Media overkill. I hate it. I even hate it when I’ve had to keep shoving stories out there on a single subject.

There are many instances in today’s sports world. Here are but a few.

Brett Favre, make a decision. I’m tired of reading about how he’s still making up his mind. I’m hoping he stays retired just so we won’t have the season-long stories of how he came out of retirement again and how well/bad he played.

Fortunately, John Madden did retire and everyone but Frank Caliendo is happy.

And then there is the deluge of Michael Vick stories. He did the crime and he did the time. I admit I was appalled at what happened, but let’s move on.

Yes, if Vick gets to play this year I’m sure there will be a story on PETA protesting outside of the stadium each week. It’ll either be a story about PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) or PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals). It all depends on the story angle.

And then there is Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, the Heisman Trophy winner two years ago.

Yes, we know he’s a bruising runner and still passes like a quarterback. Maybe he’s just the reincarnation of the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback Joe Kapp who was know for his end-over-end passes, but he’s still a quarterback.

The media shows us his touchdown runs, usually 3 yards or less, so he’s really more like a fullback. They will also show his good passes and not the ones he sends into the ground like he’s drilling for oil. Got to keep up the good image if we’re going to keep the stories coming.

Tebow is a class act and a devout Christian. I admire that. I’d like to see a fresh question, but not like the one sports writer Clay Travis decided to ask Tebow at the SEC media day, “Tim, are you saving yourself for marriage?”

I agree that everyone including Tebow is tired of the same questions over and over and it would be nice to hear something new with Tebow, if that’s possible.

But Travis went outside the boundaries. I’ve never heard of Clay Travis. The fact he is the author of “On Rocky Top” explains why I or most of the nation hasn’t heard of him.

Regardless if Tebow is a college football star player — or even if he wasn’t a star — asking about someone’s sex life isn’t anyone else’s business.

I would have like to have seen Tebow tell the writer just that. “That’s a personal question and I’d prefer if we kept the questions about football.” Instead, Tebow not only talks the talk, he walks the walk.

After the laughter stopped following the question, Tebow said, “Yes. I am. I think you’re all stunned right now. I was ready for the question. Ya’ll weren’t.”

Do you think there will be any overkill remarks and stories about that comment this season? You bet. And there will be even more involving Tebow.

ESPN will be there on Nov. 14 when Florida visits South Carolina and expect them to beat to death the story of how Gamecocks’ head coach and former Florida Heisman Trophy quarterback and coach Steve Spurrier left Tebow off his preseason All-SEC ballot. Actually, the sports information director who usually does the head coach’s voting — like at all schools — left Tebow off the list.

Maybe ESPN really stands for Excessive Sensationalizing of Players causing fans’ Nausea.

I wonder if there is any way to file charges for overkill?

–– Sinatra ––

Jim Walker is sports editor of The Ironton Tribune.