Every sports fans favourite topic: Abortion!

It’s the most tweeted and talked about story in the United States. Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow will star in a pro-life commercial during this year’s Super Bowl. In the 30-second ad, funded by Focus on the Family, Tebow and his mother tell the story of her high-risk pregnancy when she and her husband were missionaries in the Philippines. Advised to have an abortion, she chose life and Tim Tebow was born.

A potentially powerful message considering Tebow may be the best college football player in the history of the game. With two national championships and a Heisman Trophy under his belt, Tebow is not only a great leader, he’s the perfect role model for middle America. As a dedicated Christian, Tebow goes on missions to the Philippines, visits prisons, comforts children on their deathbeds, works with charities, and most famously, puts bible verses on his eye black. Oh yeah, and he’s a proud virgin, saving himself for marriage (a fact that seems even crazier when you see his girlfriend).

All the guy’s missing is a self-flagellation habit, otherwise he’s perfect.

Which is exactly what women’s groups are afraid of, I guess. In an ironic twist, considering it’s always the religious right trying to censor the media, a coalition of dozens of advocacy groups are asking CBS not to air the Tebow commercial. The protest coalition’s statement suggests the ad will use “one story to subtly dictate morality to the American public.” Well, duh. That’s what commercials do. They tell you what to eat, drink, wear, buy and think. Hardly justification to pull the spot.

Jehmu Greene, president of the Women’s Media Center and a coalition spokeswoman, says “An ad that uses sports to divide rather than to unite has no place in the biggest national sports event.” Which, roughly translated means, “Me no like thinking, me watch football.” Granted, while no one wants to chat about dead fetuses while diving into a plate of Buffalo wings, talking about the commercial after it airs will still be the viewers decision to make. Who are we protecting here? A guy who doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut? If that’s the case, CBS better not air any promos for NCIS because I’m going to fly off the handle and get into a fist fight with some Mark Harmon fan.

Tim Tebow has the right to speak his mind. I think we owe him that regardless of where we stand on the issue. The man’s a virgin for fuck sakes. In an era where athletes either stand for nothing (Michael Jordan) or hide their true selves behind an army of image makers (Tiger Woods), Tebow is as refreshing as the cold beer he’s probably never tried. He’s on this planet because his mother risked her well-being to give birth to him. It goes without saying that you’d be pretty pleased about something like that.

Women’s rights groups feel this particular story will “encourage women to disregard medical advice, potentially putting their lives at risk” and you know what, maybe it will. Maybe it should. The thing isn’t directed by Oliver Stone, it’s a true story that all women should have a chance to hear, nevermind be protected from. Whether to have an abortion or not is a terribly hard decision to make and by restricting debate around the issue, you’re essentially restricting the woman’s choice in the matter, which of course, is the very thing these pro-choice groups are supposed to be fighting for.

Trying to get commercials banned from television is purely a Christian move; pro-choice groups should know better. Rather than shutting down dialogue, these women’s groups should be hard at work filming their own commercials with their own superstar athletes.

May I suggest Shawn Kemp.