Will Tebow play? Should Tebow play?
I never knew there were so many doctors out there.
That is the only conclusion I can draw because since Florida’s Tim Tebow suffered a concussion against Kentucky on Sept. 26, everybody seems to have a medical opinion on whether or not he should play for the No. 1 Gators in Saturday’s big game at No. 4 LSU.
Tebow returned to practice on Tuesday. He went through drills but did not have any contact. Tebow has a medical team that would be the envy of the Mayo Clinic watching his every move, testing him and re-testing him. I’ve been told Florida is going to do everything humanly possible to make sure the evaluation, whatever it turns out to be, is the best that the medical community has to offer.
I don’t know if Tim Tebow should play on Saturday. Neither do you. I’ve spoken to enough people only to know that unless you are there and watching the testing and know what you’re looking for, you can’t possibly know anything. We are all free to speculate as long as we’re honest about what we’re doing—speculating.
But here is one thing I do know. The head coach has absolutely no input into this decision and that’s the way it should be. The player’s only input is to tell the truth about what he is feeling and seeing. The medical team makes this call and the way I look at this situation is that either you trust your medical team or you don’t.
Here is the role I think Urban Meyer plays in this decision. He talks to the head of the medical team and asks for a brutally honest assessment. Either Tebow is ready to play football again or he’s not. If he’s not 100 percent then Tebow sits.
Because here is what you can’t do. You can’t put Tim Tebow out on the field and ask him to play at anything less than full speed. You can’t ask him to finesse this situation. That is not his nature. Tebow’s personality and competitive drive will not allow him to do that.
And if you’re Urban Meyer, you really can’t cut down on the offense because you’re afraid that Tebow might get hurt again. Now you can limit how many called carries he gets in a game. You can limit the number of times that he throws out of an empty backfield and thus has limited protection. You can be smart. But you can’t play scared. Not in a game like this.
If Tebow is on the field he can’t hold anything back. If he has to hold anything back, then Tim Tebow should be in street clothes and the team needs to rally behind John Brantley.
On Monday I thought it was less than 50-50 that Tebow would play against LSU. By Tuesday night I was getting vibes that he will be in the game on Saturday.
It will be a fascinating scene Saturday night at Tiger Stadium. If Tebow is cleared, do you start him with virtually no practice? Do you start John Brantley and then bring Tebow off the bench if Florida needs a lift? What are the LSU players and defensive coordinator John Chavis thinking about all of this?
Here is where I come down on all this. The doctors are continuing to put Tebow through a specific protocol of tests designed to measure his motor and cognitive skills. Those numbers will be compared to some baseline numbers taken on the same tests before the season. If Tebow does not return to his baseline numbers, he will not play. That’s the way it should be.
Now I’m going to say this one last time so that you understand where I’m coming from. If there is ANY doubt—no matter how slight—about Tim Tebow’s condition then he should not play.
But if the best medical minds in the country clear him to play in this game and Florida wins, can you image how much bigger the Legend of Tim Tebow is going to become? There is an anti-Tebow element out there that is just sick of reading and hearing so much about this kid. I never understood that kind of thinking but I’ve gotten enough email to know that it’s out there. This will drive those people nuts.
Such fun.
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237 comments Add your comment
EEJacket
October 7th, 2009
8:54 am
First!
Eric
October 7th, 2009
8:55 am
Oh good! Another day of Tim “Michael Jackson” Tebow. The most famous concussion in the history of concussions is giving me a concussion. Any body care? I didn’t think so. War Damn Eagle! Tebow never beat Auburn!
Colin
October 7th, 2009
8:56 am
As an LSU fan, I’d like to see Tebow play if he can. The only way to beat Florida is with everything they’ve got. Besides, I’ve got a ticket and the game will be more exciting with him playing.
Starring Harry Morgan as Sherman Potter
October 7th, 2009
8:56 am
If I was his Doctor he would be worried about all the splinters in his but from sitting the bench. Geaux Tigers!!
morgwreck243
October 7th, 2009
8:57 am
Cleared to play or not I think that John Brantley will start the game. If he is getting good protection, and Tebow is cleared to play, then Tebow will come in. Otherwise, we find out how good John Brantley is.
