Gators fans to wear eye black for Tebow
November 24, 2009
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP)—There could be a blackout at Florida Field on Saturday.
An eye blackout that is.
Florida fans are urging everyone to wear eye black Saturday—with orwithout inscribed bible verses—in honor of quarterback Tim Tebow’s final homegame.
It’s a fitting tribute to a player who wants to be remembered more for whathe accomplishes off the field than on it.
Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, has worn those black, oval patchesbelow both eyes in each of his last 20 games. He started doing it two weeksafter his famous promise that followed a 31-30 loss to Mississippi in October2008. While some players scribble their hometown area codes or messages tofriends and family members on their eye black, Tebow goes with bible verses.
“I think it’s great,” coach Urban Meyer said. “I’ve got three children. Idon’t mind when my daughter, my middle daughter Gigi, texts me every time whathe’s wearing. She looks up the verse and texts it to me. I think that’s prettycool.”
Several groups of Florida fans agree, although there are others who believeTebow shouldn’t be singled out on senior day. It’s unclear who originated theidea to have everyone wear eye black for Tebow’s finale against rival FloridaState, but the plan has spread quickly through Twitter, Facebook, Internetmessage boards and blogs.
Even Meyer, who said he shut his computer down weeks ago to avoiddistractions, got wind of it.
“I think that’d be a tremendous tribute,” he said.
Tebow holds a few NCAA records, several Southeastern Conference marks andeven more school records. He has helped the top-ranked Gators (11-0) win twonational championships in three seasons and has them at the forefront of thetitle picture again.
His football success also has provided him with a platform to spread hisChristian message. He spends much of his spare time on mission trips, works withunderprivileged youth, and visits hospitals and prisons. His eye black gets theword out, too, whether it’s John 3:16, Psalms 23, Philippians 4:13, Romans 1:16or some other passage.
“It’s just kind of what’s in my heart or what I think would be a good verseor appropriate,” Tebow said. “I’ll talk to my family and friends about it. Ialways try to get people’s opinions on things, too. But it’s really just whatI’m feeling in my heart or a good verse or something that’s appropriate orappropriate with what I’m going through. What I feel in my heart is the biggestthing.”
Although Tebow’s too-good-to-be-true persona gets routinely mocked by fansof Florida’s rivals, it has been widely accepted by teammates and coaches whobelieve he is a true role model.
“I really respect Tim Tebow for a lot of things he does,” linebacker RyanStamper said. “A lot of people can’t handle the pressures he goes through. …Before he came here, we really weren’t doing a lot of charity work and things.Just the stuff that he does pretty much motivated us as a team to want to getinvolved in certain charities, and that’s what we’ve been doing.”
Stamper and the Gators admire Tebow’s strong convictions and are quick topoint out that he never pushes his beliefs on anyone. Unlike his fiery demeanoron the field on-field, Tebow seems more reserved when it comes to religion.
“People are never going to believe it if it’s something that you’re tellingthem and it’s something that you’re beating them over the head with,” Tebowsaid. “That’s not going to influence anyone. It’s not. How you’re going toinfluence someone is if they see something in you that seems different or seemsspecial or they see something in you and think, ‘Wow, that’s really cool. I wantto look into that.’
“It’s not because I’m forcing anything on anyone or not because I’m tryingto push it. I don’t do that at all. I try to make it part of my life, just likeit is, and I’d never deny it or force it. But I’ll always have it part of mylife. That’s just me. I hope that people can see how it affects my life and howI’m so passionate about it and what it does in my life.”
Florida fans have noticed and hope their small tribute will show Tebow howmuch he’s meant to them the last four years.
“Tim is just so special,” said Tracey McInnis, 36, a lifelong Florida fanfrom nearby Palatka who helped organize the tribute. “He takes everyopportunity to extend a hand or doing anything he can to brighten someone’s day.You would love to reciprocate that. We have an opportunity as a group to dosomething really special for him. This is the thing, I think, he wouldappreciate the most.
“It’s more about Tim Tebow the person than Tim Tebow the football player.”
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