The qualities of superstar athletes are usually in the form of their physical appearance and how well they do in their particular sport. They’re exceptional in what they do, showcasing their skills in front spectators in the crowd and in the living room. They are so popular that businesses profit from their name in merchandise- jersey’s, shirts, video games, and so much more. And then there are some that are really special; they tend to do things at a level that makes you look twice and say “did they just do that?”.
Here are some examples of greatness:
Doug Flutie’s hail mary against Miami in 1984. Calvin Johnson’s one-handed catch/grab against NC State in 2004. Tim Tebow’s “I promise” speech that inspired his team to win out after losing to Ole Miss in 2008. Tommy Frazier’s amazing 75-yard touchdown run in the title game in 1995. And Herschel running through Bill Bates in 1980.
Now we have the famous “2nd-and-26”, the miracle play that gave Alabama a comeback victory over Georgia in the 2018 National Championship game. The hero of the night was a young freshman by the name of Tua Tagovailoa. It truly was a miracle that Alabama came back to win that game, but to Tagovailoa, it was the effect of his prayer life.“All my anxiety and all my nerves calmed down,” Tua said in the AL.com video. “Nothing was too big for me. I think I was more focused on praying than anything else in the game.”
The young Samoan was raised in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, which is apart of the island of O’ahu. This is where he got his faith, learned to pray, and play every sport that he could. It’s where he was molded into the person he is today. “Faith, church, Christianity — it’s a very important part of the Samoan culture,” Diane Tagovailoa said. “Everything ends and starts with prayer, ends and starts with God.”
In High School, his teammates and coaches referred to him as “Reverend Tua”, as he was known for quoting scripture to inspire his teammates when they would be down in a game or volunteering to lead the team in prayer during practice or game time. Needless to say, Tua rubs off on people. You would be right to say he is cut from the same mold as Tim Tebow-not just because he’s a Christian, but how mature and wise the young quarterback is.
Andrew Bone, who has been covering Alabama recruiting for Rivals.com for the past 15 years, noticed this parallel, and, like Tebow, that there was something different about Tua. “I would say in terms of quarterbacks, probably the closest comparison — and I’m not saying their skill levels are the same — but in terms of their respect they have for other people, how humble they are, he was right up there with Tim Tebow,” Bone said. “And I think Tua is very similar to him in a lot of ways. Always very nice, very humble, and very respectful. You see that a lot, but there was always a different feeling with him than just about everybody else.”
His career at Alabama is nothing short of incredible. In three seasons, Tua threw for a total of 7,442 passing yards, 87 touchdowns, and only 11 interceptions. Looking at those statistics, Tua is arguably the best quarterback to play for the Crimson Tide. On Saturday, November 16, 2019, Tua sustained a hip injury that required season-ending surgery. For Tua, it’s a bum deal because he still had goals for the season- beating Auburn, getting into the college football playoff, etc. However, football is just a platform for the young Samoan. He knows there’s something bigger for him, whether it be football, coaching, or preaching.
Most people would feel hopeless and in despair with such an injury, but not Tua. He looks at his current situation as his great opportunity. If this doesn’t inspire or encourage you, I’m not sure what would.
There have been many, many great players to play at the University of Alabama and more will come, however, I don’t believe there has ever been a superstar quite like Tua Tagovailoa. His legacy has been sealed and his future is in good hands.
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