'Tebowmania' comes to Super Bowl

[February 03, 2012]  INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Someday, Tim Tebow hopes to be playing in the Super Bowl rather than just visiting.

The Denver Broncos quarterback made the media rounds at the Super Bowl on Thursday, talking about everything from what he needs to work on before next season to his admiration for Eli Manning and Tom Brady to his video game rivalry with his brother.

"You play the game to be in a game like this," Tebow said during a taping of "NBC Sports Talk Live from the Super Bowl," which was to air later Thursday. "It's definitely a dream to be in a game like this."

Tebowmania swept the country after Tebow led the Broncos on five fourth-quarter comebacks and four overtime victories -- each more improbable than the last. He spawned a new verb, "Tebowing" -- the practice of kneeling on one knee, elbow perched on the other, fist to forehead -- and everyone from skiing star Lindsey Vonn to high school kids was soon doing it. There was even a website devoted to the practice.

But a week after connecting with Demaryius Thomas on an 80-yard touchdown on the first play of overtime to beat heavily favored Pittsburgh in the wild-card round, Tebow and the Broncos were embarrassed by the New England Patriots.

"That Tom Brady is really good," Tebow said when asked what he learned from the game. "And just to continue to work. ... If we get better and continue to work, anything can happen."

Tebow's detractors have said he'd be better suited to play running back in the NFL than quarterback, with an unorthodox throwing motion. But Broncos boss John Elway has already declared Tebow the starter going into next season's training camp, and the quarterback said he knows where he needs to improve.

"Definitely my footwork and drops," he said. "Getting from receiver to receiver, my progressions. I continue to try and work on things and I was very blessed to have a good quarterback coach in Mike McCoy. But, ultimately, I'm just going out there and playing football."

Asked whether he'd prefer to run or throw a pass if he had only one play to win a game, Tebow said he didn't care.

"Probably the pass because I can get one more player involved in the game," he said. "As long as we get a W, I don't care how it happens."

[Associated Press; By NANCY ARMOUR]

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