I'm a Tebowliever

Let me begin with this disclaimer.

I am a huge fan of the Oakland Raiders.

Diehard.

And that’s what this team does to its fans.

It kills us.

Yes, we have won three Super Bowls.

But the last one happened when I was in high school.

And lets just say that the silver in my hair has nothing do with the Raiders colors.

Good or bad I haven’t missed a game all year.

Including last week’s disaster in Miami.

This week’s disaster in Green Bay.

And next week’s disaster against Detroit.

But we will bounce back.

We always do.

And then we will lose again.

We always do that too.

Screw the box of chocolates.

Life is like the Raiders.

You never know what you’re gonna get.

Win or lose, they are my Raiders.

And they’ve got my unconditional love.

But reality is reality.

Whatever we had going for us a few weeks ago.

Is gone.

Long gone.

The way things are going right now, there’s a better chance of me running a marathon.

Uphill.

Both ways.

Barefoot.

In a snowstorm.

Than there is the Raiders making the playoffs.

The same can’t be said for the rival Denver Broncos.

It was really cute two months ago when their lovable lefty quarterback pulled out a miracle win against the Dolphins.

But then he did it again.

Against the Raiders.

And the Chiefs.

And the Jets.

And the Chargers.

And the Vikings.

But what happened on Sunday against the Bears was nothing short of divine interception.

Ok, it was a fumble.

But you get the point.

Houdini would’ve blushed at the way this game finished.

This ending was so far fetched, I thought I was watching the Buffalo Wild Wings commercial.

Tim Tebow is far from perfect when it comes to playing a football game.

But when it comes to talking the right game, he is a Hall of Famer.

Humble.

Optimistic.

Fearless.

I could go on all day.

I’ve got thesaurus.com bookmarked.

Now as a disciple of the Lox, Eggs & Onions, I could do without all his “my lord and savior” stuff.

But when you’ve pulled out more miracles than Elijah you can praise any one you want.

There’s no question that Tim Tebow’s recent success has opened many eyes around the country.

But thanks to my friend Jon, I knew about this train way before it left the station.

Almost a decade ago Jon told me about this home-schooled high school kid in his Jacksonville neighborhood.

The next big thing.

But even after winning a National Championship.

As a freshman.

A Heisman Trophy.

As a sophomore.

Another National Championship.

As a Junior.

Being selected 25th out of the 255 players in the 2010 draft.

Tim Tebow was still considered nothing more than a joke.

But who’s laughing now.

The Broncos have won seven of their last eight games with Tebow under center.

They are locked in first place.

On the verge of making the playoffs.

Tim Tebow is as legit as M.C. Hammer.

As a Raiders fan, it’s been difficult to watch.

But thanks to my friend David, everything is getting more in focus.

Like me, David is a Raiders fan.

And like me, we both hope there’s one of them miracles ahead for the Silver and Black.

We spoke last week after the Broncos last second win in Minnesota moved them into a first place tie with our team.

When David heard the woe is me in my voice, he knew it was time to bring out some Tebow-style inspiration.

David told me that because of his undying love for the Lakers and the Dodgers.

He spent his childhood hating Pete Rose and Larry Bird.

Instead of appreciating their genius.

Now as a much more mature sports fan, he wasn’t going to let that happen again.

The Raiders are still #1 in his heart.

But instead of rooting against everything Broncos.

He is sincerely enjoying a phenomenon that we have never seen before.

And may never see again.

He is a Tebowliever.

I knew exactly where he was coming from on the whole Rose/Bird thing.

To this day, I get sick every time I think of John Elway or Graig Nettles or Jack Clark or ...

I could go on.

But the point is, what we are seeing with the Broncos right now is nothing short of ... miraculous.

And rooting against Tim Tebow just because of the color of his... 

uniform... 

...is rooting against everything that is right with sports.

Enjoy the ride.

Go Raiders!