Few were tougher on Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow out of the gate than ESPN's Merril Hoge, but he publicly changed his stance on Monday. Hoge told "Mike & Mike in the Morning" that his eyes were once "clouded," but he's come to see Tebow, and Denver's uprising, as an inspiration. "The lessons that (the Broncos) are showing (are) what sports are about. ... I've been obviously very hard on Tim Tebow, very critical of him as a quarterback and his skill set," Hoge said. "... I've been wrong on a lot of levels with (Tebow). I've lost the ability, or the opportunity, I should say ... to shed light on what an amazing story (about) how he has worked, persevered, changed -- his diligence -- all those things that you try to teach young people ... (what) sports are really about." Hoge made the important distinction of labeling Denver's surge a story about the Broncos, not just their quarterback.