Monday, August 13, 2012
Nashville weekend for Taylor Swift, Conor Kennedy? Did Swift buy Nantucket home?
Did country music sensation Taylor Swift take Conor Kennedy, grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, home to Nashville to meet her parents this weekend? The 22-year-
old singer/songwriter and the 18-year-old JFK Jr. lookalike were spotted all over Nashville on Saturday August 11, 2012, but it is not certain whether or not
Swift introduced Kennedy to her family. The couple, who has reportedly been dating for some time, made their relationship public in July shortly after Conor
’s eighteenth birthday.
A fan posted a fuzzy photo of what was thought to be Swift and Kennedy together in Nashville with Swift’s parents. People magazine confirmed that the photo
is not Swift and Kennedy, but of Taylor and her brother Austin taken in June.
View slideshow: Taylor Swift heats up romance with RFK's grandson Conor Kennedy with weekend visit to Nashville hometown
A member of Taylor Swift's inner circle told People:
“Taylor is swept off her feet. She thinks he is the one right now.”
Kennedy biographer Laurence Learner told People: “It’s great [he] can have a happy summer.” Conor Kennedy’s mother, Mary Kennedy, committed suicide on
May 16, 2012. Mary Kennedy and Conor’s father RFK, Jr. were embroiled in a bitter divorce battle at the time of her death. Conor Kennedy has been appointed
the executor of his late mother’s estate
Reports are also circulating this weekend that Swift purchased a 13-room home overlooking Nantucket Sound for $4.9 million.
Swift, a longtime admirer of the Kennedy family, first met Rory Kennedy and her daughters Georgia, 10, and Bridget, 8, at one of Taylor Swift’s concerts.
Rory Kennedy had a lot to say about Taylor Swift. She told People.com that “She’s [Swift] awesome.” Speaking at a recent television Critics Association
tour in Beverly Hills, Rory Kennedy revealed that Taylor is close to the entire Kennedy family, saying “She’s a great friend of all of ours.”
Even Ethel Kennedy, widow of RFK and grandmother of Conor Kennedy had something to say on the subject of Taylor Swift. When asked if she thought the country
music singer and songwriter would make a good addition to the Kennedy clan she said, “We should be so lucky.”
Sunday, August 12, 2012
With GOP ticket complete, crowds swell
On his second day as a vice-presidential candidate, Rep. Paul Ryan emerged Sunday as a tough-talking sidekick and flattering biographer for Mitt Romney,
playing roles that Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee, has sometimes struggled to master.
Ryan, who has frequently clashed with President Barack Obama over the size and mission of the federal government as chairman of the House Budget Committee,
denounced the president's policies as failures and his governing style as corrosive.
"President Obama came into office with hope and change," Ryan said at a factory here. "His policies have been put in place. They are not working. They are
failing us. He didn't moderate one bit at all. So now he's turned hope and change into attack and blame, and we're not going to fall for it."
But Ryan focused just as much on his new boss, Romney, repeatedly telling his success stories at stops across North Carolina. He recalled the troubled Salt
Lake City Olympic Games, which Romney left Bain Capital to oversee in 1999.
"Remember the chaos, remember the waste, the bloated spending the corruption. Who did they turn to? Who did they ask to turn it around? This guy right here,"
he said, pointing to Romney, who stood ramrod straight, beaming toward Ryan.
Ryan's burst of campaigning came as Democrats seized on his selection to try to define him as an extremist politician who would destroy Medicare and deprive
women of
abortion rights.
"Congressman Ryan is a right-wing ideologue, and that is reflected in the positions that he's taken," said David Axelrod, a senior adviser to the Obama
campaign.
"He is quite extreme -- good, good person, you know, genial person -- but his views are quite harsh," Axelrod said on the program "State of the Union" on
CNN.
Offering a critique that is expected to be central to the Obama team's argument, Axelrod said that Ryan's proposal to remake Medicare would allow private
insurers to peel away the healthiest seniors, leaving the federal program covering the oldest and the sickest, sending costs soaring.
On the campaign trail Sunday, Romney looked deeply relieved to have a No. 2 to split up the labors of a presidential campaign, projecting a new sense of an
energy and ease.
"I am so happy, I am so happy to have my teammate now, the two of us! It's now two on two you know," Romney said.
