Gator quarterback Tim Tebow was mobbed by admirers today as he brought a serious message about character to the festivities of UF Football Day in the state Capitol.
Gov. Charlie Crist and Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp, both proud Florida State graduates, welcomed Tebow, Gator captain Ryan Stamper and Coach Urban Meyer at a breakfast reception with UF President Bernie Machen. About 100 state officials, including legislators and Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente, were on hand for the greeting.
"How many of you are Gator grads?"
Crist asked, drawing a rousing growl and applause. "I am not but I am proud to honor them -- and crazy if I don't."
Crist added, "What the university has done, Bernie, is nothing short of amazing and even this Seminole heart beats a little harder when I'm watching you guys win their second championship in three years."
The governor pointedly thanked Tebow for his decision to return to Florida for his senior year. Meyer said the NCAA gave him a waiver so his family can continue raising money for an orphanage in the Philippines, or Tebow would have turned pro.
"I got news,"
said Meyer. "He would not be our quarterback any longer if that did not happen."
Meyer said Tebow, who drives a 14-year-old car, was not motivated by money. The coach also told of how Tebow changed the number of the biblical verse sported on eye-black under his eyes, to John 3:16, for the championship game.
Tebow said he was surprised to learn that 93 million people Googled that verse after seeing it written on his face in the big game.
"My reason for coming back wasn't to win another championship, which we're trying to do, or to go higher in the draft,"
said Tebow. "It was to have an impact on today's youth, something that most athletes don't ever take the time to think about."
Tebow added, "It's not all about me, it's about who can I help."
He said he was surprised by the response to his change of biblical verses.
"It's a blessing -- 93 million people went to Google and saw 3:16 and that's an incredible thing," he said. "When I stopped to think about it, I thought, 'Wow, 93 million people don't know what that means' and had to go Google it. I think society definitely needs more role models."
