Chris Thompson   Chris Thompson on the internet

This week, the NFL combine got underway: the players are being measured and weighed, timed and tested. But the biggest story of all, and the most intriguing story, and the most hotly debated story is Tim Tebow.

He is a man who set college football on fire with his athleticism, his power, his jump-throws, his leadership, and his impressive dual-threat ability: the man who is widely considered to be the greatest collegiate football player ever, now, for perhaps the first time, is doubted.

But now, because he has a strange throwing motion, he’s doubted. Questioned, because he played in a shotgun, spread offense at university; he’s doubted because it’s not what they look for. They doubt whether he’ll be able to play the game at a professional level because … well, because of what? Because he throws the ball in a way that doesn’t follow the book?

Ok.

I find this to be the most interesting thing about the NFL. Every year, players are doubted. Some don’t make it, not like they’d like to. Others defy odds and critics, and go on to be incredibly successful. Jerry Rice was doubted because of his speed. Maurice Jones-Drew was doubted because of his stature. But why? Why would criticise someone for their height, when short players, slight players have had success before? Look at Barry Sanders. Look at DeSean Jackson.

I would not bet against Tim Tebow. He’s just too much of a fiery, determined monster on that field. And this video sums up precisely why I think he will make it, and enjoy a successful career in the league.

In my mind, it is ridiculous to say someone is not going to be a good NFL quarterback because of their technique. Everywhere, athletes excel with “bad” technique. Michael Johnson broke the mould, Usain Bolt is breaking the mold, Walter Payton held the ball in an unorthodox way, Chris Johnson runs upright.

Tim Tebow is arguably and very probably the best college football player ever. He dominated in high school, he dominated at university, and now he can’t make it as a pro? Seems like flawed logic to me. It will be interesting to see, if he does make it, how many of these naysayers will be all-too quick to say: I knew it! I knew he’d make it all along!

Something tells me that there will be many who do.

It occurred to me today, as I sat there watching The Replacements, that the film has never been as fitting as it was on this day. From some of the characters, to the story itself, it is almost a tale of real life.

It is a film about professional American football, and there is a disagreement between the players and owners, causing the players to go on strike. The Washington Sentinels, a fictional team, recruit prisoners, bouncers and fishermen to form a team of replacement players, and hilarity ensues.

But it’s a tale of real life because, at present, the NFL is currently in a similar sort of shadow. There is a disagreement between the owners and the Players Association in real life, too. And while it is accepted now that an uncapped year is probably going to happen next year, the prospect of football after next season is filled with worry.

Things will get a bit crazy unless the owners and players come to an extension agreement. There will be no salary cap on player contracts, and after that, if an agreement is still not reached down the line, there could be strikes, or there could even be a lockout: no NFL season whatsoever.

The owners have somehow injected a rule in the current contract that they will get paid, even if there is a lockout. Which seems slightly unfair. And the players don’t want to take a 20% pay cut.

To me, it’s all a little bit ludicrous. When you’re earning tens of millions of dollars – and in some cases, hundreds of millions – what difference does 20% make? You’re still being paid to play the game you love for a living. And even the very worst salaries are the stuff of dreams to us mere mortals.

But then, I suppose, like one character says in The Replaements: do you know how much insurance costs on a Ferrari?

Ladainian Tomlinson, the future Hall of Fame NFL running back, was cut by the San Diego Chargers earlier this week. Everyone knew it was coming. It was inevitable. But why?

Even LT himself, when he spoke to the media, didn’t seem to have been informed why he had been released.

It was heartbreaking to see him break down up on that podium, and if you couldn’t hear it in his voice, you could see it in his eyes: he loved San Diego – still does, in fact – and he wanted, more than anything, to win a Super Bowl with his team; the team that picked him, the team that he helped transform into a perennial playoff contender.

It’s the horrible, haunting bump in the road for running backs: the 30-year mark. Some manage to overcome it; the few, rare players; and some haven’t taken too much of a beating in the early part of their careers, and can plough onwards. But Tomlinson’s stats had declined, and he was due to make a lot of money.

