It is not often we get the chance to do entertainment reviews, though we always appreciate the opportunity. So when I found out that ESPN had chosen to send me a rough cut of Tim Tebow: Everything in Between (debuting on the network on Jan. 6 at 7 p.m.), I was psyched to view it before the general public and review it for you.

With a four-minute trailer for the then-unsold film released in September by Fiction and XV Enterprises, I knew going into my viewing that the movie began after the conclusion of the 2010 Sugar Bowl and lasted until Tebow had his name called with the No. 25 overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft just over three months later.

What I did not anticipate, however, was how comprehensive, expertly produced and well-edited the film would be. Two things I look for in any production – documentaries especially – are their ability to capture my attention and then whether or not they can hold that attention for their duration. Chase Heavener gives the viewer a brief yet broad behind-the-scenes look at the process Tebow went through to make the transition from Florida Gators legend to legitimate NFL prospect.

The viewer has the opportunity to see Tebow do everything from participating in interviews with Sports Illustrated and ESPN to conducting one of his own with his future agent Jimmy Sexton in a board room at the University of Florida.

“All this looks really good and is really fancy and is really nice. And ya’ll speak really well. But a lot of people around the country either believe in me or don’t believe in me. Or they say I can do this and I can’t do this,” Tebow says while fidgeting with a packet of information after listening to Sexton’s best sales pitch. “If you want to draft me then draft me. If you want to recruit me or you think I can be a quarterback, then I will be. If not, then don’t talk to me because I want somebody that wants me. And I want an agent that wants me and believes that I am going to be a quarterback and believes that I am going to be good at what I do. And why do you think I will be?”

From there the documentary takes you to D1 Sports Training in Nashville, TN, where Tebow threw so many passes while working on adjusting his mechanics that the gloves he was wearing were literally torn apart. The viewer observes as he struggles mightily at the 2010 Under Armour Senior Bowl and is pummeled with criticism from analysts including ESPN’s Todd McShay, who is portrayed throughout the film as the antagonist for Tebow’s protagonist.

Both his physical and mental toughness are tested continuously throughout his journey. Tebow trucks on through an infection during the Senior Bowl even finding humor when a doctor feeding a tube down his nose asks if it has even been broken. “Who knows? Probably,” he quips. The level of exertion he puts in to each and every workout – he says – is not matched by any other college football player in the country.

Tebow shows the ability to block out detractors by ignoring McShay, who he hears doubting his ability to play at the next level on a blasting television in the background while he signs dozens of autographs and is surrounded by friends, family and business associates. He also defends his decision to participate in the controversial Focus on the Family Super Bowl commercial alongside his mother.

“Whoever you are, you can at least respect that I have an opinion on [abortion] and that I believe in something and that I’m going to stand up for what I believe,” he says. “That’s something that I’m taking pride in, that I’m standing up or what I believe in, and I’m showing conviction about something. For me, that’s big.”

With the hard work and dedication complete, Tebow’s largest looming decision – one that garnered much media attention – was where he would actually watch the draft that would decide his professional future. Contrary to popular belief that delaying his decision was a publicity stunt, Tebow’s indecision less than 48 hours before the draft is put at the forefront as Sexton pleads for him to make a choice.

Sexton himself proves to be a pivotal figure in Tebow’s tale, especially in the film’s final scenes. He tells the family exactly how he has projected the draft, is met with trepidation when things do not go as smooth as planned, and then is as excited as a school boy when his original prediction – “My bet is Denver from 22 to 30.” – comes to fruition.

Whether you are a fan of Tebow’s or someone who feels a strong sense of disdain for him, the Heisman Trophy winner and two-time National Champion ends up in the role of the underdog by the documentary’s end. Being exposed to Tebow’s character on a more personal basis puts the viewer in a position where one would have to be stone cold inside not to be genuinely happy for him when he receives a phone call from the 303 area code as the story nears its end.