VolsnGoBlue
October 7th, 2009
8:59 am
I hate the gators but you CANT hate on Tebow if you like college ball. He is the greatest college player of all time (an opinion hard to dispute) playing in the most physical league when athletes are faster, stronger, and more intelligent. If tebow plays and wins (or comes in late in the game and leads a winning drive) just hand him the heisman as a consolation prize since there isn’t an official award for “best ever”
EEJacket
October 7th, 2009
8:59 am
I am part of the “sick of hearing about Tebow” contingent. The kid is good (maybe even the best), old news. TO THE MEDIA: PLEASE INFORM US ABOUT SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING WE DON’T KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ALREADY. For god’s sake, I know the kid’s a virgin and I’ll probably never meet him. That’s TMI if you ask me.
Miles
October 7th, 2009
9:01 am
The medical doctors are the only peple who can determine if Tebow should play. With or without Tebow, the Gators will win the game.
Bull Gator
October 7th, 2009
9:02 am
Even if Tebow is cleared I’m not sure it would be a good idea to play him. Every medical expert would agree that concussions are tricky, and if Meyer plays Tebow, even though he’s been cleared, and something happens it could haunt him for a very long time. If he is cleared to play and Meyer sits Tebow it sends the message that UF goes the extra mile for its players and doesn’t want to risk rushing him back too soon.
I have all the confidence in the world that John Brantley can go into one of the most hostile environments in the nation and lead us to a win. If JB starts and we lose, we can still win the East and get to Atlanta. If he starts and wins, Meyer will take what is already the #1 ranked recruiting class in the nation to a level never seen before in college recruiting. Go Gators!
TigersNow
October 7th, 2009
9:04 am
Without Tebow, florida is an ordinary team. In Baton Rouge, with 95,000 drunken wild cajuns, the Tigers will roll baby!!! Brantley will throw 2-3 INTs, fumble 1 or 2 times and the lsu offense will get cranked up for some serious points! LSU 33 Fla 20—mark it down!!!
UGAwine&cheese
October 7th, 2009
9:10 am
Tebow is one of the best ever and it’s not his problem that the media obsesses over him. Get over it. As an LSU fan, we want him to play. Anyone who doesn’t want the best an opponent has to offer is a pu$$y.
Paul H
October 7th, 2009
9:10 am
Florida will conceal whether or not Tebow has been cleared to play just to keep LSU guessing. Think Meyer is above that? Think again.
Blue
October 7th, 2009
9:10 am
Eric; NICE, well formulated comparison. Tebow goes on mission trips to 3rd world countries and Michael Jackson has young children sleeping with him and pays a multi-million dollar settlement because of child molestation accusations and then dies from an overdose of a drug that he is having administered to render him unconscious at night. I don’t know how I could have missed all the similarities between the two. WOW…do I feel stupid.
CharlotteGator
October 7th, 2009
9:11 am
Totally agree w/ you Tony.
As a Gator, I want nothing more than to win this game, but I want Tebow to play ONLY if he’s 100%. If there’s any doubt he should sit, regardless of what it does for our chances.
He’s not invincible and a game is not worth the potential damage. Here’s hoping he’s completely honest and doesn’t hide anything from the doctors re: symptoms that come back.
Paul H
October 7th, 2009
9:12 am
Florida doesn’t NEED Tebow for this game. LSU got lucky against Miss State and were given the game by the refs against UGA. Should be 3-2. Offense is weak. Defense is questionable. LSU is middle of the pack and overrated. This shouldn’t be the game it’s being billed as.
Call it Like It Is
October 7th, 2009
9:12 am
Hey TigersNow,
You must be on crack as your Tigers stuggled with sorry A#@ GA!
Gators roll Big!
By the way Tebow = CLASS and he is the Greatest College Football Player Ever!
Enough Said!
Blue
October 7th, 2009
9:13 am
Volsngoblue: REALLY? The players in the SEC are “more intelligent” than in the other conferences??? Wow…and I thought they were just better in football. Thanks for setting us straight on THAT.
Larry
October 7th, 2009
9:14 am
I am pretty disgusted with UGA Football right now- it speaks volumns when the head coach at UF makes a stronger statement about the SEC Officials and penalty than OUR OWN COACH DID! Makes me so sick….we are all warm and fuzzy…nice….and we continured to get walked on! CMR better learn quick- fans are geting sick of it. I for one wont renew tickets- and sure others feel same
dawgday
October 7th, 2009
9:18 am
Tebow doesn’t play. Tebow shouldn’t play. Why risk it? This game don’t mean nothin’.
