To be honest, this is not the perspective from which I thought I would be writing this blog entry just four days ago, but it is likely a more valuable lesson. This past Friday, I, along with my fellow MMC Gators Danae Danta and Marissa Berlin, were discussing our alma mater’s pre-game strategy, captivated as always by the media coverage surrounding our beloved quarterback, and finalizing plans to watch our biggest game of the year at one of NYC’s six University of Florida alumni viewing bars. The SEC Championship match-up against the University of Alabama brought together the two best teams in college football, and we – with two football championships already under our belts in just the past three years – were confidently supporting our team’s run for a third, knowing it would be the hardest test of our very capable team’s skills this season.

I awoke Saturday morning to Gator pride updates splashed across 95% of my Facebook news feed. I too posted my support, donned my favorite game day gear and joined hundreds of Gotham Gators, and the hundreds of thousands in the Gator Nation, to watch what we hoped would be the game that took us to Pasadena. Every emotion I imagine the players were experiencing, we were too – but as the game wore on, anxiety and nerves overtook our excitement as the points were piling up in the wrong direction. By the end of the fourth quarter, we looked on as the opposition celebrated and our Tim Tebow cried on the sideline.

In that moment, my heart went out to him, but I was also so frustrated with the subpar performance of my team. It would have been so easy to retreat to Bama-bashing or playing the blame game – but Tebow took to his post-game interview like the leader and class-act he is. With tears in his eyes, he gave credit where credit is due to Alabama, recalled the memories he’ll take away from his college football career and ended, as always, with “God Bless.” My fellow Gators may put Tebow on a pedestal for many reasons, and those in the SEC may hate him for many others, but Saturday night he displayed the type of grace, humility and character I will personally always look up to and respect. On and off the field, Tebow is an example of how to be a true leader. Though we are alike in that we both wear our emotions on our sleeves, I only hope I can become as inspiring of a leader as I find him to be.