As comprehensive as Heavener’s film is, its short run time of 50 minutes (due to television programming restrictions) does his work an injustice. With three months of film collected there is bound to be at least another 20 minutes of compelling material that unfortunately must have hit the cutting room floor. It is worth holding out hope that an extended edition will be available in some form at a later date.

Tim Tebow: Everything in Between is the first in a series of shows set to be a part of ESPN’s Year of the Quarterback programming initiative, a year-long examination into the lives and careers of quarterbacks from high school to the pros.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Cowart
 

2 » On Aug. 5, Meyer announced that redshirt sophomore wide receiver T.J. Lawrence had requested and received a release from his University of Florida scholarship. Wednesday, Lawrence told The Lakeland Ledger that he has decided to transfer to the Florida A&M Rattlers. “It’s a big shocker because a lot of people wouldn’t expect Florida A&M University, but I’m going there to be a two-sport athlete,” Lawrence said. His main motivation for leaving UF was a lack of playing time.

3 » Interesting video from The Gainesville Sun of redshirt senior guard Carl Johnson interviewing freshman running back Mack Brown at Florida Media Day.

4 » Focus on the Family, the anti-abortion group that purchased a Super Bowl ad featuring former Gators quarterback Tim Tebow and his mother Pam Tebow, has decided to purchase statewide television advertisements during every Denver Broncos game for the upcoming season. Though the new ads will not feature or mention Tebow, the fact that the company is based in Colorado and already has the recognition of having previously worked with Tebow certainly served as a motivating factor in this decision.

1 » Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow will be the keynote speaker at the 21st Winged Foot Scholar Athlete awards banquet dinner on May 27 at the Naples Grande. The organization awards scholarships to deserving student-athletes from Collier County (like former Miami Dolphins punter Ray “The Mule” Finkle**). Big-name speakers preceding Tebow at this event include head coaches Urban Meyer (2009), Lou Holtz (2008), Tony Dungy (2001) and Steve Spurrier (1994).

**Finkle: soccer style kicker who graduated from Collier High June 1976; Stetson University honors graduate class of 1980; holds two NCAA Division I records – one for most points in a season, one for distance; former nickname “The Mule;” the first and only pro-athlete ever to come out of Collier County…and one hell of a model American.

2 » Two weeks later, the Tebow family’s Focus on the Family Super Bowl XLIV advertisement is still drawing attention. While, for the most part, viewers found the commercial to be harmless and not worthy of the controversy surrounding it, FotF believes it was a success for their organization. However, a Christian research firm named Barna Group disagrees, saying the spot did nothing to convey a particular message and was neither as memorable nor as clear as the group hoped it would be.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Focus on the Family Super Bowl commercial featuring Tim and Pam Tebow:

Focus on the Family pre-game commercial featuring Tim and Pam Tebow:

Jimmy Kimmel Live:

TAUNTR.com:

2 » Four-star wide receiver recruit Ivan McCartney (Miramar, FL) has yet to declare where he intends to play college football in 2010. For a while, he has been down to the Gators, Miami Hurricanes and West Virginia Mountaineers. Though four-star defensive end commit Lynden Trail (Miami, FL) has tried to convince him to join Florida’s class, McCartney is believed to be heading elsewhere. However, he did give this sterling quote about his experience with the Gators to the Miami Herald: “There’s something about Florida I don’t feel for the other schools, a very strong, loving feeling. The atmosphere is wild. The campus is outrageous. They have swagger, too. And it’s an awesome place, no matter who is coaching there.”

Extra Bit » Good stuff from The Gainesville Sun on Florida senior swimmers and two-time Olympians Omar Pinzon and Shaune Fraser, who are looking to leave a mark.

