If Tebow still played college football, he wouldn't be allowed to print bible verses on his eye black
Looks like the NCAA is taking a couple of cues from its friends in the No Fun League.
The Associated Press reports today that the NCAA’s Football Rules Committee proposed a couple of new rules yesterday aimed at player expression — most notably for Florida fans, banning all words, logos, numbers or other symbols on the players’ eye black. The AP reports the rule will take effect for the 2010 season.
Tim Tebow is the most prominent example of a player using his eye black as a personal billboard, having used it the past two seasons to print a bible verse and promote his faith. After the 2009 BCS Championship Game, 92 million people Googled “John 3:16,” the verse Tebow wore during the game. With the new rule, such a phenomenon would never have taken place.
The NFL also has a “no messages on the eye black” rule, meaning Tebow will no longer adorn his famous bible verses during games.
But Tebow is far from the only athlete to print messages on his eye black. Thousands of players do it, dating back to Reggie Bush’s days at USC and earlier. The eye-black messages often honor the player’s hometown, area code, nicknames like “Muck City” or messages like “I (heart) u mom,” which former Gators receiver Louis Murphy wore during the 2009 championship game.
But not all eye black messages have the best intentions. Urban Meyer lamented during the middle of the 2009 season that sometimes he has to be an “eye black cop.” The NFL and now NCAA are wary of curse words or other taunting messages on the eye black which could cause fights on the football field. And Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor got in some hot water last season when he honored disgraced quarterback Michael Vick on his eye black.
The timing of the new rule is a bit curious — coincidentally (or maybe not), right after Tebow graduated. Of course, the NCAA has a history of acquiescing to Tebow: Before last season, the NCAA fudged its bylaws to allow Tebow and Florida boosters to raise money for Uncle Dick’s Home, the orphanage in the Philippines where Tebow does much of his missionary work. The Tebow family removed themselves from the board of directors at Uncle Dick’s Home, so that it wasn’t officially a part of the Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association.
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The NCAA also proposed several other rules changes Thursday for the 2011 season, which now must be approved by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel:
– Players who draw flags for taunting gestures on their way to a touchdown would have the penalty assessed from the spot of the foul, taking away the score. Penalties that occur in the end zone would continue to be assessed on the extra-point attempt, 2-point conversion try or ensuing kickoff.
– Tougher standards on allowing a concussed player to return to a game, forcing them to be cleared by a doctor before returning to competition.
– Television monitors will be allowed in the press box coaches’ booths beginning in 2011. The home team has responsibility for insuring that coaches’ booths for both teams have identical television capability.
– Ending the requirement that players’ pants always cover the knees.
– Eliminating the intentional “wedge” on kickoffs and punts, a rule the NFL adopted last season.
– Recommending conferences that do not have a pregame warm-up policy use a 10-yard, no-player zone between the 45-yard lines beginning 60 minutes before kickoff.
