Who Will Pay The Bills?

Last week, amid the Tebow Super Bowl commercial controversy another story was written about another Tebow controversy. Unlike the Super Bowl commercial, this one might actually have some substance.

Amid the speculation that the Jacksonville Jaguars might draft Tim Tebow, Holly Anderson broke a story about Uche Nwaneri an offensive lineman for Jacksonville ranting about how Tebow could never help the Jags win. He used his expertise to deduct that Tebow will never be successful in the NFL. His analysis included that Tebow: cannot throw, cannot take a snap from under center, cannot read defenses except maybe cover two or man, and oh yeah he cannot throw. Yes, he mentioned cannot throw twice. He then asked the fans to buy tickets because he is tired of coming to an empty stadium.

As to whether Tebow can throw or not I believe I have seen him throw the football. As for reading defenses and taking the ball under center, these are things someone can learn and cover two and man happen to be two very popular defenses even in the complex NFL. Do not mistake me for a Tebow fan. I am still of the belief that Tim Tebow owes Darren McFadden a Heisman Trophy. I am a realist though and I understand that the NFL is a business. Although I personally do not think Tebow will make a great NFL quarterback.  However, I do think that unlike Nwaneri that if Tebow asked fans to show up they might actually come.

Jacksonville is an organization with horrible attendance and is in danger of being moved to a more lucrative location. Nwaneri’s likelihood of saving this organization is a whopping 0.0%. He could go on the evening news every night and beg fans to show up, but it won’t help. However, Tim Tebow, regardless of how good he is at quarterback, will put pants in seats. Pants don’t normally bring themselves, even if they are on the ground, which translates to ticket sales. This would only last for a year or two unless the team starts to win, but that is far more tickets than Nwaneri and his family buy.

Can Nwaneri and Tebow coexist? No! The lineman’s job is to protect the quarterback. How hard do you work for the boss you despise? How closely do you watch out for the neighbor you cannot stand? So what should Jacksonville do? Ditch the lineman. No one will care. It doesn’t matter if you can get equal value or not. If you want to keep the team in Jacksonville draft Tim Tebow. Do not start Tebow just draft him. Start to develop him and occasionally put him in to a standing ovation to run the wild-cat. Half the NFL is running it a few times a game anyway. Who knows maybe people will show up to see it? Or don’t and keep the lineman who has brought no one to the stadium in his three years in Jacksonville. It's your decision, but there are bills to pay.