Their defense and special teams should keep them in the game but LSU wins.
Tebow comes back for sure by the UGA game (of course). And they run the table and take out LSU/Bama in the SEC CG with the focus all on Tebow Tebow Tebow.
This one game will not destroy their season. UF can still easily get to the BCSCG with one loss. Who else will go over a 1 loss UF? Boise? Va Tech? OSU? USC? Doubt it.
im4bama
October 7th, 2009
9:19 am
I’ve got bigger things to decide than should Tebow play or not. I have to decide who I’d rather see lose, the Tigers or the Gators. RTR
SimpleDawg
October 7th, 2009
9:19 am
So what if we don’t absolutely KNOW the condition of Tebow’s gray matter….the absence of knowledge has never stopped 90% of the self anointed intellectually superior knuckleheads from stating opinion as fact in their comments.
Soooo, I’m speculating that Tebow will be on the field Saturday in Red Stick come Hell or high water. I’m speculating that Urbane has had diarrhea and indigestion ever since this injury occurred. I’ll even speculate further that Urbane has been suffering from headaches and nausea, too…..maybe it’s physcosamatic. I’ll bet this has probably been the worst 2 weeks of the Crier’s football life.
But, Superman will be on the field…Kryptonite be damned, full speed ahead ( pun intended ).
Should offer great theater…hopefully it doesn’t become tragic reality TV.
Dr. Phill
October 7th, 2009
9:19 am
Whatever happened to playing second and third stringers after the game appears to be won? Meyer apparently feels the need to run up the score on teams to improve his standing and intcrease the statistics of Tebow and starting players. I remember in the 1960’s when Bear Bryant would use almost the whole team in a game. I know that Tebow wants to play the whole game, but is that worth taking a chance on a career-ending injury?
senoiadawgs
October 7th, 2009
9:20 am
I hope that Urban doesn’t play Tebow. Here is why, most concussions that NFL players receive require sitting out at least 1 game most of the time 2. This seemed to be a pretty severe one. I would hate for the greatest college football ever to end up having mush for a brain. Even though I am a Dawg fan, UF can lose this game and not have their goals dashed at all and should have a pretty easy path to Atlanta and the MNC. The pollsters will not drop them far if they lose and Tebow is not playing.
Paul H
October 7th, 2009
9:21 am
Larry – good point. Our arch rival has stronger comments about those sorry refs than our own coach. Certainly a difference in personalities. I would still take CMR every day of the week but it would be refreshing to see him fired up over stuff like this.
PMC
October 7th, 2009
9:22 am
Yeah but do they really need Tebow to beat LSU?
Brantley is capable right? If he is cleared I’d dress him out and hold him on the sidelines. They need him for the long haul this season to accomplish thier goals. The second concussion is easier to get than the first but he doesn’t really get lit up like that often.
I just don’t think they need Tebow to beat LSU. They might be able to win this one on defense alone. Let one of those tailbacks earn thier keep inside for once. They’ll need that next year anyway.
senoiadawgs
October 7th, 2009
9:23 am
Larry, Paul H 100% agreement. It is a disgrace that Richt showed no emotion over the call especially when Urban and Kiffin put stronger words in the media than our own coach. I will take Richt only with new coordinators. if he keeps them I would prefer someone else.
J Dub
October 7th, 2009
9:24 am
I agree that if LSU barely squeaked by Miss State (weak year in and year out) and Georgia (clearly a horrendous year is unfolding in Athens), they really don’t stack up well with Florida, even if they bring Spurrier back to play quarterback this week. I find it hard to imagine LSU being able to keep pace with Florida. If not for the ghost of Kirby Smart haunting the Dawgs tackling abilities, Georgia wins. If not for complete ineptitude by Joe Cox, Georgia wins. If not for over zealous SEC officials, Georgia wins. If not for Mike Bobo’s genius playcalling, Georgia wins. I know your immediate response is if a frog had wings, he wouldn’t bump his azz, but I say all that to sum it up by saying that Florida is much better than that. They don’t have tackling issues, they are the darlings to the media, SEC, and SEC officials, either of their QBs are better than Cox (they may even has some punters that are better qbs than Cox), and they definitely have a better playcaller. Sorry LSU but the pipe dream ends here.