At one point, Romney joined the crowd at an event in Mooresville, N.C., in chanting "Paul, Paul, Paul," -- yelling his name six times into a microphone.
Romney, who is more of a hand-grasper than a high-fiver, seemed to adapt to Ryan's more casual style, slapping the hands of voters behind a metal barricade.
The crowds at Romney campaign stops have swelled significantly since he named Ryan as his running mate, breaking records for the candidate. There were 8,000
people at an outdoor rally in Manassas, Va., on Saturday, at which a number of attendees fainted because of long lines and humidity. On Sunday, Romney's
speech inside the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville drew about 4,000 people, many standing outside in a parking lot. At the event later here in High
Point, the campaign rally drew 8,000 people. It was so warm inside that people broke off pieces of cardboard boxes to fan themselves. But it did not seem to
dampen their enthusiasm for the new ticket: standard speech lines aroused thunderous applause.
The two men traveled to North Carolina on the second day of a four-day bus tour that will also take them to Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin. Romney made clear
that North Carolina was crucial to his election strategy, telling an audience here Sunday if "we win North Carolina, we're going to win the White House."
playing roles that Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee, has sometimes struggled to master.
Ryan, who has frequently clashed with President Barack Obama over the size and mission of the federal government as chairman of the House Budget Committee,
denounced the president's policies as failures and his governing style as corrosive.
"President Obama came into office with hope and change," Ryan said at a factory here. "His policies have been put in place. They are not working. They are
failing us. He didn't moderate one bit at all. So now he's turned hope and change into attack and blame, and we're not going to fall for it."
But Ryan focused just as much on his new boss, Romney, repeatedly telling his success stories at stops across North Carolina. He recalled the troubled Salt
Lake City Olympic Games, which Romney left Bain Capital to oversee in 1999.
"Remember the chaos, remember the waste, the bloated spending the corruption. Who did they turn to? Who did they ask to turn it around? This guy right here,"
he said, pointing to Romney, who stood ramrod straight, beaming toward Ryan.
Ryan's burst of campaigning came as Democrats seized on his selection to try to define him as an extremist politician who would destroy Medicare and deprive
women of
abortion rights.
"Congressman Ryan is a right-wing ideologue, and that is reflected in the positions that he's taken," said David Axelrod, a senior adviser to the Obama
campaign.
"He is quite extreme -- good, good person, you know, genial person -- but his views are quite harsh," Axelrod said on the program "State of the Union" on
CNN.
Offering a critique that is expected to be central to the Obama team's argument, Axelrod said that Ryan's proposal to remake Medicare would allow private
insurers to peel away the healthiest seniors, leaving the federal program covering the oldest and the sickest, sending costs soaring.
On the campaign trail Sunday, Romney looked deeply relieved to have a No. 2 to split up the labors of a presidential campaign, projecting a new sense of an
energy and ease.
"I am so happy, I am so happy to have my teammate now, the two of us! It's now two on two you know," Romney said.
At one point, Romney joined the crowd at an event in Mooresville, N.C., in chanting "Paul, Paul, Paul," -- yelling his name six times into a microphone.
Romney, who is more of a hand-grasper than a high-fiver, seemed to adapt to Ryan's more casual style, slapping the hands of voters behind a metal barricade.
The crowds at Romney campaign stops have swelled significantly since he named Ryan as his running mate, breaking records for the candidate. There were 8,000
people at an outdoor rally in Manassas, Va., on Saturday, at which a number of attendees fainted because of long lines and humidity. On Sunday, Romney's
speech inside the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville drew about 4,000 people, many standing outside in a parking lot. At the event later here in High
Point, the campaign rally drew 8,000 people. It was so warm inside that people broke off pieces of cardboard boxes to fan themselves. But it did not seem to
dampen their enthusiasm for the new ticket: standard speech lines aroused thunderous applause.
The two men traveled to North Carolina on the second day of a four-day bus tour that will also take them to Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin. Romney made clear
that North Carolina was crucial to his election strategy, telling an audience here Sunday if "we win North Carolina, we're going to win the White House."
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Big Al on London Olympics: Usain Bolt, water polo and USA, China
Usain Bolt -- the world's fastest man -- has options awaiting him as the London Games head into their stretch run.
Bolt says he may want to play soccer for Manchester United. Not exactly the sport most Americans were hoping the long-legged Jamaican would find himself
playing.
