THIS is the political section of the newspaper, not the sports department.
But the success of Tim Tebow has blurred the line between sports and politics.
The unorthodox quarterback has led his Denver Broncos to victories in seven of the last eight games, taking them from last to first.
Purists hate the fact that he does not throw from the pocket. Why, in one game he only threw eight times, completing only two of those passes.
That his team won that game really infuriated his critics.
But not all the criticism stems from how he plays the game. His alternative lifestyle really bugs some people.
Some people object to his display of his religious faith.
Conservatives see Tebow as a decent kid unfairly maligned.
Tebow was home-schooled. In college, he wrote messages such as John 3:16 in his football eye paint. The NFL banned that when he turned pro.
His first appearance in a Super Bowl was in a pro-life commercial that told how his mother ignored the advice of her doctors and did not abort him. That drew complaints.
After a good play, many an athlete thanks the Lord. Sammy Sosa made a sign and looked to the heavens during each of his 609 home run trots.
Tebow has taken it one step further, dropping to one knee and saying a prayer.
It's genuine. His parents were missionaries. He spent his summers in college in the Philippines helping the poor.
At the University of Florida, Tebow encouraged volunteering and organized a powder puff football game that raised $340,000 for charity, as Patton Dodd wrote in a column in the Wall Street Journal.
Dodd mentioned Tebow's trip to an awards ceremony in 2009.
The night before, someone introduced him to Kelly Faughnan, 20, a brain-tumor victim who suffers from hearing loss and what Dodd described as visible, continual tremors.
THIS is the political section of the newspaper, not the sports department.
But the success of Tim Tebow has blurred the line between sports and politics.
The unorthodox quarterback has led his Denver Broncos to victories in seven of the last eight games, taking them from last to first.
Purists hate the fact that he does not throw from the pocket. Why, in one game he only threw eight times, completing only two of those passes.
That his team won that game really infuriated his critics.
But not all the criticism stems from how he plays the game. His alternative lifestyle really bugs some people.
Some people object to his display of his religious faith.
Conservatives see Tebow as a decent kid unfairly maligned.
Tebow was home-schooled. In college, he wrote messages such as John 3:16 in his football eye paint. The NFL banned that when he turned pro.
His first appearance in a Super Bowl was in a pro-life commercial that told how his mother ignored the advice of her doctors and did not abort him. That drew complaints.
After a good play, many an athlete thanks the Lord. Sammy Sosa made a sign and looked to the heavens during each of his 609 home run trots.
Tebow has taken it one step further, dropping to one knee and saying a prayer.
It's genuine. His parents were missionaries. He spent his summers in college in the Philippines helping the poor.
At the University of Florida, Tebow encouraged volunteering and organized a powder puff football game that raised $340,000 for charity, as Patton Dodd wrote in a column in the Wall Street Journal.
Dodd mentioned Tebow's trip to an awards ceremony in 2009.
The night before, someone introduced him to Kelly Faughnan, 20, a brain-tumor victim who suffers from hearing loss and what Dodd described as visible, continual tremors.
"She was wearing a button that said 'I love Timmy'," Dodd wrote.
Someone introduced her to Tebow. He invited her to the awards dinner the next night.
I do not know if heroes are born or made. I do know one when I see one.
In a column, Matthew Dowd of ABC News cast Tebow's success in a political light.
"Tebow is the kind of leader for his football team that our country needs at this crucial moment in history," Dowd wrote.
"Yes, the Denver Broncos streak will probably end, and the odds are a team like the Green Bay Packers will win the Super Bowl.
"But no matter the outcome, Tebow has shown what faith and confidence and humility can do for a team of limited skills that was losing consistently before. This is exactly what President Franklin Roosevelt and President Reagan understood about leadership."
Neither FDR nor Reagan were conventional. Usually you do not ride a wheelchair to the White House or get there by way of Hollywood. They were not pocket quarterbacks when they came up, but they learned how to be to survive. And so will Tebow.
Denver's sudden success is a team effort. The defense is good. Placekicker Matt Prater kicked two field goals of over 50 yards to win Sunday's game.
The Broncos' comebacks are a blessing. In a year when Jerry Sandusky dominates football news, America needs Tim Tebow.
I agree with Dowd. We are not getting such leadership from Washington.
Perhaps Tebow will inspire our public servants to be humble again.
You do not have to be conservative, liberal or moderate to want that.
Surber's email address is donsur...@dailymail.com. His blog is at http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber.
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