While fans and analysts argue over whether or not former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow can eventually become a starting quarterback in the NFL for the Denver Broncos, a local legend who Tebow is supposed to replace already has his back.

Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection who won two Super Bowl trophies and has his No. 7 retired in the Broncos’ Ring of Fame, endorsed the former Heisman Trophy winner to 9NEWS Tuesday morning while participating in the Colorado Golf Association Four-Ball Championship.

“I think we have a great competitor so that gives us hope,” Elway said of Tebow. “It’s gonna take a little bit of time, but I think he’ll battle his way in there and hopefully get in the thick of things quick. […] He’s got the potential, he won at the college ranks, and won the Heisman, so there is talent there, there’s a want there. I think we have a great competitor so that gives us hope.”

He also spoke with CBS4 in Denver about the same subject, explaining how similar Tebow’s arrival is to that of his’ over two decades ago.

“I think there’s a connection already with Tim Tebow and the way he’s acted, come in answered with the media, the type of person he is. He fits perfect into this community,” Elway said. “I think that’s why everyone is excited about him because they kind of feel like you know he’s the next son of Denver. That’s how I felt when I came in. […] When he did come in to town, he texted me. So I texted him back and said welcome to town and looking forward to meeting him.”

Elway was drafted No. 1 overall in the 1983 NFL Draft and had a 16-year pro career.

Tags: Denver Broncos, Heisman Trophy, John Elway, Pro Bowl, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Ring of Fame, Super Bowl, Tim Tebow

Free agent defensive end Alex Brown, who was looking for a new home after being cut outright by the Chicago Bears late last week, has signed a two-year deal with the New Orleans Saints, according to ESPN‘s Adam Schefter.

Brown visited with the Saints Tuesday and had a meeting scheduled with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Thursday. Obviously the defending Super Bowl champions chose not to let him leave town, making him the team’s newest run-stopping starting left defensive end at $5.5 million over two years.

“My goal is to be the starting left end,” Brown told the Chicago Tribune. “My goal is to be the best defensive end in the league, regardless of which side I am playing. I won’t have to bulk up. I think I can play at 255 [pounds]. I think it’s more attitude than anything.”

Turning 31 in June, Brown had 47 tackles and six sacks last season for the Bears. Chicago cut him in order to get younger at the position and avoid paying him the $5 million he was due.

“I expected to make more visits, we had more lined up,” he said. “The house that we live in here [in Chicago], we walked into it and I told my wife, ‘I love this house. We don’t need to see anymore. This is the one I like.’ Taking that approach, I went to New Orleans and I liked it. Boom! If everything else is right, that’s where I wanted to go. My agent and [general manager] Mr. [Mickey] Loomis came to an agreement and here we go, we’re going to try to win it again.”

Brown is one of a few NFL players who celebrate with the Gator Chomp (see above).

Tags: Alex Brown, Chicago Bears, Gator Chomp, New Orleans Saints, NFL, Super Bowl, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Former Florida Gators running back and the NFL‘s all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith leads the 2010 class that will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH, on Aug. 7. Smith, who spent the majority of his 15-year professional career with the Dallas Cowboys, will be enshrined along with wide receiver Jerry Rice, defensive tackle John Randle, guard Russ Grimm, linebacker Rickey Jackson, RB Floyd Little and defensive back/coach Dick LeBeau. A rarity for players, Smith was elected in his first year of eligibility.

He holds NFL career records for rushing yards (18,355), rushing touchdowns (164) and 100+ yard rushing games (78), is an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, four-time rushing champion (1991, 1992, 1993, 1995), four-time All-Pro first-team choice, three-time Super Bowl champion (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX), offensive rookie of the year, 1993 NFL most valuable player, Super Bowl XXVII MVP and member of the Ring of Honor for both the Gators and Cowboys.

“This is almost perfect,” Smith said. “I don’t think even Steven Spielberg could have written a script this nice. [Rice and I] were rewarded on this day.”

In his first full game at Florida, Smith broke the Gators’ all-time single game rushing record (224 yards); he would go on to smash that record with a 316-yard game in 1989. He also set school records for rushing yards in a season (1,599 yards), longest rushing play (96 yards), career rushing yards (3,928) and career rushing touchdowns (36). In all, Smith was responsible for 58 Gators records in only three seasons on the field, many of which still stand today. Upon leaving for the NFL, he received a place in the school’s exclusive Ring of Honor and the College Football Hall of Fame.

Smith retired from football in Feb. 2005 after signing a one-day contract with the Cowboys. He will be the second Florida player to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame after former defensive end Jack Youngblood was inducted in 2001.

