After almost 18 million page views and 18,000 picture submissions, Tebowing.com has given rise to a new word in the English language.
Tebowing, defined as the act of taking a knee in prayerful reflection in the midst of an athletic activity, was acknowledged as an official word in the English language on Dec. 12 by the Global Language Monitor, a website that tracks word usage and language trends.
The blog Tebowing.com, which catapulted the word into the spotlight, was created by diehard Broncos fans Jared Kleinstein and Robert Bernton. The two, along with four friends, decided to take a picture doing what Kleinstein coined "Tebowing" outside a bar in New York City on Oct. 23 after Tim Tebow led the Broncos to an entertaining last-minute win.
The word has attracted all sorts of publicity as a form of flattery, a form of mockery and as a symbol of Christianity.
Bernton said the word and the site were created without a religious connotation.
"Tebowing is not asking God for touchdowns," Bernton said.
The use of the word has faded out since its induction into the English language, said Ted Spiker, an associate professor in the journalism school who teaches Sports Media and Society. Like any trend, Spiker said, once something becomes saturated, it starts to become cliche.
Joelle Waksman disagrees. The 20-year-old anthropology junior believes that as long as Tebow fans remain devoted, Tebowing will continue to be heard and seen.
