Henderson: NOW's take on Tebow ad trivializes real problems

Henderson: NOW's take on Tebow ad trivializes real problems

I have really tried to steer clear of the hype about Tim Tebow's ad with his Mother for Focus on the Family. The truth is, I have friends on both sides of that fence and I don't want to be divisive on my blog--or in my life. I read this article today, however, in one of our local newspapers and thought: "WOW! He's got such a good point!" I couldn't NOT share it.

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player Warren Sapp was arrested in Miami this past weekend accused of domestic violence with a girlfriend. It's a story that is all too familiar with sports figures. Whether it's completely true or not, it's downright SAD!

NOW...the NOW organization leader steps in and says this about Tebow's ad: "I am blown away at the celebration of the violence against women in it," she said. "That's what comes across to me even more strongly than the anti-abortion message. I myself am a survivor of domestic violence, and I don't find it charming. I think CBS should be ashamed of itself."

The author of the editorial says that NOW should be demanding that the NFL face this problem and require training for athletes about domestic violence. Then he writes: I'm not going to get into that [abortion issues] debate here, but it's worth noting that prior to the airing of the ad, when NOW was trying to force CBS to keep it off the air, O'Neill told The Associated Press, "That's not being respectful of other people's lives. It is offensive to hold one way out as being a superior way over everybody else's."

Yes, it is.

And to say that Tim and Pam Tebow have glorified violence against women is worse than offensive. It's downright stupid."

And, in my opinion, it doesn't matter whether you support the ad or you don't, stupid is the perfect word!

FINALLY!!!

I've been a fan of Tony Dungy since he coached my beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers (it's hard to say "beloved" after the season they just had). He is a man of great integrity and character. And he never hesitates to share his strong faith with the community. I admire that.

For those of you who don't know about Dungy (or anything about him) and the Buccaneers, let me share a little bit. He was the head coach there for many years. He built the team into something Tampa could be very proud of. This was no small accomplishment since we spent so many years being the "losers". Now, I know there were other coaches that impacted that team...but it was Dungy who helped build the strongest defensive line that the Bucs have ever had. And it was Dungy who ushered in the "Glory Days".

He took the team to playoff after playoff. They just couldn't make the "final" game. It eluded him. And, as is true in the NFL, if you don't go all the way, you don't always get to stay. Dungy was fired and Gruden was hired. It was Gruden who got the glory for taking the Bucs all the way to the Super Bowl only one short year after Dungy left the team. There are MANY fans in Florida who think that Gruden just ushered Tony's team to the Super Bowl. And, there are those that think that Gruden was the "magic" the team needed to get there. (I would argue, though, that the magic hasn't been there since that beautiful season!)

Anyway, when Tony left to go to the Colts, I started watching them. Again it seemed that history was repeating itself as the Colts made it to play offs and just couldn't quite clinch the division title that would lead them to the Super Bowl.

Yesterday, though, Dungy and the Colts saw sweet victory!! It was a story of beauty rising out of ashes. I mean who would have thought that they could pull back and win from a 21-3 score so early in the game and WIN?


And to be able to play his friend and colleague Chicago Bears Coach, Lovie Smith--who worked with him at Tampa Bay---I LOVE IT!!

At the post-game celebration, I was reminded, again, why I am a fan of this man and his team. He didn't take glory for himself. Nope. He gave glory to God and to the team and to the fans. And so did Jim Irsay, the Colts' owner. And all I can say to that is, "WOW!"

So, there's one word left that describes the way I feel after yesterday's win....

FINALLY!!

Now let's go on that "Mission in Miami"!!