Good thing Tebow graduated: NCAA set to ban eye-black messages

A.P. announced yesterday that the NCAA’s Football Rules Committee proposed another new rule aimed at player expression, most notably for Florida fans, banning all words, logos, numbers or other symbols on the players’ eye black. The AP reports the rule will take effect for the 2010 season.Tim Tebow is the most prominent example of a player using his eye black as a personal billboard, having used it the past two seasons to print a bible verse and promote his faith. After the 2009 BCS Championship Game, 92 million people Googled “John 3:16,” the verse Tebow wore during the game. With the new rule, such a phenomenon would never have taken place.The NFL also has a “no messages on the eye black” rule, meaning Tebow will no longer adorn his famous bible verses during games.But Tebow is far from the only athlete to print messages on his eye black. Thousands of players do it, dating back to Reggie Bush’s days at USC and earlier. The eye-black messages often honor the player’s hometown, area code, nicknames like “Muck City” or messages like “I (heart) u mom,” which former Gators receiver Louis Murphy wore during the 2009 championship game.But not all eye black messages have the best intentions. Urban Meyer lamented during the middle of the 2009 season that sometimes he has to be an “eye black cop.” The NFL and now NCAA are wary of curse words or other taunting messages on the eye black which could cause fights on the football field. And Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor got in some hot water last season when he honored disgraced quarterback Michael Vick on his eye black.

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