You might think that for an athlete to be considered influential, he needs to accomplish something in his respective sport. This isn’t the case for Tim Tebow, as the currently unemployed ex-New York Jet has been tapped by Forbes as the most influential athlete in America.
The 25-year old free agent’s stint in New York was abysmal. His dominion over Denver showed flashes of success but transpired to nothing. Inspired by late-game heroics and prolific runs, Tebow became lost on many of the fans in both cities. Yet somehow Tebow has become, and maintains himself as, such a sweeping phenomenon that he’s considered above all others to be the supreme sportsman in terms of guidance, prominence, and sheer magnetism. So does Forbes need to conduct a recount?
29% of respondents to Forbes’ poll, which was conducted by Sports for Nielsen in collaboration with E-Poll, consider Tebow to be top-dog. So influential to the respondents is he that former Gator topped the likes of Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, and Derek Jeter–all of whom are the pillars of perseverance in their respective sports, the men by which all others in swimming, sprinting, and baseball are measured.
To make a case for Tebow, one has to consider that influence extends beyond the gridiron, outside of the arena, and further than football. Sure, he was drafted into the NFL with incredible expectations and has failed in just an incredible a fashion. But this man is fueled by his devout faith to be good, to do good, and to spread good.
Its no secret that he actively preaches his religion in the Philippines. Moreover, Tebow supports more than 40 national evangelists working in that nation. Along with fellow U of F alumni, Tebow helped to raise money for a Filipino orphanage. He actively raised money for Shands Hospital pediatric cancer center in Gainesville and a Disney trip for disadvantaged children. After graduating, the southpaw gunslinger launched the Tim Tebow Foundation in January 2010. This year, in teaming up with CURE International, will mark the opening of orthopedic-specializing Tebow CURE Hospital.
Its been almost half a decade since Tebow actually accomplished on the turf. His collegiate career is one of the most highly-touted of all time complete with Heisman Trophy, dual BCS National Championships, and his name written scrupulously throughout the record books. But as I said, that was years ago.
In contemporary times, Tebow has become more famous for his celebrated kneeling and praying before/after/during a successful play which glided social media and photo sharing in a short-lived though notable trend aptly called “Tebowing.”
No matter how one looks at it, its hard not to make a case for Tebow as the most influential man in sports. Stephen Master, senior vice president of Sports for Nielsen said of the QB ““For a backup quarterback to be talked about so much is incredible. But it is the biggest market.” And Tebow has a stranglehold on said market.
Cue the debate from readers, sports fans, and Tebow-fanatics alike. Is Tim Tebow really the most influential person in sports? Should such a poll be based on stats and championships alone? Leave us your thoughts in the comments section below.
