Volume 29 Issue 5

Page 1

{charles e. smith jewish day school • 11710 hunter’s lane, rockville, maryland • vol. 29 issue 5 • monday, february 27, 2012}

DO Culture

YOU Versus

photo illustration by Jonathan Reem

TEBOW? Religion stukrantz and matthewfoldi copy editor and chadahot editor

Week after week, it happened. At first, it seemed illogical. Then, it turned to awe. After that, pure shock. Finally, came belief. Tim Tebow, the polarizing Denver Broncos quarterback, dropped back in the pocket in overtime of the Broncos’ first-round playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and a feeling of anticipation gripped those who were watching. They could not help but feel that the outcome was inevitable. As Tebow completed the strike down the middle to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who proceeded to sprint 50 yards for the game-winning touchdown, people everywhere started to believe. It was as if the entire world had succumbed to Tebow’s charisma. Twitter, the popular social-networking website, temporarily broke down from the flood of people singing the praises of Tim Tebow. “To some people, Tebow stands for everything that is good in the world: a religious man, a true believer, someone who never gives up,” junior Robert Shorr said. “As an orthodox Jew, I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable Tebowing, but I do understand that it now has a secular connotation, in addition to a religious one,” sophomore Gabriel Hardgrave said. Tebow’s comeback story was as remarkable as any in recent sports history. When Tebow came out of college, many scouts discredited him, saying that he did

not have the skills necessary to be a quarterback in the NFL. They said his throwing motion was goofy. His running skills, although quite an asset, were not nearly as valuable in the NFL as they were in college, since quarterbacks do not run much in the NFL. In spite of all this, Tebow kept his faith. He was drafted in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Broncos. He played sparingly as the backup in his first year, but after then-starter Kyle Orton’s play began to deteriorate, Tebow was handed the keys to the franchise in mid-October of last year. Several weeks later, Denver head coach John Fox pointed at it and said, “That one right there was unbelievable. I don’t think that’s ever been done before.”

What has also never happened before is religion becoming as much a part of a football player’s persona as his play. Tebow is an evangelical Christian, and his faith is so deeply intertwined with his play in football games that his comeback victories are being attributed to his faith. A recent poll indicated that 43 percent of Americans believe that God does help Tebow win his games. At the post-game press conference that follows every game, Tebow, without fail, begins his remarks by thanking his “Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” “Tebow makes sure that you know his religion and is using his highly visible position as a celebrity to demonstrate the importance of faith in public life,” Hardgrave

said. Tebowing became so widespread that students at Riverhead High School, a public school on Long Island, were suspended for Tebowing during school hours and filling the halls. Director of Jewish Life Miriam Stein disagrees with the students’ suspension, saying the consequences would be different at JDS. If a student were to Tebow in her class, she “wouldn’t send them out. I’d take the opportunity to explain to them why it wasn’t appropriate.” As Jews, “it doesn’t mean that much to us,” Stein said. Junior Robbie Shorr said that Tebowing is “definitely okay... and it spans all religions, not just Christianity, and that if you see TEBOW, page 6


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