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Tim Tebow Super Bowl Ad Kicking Up Controversy
Filed under: In The News, Sports
Florida quarterback Tim Tebow embraces his mother, Pam, during a pre-game ceremony for graduating seniors last year. Credit: Phil Sandlin, Pool / AP
The Tebow ad is paid for by conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, using money donated to the group by "very generous friends," according to Gary Schneeberger, a spokesperson for the evangelical nonprofit organization.
The theme of the ad: "Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life," according to a report from the Associated Press. Focus on the Family takes a strong anti-abortion stance, and is also against gay marriage. ("God created marriage as a loyal partnership between one man and one woman," according to its Web site.)
Although the ad will not be shown on television until the Super Bowl, the AP report says the ad will probably tell the story of Tebow's mother, Pam, who was advised to have an abortion after she became ill during a mission trip to the Philippines when she was pregnant with her fifth child.She decided to have the baby, and that baby grew up to be the much lauded college football star. Tebow was the quarterback for the University of Florida Gators; he will enter the NFL draft this year.
The AP story does not mention who has seen the ad other than the people who are placing it. CBS spokesperson Dana McClintock tells the AP that the network had approved the script for the ad. Schneeberger is quoted by the AP as saying that the ad is not "political and controversial" and that when it airs, "those who oppose it will be quite surprised at what the ad is all about."
Tebow has always worn his religious beliefs on his sleeve, or more accurately, on his eye black. While some players have drawn an area code or another message on their eye black (such as Reggie Bush's 619), Tebow often wears a reference to a Biblical passage, as in the photo above ("Heb 12 1-2" refers to Hebrews 12:1-2). The Web site TebowZone lists all the Bible verses that Tebow has worn while playing.
News of the ad has brought protests from groups such as the Women's Media Center (WMC) and the National Organization for Women (NOW). WMC started an online campaign called Stop Anti-Choice Super Bowl Ad, which includes a petition and requests for videos protesting CBS' decision to air the Focus on the Family ad. Some of those videos can be seen in this report from the AP.
In response, CBS has said it will consider other advocacy ads, provided they are "responsibly produced."
While most of the outcry against the ad has to do with its potential message, some are against it simply because they don't want politics with their football. CBS Sports columnist Gregg Doyel writes that Super Bowl Sunday is "not a day to discuss abortion."
Some are calling CBS' decision to air the ad a victory for free speech, but Super Bowl ads are anything but free. This year, CBS is charging between $2.5 million and $2.8 million for a 30-second spot, according to CBS News. (Super Bowl ad prices are actually down slightly this year. According to a report from TNS Media Intelligence earlier this month, ads on last year's Super Bowl went for $3 million.)
The Super Bowl is traditionally the most watched television program of the year. Last year's game, between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, was seen by an estimated 95.4 million people, according to published reports.
Related: 10 Things Not to Say to a Guy Watching Football, Super Bowl Recipes
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
1-27-2010 @ 4:59PM
Sandyone said...Hah...my favorite 'protest comment' was from the idiot who said something like this:
"It's offensive to tell people that one choice is better than another."
Um, duh. I don't guess she's ever seen a Budweiser advertisement.
Reply
1-27-2010 @ 5:10PM
Michelle said...I'm pro-choice, meaning that I don't think abortion should be illegal. But here's what I don't get - if this ad simply tells the family's story, why is it "anti-choice"? Anti-choice means you want all abortions to be illegal. I've always thought rather than focusing on outlawing abortions, the so-called "pro-life" movement should instead encourage women not to have abortions by providing support for pregnant women, encouraging adoption, funding groups that help young mothers, etc. Telling an encouraging story like this also might help women facing a potential medical problem think twice before aborting - doctors aren't always right. I really don't get the controversy here.
Reply
1-29-2010 @ 2:45AM
LARRY said...GIVE'M HELL HARRY! CBS HAS NO IDEA WHAT IT IS SAYING.
OH, I AGREE WITH THAT. THIS IS NOT PRO CHOICE.
JUST ANOTHER ATEMPT TO GET PEOPLE TO WATCH THE SUPERBOWL. I THINK IT'S A HEART WARMING STORY OF A MOTHER AND SON. IF SHE HAD TAKEN THE ADVICE SHE WOULD NOT HAVE TIM.....
1-27-2010 @ 5:13PM
Emily said..."She decided to have the baby..."
