It's tough to avoid the parallels, be it in their resurrection of usually proud but recently struggling franchises, their relative inexperience at the pro level, their positions as both symbolic and literal team leaders, or their devout and often public expressions of faith.
And in addition to the fact that Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow had one of the most storied college football careers ever -- winning two national championships and a Heisman trophy at football powerhouse Florida in the sport's best conference -- and New York Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin never as much as sniffed the NCAA tournament during four years of relative obscurity at Harvard, it's in the consumption of their stories by the public that we see the biggest difference between the two sensations.
Neither has made any secret of their relationships with God -- just take a look at their Twitter feeds. Tebow ends most messages with "GB²," a dual-purpose sign-off meaning "Go Broncos" and "God Bless," while Lin's profile picture mock-quotes Jesus with a Twitter-relevant request to "follow" Him. And both athletes are stand-ins for the underdogs everywhere, the undersized and unskilled who were cast off as ill-prepared for the big leagues.
But Lin's broad band of followers represents much more. In addition to the devout, who love both, Lin is inspiring an entire country of fans an ocean away, one that hasn't coalesced around an NBA player since he was 7'6" and spoke little English. This time, he's more than a foot shorter and a native of the Bay Area. Not a native but no less loved.
And unlike Denver's favorite son, Lin's numbers don't have to be explained away because of late-game heroics. And, most importantly, the guy looks like he's having fun.
No knock on Tebow -- this writer was among the most excited when his hometown team regained relevance last fall, as well as among the first down on one knee to salute the lefty savior. But the Lin phenomenon can best be captured in a single image, during Game 2 of the Harvard Hero's ascent to the main stage.
After draining a jumper late in a game against the Utah Jazz, Lin backpedals down court at Madison Square Garden, a smile slowly creeping over his face as he nods his head, tongue out, as if to acknowledge that -- despite his remarkable poise and humility -- he too recognizes the extraordinary nature of what's going on.
No less humble but far more fiery is Tebow, who looked borderline manic in his most exuberant states following some of the Broncos' most unlikely wins last year. And perhaps that's what we should expect.
After all, Tim Tebow is a superstar masquerading as an underdog. He's been a winner at the highest level his entire life. Throwing motion be damned -- should we really be surprised that he's a winner in the NFL, too?
Lin played spoiler in leading his high school team to an improbable state champion, excelled in perhaps the only Harvard extracurricular that goes underappreciated by the student body, never heard his name called on draft day, and yet, in his first extended minutes on the biggest stage, he absolutely blew away even the most bullish expectations.
There are no gimmicks involved in his game, either. He plays comfortable, fundamentally sound, fearless basketball. No topic divided NFL analysts more this year than whether the Broncos would be successful in the long run with Tebow at the helm. The biggest question facing Lin now is whether Carmelo Anthony's impending return from injury will do more to help or hurt the Knicks' success.
Outside a handful of passionate fans from Cambridge and Northern California, the world is just discovering a man who has scored more points in his first four starts than any player since the NBA/ABA merger. Before being taken a first-round pick in the 2010 draft, we all knew who Tebow was.
Lin, however, is the ultimate underdog -- dismissed because of his race, his size, his education, and embraced when folks finally recognized his true skills. Tebow has always played from ahead, highly recruited and, when faced with real questions of his skill, irrationally vilified by a chorus of loud detractors.
Tebow fans like to surmise that he uses those who count him out as motivation when he takes the field. And if that's true, perhaps we shouldn't fault him for an intensity that, while effective, is at times off-putting.
Lin is rightly being embraced far and wide. Tebow's not hurting for fans, but if he wants to become the sensation on the grand scale that he is in the Mile High, he should take a page out of the now widely-read book of Lin.
Then again, maybe he can't. Perhaps it takes a true underdog to transcend borders, to become a unifying force. Perhaps because his validation came not years ago but days ago, he's able to just nod his head, wag his tongue, and smile.
Malcom Glenn, who was born and raised in Denver, graduated from Harvard in 2009.
Follow Malcom Glenn on Twitter: www.twitter.com/malcomglenn
From time to time, Children's Hunger Fund (CHF) invites special guests to speak to our staff and to encourage us in the work we do. PGA Tour golfer Aaron Baddeley, the reigning Northern Trust Open Champion (L.A. Open), will be swinging by CHF on his way to defend the title. He will be sharing the exciting story of God's work in his life, and we think you will be encouraged by it as well. Please be our guest at this free event.
What: Speaker, Northern Trust Open Champion, Aaron Baddeley
When: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 9:00 AM – 10:00am
Where: Children's Hunger Fund's Global Distribution Center
13931Balboa Boulevard
Sylmar, CA 91342
Visit http://www.chfus.org/component/content/article/633.html for more information.
I'm the last person who would throw Tebow under the proverbial bus -- as I clearly state in the article, I was cheering along with everyone else, and there's no question that Tebow is a man of great character. But this piece wasn't mean to inspire you, or anyone. It was meant to point out a difference between Tebow and Lin, and how their treatment by the public is different as a result.
Sorry Malcolm. That is so not true. Get your facts straight before you come to the above conclusion. Proper research is quite beneficial. Get yourself a copy of his book 'Through my eyes' or even try watching the ESPN documentary on Tebow when he was just 17 or simply scroll through his bio on wiki. He's had a fair share of very fundamental challenges way before he in your own words became a star, and I am not even referring to his birth etc. There's so much to be said for a homeschooled kid trying to break into a world where you are 'different', and play for schools that would not accept you or even do so with restrictions or want you to play based on a certain body type and other stereotypes. If you truly were trying to point out the difference between tebow and Lin, you had it mixed up or had us fooled.