NCAA cuts down ‘Treebow’

Posted Sep 19, 2009 by TBO.com

Updated Sep 19, 2009 at 04:47 PM

The Ballyhoo Grill, a restaurant in Gainesville, has sported a 8-foot statue nicknamed Treebow, after UF quarterback Tim Tebow for several months.
 
The statue had No. 15 on it with a football player carrying a Heisman Trophy. Obviously, it was to honor Tebow, the 2007 Heisman winner and starting QB on last year’s national title team.
 
But the NCAA does not allow businesses, websites, etc., to use a likeness or name of college athletes still playing, saying it a threat to their amateur status.
 
So No. 15, playing his senior season this fall, came down. The restaurant painted No. 7 on it instead in honor of another Gator great and Heisman winner, Danny Wuerffel (who won the ‘96 Heisman and led UF to the national title as well).

Websites, T-shirt sales, etc., etc., have jumped on board Tebowmania in the last three years with many trying to make a dollar off the popular player.
- DAVID JONES, Florida Today