2 » Freshman guard Kenny Boynton has the star power, sophomore point guard Erving Walker is hitting daggers from downtown, junior forward Chandler Parsons is nailing remarkable buzzer-beating game-winners and junior transfer center Vernon Macklin brings the size…so what exactly is junior F Alex Tyus’ role? Tyus is, simply put, the most consistent player on the team. He has scored double figures in 11 straight games with 15+ points in six of those contests all while being a terror in the paint and averaging almost eight rebounds per game. Through the ups and downs of the season, Tyus has been the constant either keeping the Gators in games or helping them pull off routs. He’s even been hitting three-pointers. “I feel like I’m understanding my role a little more,” Tyus told Pat Dooley of The Gainesville Sun. “I’m more comfortable.” If Tyus continues playing at this level, a triumvirate of himself, Boynton and Walker could very well propel Florida to its first March Madness birth in three seasons.

Four more BITS on Corey Brewer, Tim Tebow and more after the jump!

3 » The transition to the NBA has been relatively easy for former Gators F/Cs Al Horford and Joakim Noah with the Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls, respectively. The same cannot be said about G/F Corey Brewer of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Brewer began his professional career hitting only 23 of 102 attempted three-pointers (22.5 percent) through 130 games. However, since nailing a thrilling trey a few weeks ago and following it up with a buzzer-beater, Brewer has been on a tare. Over his last 10 games, he has taken 42 shots from downtown and converted 22 of them (52 percent). By all accounts, Brewer is finding his shooter’s touch, something he wondered if he would ever recover after missing the majority of the 2008-09 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The reference article claims that a shooter has been born, but in Brewer’s case, it is more like a shooter was resurrected.

4 » The upcoming Super Bowl XLIV advertisement from Focus on the Family featuring former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is still causing controversy – even former Vice Presidential candidate and noted Republican Sarah Palin weighed in on it. Tebow still doesn’t understand what the fuss is about. “[The ad is] just me and my mom showing our love for each other, and that’s pretty much what it’s about,” Tebow said. “I don’t think it’s anything that’s negative or anything like that. I think [the Super Bowl is] a good time and place when there’s a lot of people watching, and I think it’s a great opportunity to show something very happy and a special story and my mom fighting for me. I think there are a lot of great things in that. I think, if anything, [teams will] like that I took a stand on what I believe. If that’s something that would hesitate them from bringing me on, then it probably wouldn’t be a good fit for me in the first place because I’m never going to deny what I believe in just for a game.”

5 » Philadelphia Eagles QB Donovan McNabb offers Tebow some advice:

6 » Gators baseball has earned a No. 7 ranking in Baseball America’s NCAA Division I baseball preseason poll. The team plays its first game of the 2010 season against the South Florida Bulls on Feb. 19 at McKethan Stadium.

“I feel like it was good. Kind of back to the basics,” Tebow said after practice. “Gotta get the timing down, gotta get the snaps down, everything, so it’s like you’re back in junior high.” He also explained some of his early struggles. “I think it has to do with getting used to a new [center]. They are rotating in three quarterbacks, rotating in three centers, so that’s something you have to get used to and it takes a little time.”

Five more BITS including Tebow’s Super Bowl ad, a TMZ piece, Cooper’s agent, Harvin’s Pro Bowl, Parsons’ Facebook friends and Tebow on ESPN…after the jump!

2 » As OGGOA reported last week, CBS has been expecting some backlash about their decision to air the Focus on the Family advertisement featuring Tebow and his mother Pam. Numerous women’s groups including the Women’s Media Center, National Organization for Women and Feminist Majority (among others) are hoping to convince the network to shelve the ad on Super Bowl Sunday. “An ad that uses sports to divide rather than to unite has no place in the biggest national sports event of the year,” said Jemhu Greene of the WMC. During a press conference Sunday, Tebow spoke about his convictions. “I know some people won’t agree with [the ad], but I think they can at least respect that I stand up for what I believe,” he said.

3 » For an athlete shrouded by almost zero controversy, Tebow is strangely covered extensively by TMZ and its new sports division. So much so, in fact, that they bothered to make a entire post out of a shirt-less picture of him from the first day of Senior Bowl practices. OGGOA‘s female readers can rejoice.

