Is This The End Of Tebow's Football Road?

Unless you are fans of the Florida State Seminoles or Nick Saban's current University of Alabama football dynasty, the 2013 version of the NFL Draft was about as exciting as Saturday night reruns of The Lawrence Welk Show. 

Of course for those respective schools, it was another milestone event as FSU had a school-record 12 players selected while the Crimson Tide had 9 players picked, the most since 1945 when Bama saw 10 standouts have their name called. 

It was also another big show of domination by the SECas it broke the record by a single conference as it had 63 players drafted. LSU also had 9 players selected.Just another reason for fans of the Big 10 and Big 12 to hate the most powerful football conference in the nation. 

Otherwise it was not the NFL's most spectacular week, as the draft was heavy on offensive and defensive linemen, and not many sexy Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III-type picks this year. The only real drama involved whether head cases and malcontents such as Manti Te'o and Tyrann Mathieu would even be selected at all.  

They were taken.....but I guess we'll just have to wait and see just how long and successful their careers actually are. Another less-noted mini-drama involved who would actually outtalk the other person on ESPN between Jon Gruden and draft expert/annoying figure Mel Kiper Jr.    I would call it a draw although I really enjoy listening to Gruden.

While the 2013 draft was mainly a dud, there was breaking news regarding one of the league's most divisive and controversial figures Monday, as the New York Jets finally showed a bit of compassion and released Tim Tebow. 

Of course, even this really cannot be called huge drama, as it was pretty much expected, with the Jets having accumulated six signal-callers on its roster before the former Heisman Trophy winner from Florida was finally sent packing. 

The only real question was when it was going to happen, and now the Jets face the reality of heading into camp still with nothing more than serviceable quarterbacks on its roster. 

Are they really going to bank their future on the very mediocre Mark Sanchez, even though they have invested a lot of dough in the former USC Trojan. Will they instead turn to veteran David Garrard or is former Bama quarterback Greg McElroy still an option at all? Or will the Jets actually give a real shot of leading the offense to newly-drafted Geno Smith from West Virginia, the subject of much scrutiny in the weeks leading up to the draft. 

I also wonder what the future holds for Tebow, and whether his NFL road has finally come to a sudden end.

It was obvious early last season that the Jets acquisition of Tebow was nothing but a publicity stunt by the inept Jets front-office cronies, and that was proven time and time again during another woeful campaign by Rex Ryan's squad. Ryan, by the way, is also another sports figure that I have little to no respect for, and as long as he is leading this club, drama and heartaches are sure to follow. Heartaches, I tell you!

All of us who have followed Tebow's career, from high school to the NFL, know that the fiercely competitive athlete was awesome as long as he was in systems that played to his main strengths, which are running and throwing on the run. These tools made him one of the most legendary high school and college quarterbacks ever. 

Other than a little magic with the Denver Broncos during the 2011 season, however, the NFL has been a different world for Tebow, as his inability to consistently function and produce in a standard NFL dropback passing system has resulted in mostly horrid numbers from the devout and outspoken Christian.

Of course saying all this, Ryan still had plenty of chances to at least give Tebow a chance to lead the Jets, considering the Jets were going nowhere fast, Sanchez was continuing to inspire zero confidence with his horrible play and McElroy got pummelled during his one start for the green and white. 

When it came to Tebow, however, lame excuses were all that we got from the coach, leading to reported tensions between Tebow and Ryan and probably leading to some justified resentment that Tebow may feel toward the franchise now. 

I personally wonder now if Tebow will ever receive another NFL shot following his release, and many are also speculating about whether he will have to settle for perhaps playing in the Canadian Football Leagueshould he insist on holding onto his coveted quarterback role. 

From the very time that he entered the NFL, and his flaws began to be exposed more and more, I began to feel that maybe he might have a long and successful career in the pros if he might consider moving to a fullback or tight end role or maybe some type of hybrid role that might involve both of those positions. He is such a gifted and physical runner, with a nose for the end zone, and I have no doubt that if he has any ability at all to catch the ball, he could present major problems for myriad opposing defenses. 

Apparently Tebow has already shown some resistance to a change in position, according to some NFL reports, and if this is true, I feel it is regrettable. 

Although I have no doubt that Tebow is every bit the Christian person he is portrayed as, and that he himself has proven himself to be with his extraordinary mission work among other things, all great athletes still have an air of confidence/ego, and I think that aids greatly in their ability to be successful. 

In this case, however, I hope Tebow will not be undermined by his level of confidence if he stays grimly focused on playing one position. 

I would hate to see him end up playing in Canada, although football legends such as Doug Flutie and Warren Moon had incredible careers in the Great White North. Still, Tebow is regarded as such a hero by many football fans in this nation. 

Of course there will always be a certain segment of people in our country that will also always hate him, due to the fact that he played for Florida, because of his sometimes-cocky nature on the football field or simply due to the fact that he is a very active and outspoken Christian. Unfortunately his religious convictions turn off a lot of people in our culture. 

Of course Tebow is not without other options if he is never given another shot to be an NFL quarterback, or if he opts not to take his talents to locales such as Canada. 

I have no doubt that he could jump right into missionary work, and change lives for the next 50 years or longer. He has a great heart and talent for that, and his parents have served as excellent example and role models for him if he elects to pursue such a role.

With his handsome looks and excellent speaking skills, he could probably also jump right into a broadcasting role and be a successful college or pro football analystfor many years. 

Despite some disappointments along the way, Tebow has also shown all of us that magic tends to follow him at times, and I seriously doubt that one totally forgettable season in New York will hold him down for long. 

I believe Tebow will land on his feet in a big way somewhere down the line, and I, for one, am pulling for that to materialize. 