That would be the one with the touchdowns.
And you know Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is seeing dollar signs. Plus, Bob Hayes did pretty well for himself in Dallas.
No no to water polo
I have decided water polo is just not fun.
Treading water, getting punched in the face, a good chance of losing your speedo. No thanks. (As if I would ever wear a speedo.)
Women's hoops
While all the fuss surrounding the Team USA Men's Basketball Team, has anybody noticed the USA Women have not lost a game in 20 years? Thirty-nine straight
wins heading into this years semifinals.
And how about Tulsa Shock center Liz Cambage's dunk last week. Let us hope she brings some of that Kangaroo jumping ability back to Tulsa.
Red, white and blue for gold
Is this a first? USA vs USA for the gold medal? That's what is happening in women's beach volleyball.
At least it will be another win for the home team, which has found itself trailing China in the medal race. As of Wednesday, there were 102 gold medals left
to hand out.
I expect a close race to the end between the two countries, with the Americans favorites to bring in a slew of track and field competitions.
Bolt says he may want to play soccer for Manchester United. Not exactly the sport most Americans were hoping the long-legged Jamaican would find himself
playing.
That would be the one with the touchdowns.
And you know Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is seeing dollar signs. Plus, Bob Hayes did pretty well for himself in Dallas.
No no to water polo
I have decided water polo is just not fun.
Treading water, getting punched in the face, a good chance of losing your speedo. No thanks. (As if I would ever wear a speedo.)
Women's hoops
While all the fuss surrounding the Team USA Men's Basketball Team, has anybody noticed the USA Women have not lost a game in 20 years? Thirty-nine straight
wins heading into this years semifinals.
And how about Tulsa Shock center Liz Cambage's dunk last week. Let us hope she brings some of that Kangaroo jumping ability back to Tulsa.
Red, white and blue for gold
Is this a first? USA vs USA for the gold medal? That's what is happening in women's beach volleyball.
At least it will be another win for the home team, which has found itself trailing China in the medal race. As of Wednesday, there were 102 gold medals left
to hand out.
I expect a close race to the end between the two countries, with the Americans favorites to bring in a slew of track and field competitions.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Assad Vows to Rid Syria of ‘Terrorists;’ Violence Mounts
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to purge his country of what he called “terrorists,” as security forces continue to fight rebels who have tried
to seize control of parts of Aleppo and Damascus.
Syrian state-run media quoted Mr. Assad Tuesday as saying he would show no leniency towards “terrorists.” He met with Iran's visiting national security
council secretary, Saeed Jalili.
Syrian state television showed the meeting, the first time Mr. Assad has appeared on television in two weeks.
Jalili pledged continued Iranian support to Syria, which he said was part of an “axis of resistance” against foreign opponents.
Earlier Tuesday, Iran said it was holding the United States responsible for the lives of 48 Iranians who were kidnapped by Syrian rebels in Damascus on
Saturday.
State-run media say the Foreign Ministry told the Swiss envoy in Tehran that it expects the U.S. to use its influence to secure the Iranians' release without
any preconditions.
Switzerland represents U.S. interests in Iran because Washington and Tehran do not have diplomatic relations. The U.S. has said in the past it is only
providing non-lethal assistance to Syrian rebels.
Iran says the 48 abducted were religious pilgrims, but the rebel Free Syrian Army described them as Iranian Revolutionary Guards on a “reconnaissance
mission.”
Activists say dozens of people were killed in anti-government-related unrest across Syria on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says it is time for world powers to begin planning for what will happen after Mr. Assad's regime falls.
She commented during a Tuesday appearance with South Africa's foreign minister in Pretoria.
“The intensity of the fighting in Aleppo, the defections, really point out how imperative it is that we come together and work toward a good transition
plan.”
Clinton said she intended to discuss the issue with Turkish officials during her visit to Istanbul on Saturday.
Iran's foreign minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, visited Turkey on Tuesday to discuss the Syrian crisis and the abducted Iranians with counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu.
Salehi also has asked United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for help in securing the kidnapped Iranians' freedom.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that more than 1,300 Syrians had crossed the border into Turkey over the past day, raising the total number of
Syrian refugees there to nearly 48,000.
to seize control of parts of Aleppo and Damascus.
