OUTSIDE THE LINES {OUTSIDE THE LINES FIRST REPORT} {TIM TEBOW} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of programs which looks at issues and personalities in the sports world.
This episode concerns Denver Broncos backup quarterback Tim Tebow and his extremely polarizing effect on his fans, particularly due to his outspoken Christian beliefs. Tebow’s accomplishments in college football playing for the Florida Gators are regarded as being extremely impressive, with some calling him “the greatest college football player of all time.” Despite his accolades and many fans, some have decried Tebow’s talents and believe he is being overhyped. Dillon Arredondo, a young sports fan and creator of the “Tim Tebow Fan Club” page on Facebook, expresses his appreciation for Tebow, noting that his online persona stresses his religious beliefs instead of other NFL players’ predilections for clubbing and similar activities. There is a great deal of vociferous online backlash against Tebow, even websites specifically dedicated to detracting him. Urban Meyer, Tebow’s college coach, talks about how he was skeptical of Tebow’s “wholesomeness” at first, but could not find fault in him no matter how much he tried. He appears to be genuinely dedicated to his faith: he practices abstinence, visits sick children, and has done missionary work in the Philippines.
Tom Krattenmaker, a religious commentator, discusses Tebow as a symbol of evangelical Christianity in the sports world, and how it places him as the target of both praise and criticism from both religious groups and sports fans. Comedian Matt Besser, who frequently targets Tebow in his humor, talks about how Tebow’s religious message is exclusionary to a great number of his fans, particularly women and homosexuals, since “[people] don’t like being told that they are going to hell.” Some of his complaints are directed towards a public service announcement played during the 2010 Super Bowl featuring Tebow and his mother Pam Tebow advocating for a pro-life Christian group, Focus on the Family; Mrs. Tebow had a life-threatening complication during her pregnancy, but chose to go through with it anyway. This adds to the controversy surrounding Tebow and his stance on abortion; Krattenmaker notes that this represents Tebow taking the first step in becoming a participant in the discussion surrounding him; Besser believes that this action is “self-righteous” and “condescending.”
Although many athletes are public about their religious beliefs, Tebow displays it in much more visible ways, such as adding visual references to Bible verses on his face paint during his college games. His strategy seems to work, as many fans respond by looking up the referenced verses en masse. Besser takes the opportunity to film a parody commercial mocking Tebow for this display. Guests arrive to discuss Tebow further, including author and sportswriter Dave Zirin and ESPN.com writer Jemele Hill. Zirin criticizes Tebow for his right-wing beliefs and the advantageous use of his “platform” as a famous athlete, and how he has not been shut down as other athletes with opposing beliefs have been. Hill, on the other hand, argues that this disparity is not Tebow’s fault and that he is within his rights to espouse his evangelism. Zirin believes that Tebow must be “held accountable” for his association with pro-life organizations with a history of homophobic attitudes and dealings with “shady organizations,” and his use of publicly funded sports arenas as an environment for delivering his religious and political messages. Hill discusses Tebow’s skills as a quarterback and whether he deserves the accolades he receives for his work on the field.
There is also commentary on issues involving Big 12 Conference, featuring sports journalist Blair Kerkhoff’s commentary via telephone interview. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ESPN
- DATE: September 22, 2011 3:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:23:50
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 116632
- GENRE: Sports
- SUBJECT HEADING: LGBT Collection; Sports
- SERIES RUN: ESPN - TV series, 1990-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Bob Ley … Host
- Mark Schwarz … Reporter
- Blair Kerkhoff … Guest
- Dave Zirin … Guest
- Jemele Hill … Guest
- Dillon Arredondo … Interviewee
- Urban Meyer … Interviewee
- Tom Krattenmaker … Interviewee
- Matt Besser … Interviewee
- Tim Tebow