EoT: Tebow, Hutto and Yu Darvish

Each week, Eyes on Texas looks at life in Texas through the eyes of those outside our state.

Want to attract New York papers to Central Texas? Have Tim Tebow, cultural phenomenon and the Jets’ new quarterback, speak in Georgetown on Easter Sunday. Reporters for The New York Daily News, The New York Post and The New York Times were among the thousands who heard Tebow, a devout Christian, speak about his faith for Celebration Church. London’s Guardian, which never passes up a Texas story, also covered Tebow’s brief appearance before 15,000. “In Christianity, it’s the Pope and Tebow right now,” The Post quoted pastor Joe Champion as saying. “We didn’t have enough room to handle the Pope.”

The New York Times traveled to Hutto to illustrate how school districts are trying to make do on shoestring budgets. Earlier in the week, its Home section visited Austin to showcase the legendary Pink Palace, with its Joplin myths and “nutty architectural details.”

Reuters points out the global interest in Yu Darvish, the high-profile free-agent pitcher the Texas Rangers signed to ease the sting of last season’s World Series. Darvish struggled but won his first start, 11-5. Fox’s coverage of one Yu fan already has induced a few cringes. And The International Business Times wonders if the Rangers’ Yu hot dog, along with signs from fans, is racist.