Forbes: The most influential athlete in American sport is...

[Phishfan]

He also is heading up the push to bring medical marijuana to Florida.

[Sunstroke]

He also is heading up the push to bring medical marijuana to Florida. 

I may think his pursuit of Tebow may be a little misguided, but I definitely like where his heart is at...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeYsTmIzjkw

[Dave Gray]

Do you think this attorney could be doing this for self-promotion?  It probably builds a lot of goodwill with the community.

[Sunstroke]

^^^ Possibly, but from what I've heard about this guy, that probably isn't his primary goal.

[CF DolFan]

^^^ Possibly, but from what I've heard about this guy, that probably isn't his primary goal.

Oh yes....  he likes the limelight and is a marketing genius ( or has a great team)  but I wouldn't be surprised that he really wants Tebow

[bsmooth]

Spider you are way off base. I actually agree with this assessment of Tebow being the most influential. You seem to focus this vote on field performance which should have absolutely nothing to do with the vote. People should not be influenced by sports skill. People should be influenced by their off the field actions.

I think Tebow is crap on the field as well but bashing him here is just off base.Sit back and think about the Tebowmaiacs for a minute. Is there any other group like them? I don't think so. Therefore Tebow is far and away one of, if not the most influential sports figures.

Does that mean Hulk Hogan was the most influential athlete in the 80's due to the Hulkamaniac following?

[Phishfan]

^^^ I can answer that in a resounding no because Hulk Hogan didn't participate in a sport. He is an entertainer.

[masterfins]

I think it's important to point out that no one is criticizing Tebow for his religion.  There have been plenty of religious players in the NFL, Drew Brees and Matt Hasslebeck among them.  The difference is that:

1) Tebow goes out of his way to promote his religion within his sport
2) Unlike, say, Kurt Warner, Tebow's religious antics greatly eclipse his actual ability to play NFL football

I don't remember many people complaining about Ray Lewis saying that God wanted the Ravens to win or some such nonsense.  That's because Ray Lewis is one of the best NFL players of all-time.  Tim Tebow... is not.  With Ray-Ray, the religion is a distant second to his play on the field; with Tebow, he's not even ON the field!

You make some good points, although I disagree with your interpretation of them.  Has Tebow actually done anything (religious wise) on the field that other players haven't done??  You seem to be saying that it's okay to promote God or Christianity if you are an exceptional football player, but otherwise you should keep your mouth shut.  IMO it is the media that constantly pushes Tebow's religion to the forefront; he shouldn't have to stop being who he is because the media is taking advantage of it for their benefit.

[Sunstroke]

IMO it is the media that constantly pushes Tebow's religion to the forefront

They had Tebow mic'ed up during a game in Denver, and he was singing the contemporary Christian song, "Awesome God" by Rich Mullens, at the top of his lungs as he ran on the field. Do you really think that:

A) The media forced him to sing it?
B) He forgot he was mic'ed up?
C) Most other Christian athletes belt out gospel hits as they take the field?

I'm sorry, masterfins, but the media is only pouncing on the low-hanging fruit because Tebow is pulling the branch down so low that they can't see much else.

[Spider-Dan]

You make some good points, although I disagree with your interpretation of them.  Has Tebow actually done anything (religious wise) on the field that other players haven't done??

NCAA trying to ban messages on eye black under the 'Tebow Rule'

"The NCAA's Football Rules Committee is proposing a ban on Tebow's most identifiable feature — the bible verses on his eye black. The new proposal, introduced Thursday, would ban all words, logos, numbers or other symbols on the players' eye black, beginning in the 2010 season."

And before you protest about that being in college: that is exactly the kind of stunt that created the Tebow Army.  By the time he arrived in the NFL, the zealots were already rabidly chanting for him.

You seem to be saying that it's okay to promote God or Christianity if you are an exceptional football player, but otherwise you should keep your mouth shut.

In case you haven't noticed, you can do damn near anything you want if you are an exceptional football player.

Run a dogfighting ring?
Kill a mother while drunk driving?
Pull a drunk girl into a bathroom and rape her?

Constantly shoving your religion in everyone's face is nothing compared to that stuff.  But it's one thing to have to put up with nonsense from players who are actually good; this level of insanity for a bench warmer is unacceptable.

[SCFinfan]

Do you really think that:

C) Most other Christian athletes belt out gospel hits as they take the field?

I bet you Ray Lewis did...

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Run a dogfighting ring?
Kill a mother while drunk driving?
Pull a drunk girl into a bathroom and rape her?

And for some reason folks seem to think that singing on the sideline or visiting sick people in the hospital or building orphanages is more despicable that the above mentioned items.   

[masterfins]

They had Tebow mic'ed up during a game in Denver, and he was singing the contemporary Christian song, "Awesome God" by Rich Mullens, at the top of his lungs as he ran on the field. Do you really think that:

A) The media forced him to sing it?
B) He forgot he was mic'ed up?
C) Most other Christian athletes belt out gospel hits as they take the field?

I'm sorry, masterfins, but the media is only pouncing on the low-hanging fruit because Tebow is pulling the branch down so low that they can't see much else.

Well do you think HE asked to be mic'ed up??  Or was it the media's idea??

I don't know what athletes are saying as they take the field, there is too much noise to hear them, perhaps they are all singing Christian songs.

[masterfins]

In case you haven't noticed, you can do damn near anything you want if you are an exceptional football player.

Run a dogfighting ring?
Kill a mother while drunk driving?
Pull a drunk girl into a bathroom and rape her?

Constantly shoving your religion in everyone's face is nothing compared to that stuff.  But it's one thing to have to put up with nonsense from players who are actually good; this level of insanity for a bench warmer is unacceptable.

Are you really going to try and compare committing criminal acts to showing your faith???


BTW all you had to say was "yes", that "actually good athletes" can say what they want, and "bench warmers" (although he was a starting QB) cannot.

[Spider-Dan]

And for some reason folks seem to think that singing on the sideline or visiting sick people in the hospital or building orphanages is more despicable that the above mentioned items.   

Literally no one thinks that.  That's a strawman argument.