During his football games over the past few years, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow would try to send messages via his “eye black”:
Damn that Tebow, always trying to convert me with his eyes…
Anyway, it seemed to be a double-standard that never got called out. No doubt some NCAA official would have put the kibosh on eye messages if an atheist player wrote “There Is” “No God” or a Muslim player wrote “Praise” “Allah.” It never happened, so there was never a chance to test that theory. But the fact is when a big-name player like Tebow expressed his Christian beliefs like that, the cowards at the NCAA front offices said nothing.
Now that Tebow has graduated, though, the NCAA is finally addressing the situation. They are banning eye messages in college football.
The NCAA Football Rules Committee agreed Wednesday to bar players from displaying words, numbers, logos and other symbols in the anti-glare “eye black” they underline their eyes with.
Though not mentioned in the decision, former college football star and outspoken Christian Tim Tebow has been credited by numerous media and bloggers as having had an influence on the move –- dubbed by some already as “The Tebow Rule.”
It’s a welcome move, albeit a couple years too late.
When the players are on the field, the focus should only be on which team is better, not whose god has more fervent followers.
