Tim Tebow, You Had me When that Sailor was on his Knees...

A couple of weeks ago I was, like so many, really annoyed with the coverage Tim Tebow was receiving from the media. Unlike a certain group of people, namely devout Christians and anyone who attended the University of Florida, I was solidly with the majority of NFL Players who believe (still do, as much as ever) that Tebow will never be a good NFL QB. Nothing has changed in that regard, but my opinion on the whole media matter in general has.

I'm a Raiders fan, so I want Tim Tebow leading the Broncos. This should set them back a good number of years, and I'm all for that. I also hate the Jets, so last night's game was a thing of comedy and beauty, all wrapped up into the perfect burrito.

As the game was coming down to the wire, there were Jets fans saying "Tebow is gonna tie it up..."

I stopped them all and said, "NO CHANCE! TEBOW DOESN'T TIE SHIT UP! HE WINS SHIT!"

Of course he won the game. It had to happen that way. The Messiah vs Jew York. It was too perfect.

Lets put all that aside though, just for a second.

The guy still sucks at playing Quarterback.

I'm not saying he can't run the ball. I'm not saying he can't win a game that's within 4 points late in the game. I'm not saying he's not determined to do well. I'm not saying he can't do any of the things he has recently done. All of THOSE THINGS are within what Tim Tebow can do.

What I am saying is Tim Tebow is not right now, hasn't been in the past, and will not be in the future a successful NFL Quarterback.

It's that simple.

Yes, he has won some games, but more so, his defense has beaten some of the worst offenses in the league, and Tebow has been able to help them win close games late. Congratulations. Feel free to sign the guy for the final drive. But if you actually want your team to be in games that aren't close, get a real quarterback.

He ain't it.

Now I hear people say things like, "I told you he could play in the NFL!"

People, stop. I'm not saying he doesn't know what a football looks like, or that he can't snap the ball from center. That's not the argument here, so please stop lowering the bar. What I am saying is he's not a first round draft pick, and if the Broncos could pick again, despite ALL OF THIS, they wouldn't touch the guy.

He's a guy who can do certain things well. Like Kordell Stewart. Like Ronnie Brown running the "Wild Cat", and like other guys who are limited. But that's not where the bar has been set. It's been LOWERED so much that any success Tebow has is viewed as "told you so." You did tell me, but you're still wrong.

This is why I compare the FEELING of what I see with Tebow with the feeling of how I felt when people told me George Bush was doing well in debates. Those people WANT to believe, and yes, it's pretty much the same people: the believers. In the end, the result will be somewhat the same as well.

A couple of years ago I wrote about how Vince Young would certainly be a NFL Bust. I was spot on then because I saw the games, I knew what he did well, and what he couldn't do. After the National Title game all of the talking heads were saying "This guy has to be number 1..." How'd that work out?

The difference between Vince and Tim though is that Tim is being given the chances Vince was not. The team is catering their offense, for the time being, around what Tim does well. They did NOT do that for Vince Young. They forced him to be a real quarterback, and how did that work out? It didn't. The same way it won't work for Tebow. Ahhh, but Tebow has the supporters. The believers. The people in Kentucky who erect Billboards in his name.

The people Vince never had. Vince Young was FAAAAAAR more talented, but he didn't have the machine. Vince Young wasn't the pretty white kid whose dad was a minister.

Therefore, Vince Young didn't get that chance. And Young was probably smart enough not to want it.

Now Vince Young is an average backup in Philadelphia, and Tim Tebow is enjoying his brief moment in the sun in Denver.

In the end though, Vince Young, a guy who I felt was going to be a complete bum, will have a longer, and more successful career than Tim Tebow.

Mark these words.

People can tell me I'm being a "glass half empty" kind of guy. Well, I think you're drinking a full glass of idiot.

On a side note, the same coach people have been killing for not playing Tim Tebow, has turned this team around with defense. Tebow has been average at best, while John Fox has been amazing the last 5 weeks. Yet the discussion about John Fox has only been how he handles Tim Tebow.

It's truly ridiculous.

The Star Alliance Strikes Again

So flights out of SFO to EWR were ABSURDLY pricey for our flight back east, just one way. Get this:

To fly from SFO to EWR was $627. So I did a "nearby airport" search with "flexible dates."

It turns up that flying out of Monterey at 9 AM was only $176, but soon jumped to $200. Of course, that flight goes from MRY to SFO, then gets on the same plane that goes to Newark. Same flight in the end. Lucky for us we're leaving our car in MRY so it works out.

However, the "nearby airport" search on both ends created an itinerary of SFO --> PHILLY. Philly is considered a "nearby" airport to Newark, within 150 miles. That flight was also $176. Yet, that flight goes from SFO TO NEWARK, THEN TO PHILLY! SAME PLANE!

We couldn't take that option because we are checking bags, and they'd end up in Philly.

Today I check online, just for kicks, to see what's available. We ended up paying around $480 total, with fees, etc. There's a flight available from SFO to HOU to EWR, for $149 one way. I thought, maybe I'll change it. The change fee to get on THAT flight is $1,369 total for TWO. A flight which costs less than our original ticket.

I called Continental to ask why, and they said there are a lot of reasons, but primarily it's because you're "switching origin." I told her, "not really. I did a SFO search initially, and this was the best option at the time based on your recommended airport. I figured all the airports would fall within SFO - ALL SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORTS, which was the option on your website."

"Yes, I understand, but you're switching origins..."

Even better is how it costs $180 less ($1,197 vs $1,369) to switch to a direct flight from SFO to NYC, which if I purchased that same ticket today would actually cost $300 more!

Are you confused yet?

I'm tempted to add a chart, but what's the point?

The bottom line is: The airline uses a matrix, and it's clearly working...