Steve Spurrier learned an important lesson last summer. Chad Henne learned it last week, and now it’s Deonte Thompson’s turn:
Don’t say anything that could even be remotely construed as negative or a slight toward Tim Tebow. Media and fans will pounce.
Thompson, a product of Belle Glade and entering his red-shirt junior season, finds himself as the subject of controversy and derision for comments he gave after yesterday’s spring practice that he’s excited about working with John Brantley, whom he called “a real quarterback.”
Never mind that he simply meant that Brantley is more of a traditional pocket quarterback, as opposed to the hybrid, non-conventional Tebow. Instead, Thompson is being vilified as a bitter and ungrateful receiver.
A sampling of headlines this morning:
Orlando Sentinel: Tim Tebow blasphemy? Is UF receiver Deonte Thompson dissing iconic Tim Tebow?
ProFootballTalk: Florida wideout happy to have “a real quarterback”
Sporting News: Florida WR Deonte Thompson ready for post-Tim Tebow era
National Football Post: Florida wideout excited to play with a “real quarterback”
Bleacher Report: Did WR Deonte Thompson Throw Tim Tebow Under the Florida Gators Bus?
The answer, frankly, is no. But that doesn’t stop the “Gotcha” journalists and bloggers from pouncing.
For those curious, here is the full Q&A:
Reporter: What’s the biggest difference between Brantley and Tebow?
Thompson: Brantley is a pure passer. He ain’t trying to run. He’s just going to straight pass.
Reporter: How is that better for receivers?
Thompson: ‘Cause Tebow, you never know. He’ll be running but then he’ll just come up and pass it to you, so you just gotta be ready at all times. But with Brantley, you know, everything with rhythm, time, like a real quarterback.
Poor choice of words? Sure. But was his intent to rip Tebow? Not at all, and that’s coming from someone who has interviewed Thompson dozens of times since his days at Glades Central High.
Thompson, 21 years old, is guilty only of not being a polished public speaker. If Thompson had used the word “traditional” — what he was implying — instead of “real,” this would never have been a national news story.
But Tebow is such a lightning rod that any comment made against him is blown way out of proportion.
Take, for instance, the Spurrier saga from last summer, when his vote for Jevan Snead as preseason SEC First Team Quarterback turned into an indictment of Tebow and resulted in a public shaming of Spurrier.
Or, for instance, when Henne made one throwaway comment on WQAM last week – “My judgment is he’s not an NFL quarterback. I’ll leave it at that” – and the reaction was so negative that he was forced to make a public apology.
“I didn’t really say he wasn’t able to be one,” Henne said. “I think we’re all in this process learning how to be an NFL quarterback and obviously he’s taking the right steps to improve his game. … Wherever he goes he’s going to make that team better because he’s such a competitor and a great person.”
Like those two, Thompson has probably learned his lesson – when it comes to Tebow, you better praise him endlessly or keep your mouth shut.
