Burgos: No love for Tebow

I’m very glad this day has come. I’ve been waiting for three college football seasons: a… I’m very glad this day has come. I’ve been waiting for three college football seasons: a National Championship game without Tim Tebow.

There is a list of people in sports that I simply dislike — nay, hate — and it goes a little something like this: Paul Pierce, Mark Teixiera, Roger Federer and Tebow. And the list goes on, really. I have these prejudices, though, for two reasons: a player is on a rival team of one of my favorite teams or the athlete simply represents something I find annoying — they irk me, tick me off and really just stand for something that I am opposed to.

Tebow falls in the latter category. The guy takes himself too seriously. Where people see passion and competitive qualities, I see self-aggrandizing and pomposity. Where people see sincerity, I see triteness. Where people see a warrior, I see a lunatic.

I know that he is a virtual god in Florida and rightly so. The one thing I’ll give Tebow is that he’s a winner. And when you win, people like you. I respect him for that because it would be foolish not to, but something I’ve never understood is why so many people nationwide hail a guy who repeatedly shows himself to be far less than people perceive him to be.

The epitome of the fervor came last year, during the 2008 season, after the Gators’ loss to Ole Miss. At a press conference following the game, Tebow delivered a speech that has since been dubbed “The Promise.” You might have heard it before. If not, there are ample clips of it on YouTube. Tebow delivers platitudes like, “You will never see another player in the entire country play harder than I will the rest of the season,” and, “You will never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will.” He closed the speech with the obligatory, “God bless.” That speech is now inscribed on a plaque outside Florida’s football stadium.

Excuse me while I go puke. I guess he got away with it because his team ultimately won the championship that year, but when I think of speeches that need to be immortalized, I’m not thinking clichés. I’m not thinking compulsory drivel. I’m thinking Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy and Nelson Mandela. I’m thinking Lou Gehrig.

So when Florida fell to Alabama this past weekend, I was happy. I can always appreciate a good winner, but I can’t stand insipid characters like Tebow. If you like him, good for you. You can keep that nut.

OK, now for a shift in things. It’s called rapid fire, and it’s a little ode to some Pitt News sports guys passed:

— Peter Gammons announced this week that he’ll be leaving ESPN. There was no mention of retirement, but I’ll miss seeing the single most insightful baseball journalist on television on a regular basis. I do love John Kruk, though.

— The car Tiger Woods crashed into a fire hydrant is being repaired by GM and then auctioned off. Figures. And by the way, the Tiger Mistress Count is officially at 10, according to the New York Post.

— There’s an inter-sport feud going on between Titans running back Chris Johnson and Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo. Rondo says he can beat Johnson in a race, and Johnson retorts with a challenge to 1-on-1. Keep your jock straps on, boys, we don’t care whose (ahem) is bigger.

— People should love Ron Artest because he keeps it real. Hennessey at halftime? Hilarious! I can’t stand how much athletes’ images are micromanaged … oh, hey Tiger!

— Ndamukong Suh gets my Heisman trophy vote. There’s no clear-cut favorite, and Charles Woodson is lonely.

— The Saints and Colts will both win this week and move to 13-0. But both will lose the following week: New Orleans to Dallas and Indy to Jacksonville.

— I believe Tim Donaghy to a considerable degree. I don’t believe that he is a “rogue official,” as the NBA calls him. Others are guilty, and it appears obvious at this point. David Stern is scared that Donaghy’s book is getting published.

— The Steelers are officially not making the playoffs. Take that to the bank and cash it right now.