"42" Another Sports Masterpiece

Ask anyone who knows me well to describe Stan the Man and they will probably classify yours truly as a charming, thoughtful and intelligent sort,  with a combination looks/strength package that can only be found in the likes of a Bruce Willis or Vin Diesel. 

OK, so nobody has actually quite described me in those terms.........LIKE EVER.....NOT IN MY LIFETIME.  I do like to think of myself as mostly manly, however, as I can lift 50 pounds with not much of a struggle, can change a tire (with some assistance) and can kill most any type of bug. But sit me down to watch any sports movie and it's a totally different story.  Like my good friend Adam Stocks of Pell City said, I suddenly turn into a weepy, 67-year-old woman. 

Whether they admit it or not, every guy probably has somewhat of an emotional or sensitive side.  I freely admit that I have a big heart, and it usually shows when I am watching an iconic sports flick such as The Natural, Rudy, Hoosiers, Remember the Titans or We Are Marshall. 

So I pretty much knew what I was in for this past weekend when I went to see 42, the biopic by Brian Helgeland celebrating Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson, and his turbulent journey toward breaking the color barrier of the National Pasttime.  Today, by the way, is the 66th anniversary of Robinson's grand achievement, which is why all big league players  are wearing the No. 42 on their respective jerseys for today's games. 

As expected, the movie brought tears to my eyes, especially during a triumphant home-run trot late in the movie by Robinson, played in superb fashion by Chadwick Boseman,  but what was even better for me is that the movie not only lived up to the really good reviews that preceded Friday's official opening date, but actually surpassed them. I, with no hesitation, can say that 42 is already in the class with any sports film I have ever seen, and this includes baseball wonders such as The Natural, Bull Durham, Field of Dreams and Eight Men Out among others. Obviously the good word spread quickly about Helgeland's masterpiece as the movie opened up as No. 1 in the box offices in its first week. 

Of course when a director begins to pursue doing any type of sports movie, especially one that addresses such a significant point of history, not only for the sport of baseball, but such a pivotal one for our nation's history period in terms of racial progress, it is interesting to see whether the story will be clouded out and overshadowed by Hollywoodism, hokey cliches and "artistic license."

There is no doubt that any type of sports movie produced on a huge scale is going to have its share of dramatic cliches, thunderous music and spectacular production, camera angles and special effects. This movie is no different in that regard.

What is refreshing, however, about 42 is that Helgeland allows most of the story of this movie to be told through the great acting of a superb cast and the very realistic baseball action scenes shot in historic venues such as Chattanooga's Engel Stadium and Birmingham's Rickwood Field. 

While Boseman should be praised and awarded for his expert portrayal of the legendary and iconic Robinson, equal praise should also go to Harrison Ford for his excellent work as Branch Rickey, the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers who brings Robinson to the big leagues despite the tumultuous waves of racial disharmony and segregation that still rocked the nation especially during the 1940s and 1950s. Robinson's debut was on April 15, 1947.

Of course Ford is an icon in his own right, having played legendary roles such as Han Solo and Indiana Jones, and also having starred in so many other classic such as The Fugitive, Clear and Present Danger,  Air Force One and Witness. 

The movie 42, however, may prove to be one of the longest lasting testaments to Ford's acting greatness as he puts forth an emotional, realistic and powerful turn as the innovative figure who helped to change the face of baseball forever. His performance is even more impressive when you read interviews with the actor, who admitted he knew nothing about Rickey until he read the movie's script,and really is not even all that familiar with the game of baseball. 

While Boseman and Ford largely carry the movie, the supporting cast that includes Nicole Beharie (Rachel Robinson, Jackie Robinson's wife), Christopher Meloni (Leo Durocher), Lucas Black (Pee Wee Reese), Andre Holland (Wendell Smith) and Alan Tydyk (Ben Chapman) also contributes heavily during many pivotal scenes of the film. 

Of course even the greatest set of effects, scripts, shooting locales and actors are of little value if there is not a good story to tell.

Helgeland is to be first commended for having the vision and courage to put a modern spin on the story of Jackie Robinson, as the tale of this baseball pioneer had not been produced in movie form since Robinson portrayed himself in The Jackie Robinson Story in 1950. 

Secondly, he is to also be  lauded for writing a script and putting together a cast which would deliver the story of Robinson's achievements in a realistic, respectable and classy manner.  Helgeland achieved all of the above in fine form, and for that, all of us who love baseball, sports or just good, well-acted and well-scripted films are winners for being able to enjoy this instant classic. 

Admittedly, it is not always an easy story to digest, as the overriding theme of racism that Robinson had to endure on a daily basis, even from some of his own teammates, obviously comprises a huge portion of the film.  

But one of the greatest elements of a great sports movie is the portrayal of a figure, or a team that is able to overcome numerous obstacles to achieve greatness. The film does a compelling job in showing how the taunts that Robinson faced not only helped him to become a stronger person and athlete in the end, but also how it helped to eventually bring his team closer together and how it helped teammates such as Reese  to not only accept Robinson as their teammate but also as their friend.  

You have to hand it to those Hollywood types in that regard as they know just how to work your heartstrings, and it always works, whether it be Field of Dreams when John Kinsella asks his dad for a game of catch, in Rudy when Sean Astin's Rudy Ruettiger finally makes it on the field, make a big play and later gets carried off the field while his family watches in legedary Notre Dame Stadium, and in 42, when Reese puts his arms around Robinson and tells him that the whole team may just wear the No. 42 the next day so other teams won't be able to tell them apart. 

The flair for the dramatic, those warm and fuzzy moments, a great script, a great cast and action between the lines that actually looks realistic and believable.

It takes all of the above to produce a classic sports movie that will stand the test of time.

Fortunately 42 has all of the above ingredients, and I look forward to seeing it again many times in the future.