T
October 7th, 2009
9:24 am
And the point of this article was ?????????????????????????????
Stop it!
October 7th, 2009
9:24 am
End this stupid kabuki dance, PLEASE! Everyone knows Tebow is going to play Saturday. How stupid do they think Les Miles is? Only you idiots in the drive-by media are fooled by this “will he play, won’t he play” farce.
I bet Tebow’s got the same phony doctors looking at him as they had at the White House pushing Obamacare. Dress a few fans up in a white coat, give him the okay, and send him on his way.
merculf
October 7th, 2009
9:26 am
Wow Larry. You want your coach to cry about a call that can’t be reversed? I’m for Auburn but respect the fact that CMR isn’t crying to the media about the call. He realizes that as a team they got beat…plain and simple, it happens.
Crystal Tiger
October 7th, 2009
9:27 am
The bottom line is Florida can lose to LSU and still play for the SEC Championship by beating UGA and the rest of the SEC teams on its schedule. That is reason in itself to sit Tebow. The other guy – John Brantley – is a scholarship QB at the University of Florida. That should tell of of us plenty, too.
Partisay
October 7th, 2009
9:28 am
It’s called drama. Urban & Tebow will milk this for all it’s worth. Just before game time, ESPN will have a big press conference to make a major announcement – that Tebow will play.
Crystal Tiger
October 7th, 2009
9:28 am
The bottom line is Florida can lose to LSU and still play for the SEC Championship by beating UGA and the rest of the SEC teams on its schedule. That is reason in itself to sit Tebow. The other guy – John Brantley – is a scholarship QB at the University of Florida. That should tell all of us plenty, too.
bamafanatl
October 7th, 2009
9:32 am
Dr. Phill, You got that excactly right.
And again, what was the point of this article? I am as tired of hearing the media on this as (yes again) Michael Jackson.
Tide Rising
October 7th, 2009
9:33 am
Anybody remember when Tebow’s arms when straight up immediately after he was on his back? A friend of mine has a brother who is a doctor. He said neurologists call that the dead man’s salute because when your arms go straight up like that immediately following a blow to the head its a sign of brain damage.
It doesn’t help that the blow was to the back of the head near the base of the skull. You don’t have to be a genius to understand that in boxing, UFC, etc. you can hit to the front, sides, and top of the head but never to the back of the head, especially near the base of the skull. The obvious reason is that it can kill someone or at the very least is a much more serious and severe concussion. That’s why I think he not only sits this game but he may be sitting a couple more weeks.
In any event the it sounds like John Brantley is going to be a great one so I’ld like to see him play some. He’s experienced enough now that the dropoff won’t be that severe.
J Dub
October 7th, 2009
9:33 am
Partisay, I agree there as well. ESPN would have it no other way than to report all week that he might not play, he might not play, he might not play. Well, Well, Well, come Saturday he is playing, they win, and then “his legend just grows even more” as TB said. Concussions are serious and coming back too soon is dangerous but the media living and dying with every word out of Urban’s mouth is exactly what they want. Just like with 24 hours of Favre coverage, they are just juicing ratings. Gameday will be there right? hmmmmmmmmm
AltamahaDawg
October 7th, 2009
9:34 am
We are going to miss you Larry.
goalinestalker
October 7th, 2009
9:35 am
Wth does Urban Meyer commenting on the LSU game have anything to with CMR? He also called two time outs in the last minute a year ago? CMR is a class act in every sense of the game! Of course He’s gonna say something with fist pump Tebow celebrating every time He scores.
TheBear60
October 7th, 2009
9:36 am
Enter your comments here
Dawgdays is right. Florida does not need the LSU game to get to the BCS champ game. Why get the kid hurt. Would you let him play if you were his father, even if the medical staff releases him?They will run the table on the little sisters of the poor they have left on their schedule. Tebow will be back for the SEC Atlanta game & even if they are a once beaten – win the SEC Champ game, & they go to the Rose Bowl.
The wild card is Meyers……….if he appreciates this kid as much as he says, he doesn’t play him.
Rush Limbaugh is a Junkie
October 7th, 2009
9:38 am
Stop It!…”the drive-by media”? “Obamacare”? Go get hopped up on some Oxycontin like your boy and leave the comments to those of us who know what we’re talking about.
