Just as the Mayans predicted, the 2012 apocalypse is finally upon us: The New York Jets have signed Tim Tebow. Upon snagging Peyton Manning, the Denver Broncos began furiously shopping Tebow to potential suitors, including the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins and the Jets. Eventually, the Jets won the Tebow sweepstakes, a meager consolation prize that followed Manning's rebuffing of their advances.
So the football ignorant can understand this - though I cannot picture many NFL neophytes reading this erratic dribble - imagine vying for the adorable, giant, stuffed monkey at the carnival, only to lose and receive the tiny, one-eyed Scooby Doo with the ripped seams. Not nearly as satisfying, nor cuddly.
Obviously, the addition of Tebow to Gang Green has provoked outrage among the Jets faithful, who see the move as a sales ploy. Owner Woody Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum are notorious for signing larger-than-life players to larger-than-the-GDP-of-a-small-country contracts, even when they do not really suit the franchise's scheme. I'm looking at you, PlaxicoBurress.
Let me admit, I don't like Tim Tebow. Religious proselytizing should never enter the world of sports, and his anti-abortion Super Bowl ad in 2010 for Focus on the Family rubbed me the wrong way. But this time, I think Woody and Mike may have done their homework.
First of all, Tebow wanted New York over Jacksonville. The Jets sacrificed a fourth-round pick and $2.53 million for Tebow. The Jaguars offered the Broncos more money and a fourth-round pick with better value. Yet, the Broncos, who graciously allowed Tebow's input in the trading process, sent "Broadway Tim" to the Big Apple, thereby uniting the real Tebow with the "Asian Tebow," Jeremy Lin. Jets fans must respect Tebow's resolve in opting for New York, especially considering that Jacksonville promised a solid chance at a starting job - Blaine Gabbert looked lost as a rookie last season - and a captive, adoring audience - Tebow's alma mater, the University of Florida, is a 90-minute drive from Jacksonville.
Plus, Tebow expands Gang Green's offense in a way few players can. For years, weathered fans have groaned about the conservative, predictable offense the Jets run game after game. Tebow endows a yawn-inducing playbook with flair. He can orchestrate the wildcat with running backs Shonn Greene and Joe McKnight, run the option, be a special teams whiz and perhaps even learn to line up in the slot. Offensive coordinator Tony Sparano will have a field day coming up with new ways to feature him.
Tebow's skills will make him a particularly valuable threat on the third-and-short situations where the Jets seek vast improvement - they converted under 35 percent of their third downs last season, 22nd in the league.
The Jets have not seen a talent like Tebow since Brad Smith, the wily wide receiver/quarterback who is now mournfully underutilized in Buffalo. As Jets fans have seen with Smith, a veritable playmaker can spring a touchdown from anywhere on the field. Last season, the Jets averaged 23.6 points per game, while forfeiting 22.7 points, making their margin of victory less than one point. I'm no mathematician, but those statistics suggest that a single, momentous play could spell the difference between a win and a loss.
Tebow can execute that one special play whenever he touches the football. After all, he led an injury-ridden, middling Broncos team to a division title and a first-round victory over a potential Super Bowl contender in the Pittsburgh Steelers.
While most liberal New York fans are chagrined by the thought of Tebow sporting green and white, Broadway Tim may have a future complementing Mark Sanchez.
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Zach Drucker is a senior majoring in international relations and Spanish. He can be reached at Zachary.Drucker@tufts.edu.