Tomlinson has been one of the finest running backs in the history of the NFL: he is the fastest player ever to reach 150 career touchdowns, and he has compiled them with brilliant and often dazzling runs. But he also catches the ball a lot. He’s has a better career as a receiver than some wide receivers themselves, racking up nearly 4,000 yards. That’s a lot of punishment, on top of carrying the load on the ground.

The curious thing is, he still has plenty left in the tank. Certainly, whenever I’ve seen him play this year, he’s seemed quick, more explosive than much of last season. But he has been slowed down by injury on occasions.

He’ll find a team, at some point or another. And he’ll contribute, and help them on their quest for the trophy. It will be interesting to see if this decision comes back to haunt San Diego.

Sometimes, sport – and in this case, football – can be a stage for us to view the changes society has undergone over the years. Football is just a good example of it, because there have been so many interesting stories recently.

In the past, for example, a player wouldn’t necessarily fly home from their tour of duty, or miss matches to spend time with their wife or their children. It seems to be happening everywhere now, though.

Manchester City have given Carlos Tevez permission to fly back to Argentina to be there for the birth of his child, and they are a team that is battling for a place in the top-four and in the Champions League. Now they’ll have to do without their prolific top scorer for a while.

John Terry, who has had a lot of marital trouble recently flew out of the country to find and talk to his woman, too.

I think that, increasingly, the father is being seen as a hugely important figure in society. The father is just as key as the mother: it is important to have him there, in the early stages of a child’s life. And it’s reflected in football; it’s reflected in all sport.

There might be a story in the news about it, briefly, when the player first goes away, but it is soon forgotten. It’s accepted, it seems, and an entirely natural thing. It’s certainly interesting to think about.

We went to the cinema to celebrate today, because it was my dad’s birthday. And it really was rather nice. Nice because it was a sort of throwback, wonderful time. Nice because all the family were together. And nice, too, because there has been a new cinema complex built nearby, and it meant we didn’t have to travel very far.

The film of choice was Solomon Kane, which I hadn’t even heard of before today. But apparently it’s based on some fantastic stories by Robert E. Howard. I don’t think things often work like this, but I’m certainly going to check out the fiction after having seen the movie. It was a brilliantly dark, gothic tale of retribution and love, with some really striking imagery.

Of course, I won’t spoil it for anyone who has yet to see it, but I will say that the scene with the Devils Reaper was particularly effective.

And yet, one of the best moments wasn’t even the film itself. It was before the film, while we were watching trailers. For the most part the adverts were dull, or gruesome. The films weren’t particularly appealing. But then came an advert for Clash of the Titans, and, instantly, I was hooked.

The music pounded out of the speakers, a booming, rock soundtrack that somehow seemed fitting.

A bearded Liam Neeson portrayed Zeus, and the actor who plays Lord Voldemort was Hades. That alone had me interested. The monsters, the action, the mythical tale and setting solidified it in my mind as something to watch out for.

It’s the sort of film that’s right up my street. I loved the original, and that only really got by on its special effects – in its time, probably revolutionary, and now almost a source of comedy. So I’m not overly concerned that this remake will be ruined by any lack of story that seems a common theme among modern cinema.

I’m doing my post-graduate course at what is essentially a college. And this, in one way at least, is a good thing: I get all the school holidays, when they roll around. There are plenty of downsides, of course, but the holidays, at least, are brilliant.

Last week, I had a week off for half-term, despite only having been at college for two weeks.

Of course it went by altogether too quickly. But it also gave me a taste of freedom that I haven’t really had since university. I went zorbing, which was insane. And it’s made me incredibly excited for the Easter holiday, and the Summer holiday especially. In fact, I’m determined to make this summer as adrenaline-filled as possible.

My friends recently went to Go Ape, which sounds good fun, and they are apparently already planning to go again. I might hop on the bandwagon.

But more so than that, I’m keen to go paintballing. Like monkeying around at Go Ape, I’ve never actually been paintballing before: but there is a certain something about running around with friends and toy guns that is more appealing.

I pitched the idea to my brother, who also threw in the go-karting notion. There is a track nearby that is offering half-price deals on races, so long as you bring enough people. I doubt whether that will still be going in a few months time, but racing itself is certainly brilliant fun.

It will be nice, I think, to celebrate in such a fashion once all the work is done.