Tags: All-Pro, College Football Hall of Fame, Dallas Cowboys, Emmitt Smith, Jack Youngblood, NFL, Pro Bowl, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Ring of Honor, Super Bowl

1 » Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer spoke candidly with The Gainesville Sun’s Pat Dooley after National Signing Day on Wednesday. He was surprised there was not a worse reaction to his temporary resignation but actually had fun dispelling numerous rumors about his next job. “[Five-star defensive end Ronald Powell called me at 3 a.m. and] wanted to know if I was going to ESPN to replace Lee Corso,” Meyer said. That’s what he had been hearing. I just laughed.” Four-star offensive lineman Chaz Green, Florida’s last commitment, had the same question. In the end, for a man dealing with stress, his 2010 recruiting class gave him the best gift of all: relaxation. “I left my phone on (Tuesday) night but I went to sleep,” he said. “I got up, no messages. What is that? That’s the first time since I have been married I wasn’t on the phone at midnight the day before Signing Day. And we were done with the faxes by noon.”

Five more BITS including Tim Tebow’s new organization, Emmitt Smith’s upcoming honor, the women’s basketball team’s loss and much more after the jump!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: 2010 class, Tebow, Smith, awards

Tags: All-American, All-Pro, Azania Stewart, Chaz Green, cross country, Dallas Cowboys, Dwyer, Emmitt Smith, Erick Montoya, Estero, Janoris Jenkins, Matt Elam, MVP, National Signing Day, NFL, O’Connell Center, Pro Bowl, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Ring of Honor, Ronald Powell, Sharielle Smith, Super Bowl, Super Bowl XXVII, Tim Tebow, Tim Tebow Foundation, Urban Meyer, Vanderbilt Commodores, women's basketball

1 » Senior Bowl Practice Day 1:
By all accounts, former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow did not have a great day practicing in Mobile, AL. Most of the criticism surrounding Tebow Monday centered on his fumbling of multiple snaps from under center. However, he did put together some good throws and showed nice arm strength. Wide receiver Riley Cooper proved to be one of the best in his position and showed a nice combination of size and quickness.

“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!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: Tebow, ad, TMZ, Cooper, Harvin, Parsons

Tags: Ben Troupe, Chandler Parsons, Channing Crowder, Ciatrick Fason, Focus on the Family, Joel Segal, MLB, NCAA Tournament, NFL, NIT, Pam Tebow, Percy Harvin, Pro Bowl, Riley Cooper, Senior Bowl, Super Bowl, Texas Rangers, Tim Tebow, Under Armour

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1 » Florida Gators basketball (11-5, 0-2 SEC) is looking to rebound from losing five of its last eight games as it takes on the LSU Tigers (9-7, 0-2 SEC) Saturday at 8 p.m. at home in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. The game will air live on FSN. Both teams are winless in Southeastern Conference action this season, and the Gators have not defeated the Tigers since March 11, 2006. Florida trails the all-time series 60-37.

2 » Two things must happen for the Gators to get back to prominence, the team must regain its swagger and redshirt junior center Vernon Macklin needs to stay out of foul trouble. If this was not obvious enough from watching the team play its last two games, both The Gainesville Sun and The Florida Times-Union are happy to break it down for you. “He’s just got to be smarter with what plays he puts himself into and what plays he doesn’t,” head coach Billy Donovan said. The Florida coach also expanded on some of the team’s recent difficulties to the Miami Herald‘s Joseph Goodman. “The loss of eight really, really good players over the last three years has probably been more of an impact on us,” Donovan said. “I think our team would look a little bit different with Nick out there right now; our team last year would have looked a little bit different even with Maurice out there.” Even so, Donovan is not opposed to bringing in one-and-done players in the future to give the team enough talent to make the March Madness run it so desperately has been waiting for since back-to-back National Championships. Donovan is also trying to give the team a much-needed wake-up call.

Four BITS on gymnastics, Tim Tebow and other Gators sports after the jump!
Continue Reading » SIX BITS: LSU, Macklin, gym, NCAA honors, Tebow

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Billy Donovan, Deb Richard, diving, Focus on the Family, golf, gymnastics, LSU Tigers, March Madness, NCAA Honors Celebration, NCAA Silver Anniversary Award, NCAA Top VIII Award, O'Connell Center, Oklahoma Sooners, Pam Tebow, SEC, Super Bowl, swimming, tennis, Tim Tebow, track & field, Vernon Macklin

1 » Florida Gators senior quarterback Tim Tebow has been called plenty of things in his four years at the University of Florida. From being called “Superman” to having thousands of Chuck Norris-like facts written about him, much of the focus has been on Tebow’s dominating presence both in the huddle and in life. On Saturday, as friend of OGGOA Dan Shanoff points out, Tebow morphed into another version of himself – Trent Dilfer. That’s right. Dilfer – the former Baltimore Ravens quarterback who was considered the quintessential “game manager” when leading his team to a Super Bowl.

2 » Head coach Urban Meyer spoke about Tebow, the impressive Gators defense, recruiting in South Florida, the success of wide receivers Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy in the NFL and much more with Joe Rose on 560 WQAM. Click here to listen to the recorded interview.

Tags: Baltimore Ravens, Louis Murphy, NFL, Percy Harvin, Super Bowl, Tim Tebow, Trent Dilfer, Urban Meyer