John Cena and Tim Tebow: The WWE and NFL's Most Controversial Figures

He’s the most embattled star in the sport.  Criticized for his lack of skill, beaten down by experts for lacking basic fundamentals and hated for what many view as being nothing more than a lucky run, which he has benefited from because he has been in the right place at the right time.

John Cena or Tim Tebow?

Let me say up front that this is not a “hater” piece.  God, I can’t stand that word.

You might say I hate that word.

We have to be so hip, don’t we?  We have to indulge in such silly terms sometimes, because it makes us sound cool, or with the times.  

That’s so wack.

But I digress.  The point is, if you don’t tell everyone right away that you don’t have John Cena in your sights, then you will be in theirs.  So, trust me, I’m not here to “hate.”

But as time goes on, with the constant Tebow bashing that has been happening, well, since forever, I just keep thinking about Cena, and how all of this has rang eerily familiar for me.

As wrestling fans, we have talked about Cena, debated him, for so long now that it would not be the same if we didn’t.  He is the center of so many conversations, and whether you are a fan of his or not, everyone has an opinion on him and his place in the business.

Here’s the thing.  He’s the top guy.

I love CM Punk.  He’s come into his own, a guy who has worked hard to be where he is and is finally seeing the rewards for his efforts.  I would love nothing more than to see him keep performing, at this level, for the next 10 years to have him one day stand on that Hall of Fame stage to get what he so richly deserves.

But Cena is still the top guy.

Randy Orton is a worker who has come full circle in his WWE career.  At one point, it was all about him. He had a stranglehold on the World Championship, and he was the main star on SmackDown.

But now he has stepped back, ever so slightly, using his ability and place in the company to help elevate others higher than what they are.  He has truly become a professional wrestler, and many fans, myself included, have a huge amount of respect for what he’s done in the past few months.

But Cena is the top guy.  Period.

Worship him, despise him, makes no difference—John Cena is doing what he does best.  He’s being John Cena.  And to make matters worse for his critics out there?

He doesn’t care what you say.

Seriously.  Doesn’t bother him in the slightest.  He’s doing what he loves, what he he’s always wanted to do, and he is doing it on a worldwide stage.  He is living the dream.

Wait, who are we talking about again?

The fact is, much like I’m not “hating” on John, I’m also not technically a fan of Tebow.  The Minnesota Vikings are my team, and well, I think I’ll just leave that little nugget right there and move on.

On top of that, though, I enjoy the NFL. I’m not really a stats guy, or a guy who knows the plays when they happen.  I also can’t tell you how the defense is lining up, or what route the receiver is going to run.  I’m not up on any of that.

But it doesn’t take an expert to see that Tim Tebow is winning.  Someway, somehow, he and the Denver Broncos are getting it done.  That’s it.  Plain and simple.

Critics are all over him. He’s the talk of every NFL rundown show on ESPN, NFL Network and all over the net, including here on Bleacher Report.  He should not be the quarterback, they say, and there’s no way he can make a career playing the way he does, being so woefully inadequate in the position.

But he’s winning.

His coach John Fox, indeed the Broncos organization itself, have both not exactly been on the Tebow train, either.  Just last month, Fox curiously pointed out his belief that if Denver tried to run a regular offense, then Tim would be screwed.

Um, OK, but the guy is winning.

By the way, at what point do we as parents, as teachers, as coaches, encouraging our kids to do the best they can, to work as a team, and show good sportsmanship, take a moment and stick up for this guy?  For me, that time has come.  

He’s a prime example of how being humble, staying grounded and weathering personal attacks can make you a stronger person, a better athlete and a true role model for the same kids I just mentioned.

OK, hang on, who were we talking about that time?

As I try to shake off the dizziness of this whole thing, let me say that despite how much I attempt to make sense of John Cena and Tim Tebow, I always end up with more questions than answers.

Perhaps there is no making sense of it.  Maybe that’s the point.  Cena and Tebow are doing what they do, week in and week out, and they're doing it to the best of their individual abilities.  No one can argue their heart, nor their commitment to the organizations they chose to perform in.

They are who they are and it is what it is.  And, if that’s not enough of an oversimplification, I can only leave you with this one word of wisdom that I have learned from years of being eternally cool.

Don’t be hatin’.