Syrian state-run media quoted Mr. Assad Tuesday as saying he would show no leniency towards “terrorists.” He met with Iran's visiting national security
council secretary, Saeed Jalili.
Syrian state television showed the meeting, the first time Mr. Assad has appeared on television in two weeks.
Jalili pledged continued Iranian support to Syria, which he said was part of an “axis of resistance” against foreign opponents.
Earlier Tuesday, Iran said it was holding the United States responsible for the lives of 48 Iranians who were kidnapped by Syrian rebels in Damascus on
Saturday.
State-run media say the Foreign Ministry told the Swiss envoy in Tehran that it expects the U.S. to use its influence to secure the Iranians' release without
any preconditions.
Switzerland represents U.S. interests in Iran because Washington and Tehran do not have diplomatic relations. The U.S. has said in the past it is only
providing non-lethal assistance to Syrian rebels.
Iran says the 48 abducted were religious pilgrims, but the rebel Free Syrian Army described them as Iranian Revolutionary Guards on a “reconnaissance
mission.”
Activists say dozens of people were killed in anti-government-related unrest across Syria on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says it is time for world powers to begin planning for what will happen after Mr. Assad's regime falls.
She commented during a Tuesday appearance with South Africa's foreign minister in Pretoria.
“The intensity of the fighting in Aleppo, the defections, really point out how imperative it is that we come together and work toward a good transition
plan.”
Clinton said she intended to discuss the issue with Turkish officials during her visit to Istanbul on Saturday.
Iran's foreign minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, visited Turkey on Tuesday to discuss the Syrian crisis and the abducted Iranians with counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu.
Salehi also has asked United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for help in securing the kidnapped Iranians' freedom.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that more than 1,300 Syrians had crossed the border into Turkey over the past day, raising the total number of
Syrian refugees there to nearly 48,000.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Tim Tebow, Andrew Luck featured on NFL Network this week
Tim Tebow’s New York Jets debut and Andrew Luck’s first NFL game highlight NFL Network’s live Week 1 preseason football schedule.
Four games will be broadcast live this week, with every other Week 1 preseason game broadcast on a tape-delayed basis. The live broadcasts are the Jets at
Bengals at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10, the Texans at the Panthers at 4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 11, the Titans at Seahawks at 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 11 and the
Rams at Colts at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 12.
The NFL Network is only available in the Coachella Valley on DirecTV, Dish Network and Verizon FiOS. The NFL Network is not available on Time Warner Cable as
both sides have not reached an agreement.
A new wrinkle to preseason coverage for Week 1 begins with NFL Preseason Live at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9. NFL Preseason Live provides live look-ins of
Week 1 preseason games, beginning with the opening kickoffs. Host Rich Eisen and analysts Marshall Faulk and Michael Lombardi will take viewers around the
league in NFL RedZone-style, delivering live game action and highlights of Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints facing Tom Brady and the New England
Patriots, Peyton Manning making his Denver Broncos debut against the Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins rookie Robert Griffin III in his first NFL action
against the Buffalo Bills, and more.
NFL Network will offer all 65 games of the 2012 NFL preseason schedule, beginning at 9 p.m. Thursday when Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos travel to
Chicago to face quarterback Jay Cutler and the Bears, followed by the Atlanta Falcons hosting the Baltimore Ravens at midnight.
In addition, NFL.com’s NFL Preseason Live returns to offer fans live and on-demand access to preseason games online and in HD. Full DVR controls allow fans
to pause, rewind and replay both live and archived game action. Additional viewing options include picture-in-picture and a quad view mode which provides
fans the ability to watch four games on the same screen.
New to NFL Preseason Live this year is the Condensed Games feature, which allows fans to watch every play from an entire game – from opening kickoff to the
final whistle – in 30 minutes and commercial-free. For the first time, NFL Preseason Live is available on Android and iOS tablets with a free download.
Four games will be broadcast live this week, with every other Week 1 preseason game broadcast on a tape-delayed basis. The live broadcasts are the Jets at
Bengals at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10, the Texans at the Panthers at 4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 11, the Titans at Seahawks at 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 11 and the
Rams at Colts at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, Aug. 12.
The NFL Network is only available in the Coachella Valley on DirecTV, Dish Network and Verizon FiOS. The NFL Network is not available on Time Warner Cable as
both sides have not reached an agreement.
