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Jack Kelly

Here Comes Tebowmania

Get ready for the agony and the ecstasy of facing America's most polarizing athlete. Again.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, on Saturday night at 8 p.m., the Tim Tebow train comes roaring into the commonwealth. For those of you who are unfamiliar or baffled by the enormous exposure of one Tim Tebow or simply do not follow football, here's the 411:  

  • Tim Tebow is a professional football player who plays for the Denver Broncos.
  • He is a polarizing figure because of his unabashed Christianity.
  • He claims he is a virgin and saving himself until marriage (And I believe him without a shadow of a doubt).
  • He made a controversial pro-life ad with his mom that aired during the Super Bowl.
  • And his football ability has been questioned from the moment he entered the NFL draft.

As well as a million other things, but the point being, this is more than a football game on Saturday. Being that the NFL is at the epicenter of American culture in this century, this game has every story conceivable. With Tebow comes religion, sports, politics and strong opinions. It has become so fierce between family and friends alike that discussing Tebow has become just as polarizing as a conversation about religion and politics. 

The last time these two teams met, 28.2 million people watched. That is a gigantic number, and Tebow is not the only draw; Tom Brady, in some ways, is the anti-Tebow, a man who (clearly) was not a virgin before he entered into matrimony.

Brady, before G, was the ultimate bachelor—young, famous, rich and a Super Bowl winning QB. In addition, he dated such train-wrecks as Tara Reid, which is, morally, about as far away from Tebowness as you can get. Brady is a a man who embraced all the fruits of his fame, something most would salivate to imitate.  

But Tebow? Nah. Like Brady, he is young, famous, good looking and, yet, he stays pure. In some ways, that is more amazing than the overtime game-winning pass he threw against the Steelers.

Can anyone imagine Tebow dating Lindsey Lohan? (of course not)

And we are still not done. Now the guy who controversially drafted Tebow, Josh McDaniels, comes back to to the Patriots for the Playoffs in a bizarre—but apparently very legal—move.

Oh and wait, there is more drama to this game. The Patriots offensive coordinator, Bill O'Brien, was just named head coach of the most infamous college football program of all time, Penn State. You know, the program that has an ongoing sex scandal that even people who have never watched football a day in their life are talking about.  

I'm not done. Considering that last night was the New Hampshire primary for the Republican nomination (which Mitt Romney, not surprisingly, won), I thought it would be a good reminder that Tebow has infiltrated that process as well.

First, Rick Perry declared that he was "the Tim Tebow of the Republican primary." Turns out, not so much. More like the Ryan Leaf of the Republican primary.  

Then, a story comes out this week that claims the Republicans are jumping over each other for the Tebow endorsement. But this whole thing is just about football right? Wrong!

This game represents many aspects of what we are as a collective culture. It will have people arguing over Tebow and his social stances and then over Brady and the "did he do the right thing leaving Bridget—while she was pregenant—for a super model, etc." awkward conversation the ensues when mixed company is talking.

This game has it all. So, go ahead: try and think it is just a football game. But, before you reach a conclusion, ask the people you are watching it with if they are Pro-Tebow or Anti-Tebow. Then watch what happens!

Prediction: Patriots win, and it will be the most watched game of the year, including the Superbowl.

Enjoy, because life is so short and we will all be facing death before you know it!

"Stay Naked"- Steve Jobs

About this column: A view on politics, sports and social issues from the edge of Bunker Hill. Jack Kelly is a writer for his website Coffee With Caesar. Read more of Jack's work at http://coffeewithcaesar.com. Related Topics: Jack Kelly, Patriots, and Tim Tebow

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