Tonight, for the first time in it’s 72-year history, a sophomore won the most coveted award in all of college football – the Heisman Tropy. Tim Tebow, the heralded quarterback for the University of Florida, beat out two other quarterbacks and a running back to earn the trophy, and with it, the admiration of Gator Nation.
The only people happier than the Orange and Blue? Home school Nation. Why?
Tim Tebow was home schooled.
You read that right. Those shy, awkward, sheltered, denim-wearing (explains why Tebow chose to go to school in the jean-short wearing mecca of Gainesville) social oddballs produced a Heisman winner. And those shy, awkward, sheltered, denim-wearing social oddballs produced us, a second year law student at a second tier law school.
Come to think of it, that should have been our trophy.
We were home schooled. Just like Tim Tebow.
Our parents are missionaries. Just like Tim Tebow’s.
We played high school football. Just like Tim Tebow.
We should have won the Heisman. Instead of Tim Tebow.
Ok, that's where the analogy breaks down. We did play football in high school (see also, flag and two-hand touch), and we were good, REAL good. We just didn't play FOR a high school.
But don't blame us -- blame the state of South Carolina.
When we were in high school, the political hot topic (at least in the home school circles) was whether home school kids should be allowed to play for their local high school's sports teams. We had friends who helped spearhead the efforts for equal access in South Carolina. Some of them were motivated by their desire to play college soccer some day. For all intents and purposes, playing high school soccer experience is a necessary prerequisite.
The political push for equal access peaked in 1996, when the South Carolina General Assembly decided they knew best – and equal access was not it.
Despite their hard work, South Carolina home schoolers had lost the game. Or was it South Carolina that dropped the ball?
In that very same year, 1996, Florida passed a law that allowed homeschoolers in the state to play for the high school in which district the homeschooler resided. Tim Tebow took advantage of that law, and played football for his local high school. His high school won the state championship, and he went on to play college football for UF. Coincidentally, 1996 was also the first year the University of Florida ever won a national championship in football.
The rest is history. As in, Tebow made history. All season, he’s been setting records. Tonight, he became the first sophomore quarterback to EVER win the Heisman Trophy.
And it doesn't stop there. Tebow's impressive skills, and his likeable charm and charisma, have made him many a fan around the SEC (and the country).
In fact, one state has even named a bill after him, Alabama’s Tim Tebow Bill. What's the law about? Letting home school kids play on their local high school's teams. Go figure.
Do you think, if the Tim Tebow Bill becomes law, it will be because the legislators thought those home school folks actually had a good idea, for once? We suppose its possible. More likely, the people of Alabama will pass that bill for the same reason their university shelled out $32 million for Nick Saban.
Football.
In the world of Southern football, anything they [insert rival SEC school] can do, we can do better. If a simple education initiative can get Florida a Heisman winner and the caliber quarterback you need for a National Championship team, you can be darn well sure that Alabama will do anything to compete. In fact, we wouldn't be surprised if every state with an SEC school in it shortly follows suit.
Except South Carolina.
They had their chance. The same year as Florida. Was "future Heisman winner" on their minds when the Florida legislature voted that bill into law? The odds makers say no. More likely, they were just looking at the tangible benefits of allowing equal access. South Carolina could have made the same decision - for those same right reasons.
Had they had some sense about them, in addition to the many benefits that equal access could have had on ailing South Carolina schools, it might have been the Gamecocks with a Heisman Trophy winner tonight. And rather than the mess we know as the 2007 “quarterback quagmire,” it could have been the Gamecocks who were looking at 2 more years with a record-setting player under center.
But better late than never, right? Maybe South Carolina can make the right decision now, even if for the wrong reasons. A wrong reason like, say, football. The loyal fans of the University of South Carolina want nothing more than to win a national championship. Even just a SEC championship. We're pretty sure they'd settle for a Heisman winner.
All our General Assembly has to do is draft it’s own Tim Tebow Bill. If they need some help, we've got a whole group of home educators who probably have some dust covered drafts of similar legislation lying around their house. Yeah, its over their in the corner next to the quilting materials and behind the 16 musical instruments.
You want a Heisman trophy winner, Gamecock Nation? Get on the phone first thing Monday morning and tell you legislator to pass the Tim Tebow Bill on the first day back in session this January.
