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2 Riverhead High School Students Suspended For 'Tebowing'

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow is the fourth-quarter phenomenon who's been wowing football fans all across the country with his talent.

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But some of Tebow's teen followers are crying foul after they were busted for paying tribute to their favorite player.

If you follow the National Football League, you've heard of him.

Tebow has quickly become the biggest story in pro sports. His outward devotion to his faith and his late-game heroics have earned him a massive following.

But fanaticism might have gone too far recently in Riverhead on Long Island. A YouTube video shows several students at Riverhead High School getting down on one knee in the middle of a hallway as a tribute to Tebow. For those who don't know, that's Tebow's signature move after a positive play.

Mimicking kneeling down to pray -- the trademark move has been dubbed "Tebowing" -- is what got senior Connor Carroll and his twin brother, Tyler, in big trouble.

Connor Carroll spoke to CBS 2's Hazel Sanchez by phone on Thursday night.

"This all started on Monday. Me, my brother and a couple of our friends decided we would Tebow in the hallway to show respect to Tim Tebow. We did it the one period. The next day, Tuesday, more people … they saw us doing it again, so they started doing it on their own. And Wednesday even more people started doing it," Connor Carroll said.

He said he and his brother and two other students were called to the principal's office, where the brothers were suspended for one day. Connor Carroll claims the school never warned him to stop the tribute. He said he thinks the punishment is unfair.

"The point is we shouldn't be suspended for this. It's a harmless act, just supporting a good guy," Carroll said.

School administrators could not be reached for comment Thursday night. Carroll said he has no regrets.

"We're all Tebow fans. We like what he brings to the table. He's a natural born leader," Carroll said.

But as it turned out, for Carroll and his brother, following the leader was not a winning move.

Connor Carroll and his brother were suspended for initiating the Tebow tribute. The other students were let go with a warning.

Do you think school officials acted properly or are they completely over-reacting? Please offer your thoughts in the comments section below.

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