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SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE MEDIA DAYSJuly 23, 2008Tim TebowBIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA THE MODERATOR: Tim, maybe you can make an opening statement and then we'll take some questions. TIM TEBOW: How y'all doing today? I need a response (smiling)? I was told to make an opening statement about the season. So I guess I'll begin by doing that. Well, I'm looking forward to it. You know, this off-season has been great. Had a lot of fun. But I can't wait for the season to get here. We're very excited about it. We like our chances. We think we've got a lot of talent. We're very excited and we hope that everything will turn out the way we've anticipated it. But you never know. It starts in a few weeks with two-a-days. We're looking to get that team chemistry right, our work ethic up there. Who knows what's going to happen, but we're excited about this season and looking forward to all the games that are gonna come our way. THE MODERATOR: We'll take questions. Q. Could you describe some of the things you did in the off-season, particularly with some detail what you did in the Philippines and the prisons you visited. TIM TEBOW: Yes, I can talk about that. I have been a lot of places this off-season. Been a lot of fun for me. Bit a little bit of a whirlwind, but at the same time a lot of fun. We had three breaks. For those three breaks I went to the Philippines, Croatia and Thailand on three mission trips. All three of those places I got to do a lot of very neat things, preaching in prisons, in schools, in hospitals, in marketplaces. I'm sure I'll get asked about the circumcisions, helping perform surgeries over there. But it was a great experience for me. It's something I enjoyed doing, I love doing. It's something I'm very passionate about. The reason I do it is because it's more important than football to me. Doing those things, taking my platform as a football player and using it for good, using it to be an influence and change people's lives, that's more important than football to me. I can take what I do in playing football as a game and change people's lives with it. That's why football is such a great game. That's kind of why I do the things, preaching in prisons, doing those different things, trying to take advantage of that platform that God has blessed me with. Q. Have you gotten a chance to talk to any of the Heisman winners who have come back the following season? If so, any advice they gave you about what to expect next year? TIM TEBOW: I have gotten to talk to a few. I got to talk to a lot of wise people as far as that goes. I got a lot of great advice. I think everybody's situation has been a little bit different as far as coming back. A lot of people ask me about the pressure, don't buy into it. At the University of Florida, every year there's gonna be pressure. No matter what happened the previous year, what trophies you won, it's the University of Florida. The quarterback's always gonna have pressure. I don't really care too much about it. I've never really been one to worry about pressure too much. I'm just going out there, playing a sport that I love and I'm very passionate about. What pressure do I have? I'm excited about the season. I'm not worried about what's gonna happen or if I can repeat, anything like that. I love playing. So I think when you love playing as much as I do, you're as passionate about it, you don't worry about the negative or the naysayers, what people are going to say. You just look at the positive. Hey, I'm getting to get a free education, go play football at a university that I love, and a sport that I love. I'm truly blessed. I don't look at the negative and see what bad could happen, I see all the positive involved. Q. Did you witness the Rainey and Demps race? If you didn't, have you heard about it? TIM TEBOW: I didn't witness it, but I heard a lot about it (laughter). It was interesting. There were a lot of false starts and everything. But from what I heard, Rainey, he did win in the 40. That's pretty unbelievable 'cause Demps is one of the fastest men in the country or in the world probably. So for Rainey to beat him in the 40-yard dash, that says a lot about how fast he is. Q. When you were in the Philippines and Thailand, do you have some unorthodox training regimes you do? What do you do to stay in shape? TIM TEBOW: Well, actually, you know, when we go on those breaks, that's our off weeks, so we're supposed to rest. I didn't really do too much of that when we were over there. It's really cool because you do get to do a lot of unique training, running up mountains, running up steps, running on hills, doing all types of cool things like that. I really got to have unique training and fun training. I really try to take those opportunities and improve myself when I know other people aren't really working at that time, and I'm in some other country. It's kind of motivating. You try to train, I don't know, Rocky-style a little bit. It's pretty cool. I enjoy doing it. I guess I could say I like trained in four countries getting ready for this year, so that's pretty cool. Q. You have so many obligations. Are there days you just wish you could clone yourself? TIM TEBOW: You know, to be a hundred percent honest, some days, yes, sir. Some days you don't feel like doing everything. Those are just the pros and cons that come with what you do and how you do it. I've been blessed to have some success at the college level so I have more obligations and more things I have to do. Sometimes you don't want to do that. You just want to be a college student, relax or something. But at the same time, you know, your body might say you want to rest, you don't want to do that. But when I really sit down and think about it, I want to do those things 'cause those things are more important than playing football for me. Going and speaking in a prison is more important for me. Going to speak to a youth organization is more important to me than winning or playing a game. I mean, most people are like, That doesn't make sense to me. If I can change a kid's life for the better, that's much more important to me than going out there and beating Georgia or Florida State or whatever team it is. That's very special to me, but it doesn't come close to having the ability to put