Dadgum, Bobby's right: 'Noles' Ward better than Tebow

Bobby Bowden said something interesting a few days ago. No, really, he did. The Florida State coach wasn't talking about college football powerhouses of 2009, because he has little of value to add to that discussion, but Bowden did say something interesting.

He said Tim Tebow wasn't the best football player in college football history. Or in state of Florida history. Or even in the past two decades.

Charlie Ward won the Heisman while leading FSU to the 1993 national title. (Getty Images)

He said Florida quarterback Tim Tebow wasn't better than former Florida State quarterback Charlie Ward. He didn't quite say they were even, either.

He said Ward was better.

And people went nuts.

Blogs everywhere picked up on the Orlando Sentinel report. Message boards melted down. And Florida fans? They're in a frenzy, if not a fury. They're not mad at Bowden. They're sympathetic. They think he has lost his mind. On one of their message boards, a wisecracker started a thread titled, "Other subjects where Bobby was mistaken."

Some of the suggestions:

"Thinks Sammy Hagar a better fit in Van Halen over David Lee Roth ... Thinks the second Caddyshack was better than the first ... Thought Brett Favre would stay retired ... Thinks Happy Days was better after Fonzie jumped the shark."

Funny stuff, but here's where people are mistaken, and by "people" I don't mean Bobby Bowden. I mean everyone else: People think yesterday has jumped the shark.

Tiger Woods is better than Jack Nicklaus. Kobe is better than Michael. Brady over Bradshaw.

Tebow over Ward.

Today wins. Why? Because it's today. It's fresh in our memory, and I'm guilty of that myself. I say Tiger is the best ever. I'm pretty sure LeBron James (but not Kobe) will overtake Michael Jordan as the best ever. Brady over Bradshaw? I'm not saying that.

Poll Who's better?   42%  Charlie Ward     58%  Tim Tebow     Total Votes: 19391

Nor am I saying Tebow over Ward, although I get the allure. Tim Tebow is in the middle of greatness, whereas Charlie Ward's greatness is a fading memory. Some people say Tebow is better than anyone, ever, an idea that was forwarded again just last week.

Meantime, Bobby Bowden made several valid points when he told Andrew Carter of the Sentinel: "People keep asking me about Tebow. You know, is he the best ever? I don't know if he's better than Charlie. I don't think he runs better than Charlie. I don't think he throws better than Charlie. And Charlie only played [quarterback] two years for us."

Let's get one thing clear right now: Tebow doesn't throw the ball better than Ward. Not the Ward who won the Heisman Trophy in 1993, when he completed 69.5 percent of his passes for 3,032 yards and 27 touchdowns, with just four interceptions. Those are borderline average numbers today for a Heisman candidate -- Oklahoma's Sam Bradford threw for 4,721 yards, 50 touchdowns and eight interceptions to win the 2008 Heisman; Tebow had 3,286 yards, 32 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2007 Heisman -- but in 1993, Ward's numbers were groundbreaking.

Ward didn't play in the spread offense. He played in an explosive, pass-friendly offense, don't get me wrong -- this wasn't the wishbone -- but Ward didn't have five receivers and a tailback running routes, stretching the defense, occupying defenders. And still he put up numbers that were, at the time, cartoonish.

The Gators won a title in 2008, Tim Tebow's second year as a starter. (Getty Images)

Tebow did more damage than Ward on the ground, but only because he was allowed to -- because he had to. Florida's running backs in 2007 were nobody. Tebow was the Gators' best running back, so he ran the ball. When Ward won the Heisman, the starting FSU running backs were Warrick Dunn and William Floyd, both first-round NFL Draft picks. A backup was Sean Jackson, a fourth-round pick. Ward averaged 6 yards per carry, because he was that good, but Dunn and Floyd and Jackson weren't bad. If there was a touchdown to be scored on the ground, Dunn or Floyd scored it.

So who really was better, Tim Tebow or Charlie Ward? Tough call. Hard to go wrong either way. Tebow will go down in history as the more decorated player, with at least one Heisman and two national titles, compared to one each for Ward. But Ward played just two seasons at quarterback -- much like Tebow couldn't beat out Chris Leak as a freshman, Ward couldn't beat out Johnny Unitas winner Casey Weldon in 1990 or '91 -- and Ward also devoted half his time to basketball, where he was a four-year point guard.

All things being equal -- the coaching, the surrounding talent, and most of all the system -- I'd take Ward. And the truth is, the experts agree with me.

Look at the Heisman voting, people.

In 1993, Ward won the trophy by the second-biggest margin in Heisman history, beating a field that included Marshall Faulk by more than 1,600 points.

In 2007, Tebow won the trophy by just 254 points. And no runner-up has ever earned more than Darren McFadden's 291 first-place votes.

So if Tebow is the best player of all time, how come -- at his best -- he was just barely the best player in 2007?

I'm taking Charlie Ward over Tebow. Today is a lovely day -- but sometimes, yesterday was just a little bit better.