This sounds like a pro-choice message to me. Pro-choice does not mean pro-abortion, although there are certainly some pro-abortion people out there on the extreme left. Pro-choice is the middle ground.
Reply
1-27-2010 @ 9:02PM
Alexandra said...The truth of the matter is that when you abort a baby, you will NEVER know the true potential of that child, including being a Heisman Trophy winner, or even President !!!.
Reply
1-28-2010 @ 7:52AM
Sandyone said...Yeah...a 40 second ad that was denied airing last year was an ultrasound with captions..."this baby's future will be a broken home, this baby will be abandoned by his father, his mother will struggle to raise him, etc." It ends with "will become the first African American president".
Who knows who's not here and what they haven't done because they were aborted? It's sad.
1-28-2010 @ 10:54AM
Emily said...There is no point in making the argument that when you abort a pregnancy, you may be losing a potentially great person, because obviously the opposite argument can be made. You might be aborting a serial killer, drug dealer or child molester and therefore saving many lives.
Reply
1-28-2010 @ 4:21PM
Sandyone said...There is an excellent point to be made in pointing out that you never know who might not exist because of abortion. The 'bad conditions' reason is very often given as good reason for abortion. Women are told that every baby must be a wanted baby. They're told that every baby should be a healthy baby. Neither of these is true and must be countered.
(you also make a good point that there have probably been some abortions that have prevented pretty nasty people from being born. While true, I hope you're not using that as a defense of abortion and that you were just pointing out a fault in my logic.)
I suppose that we could end crime by just aborting every pregnancy. The opposite of that is just letting every pregnancy succeed and then you'll *know* that the great people weren't aborted.
1-28-2010 @ 11:41AM
Jimmy said...Its amazing just how bent the feminist get over anything that suggests
to what they can do with their bodies...There already are rules that dictate to them. They are called prostitution laws.
Reply
1-28-2010 @ 11:39AM
jlr4mama said...How can anyone have an opinion on something they haven't even seen????????
Reply
1-28-2010 @ 11:58AM
SKL said...Just another bit of evidence that the NOW and others who would protest this ad are not pro-choice at all. They do not want people making a choice to give birth. They don't want people knowing that even in a tough situation, that choice could end up being positive. If they really liked the idea of choice, they would be thrilled that this woman followed her own heart, made her own choice, and is happy about it.
And while you point out there's a lot of money in super bowl ads, keep in mind there is also a lot of money in the abortion industry.
Reply
1-28-2010 @ 3:37PM
LS said...I love how "choice" also doesn't include making the CHOICE not to have sex in the first place, unless you're prepared to have a child. After all, that's the scientific point of sex - to create a child. If you're not ready for that responsibility, you shouldn't be having sex.
Seems to me THAT'S the message that NOW, et al, should be touting... taking that kind of personal responsibility is the true empowering attitude.
But no... according to them, the only "choice" there is, is to kill a human being because it's inconvenient.
1-30-2010 @ 9:59PM
Brenda said...I agree totally. Why are the people at NOW so afraid of someone hearing a positive story about someone who CHOSE not to have an abortion?
1-28-2010 @ 2:43PM
LilysMommy said...Here is my personal opinion. IF YOU DON'T WANT CHILDREN DON'T HAVE SEX! You can't just go off and murder your own flesh and blood because you were too damn stupid to use protection..
Reply
1-28-2010 @ 3:41PM
LS said...I wish we had a "like" button on this board. 'Cause I'd click it for this comment!
1-30-2010 @ 11:35AM
Tonia said...I love hearing a heart warming family story however, 15 years ago I was married with a sweet two year old and my life was turned upside down when I was raped by someone of the opposite race. I am glad that I had the "CHOICE" to make my own decisions about having the baby! His name is Mason and he is president of his student council and in all advanced classes. They wanted us to move him up a grade but, he wanted to stay with his friends. After High School graduation he is planning to attend the University of Texas and then Medical School! Mason was my little gift from God! I am "PRO CHOICE"!
Reply
1-30-2010 @ 9:58PM
Brenda said...Congratulation on your fine child, Tonia. I am glad you used your choice to save an innocent, rather than punishing him for the sin of your rapist.
1-30-2010 @ 9:59PM
Brenda said...Congratulation to CBS. This is a paid commercial. If the pro-choice lobby were really pro-choice, they would welcome this small item about the other choices that can be made.
Reply