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Marshall: The return of Superman
Published 1/13/2009 in Sports : Columns
There have been five Superman movies made since the late 1970s, with the most recent in 2006 entitled "Superman Returns."
Since the action hero was introduced in the 1930s comic book series, we've always held out this hope that we'll find our own Superman to cheer for.
Wait no longer. We have discovered him.
Three years ago, he arrived in Gainesville, Fla., with his cape in hand and super powers about to be put on display. We just didn't know it at the time.
Introducing Superman, alias Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent, a.k.a. Tim Tebow -- quarterback, University of Florida Gators.
Tebow shared playing time as a freshman in 2006 with senior Chris Leak and the Gators captured the BCS national title. In his first year as a full-time starter, last year, all Superman did was become the first sophomore in college history to win the coveted Heisman Trophy. There would be more to come.
This fall, Tebow and the Gators were one of the two teams favored to win the national championship. But in late September, playing at home in the Swamp (Ben Hill Griffin Stadium), the Gators missed a tying extra point with 3:28 left in the game and fell 31-30 to Mississippi. Everyone figured the Gators were now bait for the rest of the Southeastern Conference.
Superman proved them wrong. He went straight to the podium afterward, told the world that no team would work any harder, no player would make a greater effort, no group would be more committed than he and the Gators for the rest of the season. Superman kept his word.
The exclamation point came Thursday when the Gators mauled Oklahoma, 24-14, to win the BCS title for the second time in three seasons.
Now, for the good part. Superman Returns -- World Premiere, September 2009.
Monday, in Gainesville, as the Gator world celebrated of its national title, Superman (Tebow) was all smiles as he told the crowd, "oh, by the way, let's do it again. I'm coming back."
People can make all the speculation they want about why he chose to stay and not opt for the NFL a year early. He finished fourth in this year's Heisman Trophy voting, a slight that he never verbally stated, but one could glean that he had many things to prove to the Sooners.
Tebow has an opportunity to leave his mark as perhaps the greatest college player in history if he were to win the Heisman for a second time (only Ohio State's Archie Griffin has done so) and he would be the lone QB to play on three national title teams if the Gators can repeat in '09. How well he'll do in the NFL is anybody's guess. But at 6-3, 240 pounds, he demonstrates two amazing skills -- his leadership to make others better around him, and his ferocity to compete. He simply wills his team to win games.
It won't surprise me if Tebow wins the Heisman next year. It won't surprise me if the Gators go undefeated and win another national title. Nothing surprises me with the Cape Crusader.
Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
Superman Returns -- Tebow Triumphs. I can't wait for the premiere. Hurry September.
Sports Editor Brett Marshall can be reached at bmarshall@gctelegram.com.
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