a smile on a kid's face or go to a hospital and see a girl who is about to die, see her smile because you're there to see her. I mean, you can't put a price on it, on what that does for me. Most of the time when I go see kids like that or do something like that, it does more for me than I do for that person. So you can't really put a price on it because it's experiences that are more than just obligations or more than just, I have to go do something. It's much more special than that. Q. I imagine when you're back in Gainesville or Jacksonville, everywhere you go people are swarming you whether it's at the mall or Wal-Mart. Are there any encounters that stand out? TIM TEBOW: I don't go to the mall or Wal-Mart too often because of that (smiling). But there's been some interesting experiences, some inappropriate as well that I can't really mention. But, you know, there have been, you know, definitely a handful of them that you kind of just got to prepare yourself for and get used to 'cause some people are willing to do anything so... (Laughter). Q. Do you bring the Heisman Trophy with you wherever you go? TIM TEBOW: Everywhere (smiling). No. Q. Have you brought it anywhere else? TIM TEBOW: No, nowhere. Q. What went into bringing it here and how did that happen? TIM TEBOW: Bringing it where? Q. Here? TIM TEBOW: It's here? I didn't know that. That might be the university's trophy. I don't know. I think ours is still in my house in Jacksonville. I don't think they moved it (smiling). THE MODERATOR: To clarify, Nissan, SEC corporate sponsor, brought that. Q. What do you think you need to do this year to get better? TIM TEBOW: What can I do this year to get better? A lot. Last year in several ways it was very disappointing for us. Number one, losing four games. So my biggest goal this year as far as football goes was becoming a better decision maker. What that entails is when I approach the line of scrimmage, it's recognizing defenses faster, getting us into a better play faster. When the play happens, when I'm dropping back, maybe not always have to make the big play, don't always have to run somebody over. Maybe get down, I didn't say slide, but get down or maybe step out-of-bounds, just be smart with the decisions that I make on the field. That will help out a lot. I mean, that's what separates Tom Brady and Peyton Manning from every other quarterback, is their decision making. They're not more blessed as far as athletic ability; they just make better decisions on the field. They're more knowledgeable about the game. That's been my No. 1 focus this off-season, is become more knowledgeable about the game so I can make better decisions on the field. That's what separates you from average to good and good to great. So that's been my No. 1 focus this year. Q. When you go abroad, are you always recognized? TIM TEBOW: Well, most of the time I'm not recognized for like being a quarterback or a Heisman Trophy winner or anything like that. In the Philippines or Thailand, the only reason you're recognized is because you're a white man who is there. That's pretty cool. You still get recognized every now and then in the weirdest places. I was walking through the Germany airport, some guy who couldn't even speak English was, Tim Tebow. I was, What? In the Philippines, there was a lady in Manila who came up to me, she could barely speak English as well, but she said her daughter went to Florida, and she was so excited. So there are some times when you get noticed. But most of the time you're just another person passing through. Q. Florida and Georgia already have a lot of hype coming into the season. You have Georgia November 1st in Jacksonville. How do you stay focused with all the hype on that game, slip up to LSU or Miami, whoever comes ahead of that? TIM TEBOW: Slip up to LSU? How do we do that? LSU is the defending national champs, and Miami will be unbelievable. I think 60% of Florida will be in Gainesville on that night. I don't think we'll look past those teams at all. We're definitely looking forward to Georgia. But I don't think we're going to like blow off LSU or Miami. I think we're going to focus on them as well. Those are pretty big games for us (laughter). I think we'll be much more mature as far as preparing every week this year and getting ready for every team we play. I think our leaders will be much better this year at really helping the young guys evolve and get ready to focus week in and week out every team we play. Q. When you're taking the deep snap, what is the greater challenge, going inside or trying to get to the corner? TIM TEBOW: I'm not sure. I think it depends on the defense. Sometimes it could be either one. It really just depends on what they're giving us, what the situation calls for, how they're playing it. What we do really depends on what they do. Q. How soon, if at all, did you have a sense of humor about the cell phone incident with the LSU fans? If you had to do it over again, would you still do the little gesture that you did? TIM TEBOW: Absolutely. Absolutely. That was fun. I had fun with it. I enjoyed it. I didn't enjoy not being able to use my phone the whole week. I mean, you know, what can you say? College kids, they want to support their university, help their team, whatnot. That's fine. Does nothing but motivate me, you know. I mean, it just shows you how crazy some fans can be. I mean, you know, some of it's inappropriate as far as death threats or whatnot, they'll say about your family or whatnot. For the most part, it doesn't -- I don't even think about it. I really enjoy the intensity and the rivalry that brings. But, you know, not too much else about it. Q. What is your new number? TIM TEBOW: I'll just go text the LSU fans (smiling). Q. Coach Meyer talked a little bit about the struggling with two minutes to go last year. I'm sure you replayed the games against Auburn, LSU, Michigan in your mind. If so, what would you do differently? TIM TEBOW: Hopefully finish those games out better and score and win. But, you know, I think that just goes down to winning in the fourth quarter and finishing out games. It's a toughness factor, maturity, experience in big games, who wants it more, who is going to step up and make the big play. So many things go into those last seconds of games. If David Tyree doesn't make that catch for New York, then everybody is talking