I was only seven to see them play the evil Oakland Raiders. (The Broncos were trounced, but I’ve been a fan ever since.)
I say that at the risk of you dismissing this post as one coming from a ‘homer’ who’s just lovin’ on his team’s QB. You need to know that I have been an outspoken critic of Tim Tebow’s quarterbacking skills since he was brought off the bench to rescue my team’s dismal 1-4 season. All the while he’s been winning close games with miraculous finishes, I’ve been praying that Denver can swing a deal for a much better passer to lead them into the future. Even after a terrific performance in the playoffs against the legendary Pittsburgh Steelers, I still remain unconvinced that Tebow’s ‘the guy’.
That does not make me a Tim Tebow hater. In fact, I absolutely love the guy as a leader and a competitor. Tebow’s a player you want on your team, but it is not because of his size, his skills, or his football acumen. The reason every team, every company, and every organization needs Tim Tebow is because of his incredible, inarguable, indisputable work ethic.
Tim Tebow is the modern day poster child of Work Ethic. I should know. I wrote the book on work ethic–the first in 100 years.
That new book, Reviving Work Ethic, defines work ethic as “knowing what to do and doing it, marked by seven core values: Positive Attitude, Reliability, Professionalism, Initiative, Respect, Integrity, and Gratitude.”
Using that standard and being as harsh of an evaluator as I can be, let’s see how Tim Tebow grades out:
1. Positive Attitude
Ever seen the guy frown? …drop an F-bomb? …throw a helmet at the ref? …get in a scuttle with another player? …give a snarky reply when criticized by a reporter, or do anything other than be the model of sportsmanship and enthusiasm? I bet my house you haven’t, and trust me, he’s had many reasons to gripe and many opportunities to lash out. Grade A+
2. Reliability
He’s the first one on the field and the last one off the field, regardless if we’re talking about a practice or a championship game. Ask anyone he plays with, for, or against; Tebow’s as reliable as they come. Grade A+
3. Professionalism
Tim Tebow is the consummate professional. He’s always neatly groomed and arrives totally prepared, and he wears his team’s uniform with pride. He shares any credit he is given with his coaches, teammates, and fans, and he never criticizes anyone when he’s under fire. Grade A
4. Initiative
When it comes to going above and beyond what’s required, Tebow’s your guy. He’ll never go easy on one play to rest from the previous or to reserve strength for the next. He only has one speed, and it’s ‘all out’. Tim’s all about improving himself and every aspect of his game from week to week and he’s never content to live on a past success. You may not always like the results, but you’ll never find reason to criticize his effort. Grade A+
5. Respect
Tebow has been widely criticized for being too public about his passion for Jesus, and that makes him a target for reporters who want to see him do something stupid. But Tebow lives his faith 24/7, and although he is far from perfect, he holds himself up to a very strict code of conduct on and off the field. He plays by the rules, stays within the lines, and he is considered one of the most coachable players in the game. Grade A
6. Integrity
The dude couldn’t lie if his life depended on it. Nuff said. Grade A+
7. Gratitude
Beyond his buoyant personality and friendly demeanor, Tebow is very active in the community and willingly gives his time to serve others. In spite of all the celebrity status that has been heaped on him, he remains humble and approachable. He understands that his salary is paid by the fans, and he can be seen after practice signing autographs long after lesser known players have headed to the locker room. Grade A+
Tim Tebow’s Work Ethic GPA = 4.0
Yes folks, I’m a card-carrying flag-waving fan of Tim Tebow’s work ethic. He’s currently starring center stage in the NFL and gives us reason to talk about work ethic. But as I honor him, so too, do I take my hat off to the many Tebowesque employees that you’ll never hear about; those who possess the same core values and same commitment to continual self-improvement that we’re seeing on display in a #15 jersey.
The “Tebows” may not always be the most skilled people in their respective organizations, but they are, without question, the most valuable.
Related articles
- Do You Believe in Denver Broncos Quarterback Tim Tebow Now? (bleacherreport.com)
- NFL Scoreboard: Tebow 1, Haters 0 (blogs.wsj.com)
- My Problem With Tim Tebow. ~ Jeff Fulmer (elephantjournal.com)
- Tebowing… (mygoodthingtoday.wordpress.com)
Eric, I couldn’t agree with you more. When your leaders are role models for work ethic, you know it’s just a matter of time before you get results. I’m not sure I always want Tebow on the field, but I know I want him in the organization. He challenges everyone around him to up their game! Great stuff!
Win or lose, I’m a fan of Tim Tebow for many of the same reasons you’ve outlined. When he has been dissed by opposing players–mocking “Tebowing”–he hasn’t responded in anger. His response? “Aw, they’re just having fun.” That speaks volumes on him being who he appears to be: a professional athlete who is an incredible role model.
I want to be a Tebow!
Exactly! Why isn’t anyone talking about how hard this guy works? Great post, Eric. You nailed it. The guy is a winner with an incredible attitude and a tremendous work ethic. Easy to root for the guy. He’s made this long-suffering skins fan cheer for the Broncos. Super Bowl, baby! Remember the add that he did that ran during the super bowl a few years ago? Can’t wait to see the reaction when he’s starting in the big game. All you haters, keep it to yourself. Tebow leading his team to a super bowl victory is not only great for the game, it’s great for society. Occupy that, bitches!
Tim Tebow is my Favorite Pro Athlete and a breath of fresh air following an embarrassing NBA lockout of greed and selfishness, In sports its all about ME, but with Tim it’s about “my teammates”. Tebow personifies all that is good within the Everyman trying to prove himself when the doubt is imminent. I love that he’s a faithful person too, nice to see a man win and kneel in thanks rather than thumping his chest with a snarl. I’m very critical of role models in sports, we’ve finally found one that is humble, hard working, and a winner through and through. I wish him great success in his career and admire him for his values. Apparently the public agrees, he was just named Favorite Athlete in Sports in an ESPN poll.
As a FSU graduate and long time fan, I have had many opportunities to cheer against him when he played at the University of Florida (FSU’s biggest rival). However, I could never bring myself to dislike a guy who has the worth ethic of Tim Tebow. I have a feeling he’d show the same great qualities he shows on the football field if he were flipping burgers, cleaning hotel rooms, or pushing a mower. Great post, Eric.
Hey Eric,
Great post. I’d be even more generous if I was doing the grading. I’d give Tebow all A+’s for all of the reasons that you’ve cited plus extra credit for his honest humility. And I’m not talking about how he publicly gives all the glory to Jesus Christ but how he gives credit to his teammates ahead of himself. Tebow is just the antidote I need to the chest thumping, trash talking, self aggrandizing athletes that seem to be the norm in professional sports these days.
You said, “I’ve been praying that Denver can swing a deal for a much better passer to lead them into the future. Even after a terrific performance in the playoffs against the legendary Pittsburgh Steelers, I still remain unconvinced that Tebow’s ‘the guy’.”
I’ll respectfully disagree with you on this. I think Tebow just might be the guy. We’ve had passers with great arms and all the physical skills; Orton, Cutler, Plummer to name a few. What we haven’t had are leaders who can inspire those around them to play beyond their potential and who will accept nothing less than leaving ‘everything they’ve got’ on the field of play. His passing skills will develop: his extraordinary work ethic and passion for excellence will see to that. What is fully developed is his heart and the last QB we had who possessed a heart as big as Tebow’s wore #7 on his jersey.
Regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s game, Tebow and the rest of the Broncos (woo hoo Willis McGahee’s 1116 yards, kudos to our extraordinary defense, Demaryius Thomas is a beast) have given all of us orange bleeders the unexpected gift of a season to be remembered.