You want a national championship, Steve Spurrier? Our suggestion: drop one political hot topic (the Confederate flag) and pick up another one – the Tim Tebow Bill. It’s a win-win situation, one of the easiest, cheapest, low-risk high-payoff recruiting strategies you could make, and it's a lot more pertinent to your job as a football coach.
What have we got to lose? If the state is scared about some adverse affect on education, just check the rankings. It’s hard to go much lower than 50 out of 50. Last I checked, the only thing South Carolina is ranked lower in that education is, well, football.
But we doubt The Head Ball Coach will take our advice. And we doubt the Legislature will either. Of course, that's probably because neither read our blog.
Instead, South Carolina's schools will continue to compete for the bottom of the barrel...not unlike our football team.
And we’ll go down in history right alongside Darren McFadden, Colt Brennan, and Chase Daniel.
Almost a Heisman Winner.
Despite their hard work, South Carolina home schoolers had lost the game. Or was it South Carolina that dropped the ball?
In that very same year, 1996, Florida passed a law that allowed homeschoolers in the state to play for the high school in which district the homeschooler resided. Tim Tebow took advantage of that law, and played football for his local high school. His high school won the state championship, and he went on to play college football for UF. Coincidentally, 1996 was also the first year the University of Florida ever won a national championship in football.
The rest is history. As in, Tebow made history. All season, he’s been setting records. Tonight, he became the first sophomore quarterback to EVER win the Heisman Trophy.
And it doesn't stop there. Tebow's impressive skills, and his likeable charm and charisma, have made him many a fan around the SEC (and the country).
In fact, one state has even named a bill after him, Alabama’s Tim Tebow Bill. What's the law about? Letting home school kids play on their local high school's teams. Go figure.
Do you think, if the Tim Tebow Bill becomes law, it will be because the legislators thought those home school folks actually had a good idea, for once? We suppose its possible. More likely, the people of Alabama will pass that bill for the same reason their university shelled out $32 million for Nick Saban.
Football.
In the world of Southern football, anything they [insert rival SEC school] can do, we can do better. If a simple education initiative can get Florida a Heisman winner and the caliber quarterback you need for a National Championship team, you can be darn well sure that Alabama will do anything to compete. In fact, we wouldn't be surprised if every state with an SEC school in it shortly follows suit.
Except South Carolina.
They had their chance. The same year as Florida. Was "future Heisman winner" on their minds when the Florida legislature voted that bill into law? The odds makers say no. More likely, they were just looking at the tangible benefits of allowing equal access. South Carolina could have made the same decision - for those same right reasons.
Had they had some sense about them, in addition to the many benefits that equal access could have had on ailing South Carolina schools, it might have been the Gamecocks with a Heisman Trophy winner tonight. And rather than the mess we know as the 2007 “quarterback quagmire,” it could have been the Gamecocks who were looking at 2 more years with a record-setting player under center.
But better late than never, right? Maybe South Carolina can make the right decision now, even if for the wrong reasons. A wrong reason like, say, football. The loyal fans of the University of South Carolina want nothing more than to win a national championship. Even just a SEC championship. We're pretty sure they'd settle for a Heisman winner.
All our General Assembly has to do is draft it’s own Tim Tebow Bill. If they need some help, we've got a whole group of home educators who probably have some dust covered drafts of similar legislation lying around their house. Yeah, its over their in the corner next to the quilting materials and behind the 16 musical instruments.
You want a Heisman trophy winner, Gamecock Nation? Get on the phone first thing Monday morning and tell you legislator to pass the Tim Tebow Bill on the first day back in session this January.
You want a national championship, Steve Spurrier? Our suggestion: drop one political hot topic (the Confederate flag) and pick up another one – the Tim Tebow Bill. It’s a win-win situation, one of the easiest, cheapest, low-risk high-payoff recruiting strategies you could make, and it's a lot more pertinent to your job as a football coach.
What have we got to lose? If the state is scared about some adverse affect on education, just check the rankings. It’s hard to go much lower than 50 out of 50. Last I checked, the only thing South Carolina is ranked lower in that education is, well, football.
But we doubt The Head Ball Coach will take our advice. And we doubt the Legislature will either. Of course, that's probably because neither read our blog.
