Tebow's brother says QB back at 'square 1' on deal

Robby Tebow was all set to root for his brother, the newest member of the New York Jets. Now, he's not so sure where Tim Tebow will end up. And, he's not alone. Playing at a pro-am golf tournament at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Orlando, Fla., Robby Tebow said Wednesday that he and the Denver Broncos quarterback thought a trade to the Jets was a done deal. "Like he was signed, sealed and delivered," he said. "Apparently, they didn't read the fine print."

The Jets announced early Wednesday that they had agreed in principle to acquire Tebow for draft pick as a complement to starter Mark Sanchez. Denver general manager Brian Xanders said the Broncos would receive fourth- and sixth-round draft picks, while New York would get a seventh-rounder - all in 2012. But then Robby Tebow's phone started buzzing. Tebow Time on Broadway? Well, not quite yet. "They're working on it," Robby Tebow said. "I think the Jags are back in play. We're almost back to square one."

"We want to go where somebody wants him - that's where he wants to be," Robby Tebow said. "We'll figure it out. They're working on the contract; all those guys doing what they're paid to do." ESPN first reported that provisions in the quarterback's contract are causing complications in the completion of the trade. The hang-up came hours after the Jets declared they were bringing the polarizing quarterback to New York. It's just another bizarre moment for the Jets, a team that has had its share of them over the years, conjuring memories of Bill Belichick's hiring as coach and his resignation one day later.

Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath, who led the Jets to their only Super Bowl title in 1969, was among those unhappy with the possible deal. "I'm just sorry that I can't agree with this situation. I think it's just a publicity stunt. I can't go with it. I think it's wrong," Namath told 1050 ESPN Radio. "I don't think they know what they're doing over there." The Jets will have lots of explaining to do - no matter whether the deal goes through or falls apart.

To read the full Sports Illustrated article, click here.

Good Luck

Roman philosopher Seneca once prophetically wrote that "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity".  The preparation has been all too obvious over the last two years for Stanford's Andrew Luck as he made himself into the presumptive No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL draft. He was runner up in both 2010 and 2011 in Heisman Trophy voting... no mean feat. He was named the Offensive Player of the Year in the Pac-12 Conference in both 2010 and 2011. In 2011 alone, he was rewarded with the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Award as college football's player of the year. He was also named a 2011 First Team All American. On top of these feats, he led Stanford to its highest rankings in decades.

Opportunity has also been highly visible this week. In one swift move, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay cleared all obstacles to Luck's seemingly  inevitable rise in the Hoosier State by discarding the Colts favorite son, Peyton Manning. Couple this with the Colts having the worst record in the league in 2011 and therefore secure in the right to first choice from this years crop of recruits. Almost everyone expects Irsay to follow his first maneuver with the selection of Andrew Luck as his new rookie and starting quarterback.

Heated debate will surely continue to follow, and has indeed already flown around the NFL, as to the wisdom of Jim Irsay's line of reasoning. In a purely business sense his thoughts are clear; Manning was too much of a guess, too old and too potentially fragile to take the chance. And despite, love and loyalty, Indianapolis is still a business concern, no more - no less. Coach Andy Reid had to make the same difficult decision with his protegee Donovan McNabb at Philadelphia, and it was the right one then. Time will only tell if the Colts have been as astute.

Bounty Hunting

Having played and watched many different kinds of football (rugby union, rugby league, Australian Rules and American), all can be equally hard hitting, But I still cannot come to terms with professional teams, not only advocating, but paying players to injure and maim opponents. I am floored that in this day and age such gladiatorial pursuits are being allowed to occur, but to find that such practices are widespread is appalling.We are not in Rome, two thousand years ago, with bear baiting and  thumbs turned down by some mediocre aristocrat with the arbitrary ability to decide life or death. Football at its best is tough enough anyway, without some head hunter, trying to rip your limbs off. I am touched that Brett Favre is willing to forgive, but bounty incentives have no place in modern sport, PERIOD. End of discussion. Gregg Williams and all other coaches like him, in whatever sport, should be not only fired, but completely banned from ever coaching again.

Here are some links to the better coverage of this appalling issue:

• "Pay for Pain: Why the Bounty Scandal Looks Terrible for the NFL", Sean Gregory, TIME.
• "Saints looking at severe punishment for bounty system", Peter King, Sports Illustrated.
• "Payton, Loomis remain silent as Saints bounty investigation widens", Dob Banks, Sports Illustrated.
• "Breaking down the potential legal fallout of Saints' bounty system", Michael McCann, Sports Illustrated. 
• "Evasiveness of Saints GM, coach detailed in league summary", Steve Wyche, NFL.com.