In the midst of the NBA finals and the Stanley Cup, in a week where we have seen bench clearing brawls in the MLB, the biggest story in American sports was the New England Patriots signing a backup quarterback who was cut by the Jets (The NFL equivalent of being turned down by Amanda Bynes). It doesn’t sound like anything more than a side note from preseason NFL training camps when put like that. But that quarterback happens to be a former Heismann Trophy winner and the most polarising American since G.W. Bush. He is Timothy Richard Tebow.

Why the media circus? Well, a number of reasons. Tim Tebow rose to fame as the starting QB for the Florida Gators in 2007, where his breakout sophomore season led to that Heisman Trophy for young Timmy, and the first of two BCS national championships. He was always an unorthodox quarterback, more capable as a runner than as a passer. His outspoken and devout Christian beliefs won him legions of fans and detractors both. His habitual on-field prayers, and especially the pose that accompanies them, became the national trend known now as ‘tebowing’. Then there was the ‘Tebow Rule’, which prohibits messages being inscribed into the black eye paint, which many athletes spread beneath their eyes to counter glare from the floodlights. Tebow would etch biblical verses into his throughout his college career (Such as John 3:16 in the 2009 BCS final, his crowning moment). And let us not forget the pro-life (or anti-abortion, depending on your point of view) ads which he fronted that aired during the 2010 Superbowl. He was drafted 25th overall by the Denver Broncos in 2010 and, just as in college, had a breakout second season. His late game comebacks were the talk of the sporting world, and he took Denver on an unlikely playoff run (until being utterly pants-down, egg-on-face, tarred-and-feathed humiliated by the Patriots, of all teams).

The problem most people have with Tebow is his ability to celebrity ratio. His talent doesn’t justify the amout of fame he has garnered. It’s the same thing that post Bend It Like Beckham Becks had to deal with. Granted, Beckham was A LOT better at his chosen sport than Timmy T, but that film was the moment when he went from being a sports star to a global celebrity who happened to play a little footy. Tebow is not a very good quarterback. That is a clear fact. But he is a genuinely good person, with a generous nature, who stands up for what he believes in. Some see this as the signs of a positive role model in times where such a being is rarer than ever and wish him to succeed despite the odds (which to be fair, he has so far). Chuck Norris is one such person. Parents love him too. He is the archetypal wholesome All American (which he literally was – twice) jock. The one boy you want your daughter to date. Others feel that this talentless, arrogant fool has no right - no goddamm right! - to tell us how to live our lives! He can’t even throw a ball straight!

This is the price of being an individual in a section of society built upon team orientated compliance. Some, mostly those who agree with you, will appreciate your position and sincerity, and some revert to tall-poppy syndrome. Personally, I like the guy, and I’m glad he still has a place in the NFL. I think his biggest, non-footballing, fault is his misguided nice-guy image in a sport which glorifies acts of violence (Don’t deny it - it does, and we all love it). As they say: Nice guys finish last.

As to his role for the Patriots, it’s a fair bet that he won’t be challenging the legend and the legacy of current starting QB Tom Brady. Despite his celebrated run of fourth quarter comebacks, NFL scouts are more interested in the three quarters preceding that got him into those holes. The guy, for all his strengths, is really not that good of a QB. He struggles to hit wide open receivers beyond 10 yards. He lacks vision. He relies on his running game whenever things get tough. He’ll probably fill a role as third string QB, a glorified alternate running back and potentially a special-teams asset. The Patriots are actually a great fit for Tebow. Coach Bill Belichick is famous for his utility players. He knows how to get the best out of every aspect of his team and every player on his squad. Not being the leader will allow the guy to blend in more comfortably. And Tom “Married to a supermodel” Brady will undoubtedly shield him from some of the media heat, or at least help him deal with it.

Look, Tim Tebow’s never gonna lead a team to the Superbowl. You can hardly blame him for that. He’s a little innocent, a little naïve; a clean cut athlete, like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting. He also happens to hold some passionate beliefs, which he is just as entitled to as we are entitled to think of him what we may. Vivre et laisser vivre. For now, it’s Tebow Time.

  - Wildcard