How to date the real start of Tebowing
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Fads
Like many people, both here on HubPages and elsewhere throughout the universe, I have been amused by the emergence of many of the new fads that have arisen, mostly at the hands, feet, and elsewhere of young people.
Some of these fads (stocking, horsemanning) are funny. For example, stocking is jumping aboard a two-wheel cart like those used in warehouses and be carted about aboard the cart as its "freight being stocked." Horsemanning is demonstrated by several people lying down more or less together such that the combined body is seen to be separated from a single head. Others (batmanning, owling, planking)can pose dangers to their participants. Owling is the silly stunt of squatting atop a roof peak or a tree branch (much like an owl). Who knows how many have fallen from their perch? Planking is reclining, prone, on any handy plank, shelf, or board. Those who exercise one or more of this wide variety of generally silly fads demonstrate their foolishness at almost any time and at any place.
Tebowing with both winning and losing
One of the more recent is the fad of "Tebowing." It is exhibited by the Tebower kneeling down on one knee and bowing the head as though in prayer. This fad came about, not due to a resurgence of religion among the young fadsters, but by their observing Tim Tebow, the National Football League's Denver Bronchos team's rookie quarterback's habit of so kneeling in real prayer during the team's football games.
So, one should not be overly surprised when, at any moment and in virtually any surroundings, someone drops to one knee, bows their head, and smiles broadly, it is not reverence that is happening - it is Tebowing.
Effective prayer postures
This whole thing brought prayer to mind. The many ways in which people pray to their maker would make a really long and impressive list. So, when I came upon a great collection of humorous poetry, I was most pleased that one of the poems provided a shorter list of praying postures and a nice, smile-provoking ending.
You can follow this Internet link to that book (The book of humorous verse, edited by Carolyn Wells, at Gutenberg.org) and scroll on down to the funny poem about prayers and prayerees. That is not to say that the rest of the book is not worth your downloading and reading, but it shows that Tebowing is not a new phenomenon. It started way back when. Probably it is a fad (or even a serious practice) that began at the dawn of history. We will probably never pin that early stuff down as to the exact moment of its emergence, for, back then, "scribe" was a word not yet invented and both books and photos of people Tebowing were yet in the distant future.
Well, well ! Cyrus Brown may have beat Tebow to it
Here's that funny poem - perhaps the start of the Tebowing fad:
The Prayer of Cyrus Brown
by Sam Walter Foss.
"The proper way for a man to pray,"
Said Deacon Lemuel Keyes,
"And the only proper attitude
Is down upon his knees."
"No, I should say the way to pray,"
Said Rev. Doctor Wise,
"Is standing straight with outstretched arms
And rapt and upturned eyes."
"Oh, no; no, no," said Elder Slow,
"Such posture is too proud:
A man should pray with eyes fast closed
And head contritely bowed."
"It seems to me his hands should be
Austerely clasped in front.
With both thumbs pointing toward the ground,"
Said Rev. Doctor Blunt.
"Las' year I fell in Hodgkin's well
Head first," said Cyrus Brown,
"With both my heels a-stickin' up,
My head a-pinting down;
"An' I made a prayer right then an' there—
Best prayer I ever said,
The prayingest prayer I ever prayed,
A-standing on my head."
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Howdy Good Doctor bj - Happy 2012 to you, good buddy!
Well now, those fads are one thing, but the real Tebow is something else all right. I had not paid all that much attention to the lad until his most recent foray onto the gridiron. His Denver Bronchos played the New England Patriots - and they lost the game, bigtime. Tebow offered no excuses. He truly is an admirable guy.
I spent a lot of time today working on spinning off my new snack cake kits. They will make a nice product for someone who has the need for a new product line and the energy and smarts to take advantage of it. I am so much into my dotage these days that there is no way I'd do much more on my own other than get fat around the middle working in the kitchen as a snack product approval taster. :) Put the word on me if you know of a company or person who might want to take the project on and run with it.
And, of course 2012 is going to be a fine new year - provided, of course, that we outlast all of those doggone pesky politicians and their eternal lying and carrying on.
Gus :-)))
Being a Florida Gator, I have followed Tebow for years and what he does has been with him for quite some time. His faith is in God as it should be - win or lose.
Great Hub Gus.
The Frog
Hiya Gus,
My daughter and son-in-law are Gator fans and Tebow fans...my huband and I are Noles fans but we like Tebow, he's a good guy. Voted UP!!! Great poem and hub!!!
As we used to be prone to say out by the barn, a day without Sunshine is a day on which it is not worth even spittin'. You brighten my day.