Will
October 7th, 2009
9:39 am
Tony, can you please do a story on why CMR recruited a kick-off specialist from California to kick the ball into the end-zone but yet the kid has yet to see the field and UGA continues the infamous directional kick??? Why do we insist on this pooch kick deal? I would point out how many games this has cost us this year and last. I would also point out how many times a poor kick off has cost us momentum and kept other teams in the game longer than they should have been. Am I the only guy who notices this? We have the worst kick-off team in the country. I watched Troy last night and I would trade their kick-off team for UGAs in a second. With no doubts! We can’t kick, we have no speed to cover, then when we do catch up we miss tackles. UGA fans can blame the stupid penalty, but it was actually the kick-off and the fact that we couldn’t cover the kick when Trinton caught it.
I have had enough. They are not getting my $15k anymore until Coach Fab is demoted to equipment mng.
Dawgfan
October 7th, 2009
9:41 am
I think this whole concussion situation has given the Gators the greatest weapon against LSU – the unknown. LSU doesn’t know what to prepare for…do they prepare for Tebow, only to be up against Brantley and a completely different offense, or do they attempt to prepare for a Gator offense that they have not seen with Brantley, only to be surprised last minute by the start of Tebow? I have a feeling that the LSU defense will struggle this week because of this whole concussion thing and the Gators will roll. However, I hope that LSU comes out ready and gets the win…I hate it when the Gators win!
DawgGirl32
October 7th, 2009
9:42 am
Larry, Paul H, and Senoiadawgs- Are you serious?? You really want our coach to go whining to the media about a bad penalty call? Mark Richt would have been CRUCIFIED had he whined to the media about that call. Of course Urban Meyer and Lane Kiffin, the two loudmouths of the conference, had strong words. Their teams weren’t affected by by the call; they could say whatever they want and not be labeled a crybaby or a sore loser. Mark Richt handled the situation with complete class and I expected nothing less from him.
Gatorzone
October 7th, 2009
9:43 am
I agree with Bull Gator. Tebow should sit even if he is cleared to play. I also think that UF’s offense would be more diverse as a result of this and would force Meyer to use other weapons that he has thus far ignored. Brantley is more than capable of winning this game.
Michael G.
October 7th, 2009
9:43 am
Does anyone know where Tebow stops and Barnhart starts? Hey Tony, you got a little brown on your nose!
m
October 7th, 2009
9:43 am
Tony, your man-love for Teblow is truly embarassing.
Why don’t you write about somebody else for a change?? Something about how Josh Nesbitt goes on the road in the oh-so-tough sec and leads Tech to a victory with an 11-14 for 266 yards passing performance and also 23 carries. Truly remarkable performance and you don’t even mention it.
Tech beats missy st worse that lswho and you don’t even mention it. Tech ran for 209 yards on missy st…lswho ran for 30 yards on missy st????
Bottom line…your love for Teblow and your love for the sec leads you to irrational behavior. Both are way overrated.
The ACC beat the sec 6 out of 10 last year in the regular season and is on the way to beating the sec 4 out of 7 this year. The sec is the weakest I have ever seen the conference…it is alabammer and floriduh and the 10 dwarfs.
SimpleDawg
October 7th, 2009
9:44 am
Hey JDUB, have Spurrier play QB? That doesn’t help the Gators at all….he’s 60 years old.
Maybe they could call back Danny Wuerfel….2 out of 3 traits of Tebow.
Charlotte Dawg
October 7th, 2009
9:49 am
Larry, you are an idiot!! Don’t renew your tixs. We only want real UGA fans at the games. UGA football is more than the CMR and the assistants. I would be happy to take you tixs. That is win or lose. Just like all of us, I want to win! We will continue to do that year in and year out!
Michael G.
October 7th, 2009
9:52 am
I heard a great point yesterday. Florida’s most important game is not this weekend against LSU; rather, it’s on halloween against Georgia. Florida could afford to lose this game and win out to both win the conference and get to the Nat’l Championship game. There seems to be a consenus that a 1-loss or better SEC team will make it to the NC game. If Florida were to lose a game in conference, it would be better for them if it came against a western division foe.
im4bama
October 7th, 2009
9:54 am
Tide Rising
Did you see that final play of the Notre Dame/Washington game? That receiver, D’Andre Goodwin for UW took the same time of hit that Tebow’s brain went through. Goodwin’s arm’s went straight out too. Nobody’s even talking about him or even pointed it out.