Tim Tebow is getting very familiar with New York.
Tebow added the James E. Sullivan Memorial Award to his trophy case Tuesday night in a ceremony at the New York Athletic Club, a five-minute cab ride from where the UF basketball team simultaneously played at Madison Square Garden.
The Sullivan Award is given to the nation's most outstanding amateur, meaning Tebow beat out four Olympic sports athletes that his average post-practice autograph seeker has never heard of.
Given all of his award ceremonies, speaking engagements and team responsibilities, it's hard to call the last three months an off-season.
The family, youth and community sciences major flew to Fort Worth, Texas, for the Davey O'Brien Award, Atlantic City, N.J., for the Maxwell Award and finally New York for the Sullivan among other destinations.
Tebow could hardly remember all his travels, but he is happy that jetlag marks the worst of his physical problems after enduring a bruising sophomore season.
"I really had an opportunity to let my body rest and recuperate," Tebow said. "I feel as healthy as I've been since I've been in college, which feels really good."
Now it's back to work.
Tebow enters his third spring session at UF - remember he enrolled early in January 2006 - with a little something to prove.
"I don't want to re-open wounds, but taking a team down to win the game," UF coach Urban Meyer said when asked what Tebow needs to work on. "It's not Tim, it's the whole offense. Can he improve as a quarterback? I believe yes, he can."
Tebow carried the Gators when the going got tough late in close games last season but failed to win in the fourth quarter against Auburn, LSU and Georgia.
Coach and quarterback hope the institution of more no-huddle in spring drills will fine-tune the offense.
"It's just like high school," said Tebow, who rewrote the prep record book heading a spread, no-huddle attack at Ponte Vedra Nease High.
"You get a much faster pace, get a lot more work in practice, too. So you've got to be ready for all the reps. That's something that we still have to work out, everybody getting used to the no-huddle."
Tebow's first spring was spent learning Meyer's system and serving as a student to Chris Leak.
He grew up in his second spring and took over for Leak as the leader of the offense.
Now, in his third year, he is doing more than improving just his game.
Backup quarterback Cameron Newton called Tebow a player-coach and says he can call Tebow at any time with any question.
That's a pretty amazing progression for a college student who can't order anything stronger than a Shirley Temple.
"Each (spring) is unique and has its own challenges," Tebow said. "The first one, you're just getting used to everything, trying to adapt to college ball. The second one, you're trying to get used to being the guy and leading the team. Now, it's even more of being that leader and somewhat a coach on the field and trying to handle a lot of things, not just how you play."
