OPINION:
America met its new Tim Tebow Monday night. His name is Tua Tagovailoa.
Look at that — they can share monogrammed towels.
They already share a lot — national championships and a strong faith in God.
In fact, Tagovailoa told reporters that he was drawn to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, because he felt God there.
I guess no one told him that’s Nick Saban’s nickname in Alabama.
Tagovailoa became America’s new college football star when the freshman came in off the bench at halftime to lead the Crimson Tide from a 13-point deficit to a 26-23 overtime win over Georgia for Saban’s sixth national championship and fifth at Alabama.
AUDIO: Washington DC television producer Ernie Baur with Thom Loverro
“I don’t know how Coach Saban found me all the way in Hawaii from Alabama,” Tagovailoa told reporters. “Thank God he found me and we’re here right now.”
Yes, that’s right — Hawaii. Tagovailoa became the most famous Hawaiian since Steve McGarrett Monday night with his dramatic performance, culminating in the 41-yard touchdown pass to fellow freshman DeVonta Smith for the game-winning score.
He may have thanked God for Saban finding him, but proper thanks should probably go to offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, who heavily recruited Tagovailoa when Sarkasian was the head coach at USC and Tagovailoa was a sophomore in high school in Hawaii
“Coach Sarkisian was the first to offer me,” Tagovailoa told reporters after announcing he was coming to Alabama. “He was the first head coach to offer me. I believe that was my sophomore year. He started a relationship with my dad and it went from there.”
So if we are connecting all the dots, Lane Kiffin leaving as Alabama’s offensive coordinator opened the door for Sarkisian, fired from USC, to take the job with Alabama, opening the door for Tagovailoa to come to Tuscaloosa. So I guess in some ways Kiffin is responsible for Alabama’s latest national title.
Hardly seems like God’s plan to me.
When he was being recruited by Saban, they reportedly gave him a tour of the Church of the Highlands, a megachurch in Tuscaloosa, and he was so impressed that he joined the church and told his family that he wanted to build a big church for his family when he got NFL money.
That is how Tua Tagovailoa was recruited in Alabama. They sold him God.
I’m thinking USC in Los Angeles would have a hard time making the same pitch.
“Things down here in Hawaii are similar to Alabama,” Tagovailoa told seccountry.com after he accepted the Crimson Tide’s offer. “We go to church every Sunday. People are treated like family there just like here. There are many similarities there and you want to be somewhere that feels like home and that’s what Alabama feels like.”
His mother, Diane Tagovailoa, said “everything from the mom’s point of view was covered” — including when her son would have time to go to church.
“I was comfortable because Tua was comfortable,” she said. “He felt like at home.”
Home? What about the language barrier?
At one point this year, an Alabama fan on a message board reportedly voiced his concern for Tagovailoa, who, obviously, born and raised as an American citizen in the 50th state of Hawaii, speaks English, to communicate to his teammates.
“He seems like a smart kid, so I’m wandering (sic) how his transition to the states has been as far as communication goes?” the fan wrote. “Are we doing anything different like special playbooks or relying on signals more when he’s in the game? I thought I saw him point to receivers a couple of times and defenses might catch on if he’s pointing to who he’s going to throw the ball to.”
I’m guessing that all Alabama fans now know what language Tagovailoa speaks — winning.
Remember, though Tebow spoke the same language. He had plans. Then he left college. Now he is a minor league baseball player.
Let’s hope that Tagovailoa, as he moves forward to spread the word, build churches and maybe someday heal the NFL of its sin, remembers one particular lesson about God. It’s from the book of Woody Allen: “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.”
• Thom Loverro hosts his weekly podcast “Cigars & Curveballs” Wednesdays available on iTunes, Google Play and the reVolver podcast network.
• Thom Loverro can be reached at tloverro@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.