I owe Tim Tebow a big thank you.
On Dec. 13, 2005, I sat in Nease High's performing arts center, waiting for Tebow to announce his college decision, when one of my friends tapped me on the shoulder.
"Uh, I think that's David Garrard," he said.
Sure enough, my hero - who at the time was inexplicably still Byron Leftwich's backup - was standing in the back of the room. I floated over to talk to him (I even had my ECU hat on) and got a picture with him while a friend tried to convince Garrard to autograph his face.
All in all, it was a great day, and though I was too happy to ask questions at the time, I later wondered: "Why the hell was David Garrard there?"
Looking back on it, I have my answer. It turns out Tebow's college decision was a turning point in Garrard's career, as well as a huge moment for both UF and Alabama.
When Tebow chose Florida, it set off a chain of events that affected at least one national championship, coaching careers and even an NFL team.
By signing with the Gators, Tebow gave Urban Meyer - then finishing his first season in Gainesville - the perfect quarterback for his spread offense.
It came at a good time too, since Meyer's other quarterback recruit, Jevan Snead, had already decommitted and signed with Texas. A few days after Tebow's decision, a receiver from Virginia Beach, Va., signed on with UF, citing a desire to play with Tebow as a reason why.
His name? Percy Harvin.
So Tebow helped bring in Harvin, giving Meyer two weapons that helped him win the national title in 2006. For all I know, the Gators could have won that championship without either player, but Tebow definitely helped out that recruiting class and many more to come.
Not landing Tebow would have had drastic consequences for Meyer, who never would've been forgiven for losing the immensely talented kid with a Gators helmet for a mailbox.
Just look at what not getting Tebow did to Alabama's Mike Shula, the runner-up in the sweepstakes for The Chosen One.
Alabama fans were crazy for Tebow, even naming proposed legislation in the state to allow homeschooled kids to play sports for high schools "The Tim Tebow Bill."
Tebow grew close to Shula through the recruiting process, and he cried when he called the coach to tell him no. Shula was fired after the 2006 season, despite being given a six-year extension for going 10-2 the year before.
Landing Tebow would have bought Shula more time, and Tebow said this week that his impact in recruiting might have given Shula a chance to last longer.
So if Shula had stayed at Alabama for just one more year, Nick Saban may have never become the Crimson Tide's coach, and even if he did a year later, he would have been less likely to have Alabama in the position it's in this season.
And if Saban had stayed with Miami Dolphins, who knows if they would be better or worse off than they are today?
Meanwhile, Shula probably wouldn't have landed as the Jaguars' quarterbacks coach for the 2007 season, when he immediately turned Garrard into a force, setting franchise records for touchdown passes, passer rating and completion percentage while posting the second-lowest interception percentage in NFL history among passers with 300 attempts or more.
So, it seems Tebow made the right decision for all involved parties, as UF, Alabama and Jags fans are all better off for it.
As for me, I'll hold back my gratitude for another year or two, just in case Tebow gets drafted by the Jaguars and takes Garrard's job.