Instead, South Carolina's schools will continue to compete for the bottom of the barrel...not unlike our football team.
And we’ll go down in history right alongside Darren McFadden, Colt Brennan, and Chase Daniel.
Almost a Heisman Winner.
9 comments:
South Carolina will be the last state to allow equal access for home school students because the only thing we worship more than football is a failing public education system. Legislators see equal access as "unfair to the public school kids that don't make the team." I'm sorry, but last time I checked, competition makes things better. Oh wait, we're dealing with the monopoly that is state run education. Nevermind. Competition is just plain "unfair."
Yeah, maybe we can get Spurrier off of the Confederate flag issue and onto another political issue a little more pertinent to the job he's paid tax dollars to do.
We live in Washington State. Our homeschooled kids never played high school football but still managed to get 4-year full tuition scholarships at Seattle Pacific University. Some places still value education over sports. Not many places, it seems.
My wife and I now encourage parents to homeschool through high school. Check out our website and blog.
www.TheHomeScholar.com
www.TheHomeScholar.blogspot.com
Matt
Matt,
First, we're pretty sure you missed our point. Home schooling and playing sports shouldn't have to be an either/or. We congratulate your kids. Of course, we know lots of homeschool students, ourself included, who got scholarships to major universities and solid private colleges.
None that we know of got athletic scholarships. Not because they're not good athletes, but because the recruiting grounds for college coaches are high schools.
Second, while we're sure you had good intentions, we'd appreciate it if you'd not use our blog as a medium of advertisement. This blog is a chat around the dinner table, not a stroll through a trade show.
Many good points raised, but until someone [Heisman calibur] decides to step up to the plate we will continue to be called for icing.
Minivan makes notable mention of the the fairnes aspect. Bottom line, fair does not exist (especially in the 'political system' of SC) as I have been in search of "it" for the better part of my life. Thankfully "it" has not been found, though is daily threatened.
This is a good read, I hope that a patron happens to come across it and realize how "unfair" "it" really is.
I know some home schooled students that received band scholarships. I now run a website www.whoneedssportsanyway.com
Is that what we're talking about around the table?
While we appreciate your efforts to dodge the mistake of "the homescholar," we're not sure you've done much better.
First, you included a shameless promotion for your own website.
Second, the name of the website is "Who needs sports anyway."
Tebow plays quarterback, not the oboe.
Perhaps you merely skimmed the blog, but the point we were trying to make is that many kids, in fact, need sports. Or at least want sports. And homeschool or otherwise, they should have an equal chance to play those sports on a team their parents' tax money funds.
Besides, who's that band gonna play for if it's not the football team? And aren't we just reinforcing a certain stereotype by assuming homeschool kids are only good at/deserve scholarships for musical instruments?
We're starting to think that if even the homsechool folks amongst us are failing to get the point, how the heck do we expect the SC politicians to see the light?
So let me get this straight, you're opposed to sports, right? BTW, pretty sure "homieshoolar" is poking fun at a previous post missing the point.
Welcome to the table, homoschooler - now read the blog, in its entirety the respond accordingly. There are plenty of us (homeschool athletes) who were slighted by red tape and bureaucracies of the judicial system which stereotyped us as "theydontneedsportsanyway." We were told "no" 11 years ago but several of "us" still want to see equal-access legislation passed. Until the public, much less the political system learns that homeschoolers have more to offer than kulats, denim, flannel and starch webpages like yours do more harm than good. Believe it or not, we can actually wear uniforms and lead teams to State Championships and college conference championships.
Whose team are you on anyway?!
2 comments:
1) i cannot fathom a single good argument AGAINST allowing home-schooled children to participate in the athletic programs of the school district in which their parents pay taxes. i don't much care for the florida gators, tim tebow, or jason taylor (of the miami dolphins, another famous homeschooler), but i am 100% behind any legislation that would allow homeschoolers equal access to play sports despite not attending a particular public elementary, middle, or high school.
2) for those of you criticizing the south carolina school system, are you willing to put your money where your mouth is and INCREASE funding for a school system which i agree is broken, or at least in dire need of improvement? money does not solve everything, but i for one would be willing to accept a tax increase if it meant significant increase in funding for public education in the state of south carolina.
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