THE NFL has a much longer pre-season than most other sports
leagues so it can be difficult to keep the crazed American football fan
occupied for the six months of the year when no competitive action takes place.
What it can offer to its fans, however, is the most exciting ‘transfer period’
of any sport.
The league was on a go-slow this time last year with the
lock-out preventing any contracting of new players. Franchise owners seem to be
making up for their hibernation last spring by spending wildly on whoever is
available.
One of those on the move is Tim Tebow. The quarterback, who
inspired a spirited Denver Broncos to their first play-off berth since 2005,
has been pushed aside in favour of one of the sport’s greatest- Peyton Manning.
Once the deal went through it meant only one thing for last
season’s phenomenon. He had to move. He had no shortage of suitors. The strange
thing about Tebow is that his attraction lies not in his sporting ability,
rather his capacity to draw attention to a team. The Jacksonville Jaguars
needed him. His questionable talent could be forgiven if he managed to fill
their increasingly deserted stadium.
Tim could not be tempted. The New York Jets made Broncos
General Manager John Elway an offer he couldn’t refuse. Tebowmania is about to
hit the ‘Big Apple’.
The move has been greeted by excitement from the neutral,
who want to see Tebow attempt his trademark heroics in front of much more
demanding support. As for the experts, they fail to see the Jets’ reasoning.
They had just handed their quarterback Mark Sanchez a three
year extension on his existing contract. It was a vote of confidence which the
young man needed. The fans were on his back after another string of suspect
performances last year. The last thing he would have wanted was the most
popular player in the sport standing behind him, waiting for him to slip up.
Kyle Orton felt it last year. The talented slinger had no
margin for error with a support who were salivating over the prospect of seeing
Tebow performing consistently in the blue and orange. A string of mediocre
performances by Orton left the Broncos management with no choice but to appease
their support. Tebow got his chance and the rest as they say…
Sanchez has yet to show that he has the mental strength to
put up with the inevitable Tebow surge. Fans have already grown impatient with
the mistake-prone Quarterback. Tebow will get his chance sooner rather than
later. It remains to be seen whether he can reproduce the heroics of last year,
in the Meadowlands.
In other NFL news, the repercussions of the New Orleans
Saints’ ‘bounty’ scandal have been published. This hearing revolves around the
payments made to players by coaching staff, who rewarded them for the brutality
of their hits on the opposing Quarterback.
The Saints were found guilty of the charge and have been
punished much more severely than anybody imagined. Head coach Sean Payton has
been suspended for the upcoming season, while the coach at the centre of the
scandal, defensive co-ordinator Gregg Williams, has been sidelined
indefinitely.
It has epitomized the NFL’s no-tolerance stance on the issue
of concussion, a big topic in the game at the moment.
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