There was movement near Tim Tebow’s new locker at the Jets’ practice center early Thursday afternoon, but it did not involve the player the news media horde had run in to see.
Josh Baker, a reserve tight end and the rather unfortunate occupant of the locker to Tebow’s immediate right, was trying to put on his shirt. He was smartly hurrying to get in and out an hour before Tebow even appeared. And there was still barely any room for him to maneuver.
“It’s cool, it’s cool,” Baker said as he stepped free from the throng encircling his space. “It’s like shark feeding, man.”
The Jets players got a preview of what the news media circus following Tebow might be like from here on out. To document Tebow’s speaking for the first time in his new locker room, there were dozens of reporters, rows of cameras and enough flashbulbs to brighten a Manhattan city block.
“There’s a lot that’s exciting about being a Jet,” Tebow said. “I’m just trying to be a little piece to try to help this team win a few games.”
Hardly a question went unposed to Tebow, the Jets’ splashiest off-season acquisition.
He was asked how he might handle his role as the backup quarterback: “It doesn’t change my mind-set or my attitude or anything. It’s just another opportunity and another challenge. Every day presents itself with enough of those. You just have to have a good attitude and approach it the right way.”
He was asked what he thought about Giants quarterback Eli Manning’s “Tebowing” on “Saturday Night Live” last weekend: “I didn’t see it. I heard it was funny, though. I heard he did a good job.”
He was even asked about his dog, a Rhodesian Ridgeback named Bronco. Tebow said he was considering changing the dog’s name to Bronx.
And, of course, Tebow was quizzed about his relationship with Mark Sanchez, a subject that has prompted the sort of melodramatic speculation that might better befit a Broadway production.
“It’s been great,” Tebow said. “We’re learning the same offense, something we haven’t been in before, and we’re really trying to learn together. It’s been fun.”
Sanchez largely echoed those sentiments, complimenting Tebow’s work ethic, competitiveness and attitude. But when asked about potentially sharing considerable playing time with Tebow, Sanchez sounded a bit more defiant.
“I’m not going to jump into hypotheticals,” Sanchez said. “Whatever is going to help us win, we’re all on board. Tim’s going to support me when I’m in there, I’ll be rooting for Tim when he’s in there. It’s all going to help the team.”
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SOURCE: The New York Times
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