1 » Denver Broncos veteran Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey has been heaping the praise on rookie quarterback Tim Tebow and that trend continued Wednesday in an NFL.com report. Talking about Tebow’s star quality and magnetism, the former Georgia Bulldogs star placed the Florida Gators legend above even the most famous Florida State Seminole. “I’ve been on a team with some [high-profile] players, such as Deion [Sanders] and guys like that, but I’ve never seen nothing like this,” Bailey said. “It’s amazing. […] I’m kind of proud of him for the way he handles himself. He wants to be one of the guys. People are going to put him on that pedestal, but he handles both sides very well.”

Defensive end Justin Bannan is also impressed. “I’m kind of blown away,” Bannan said. “I’ve just never seen anything like it. It’s like a phenomenon. This city’s just become obsessed with Tebow. The guy has earned that right to get that kind of attention, because he’s probably going to go down as one of the greatest — if not the greatest — college player to play the game.”

2 » It should be no question that Pittsburgh Steelers rookie center/guard Maurkice Pouncey, the University of Florida and the NCAA all want the allegations surrounding the player to be settled – one way or another – as soon as possible. Nevertheless, according to the University Police Department, determining whether or not Pouncey accepted a $100,000 payment from the runner for a sports agent may take up to two more months to settle. “It’s still an ongoing investigation,” Capt. Jeff Holcomb told The Gainesville Sun. “It could be another month or two before it’s finally closed out. It’s a slow-going process.” The process has been underway since June.

Photo Credit: Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post

Tags: Champ Bailey, Deion Sanders, Denver Broncos, Florida State Seminoles, Georgia Bulldogs, Justin Bannan, Maurkice Pouncey, NCAA, NFL, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tim Tebow, University of Florida

Former NFL player and future hall of famer Deion Sanders was quite complementary when speaking about former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow on Pardon the Interruptionn with Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon on Thursday. Sanders, who was interviewed by the duo on location in Miami, FL, for Super Bowl XLIV, indicated that you have to evaluate Tebow based on his career instead of what a few scouts may think.

“In Pee Wee football – he succeeded. In high school football – he was a winner. In college football – not only was he a winner and National Champion…Heisman Trophy! [He was] always at the race. He’s a winner,” Sanders exclaimed. “How can you discount a winner in regards to anything? If he were playing you in a game of checkers, I might pick him.”

When questioned by Wilbon about the flack Tebow has received recently for his workouts at the 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl, Sanders dismissed the critics. “They miss so much on the combine,” he continued. “They get a lot of it right, but it’s a lot of misses at the combine because it’s one guru who has a few credentials that says, ‘This guy has terrible mechanics.’ Well, who doesn’t? If you really look at a guy negatively…why don’t we start looking at what’s right about him instead of looking at what’s wrong with him?

At the start of the interview, Sanders was asked if he heard comments made about Tebow by former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann earlier in the day. In response, he scoffed and replied, “Did Joe say that for shock treatment?”

Sanders was an eight-time Pro Bowler, six-time First Team All-Pro selection, two-time Super Bowl Champion, NFL Defensive Player of the Year, two-time NFC Defensive Player of the Year and member of the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade team. With 53 career interceptions, he knows a thing or two about professional quarterbacks.

Tags: Deion Sanders, Joe Theismann, Senior Bowl, Under Armour