You're right about why ESPN is piling onto him. What I don't understand is why anyone still cares to read/watch news about the backup quarterback of a mediocre team. If you're an NFL fan, you almost certainly have a team, and are thus primarily interested in it and its most connected teams. And then you may be interested in "stories," like Peterson this year, or the Patriots' undefeated attempt a few years back. None of this leaves any room for Tebow, unless I'm missing something. He's not a story, he's just a player. Colt McCoy is also a backup quarterback on a mediocre team who had success in college. No one talks about him, because he's just another player who hasn't particularly distinguished himself. I do not get it.
From the perspective of someone related to quite a few "Cult of Tebow" members: I don't know if I personally believe that, but it's what a lot of people do believe about Tebow. He does seem like a good guy, but he's never struck me as a strong player, and I've been a Bronco fan my entire life. I think the negative press on Tebow is just a backlash to the love he gets from Christian Football fans. And from a simple media perspective: The only thing that draws in more ratings than a white knight is watching that white knight fall.Tim Tebow is VERY outspoken about his faith, but only when asked about it. He doesn't shove it in people's faces, and he seems genuinely firm in his belief, both on and off the field. Some members of the media who don't share his belief then take it upon themselves to take him down a notch. He can seem holier-than-thou if taken out of context, which makes some people feel the need to take him down a notch.