Fans eye a farewell to Tebow

How will you say goodbye to Tim Tebow?

Marcus Stone, a first-year graduate student at the University of Florida, has created an event on Facebook to encourage people to wear eye black to honor Tebow during his last game in The Swamp on Nov. 28 against Florida State.

Stone said the eye black is meant to be inscribed with a Bible verse or a farewell message to Tebow. More than 3,800 people have already confirmed their participation.

Stone said he saw the idea mentioned on a sports forum and wanted to raise awareness and participation by putting it on Facebook. Most universities pay tribute to their greatest athletes long after they've left, he said.

"Gator fans aren't going to honor him 10 years down the road," Stone said. "We're going to do it now."

Danielle Judin, a senior at UF and a confirmed participant, said she loves the idea.

"It's an awesome way to show him that we appreciate all that he has done and to show him how much he will be missed," Judin said.

Steve McClain, associate athletics director for communications, isn't as enthralled, and he reminds fans that there are more than 20 seniors on the football team - all of whom will be honored in a ceremony with their families and Urban Meyer before the FSU game.

McClain said Tebow would be the first to say that it's not all about him. If the Gator football team wins the game against Florida International on Saturday, it would make this senior class the one with the most wins in SEC history, McClain said.

Tebow won the Heisman Trophy in 2007 and led the Gator football team to an SEC championship and a national championship in the 2008 season.

For Stone, Tebow's attitude is what has differentiated him.

"He doesn't walk around thinking he's big," he said.

Stone made the trip to last weekend's South Carolina game and recalled how Tebow went around the stadium shaking hands after the game.

"A guy was lifting his daughter over the crowd and Tim made sure to turn around and grab her hand," Stone said.

"It's the little things he does, like when he helps up players he has knocked over and how he always puts others before himself," Judin said. "That's what makes him a great football player."

Judin recalls Tebow's pronouncement to the media after the loss to the University of Mississippi in 2008.

"You can just tell how much he loves what he is doing and how he affects the entire team," Judin said. "The intensity he plays with is so high. It's not about the stats."

Gator Mania, a shop located in The Oaks Mall, has several eye blacks for purchase that are plastic adhesive strips.

Jose Osorio, an employee at Gator Mania, said they have three different types available, including one inscribed with John 3:16, which Tebow wore during the 2009 FedEx BCS National Championship Game.

"It doesn't seem like Tebow needs motivation to play the game, but I can only imagine how he would feel when he looks to the crowd and saw all of us with the eye blacks," Stone said.