Gators' Tebow apparently is all he's cracked up to be

HOOVER, ALA. — Is he perfect? He might be perfect. Is anyone perfect? If anyone's perfect, it might be him.

Gosh, the questions just stream through your mind, sending it spinning, as Tim Tebow smiles wide and very naturally addresses a room full of reporters in a hotel ballroom.

His 15-minute dispatch sounds more like an afterschool special than the nation's very best returning player previewing the football season.

It's rehearsed but somehow genuine. How does he do that? Is that even possible?

He sounds like the biggest nerd on the planet, and yet he's someone you'd want to hang out with. How does he do that? Is that even possible?

And, please, don't call him Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. He aspires to be, and is already becoming, far more than that relatively simple descriptor.

See, Tebow spent his summer months — those away from his tireless schedule as a player and student — working as a missionary in the Philippines, Croatia and Thailand.

He says he did "a lot of very neat things, preaching in prisons, in schools, in hospitals, in marketplaces."

He says he also became more familiar with Florida's highly intricate playbook so he can become a more effective decision-maker than the guy who only scored 55

total touchdowns (23 rushing) in becoming the first sophomore to ever win the Heisman.

So, um, how'd you spend your summer? Exactly.

Tebow acknowledged that sometimes his body cries out for a break from being a public servant and role model, a time to "relax and be a college student." Maybe part of his mind does that, too. But, so far, he hasn't listened to his inner demons (if he actually has any).

"When I really sit down and think about it, I want to do those things because those things are more important than playing football for me," said the 6-3, 240-pound specimen from Jacksonville. "I mean, most people are like, 'That doesn't make any sense to me.' If I can change a kid's life for the better, that's much more important to me than going out there and beating Georgia or Florida State."

When asked about Tebow's ability as a leader, coach Urban Meyer just sort of made a face. It's such a given at this point, there's no sense in spending time talking about it.

Either that or he knew Tebow was taking the podium immediately after him, and that Tebow would make it all clear for everyone in a matter of minutes.

"I'm sure anybody in here can answer that for you," Meyer said. "It's as good as I've ever seen."

At one point, Meyer took six consecutive questions about his quarterback-philanthropist.

He said he thinks Tebow has the potential to become one of the best college football players in history. But he's done saying, done lopping that pressure on someone who evidently can handle it.

Even that went back to what Tebow does outside a huddle or set of hashmarks.

"I really get excited about great players. I get even more excited about great players that are great people," Meyer said. "I love watching Tim play. I believe he's one of the best players I've seen play."

It all draws the very natural, instinctive question inside you: Is this Tebow guy for real? Is this what he's actually like?

One media type, somewhat crassly and humorously, asked Tebow if he'd ever done anything wrong. If he'd ever "smoked a cigarette in high school" or anything of that devilish ilk.

His answer? Well, it was perfect. (What'd you expect?)

In several paragraphs, Tebow laid out the tenets of what he hopes to accomplish in life, using football as a vehicle for reaching and helping others.

"You know, there are a lot of leaders out there, but unfortunately there aren't a lot of good ones," Tebow said. "That's always been my dream and my goal.

"If people don't believe it, that's fine. There's always going to be naysayers, people that are going to say it's fake. But that's fine because you can't control everybody. But I can control what I do, my attitude, how I approach the situation.

"So how I approach the situation is I want to do everything in my power that football gives me to influence as many people as I can for the good because that's going to mean so much more when it's all said and done than just playing football and winning championships."

Consider this: It's been reported that, because of an infection while Pam Tebow was pregnant with Tim, a doctor recommended an abortion. It's a miracle he's here. And there is something perfect about that.

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com and check out the new South Carolina blog at www.charleston.net/blogs/gamecocks.