That Game Between Commercials

Well, the NFL playoffs have not quite gone as everyone expected. Nevertheless, it has been exciting so far. Now, the highlight is coming up. Of course you all know what I'm talking about. The most important part of the end of the football season is in the Super Bowl commercials. Isn't that why most people who never care about football for the rest of the year seemed to all watch on one night? I wonder if there will be any controversy on that this year like we had Tim Tebow and his apparently incredibly offensive pro-life advertisement that really turned out to be not even that blatant. It seems to be that way a lot of the time when something is talked up to be such a big controversy, it never can live up to the hype. However, who knows what will happen this year? Oh yeah, there is a game played as well in between the commercials. I have to get behind Philadelphia on that one out of loyalty sake, but quite honestly I would be very afraid of New England if I was in the playoffs. They have had a great year. However, let's go Eagles!

Photo by Ed Yourdon on Flickr

The Obvious Post

Well another Super Bowl has come and gone. Congratulations New Orleans on a great 31 to 17 victory! However, the Saints needed more than just skill to best Indianapolis; they needed guts. I will admit that the onside kick that started the second half was not even on my radar. That was the first time there was a successful onside kick before the fourth quarter in Super Bowl history! I doubt I was the only one who was surprised by this unorthodox move; in fact, I know this because many Colts were already dropping back to cover the kick return. I guess that in a game like the Super Bowl where any play might define the game the great teams make plays happen instead of reacting to what already has happened. Can you imagine the second-guessing if that play had failed? The only man who would have been more hated than Sean Payton would have been in New Orleans would be Steve Bartman in Chicago. However, as Aristotle astutely pointed out, "No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness." Hey, if madness is what it takes to win the Super Bowl, I don't think anybody in New Orleans will be complaining.

Another comment on a different aspect of the Super Bowl would be my feeling that halftime show performers should not be receiving Social Security checks. I am not age discriminating here; on the contrary, it is hard to see bands who were great in their day be so reduced in vocal quality. Tonight, they did not sound like the band who sang "Pinball Wizard" on my favorite playlist of downloaded music. I know people get old and voices change; however, I wish we could remember The Who as the band they were.

I am sorry to admit that I totally missed the Tim Tebow commercial. I'm sure you all know how it is when you are scurrying around to gather your full plate of the Super Bowl buffet before too much of the game is finished. While I was completing this ritual, I saw the end of the commercial but could not hear it over the general clamor in our house. However, it seemed too simple. I feel like such a big deal was made over this ad that was undeserved. I decided I needed to log online to review the commercial and see if it was as "un-American" as it was deemed before. No way! Watch the video here! With all the media hype that has been generated, I almost expected to see essentially a protest video. However, all Mrs. Tebow said was, "I call him my miracle baby. He almost didn't make it into this world." If so many people would not have made such a big deal over this advertisement, many people could have thought that Tim simply was a sickly baby who almost didn't survive. While it could be implied from the commercial that an abortion was suggested, there are other possibilities that could have occurred. All in all though, I am glad that Tim stood up for what he believed in regardless of the opinions of others.

It was a good Super Bowl even though my team didn't win. Maybe I need to have a religious experience with Sister Jean Kenny of the St. Francis Borgia Parish. She is 18-7 in choosing the Super Bowl over the last 25 years and has been dubbed the "Super Bowl Sister." As I continue my streak of picking the wrong team to win the Super Bowl to three years now, maybe it is time for a long-distance phone call...

Tim Tebow and American Freedom of Speech

I'm sure that any of you who have turned on the news in the past few days have heard about the marketing fiasco surrounding Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. One would think that a story of this magnitude would be something along the lines of the infidelity of a trusted politician or a case of corporate corruption. However, neither of these stories are anywhere near the truth. Tim Tebow is taking an intense amount of scrutiny for appearing in commercial sponsored by Focus on the Family that displays a pro-life message. Please do not stop reading here; I'm not here to lecture you on my own personal beliefs on this issue. I'm here to talk about the issue of basic American rights and the right to free speech. The Bill of Rights asserts that all Americans are guaranteed the freedom of speech. Therefore, where is Tim Tebow beyond his rights? Tebow is being attacked as being "un-American" by organizations such as Choice USA. I don't follow this logic; by actually expressing his right to free speech that is guaranteed under the American government, he is being un-American. I think that most people would not attack Tebow for his own personal views as each person is entitled to his or her own opinions. However, upon seeing how obsessed many people are with absolute fairness, I would be willing to guess that many people feel that this commercial is simply being used to advance the agenda of one side. However, CBS has offered to allow pro-choice groups to run "responsibly produced" commercial as well. If they choose not to exercise their right of free speech in this manner, Tebow cannot be blamed. He has nothing to do with their decision-making.

I support Tim Tebow in this commercial not only based on my own views about abortion but also on the simple fact that he has the right to say respectfully whatever he wants. To deny him his right based simply on the fact that what he said might not be popular would make a joke out of our Constitution. The claim that people are free to share their own personal story is valuable. Throughout my own life, I have heard many views presented that I will never agree with. However, I believe that hearing these views has only helped me further justify my own beliefs through forcing me to really consider why I believe what I believe. People do not have to agree, and many people will never agree on certain issues. Nevertheless, both sides at least deserve the right to be shared and heard. Acceptance is a personal decision; no amount of Super Bowl advertising can force people to accept opposing beliefs.