How difficult it is to be Tim Tebow? Your coach thinks you're "the greatest player of our era." The media thinks you're perfect. Filipinos thank you for clipping off part of their most sensitive area.
And so Tebow descended from on high Wednesday to bare his soul to those gathered at SEC Media Days, to speak of the remarkable burden of being great.
He was smooth. He was suave. He was charming. (The official transcript of his remarks has him "smiling" five times and audience "laughter" four times. The transcriber did not note when the audience was "fawning," though it would have lost its meaning since the entire room practically swooned whenever he spoke.)
Some of the actual questions tossed at Tebow:
"When you go abroad, are you always recognized?"
"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?"
"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?"
Tebow, of course, was gracious enough to answer the questions of his subjects.
"I mean, more people would do those things; they just don't want to sacrifice," he said in response to the "ever do anything wrong" question.
"Some days you don't feel like doing everything," he said when a reporter quizzed him on whether he'd ever like to clone himself to take care of his many obligations.
He was even magnanimous to other fan bases, seeming forgiving toward the LSU fans who harassed him via cell phone last year -- at least the ones who didn't resort to death threats.
"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."
But Tim Tebow was not the only one discussing Tim Tebow. Of the 32 questions given to Urban Meyer, almost half (15) related to his quarterback.
Even Mississippi State sophomore quarterback Wesley Carroll spoke about the honor of being selected for SEC Media Days, like teammate Jamar Chaney and Tim Tebow, "who just won the Heisman."
As if we needed a reminder.
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The Tebow press conference also included this wonderful exchange, from the official transcript, concerning a Heisman Trophy display outside the print media room:
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, the SEC corporate sponsor, brought that.
The SEC: Where even the press conferences feature product placement opportunities.