Yeah, that Tim Tebow is quite the phenomenon. As I wrote that little "Tebowing" hub I profited some - learned two new words (neither of which is much worth knowing...) - "pelf" and "psephologist." Ornery-sounding words, those two. The first of them sorta means booty - the kind that you can spend and not the one you sit on. The second of them means those cackleheads who go on and on about the election garbage (more or less it means them, although the ones we see too much of are not students of that mess that the funny word refers to.)
Hey - when you spend a few words and learn a couple of new ones, that's what is known as winning.
Keep on shining away, Sunshine. We'll all be looking for you.
Gus :-)))
Gus. now I know what Teboing is. I read it or might a heard it, but as they say more fun being fooled than jabbering and remove doubt, thanks for the lesson. I'm off to see the link,
God bless your new year to success,
Dusty
Good Morning, 50 - Education and illumination. If only we could spread some of those things to Washington, DC...
Where's that new book of yours - thinking about those E&I things - plus a ton of what will be great reading.
Take care and I hope your 2012 is worth about a 4024 or better.
Gus :-)))
Froggie - Good Friend, I don't know where my reply to your kind comment up and went off to, but it was like here now and gone later. I'm happy that you enjoyed the little Tebow hub and that you are a Tebow fan. I was told that a "Tebow Fan" is typically hanging around doing a cool number even when it isn't working like it is paid to do. :)
Gus :-)))
That was interesting Gus, I'm not much on ball games , couldn't tell you who tebow even is. You are a good writer Gus. God bless
Hi Kevin - Thanks for the kind comment. There is a good football game going on today (one among many). It is the Houston Texans versus the Tennessee Titans (who were once the Houston Oilers years ago...) The Texans have had a remarkable year. They lost a number of key players, including two quarterbacks within two consecutive games. All the same, they worked hard (like your busy bees), won their NFL division, and, for the first time ever, got into this year's football playoffs.
Their third quarterback this year, one T. J. Yates, is a rookie who became "famous" for the team's first victory under his direction. He tossed a pass into the end zone for the winning touchdown in the final four seconds of the game, leaving two seconds on the clock. Sorta like the hero bee who found the last flower in the field just before winter arrived.
Happy 2012 to you and to all...
Gus :-)))
Great Hub, Man! Tebow didn't invent this trend but it sure has blown up lately because of him. Thank you for the good read. Happy New Year!
James :-)
Now, James, I apologize for the "brief" interruption. It is your turn !!!
I am very pleased at your pleasure with this "Tebowing" hub. It is always a lot of fun dealing with good folks like Tim Tebow, a fad target of fine proportions, and realists like "Cyrus Brown" who obviously knew "which way was up."
And, not to be forgotten in all of my football-days excitement, a Happy 2012 to you, too.
Gus :-)))
Skipping over you, Good Friend, James Watkins, for just a moment - I will finalize my comment to Kevin, just before your welcome comment, about the Texans/Titans football game and its exciting finish. The Texans, being already certain that they were "in" the NFL playoff schedule, were very sparing of their key players. T.J. Yates, their main (and rookie) quarterback stayed in the game for only 4 or 5 plays and their new (but old timer) quarterback relieved him. They didn't even suit up their star running back and their super-duper wide receiver (and some others) were pulled from the game quickly. They needed their big guns uninjured for the coming playoffs.
On the other hand, the Titans HAD TO win this game and so they had their best players on the field.
As it developed, the game was a squeaker, with the score neck and neck all the way. With almost no time left on the clock, the Titans scored and were out in front of the Texans by next to nothing.
That's when the substitute of the substitute of the substitute of the substitute Texans quarterback (the 5th in just the last several games) who had "come back from retirement" to play, got the Texans right next to the Titan's goalline for a pending score that would win for the Texans and lose for the Titans. There was a choice to be made by the Texans - go for a two-point conversion to win the game or easily kick a point-after-touchdown to tie the game and send it into overtime play - a really sure thing for the Texans. Problem - why risk overtime play and a possible injury to a player, what with the playoffs coming right up the following week? Intelligence won out. The Texans elected to go for two points and end the thing, win or lose.
A Texans lineman jumped offsides, pushing the Texans back 5 yards farther away from the goal. With just a second or two on the clock, the football was "hiked" back to the new Texans quarterback - and it sailed over his head by probably ten feet. The Titans won the game.
The next scene is Game One of the playoffs - Saturday, January 7th. The Houston Texans will be playing against the Cincinnatti Bengals in that first payoff game.
Can you detect that I am a football nut?
Gus :-)))
drbj Level 8 Commenter 4 months ago
Funny poem, Gus. I dunno but what some folks might adopt that final posture mentioned and begin praying while standing on their respective heads.
I first saw Tim 'tebowing' when he was the quarterback for the University of Florida Gators. He is so good-looking, athletic and charismatic, it is no wonder young people may be emulating him. And he won a lotta football games!