A new wrinkle to preseason coverage for Week 1 begins with NFL Preseason Live at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 9. NFL Preseason Live provides live look-ins of
Week 1 preseason games, beginning with the opening kickoffs. Host Rich Eisen and analysts Marshall Faulk and Michael Lombardi will take viewers around the
league in NFL RedZone-style, delivering live game action and highlights of Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints facing Tom Brady and the New England
Patriots, Peyton Manning making his Denver Broncos debut against the Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins rookie Robert Griffin III in his first NFL action
against the Buffalo Bills, and more.
NFL Network will offer all 65 games of the 2012 NFL preseason schedule, beginning at 9 p.m. Thursday when Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos travel to
Chicago to face quarterback Jay Cutler and the Bears, followed by the Atlanta Falcons hosting the Baltimore Ravens at midnight.
In addition, NFL.com’s NFL Preseason Live returns to offer fans live and on-demand access to preseason games online and in HD. Full DVR controls allow fans
to pause, rewind and replay both live and archived game action. Additional viewing options include picture-in-picture and a quad view mode which provides
fans the ability to watch four games on the same screen.
New to NFL Preseason Live this year is the Condensed Games feature, which allows fans to watch every play from an entire game – from opening kickoff to the
final whistle – in 30 minutes and commercial-free. For the first time, NFL Preseason Live is available on Android and iOS tablets with a free download.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Curiosity Team Confident, But Terrified for Mars Landing
PASADENA, Calif.—Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) is now feeling the tug of Mars, as are the scientists and engineers on the mission.
"We are rationally confident, emotionally terrified, and ready for EDL (entry, descent, and landing)," said Adam Steltzner, MSL's EDL phase lead.
In the final pre-landing conference before MSL reaches Mars early Monday morning at 1:31 a.m. EDT, mission scientists and engineers shared their closing
thoughts and expressed great confidence in a successful night ahead.
"I think we're going to stick the landing," said Doug McCuistion, the Mars Exploration Program director at NASA headquarters.
The spacecraft is now in EDL approach mode and will shortly transition over to EDL main mode. Its batteries are charged to 100 percent and it continues to
have strong communication with the Deep Space Network (DSN), "like having a full set of bars, in cell phone speak," explained Brian Portock, the MSL mission
manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The spacecraft is warming up its rockets to be used during EDL and this morning, the team determined the final opportunity to adjust the flight path was not
needed because it is right on target.
On Mars, the weather conditions are looking perfect for landing. There is a cap edge storm to the east of the landing spot in Gale Crater, but it does not
pose a major threat. "If this storm had happened three days ago, we might have been sweating a little bit," said Steltzner.
Though the team feels very confident, they were all careful to emphasize the possibility that tonight could be a "bad night."
"I believe that the team has done everything we can to deserve success tonight, although as we all know," said Steltzner, "there is nothing you can do to
ensure success." McCuistion added that it would be an incredible loss to the nation if NASA did not learn from a failure and try again.
The world tonight as MSL makes its entry into the Martian atmosphere. The team will also have no other choice but to sit back and snack on peanuts, a good
luck charm in the Mission Control room. "The amount of control the team has during EDL is identical to what someone at home watching on TV has," said
Steltzner.
"We are rationally confident, emotionally terrified, and ready for EDL (entry, descent, and landing)," said Adam Steltzner, MSL's EDL phase lead.
In the final pre-landing conference before MSL reaches Mars early Monday morning at 1:31 a.m. EDT, mission scientists and engineers shared their closing
thoughts and expressed great confidence in a successful night ahead.
"I think we're going to stick the landing," said Doug McCuistion, the Mars Exploration Program director at NASA headquarters.
The spacecraft is now in EDL approach mode and will shortly transition over to EDL main mode. Its batteries are charged to 100 percent and it continues to
have strong communication with the Deep Space Network (DSN), "like having a full set of bars, in cell phone speak," explained Brian Portock, the MSL mission
manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The spacecraft is warming up its rockets to be used during EDL and this morning, the team determined the final opportunity to adjust the flight path was not
needed because it is right on target.
On Mars, the weather conditions are looking perfect for landing. There is a cap edge storm to the east of the landing spot in Gale Crater, but it does not
pose a major threat. "If this storm had happened three days ago, we might have been sweating a little bit," said Steltzner.