4 » Speaking of Cooper, he has hired Joel Segal of BEST as his agent. Segal represents other former Gators including WR Percy Harvin, linebacker Channing Crowder, running back Ciatrick Fason and tight end Ben Troupe. Other NFL stars on his client roster include RB Chris Johnson, QB Michael Vick, WR Santonio Holmes and WR Marques Colston as well as a host of other big-name receivers. To that end, Cooper has quit baseball and returned his $250,000 signing bonus to MLB‘s Texas Rangers.

5 » Harvin, the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year, was selected as the NFC’s return man for the 2010 Pro Bowl. However, Harvin has decided to forego his chance to play in Miami, FL, next week; Chicago Bears WR Johnny Knox will replace him.

6 » Junior forward Chandler Parsons‘ two game-winning, buzzer-beating three-pointers may prove to be the difference between a NCAA Tournament appearance for Florida or a third straight trip to the NIT. “It definitely feels good,” Parsons said Monday. “Just to make those shots and get the win for my team is really important to me. The recognition, the fans and stuff, that’s great. But the win to me is bigger.” Even so, Parsons is staying humble, though his Facebook friend count may indicate otherwise. “It was out of control,” he said. “It’s just crazy. If that ball rolls out, everyone might be calling you a choke and de-friending you on Facebook. You can’t really take it to heart.”

Extra Bit » ESPN‘s Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic discuss Tebow’s future in the NFL.

The findings were simple: Tebow is already more popular and appealing than future hall of famers Brett Favre and Tom Brady and more of a trendsetter than Super Bowl winners Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning.

It is important to remember that Tebow has already achieved these DBI ratings without competing in the Senior Bowl, working out at the NFL Combine or even being selected in the 2010 NFL Draft – yet. It looks like he will have plenty of money to donate to the Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association even if he does not end up succeeding in the professional ranks. Don’t worry – he will.

Photo Credit: Mark Seliger, GQ

UPDATE: As OGGOA reported yesterday, CBS was in the process of reviewing Tebow’s Focus on the Family advertisement. Sports Business Daily mentioned Wednesday that the script for the Super Bowl spot has received early approval from the network. It appears as if the ad will not carry a strong pro-life message as was the concern of some at CBS. Almost all major networks, especially those airing significant or highly rated national events, have a policy against advocacy ads regardless of the slant.

2 » In a prediction he admitted had no source or foundation, Sports Illustrated‘s Peter King has guessed that former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow will end up with the San Francisco 49ers as the No. 13 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. “The Niners gave a tepid endorsement to Alex Smith as their quarterback of 2010 after the season; and Mike Singletary didn’t draft him; and Singletary is going to fall in love with Tebow once he meets him after the season; and Tebow is the kind of winner that Singletary has preached he wants since he took the job from Mike Nolan in mid-2008,” King wrote. “After Singletary meets Tebow at the Scouting Combine, this is my prediction of his reaction: He’ll turn to GM Scot McCloughan and say, ‘That’s my guy. We’ve got to have him.’”

3 » Speaking of Tebow, OGGOA has been told by more than one source that the Super Bowl XLIV advertisement in which he is a spokesperson for Focus on the Family may eventually be pulled by CBS. This move would not be without precedent; networks airing major sporting events have yanked similar ads before, though it is safe to say that none featured a celebrity of Tebow’s stature.

4 » Though he came back from a trip to the Michigan Wolverines still committed to the Gators, four-star defensive back Demar Dorsey (Lauderdale Lakes, FL) has decided to add a surprising final visit to his docket. Previously scheduled to end his travels in Gainesville, FL, this weekend, Dorsey will now fly out to visit the USC Trojans on Jan. 29. Dorsey was always interested in USC and had previously planned to visit the Tennessee Volunteers when Lane Kiffin was head coach. “I consider myself committed to Florida, but things are still up in the air,” Dorsey told Gerard Martinez of USCFootball.com. “Signing day is Feb. 3, so…”