about the undefeated season for the Patriots and nobody looks at the Giants any more. It could be the smallest thing. Those are the things we have to get better at. We always talk about the six inches, like in Any Given Sunday. It is the little things that change the game. Little things versus LSU when we beat LSU, you know, anything versus Auburn, we beat Auburn. The little things in those games. Those things will come with hard work, discipline, maturity, just an overall better work ethic and experience from those situations, someone stepping up and making a big play. Q. Your roommate is gone this year. Who are you rooming with this year? TIM TEBOW: Riley Cooper. Q. You mentioned not going to Wal-Mart, the mall too much in Gainesville. Is all the attention you get in Gainesville now becoming a major negative for you or are you able to roll with it? TIM TEBOW: It's not a negative at all. It really hasn't increased with the Heisman or decreased. They were pretty excited when I got there. It's kind of been the same ever since. But it hasn't really hurt me at all. I enjoy it. Like I said before, it gives you a big platform. Sometimes you have pros and cons with that. But it really isn't a negative for me. Gator fans are just like that. They're excited and they're everywhere. Q. How much has the rivalry with Georgia risen since last year? How will that play into the preparation for the game this season? TIM TEBOW: I think it will definitely be intensified that much more. I think it will be a very big game, to say the least. It could be a top few teams in the country playing that game with the right to play in the SEC, maybe national championship, for the winner of that game. They got a great team. They're coached very well. They're a huge rival of ours. I think that increased that much more this past year. That's just gonna I think fire us up that much more. As far as the touchdown dance in the end zone, that did nothing for me but just fire me up. I'm not upset or bitter about it or anything like that. I think it was a good call by Coach Richt, because that changed their season. That gave their players a spark, it gave them energy, it gave them something to be passionate about. Whether it was right or wrong, it's not for me to say. But it definitely did give 'em, you know, some energy and a spark. That's good for them. Q. I don't mean to sound cynical, but between winning the national championship and winning the Heisman, saving the world in the Philippines and all, did you ever like sneak a cigarette when you were in high school? Do you ever do anything wrong? Do you feel like everything off the field is sort of on cruise control for you? TIM TEBOW: It's definitely not on cruise control, that's for sure (laughter). I'll get that question, not the exact same way you put it, but sometimes. You know, everybody, they can see -- they can look and see how easy it is. But it's definitely not that easy. The difference is 'cause not many people want to wake up at 5:00, go through workouts, go speak to young kids, go back, eat lunch, go to class, go to tutoring, go speak at a prison at night, come back. I mean, more people would do those things; they just don't want to sacrifice. Sometimes my biggest message to other athletes is, I mean, Yeah, we know you're great in football, but take that greatness, your platform, use it to influence other people. Use it for good. I think that's definitely something that our team has really picked up on. We got guys going to the hospitals and doing all kinds of things and really giving up a lot of their free time, changing people's lives. That's much more important than football. Sometimes it's hard for people to see because football becomes people's world. It's everything. And then they can't even see outside of it. But if you really look at it, it's just a game that people get very excited about. And I'm one of those people. But fortunately I've been blessed to have the ability to see outside of that and see that, yeah, it's just the game of football, but you can do a lot of special things with that. That's my passion, even more so than football, is what I can do with the platform that football gives me. So that's kind of been my message to other athletes. You know, there's a lot of leaders out there. But, unfortunately, there aren't a lot of good ones. So that's always been my dream and my goal, is to be someone like Danny Wuerful was to me, to be someone that a parent can say, Hey, this kid did it the right way. They can say to their kid, I want you to be like them. That's always been my dream and my goal more so than winning a trophy or winning a championship. So if it's cynical or whatnot, that's fine. If people don't believe it, that's fine. There's always going to be naysayers, people that are going to say it's fake. But that's fine because you can't control everybody. But I can control what I do, my attitude, how I approach the situation. So how I approach the situation is I want to do everything in my power that football gives me to influence as many people as I can for the good because that's gonna mean so much more when it's all said and done than just playing football and winning championships. Q. Has there been a time in your life when you haven't handled all the attention around you as well as you do now? How have you learned this quality? TIM TEBOW: Definitely. I think the way I've learned that is just by handling, one, seeing Danny Wuerful when I was young, he was a big role model for me, but also seeing the way my parents have handled different situations in their life, with courage and boldness and humility. So those are some things that I try to take from my parents and apply them into my life. They might not be in the same circles that I am, but you can still take the same character qualities and put them in any aspect of life and you're still gonna pull out the same common denominator. That's something that I've been blessed with, is two great parents that I've been able to watch and take what they do in their life and implement it to my life. Those same character qualities, you can put into anything you do, and you're still going to pull out the same common denominator. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Tim. TIM TEBOW: Thank you. Appreciate it. End of FastScripts |
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