Though the team feels very confident, they were all careful to emphasize the possibility that tonight could be a "bad night."
"I believe that the team has done everything we can to deserve success tonight, although as we all know," said Steltzner, "there is nothing you can do to
ensure success." McCuistion added that it would be an incredible loss to the nation if NASA did not learn from a failure and try again.
The world tonight as MSL makes its entry into the Martian atmosphere. The team will also have no other choice but to sit back and snack on peanuts, a good
luck charm in the Mission Control room. "The amount of control the team has during EDL is identical to what someone at home watching on TV has," said
Steltzner.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Jets' Tim Tebow says 'I am not sure' of my role yet
Assuming starter Mark Sanchez remains upright -- and, more importantly, effective -- even New York Jets backup QB Tim Tebow doesn't seem entirely sure what
his game-to-game duties will be this season.
Tebow sat down with ESPN Radio in New York this week and talked to co-host Stephen A. Smith, who's done little to mask his skepticism of the Jets' decision
to acquire the charismatic but football-flawed passer.
When asked about his job description -- which seems to range from red zone specialist to Wildcat pilot to punt team decoy -- Tebow answered: "That's a good
question, and I'm going to be 100% honest: I am not sure.
"I think for me, it is whatever I am being asked to do I do with all my heart. I try to do a great job at it. ... It's so early in the process that I have to
say I can't give you a straight answer on that."
Being the forthright guy that he is, Smith also questioned Tebow's efficacy as a thrower (he was 2-for-4 with an INT in team drills Wednesday), to which the
quarterback responded:
"First of all, it is not my place to try and debate and make my stuff look good. That's not my place at all. I appreciate you complimenting me saying
that I have an impact and that I can win football games. I really appreciate that and just as far as getting better throwing, I've been working extremely
hard on that.
"There are some situations where I feel like I have done some good things. I am just going to continue to get better, but I appreciate the compliments,
and the rest I use as motivation."
Tebow also fielded a query about how he could genuinely root for and support Sanchez even though he aspires to be a starter himself in the NFL.
"I think there are things more important than a football game. Your relationship and how you treat people ... that's more important to me than football
games.
"As far as rooting someone on and supporting them? You can do that with still trying to go out there and do your best. If your best is better, then so be
it. If it's not, then you have to do the other roles you are asked to do. I don't think you have to have an attitude where you have to say, 'I don't want
someone to do their best.' Absolutely not. I want them to do their best.
"I just want to do my best and continue to develop to the best that I can be, and if that's good enough to go out there and be a starting quarterback,
then that is great."
his game-to-game duties will be this season.
Tebow sat down with ESPN Radio in New York this week and talked to co-host Stephen A. Smith, who's done little to mask his skepticism of the Jets' decision
to acquire the charismatic but football-flawed passer.
When asked about his job description -- which seems to range from red zone specialist to Wildcat pilot to punt team decoy -- Tebow answered: "That's a good
question, and I'm going to be 100% honest: I am not sure.
"I think for me, it is whatever I am being asked to do I do with all my heart. I try to do a great job at it. ... It's so early in the process that I have to
say I can't give you a straight answer on that."
Being the forthright guy that he is, Smith also questioned Tebow's efficacy as a thrower (he was 2-for-4 with an INT in team drills Wednesday), to which the
quarterback responded:
"First of all, it is not my place to try and debate and make my stuff look good. That's not my place at all. I appreciate you complimenting me saying
that I have an impact and that I can win football games. I really appreciate that and just as far as getting better throwing, I've been working extremely
hard on that.
"There are some situations where I feel like I have done some good things. I am just going to continue to get better, but I appreciate the compliments,
and the rest I use as motivation."
Tebow also fielded a query about how he could genuinely root for and support Sanchez even though he aspires to be a starter himself in the NFL.
"I think there are things more important than a football game. Your relationship and how you treat people ... that's more important to me than football
games.
"As far as rooting someone on and supporting them? You can do that with still trying to go out there and do your best. If your best is better, then so be
it. If it's not, then you have to do the other roles you are asked to do. I don't think you have to have an attitude where you have to say, 'I don't want
someone to do their best.' Absolutely not. I want them to do their best.
"I just want to do my best and continue to develop to the best that I can be, and if that's good enough to go out there and be a starting quarterback,
then that is great."
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